SEMESTER AT SEA COURSE SYLLABUS University of Virginia, Academic Sponsor

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1 SEMESTER AT SEA COURSE SYLLABUS University of Virginia, Academic Sponsor Voyage: Fall 2014 Discipline: English ENWR and 502: Travel Writing (Sections 1 and 2) Division: Lower Faculty Name: Ruth K. Setton Credit Hours: 3; Contact Hours: 38 Pre-requisites: none COURSE DESCRIPTION This course provides an introduction to the craft and art of travel writing. Travel is a force of spiritual and cultural transformation, and writing about it calls on powers of observation, awareness and focus. Students will consider the skills required to write compelling, engaging nonfiction about the people and places they have encountered: character sketches, concrete and vivid detail, point of view, narrative drama, and scene construction. We will read and discuss essays about countries on our voyage written by the world s greatest travel writers, including Paul Theroux, Pico Iyer, Lawrence Durrell, D.H. Lawrence, Bill Bryson, and others. Writing assignments will include short essays written about our ports of call, which will be read and discussed in a supportive, respectful, yet challenging workshop. Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness. --Mark Twain The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. --St. Augustine COURSE OBJECTIVES In this course students will learn to observe their surroundings and note their observations in a travel journal. Students will read travel narratives about ports of call; participate in a handson field lab; experience different cultures, languages and societies; and write in and out of class. The more sensitive, discerning and aware students are as readers, the more powerful they will be as writers. During this course we will explore options and alternative writing styles, techniques and experiments to help open the world of travel writing and discuss writing for publication. We will also examine ethics and issues that arise from writing about foreign cultures. I view this course as part of the great voyage the students have already begun, simply by signing on for this journey and by wanting to take this workshop. We ll voyage together, in a group, and alone; and in the process of searching, exploring, digging, discussing, reading and writing, each student will arrive at his or her own destination from which I hope that they will continue the journey. 1

2 REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS AUTHOR: Don George TITLE: Lonely Planet s Guide to Travel Writing (General Reference) PUBLISHER: Lonely Planet Publications ISBN #: DATE/EDITION: Sept. 2013, 3 rd edition AUTHOR: Lavinia Spalding TITLE: Writing Away: A Creative Guide to Awakening the Journal-Writing Traveler PUBLISHER: Travelers Takes ISBN #: DATE/EDITION: August 2009 AUTHOR: William T. Vollman, ed. TITLE: The Best American Travel Writing 2012 PUBLISHER: Houghton Mifflin ISBN #: // DATE/EDITION: 2012 TOPICAL OUTLINE OF COURSE Depart Southampton- August 23: A1- August 25: Introduction, Journal. Go over syllabus, assignments, requirements. A2-August 27: Travel: The Art of Transformation. Discuss Why We Travel, Pico Iyer; To Russia For Love, Gary Shteyngart (res., Best 2008). How to Drink Vodka, Bourdain (res., Cook). Discuss St. Petersburg writing assignment. St. Petersburg: August 29- September 2 A3- September 3: Share & discuss St. Petersburg travel assignments. Conflict between the writer & the place. Discuss The Art of Good Travel Writing: pp (G). The Journal: Ch. 1 (S); pp (G). A4- September 5: Discuss Structure: Beginning, Middle & End. Discuss pp (G); Ch. 3 (S). Hamburg: September 7-11 A5- September 12: Voice: Who is Our Guide in this Place? Discuss essays in Best 2012: How to Explore Like a Real Victorian Adventurer by Monte Reel, & The Telltale Scribes of Timbuktu by Peter Gwin. 2

3 Antwerp: September Le Havre: September A6-September 20: Share & review Antwerp/La Havre journals. A7- September 22: Prepare for Ireland assignment: Discuss Now Ye Know Who the Bosses Are, J. Malcolm Garcia (Best) Dublin: September A8- September 28: Discuss Food & Music: The Great Connectors. Discuss: Bourdain, Where Food Comes From (res., Cook); Paul Theroux, Everything is Edible Somewhere (res., Ch. 17, Tao); Calvin Trillin, Three Chopsticks (res., Best 2008). A9- September 30: Continue Food & Music discussion. Discuss Guitar Central (G); Bourdain, Something Very Special (res., Cook). Discuss Field Labs in Lisbon and Cadiz. Lisbon: October 1-2 In transit: October 3 Cadiz: October 4-5 A10- October 7: Share & review Lisbon and Cadiz Field Labs and assignments. Casablanca: October 8-11 A11-October 13: No class: conferences. A12- October 15: Essay #1 due. Watch Bourdain video. Discuss Senegal assignment. Dakar: October A13- October 21: Workshop/Presentations A14- October 23: Workshop/Presentations Takoradi: October Tema: October A15- October 29: Workshop/Presentations. Discuss Lynn Freed s Keeping Watch (Best). A16- October 31: The Magic of Place: Making Your Setting Sing. Discuss Ch. 7 (S); Las Vegas by Simon Calder (G); Maximum India by Pico Iyer (Best 2012). Discuss Umberto Eco on The Madonna Inn (res., Tao, p. 208). 3

4 Study Day: November 2 A17-November 3: The importance of POV. Discuss Ch. 8 (S); David Sedaris, Journey into Night (res., Best 2008). A18- November 5: Black Orpheus. In-class writing exercises. Rio de Janeiro: November 7-9 In-transit: November Salvador: November A19- November 15: Discuss Paul Theroux, Travel Epiphanies & final words, ch (res., Tao). Discuss the future of travel writing. A20- November 17: Essay #2 due. Study Day: November 19 A21-November 20: Workshop/Presentations Bridgetown: November A22-November 25: Workshop/Presentations A23- November 27: Final Portfolios due. Buena Vista Social Club. Havana: November 29- December 2 Study Day- December 3 A24-December 4 (A Day Finals): Readings: Highlights of Student Essays 4

5 FIELD WORK Field lab attendance is mandatory for all students enrolled in this course. Please do not book individual travel plans or a Semester at Sea sponsored trip on the day of our field lab. Section 1: Dakar: Market Tour, Traditional Meal and Visit to Village des Arts Food is a universal language, one of the most powerful elements that connect human beings to each other. This field lab provides insights into the food and culture of Senegal. A primary focus of our course is the exploration of ethnic identity and the cultural meaning and implications of food. Students will visit a local market with a chef/guide who will explain various ingredients important in local cuisine. After the market tour, students will go to a Senegalese restaurant where they will eat traditional foods in a group and learn about Senegalese culinary traditions. The market tour and shared lunch will be followed by a visit to the Village des Arts, where students can meet with local artists and view their works. (Day 1, Oct. 16) Academic Objectives: 1. To absorb and participate in hands-on cultural experiences through food and art by touring a traditional Senegalese market and an artists community. 2. To learn about Senegalese culinary traditions during a market visit and by partaking in a shared meal. 3. To use this experience as the inspiration for a travel essay which will be shared and discussed in class. FIELD ASSIGNMENTS Students will take notes while participating in the field lab experience. They will then review and edit their notes and write travel essays based on observation, participation and interpretation. Students will be given a field assignment in every port around which to focus their journal entries, which will be reviewed and shared in class. During class workshop/presentations, students will share and discuss each other s essays. METHODS OF EVALUATION / GRADING RUBRIC 60 %: Writing Assignments Two essays: 1) Food and/or Music is the focus; and 2) an open-theme essay drawn from ports of call assignments and experiences. Both essays will be 6-8 pages long, and can include photographs. Journals and short writing assignments. 20%: Field Lab and Field Assignments 20%: Attendance and Participation: This class is a hands-on craft writing workshop, which means 5

6 everyone s voice is a vital part of the whole. Students are graded on their attendance and preparation for class assigned readings completed, journal entries written, and port assignments completed. RESERVE LIBRARY LIST AUTHOR: Paul Fussell, ed. TITLE: The Norton Book of Travel PUBLISHER: W.W. Norton & Co. ISBN #: DATE/EDITION: First Edition, 1987 AUTHOR: Anthony Bourdain, ed. TITLE: The Best American Travel Writing 2008 PUBLISHER: Houghton Mifflin ISBN #: DATE/EDITION: 2008 AUTHOR: Paul Theroux TITLE: The Tao of Travel PUBLISHER: Penguin ISBN #: DATE/EDITION: 2012 AUTHOR: Anthony Bourdain TITLE: A Cook s Tour: In Search of the Perfect Meal PUBLISHER: Bloomsbury ISBN #: DATE/EDITION: 2001 ELECTRONIC COURSE MATERIALS AUTHOR: Pico Iyer ARTICLE/CHAPTER TITLE: Why We Write JOURNAL/BOOK TITLE: Salon WEB ADDRESS: DATE: 2000 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 1) DVD: Anthony Bourdain, No Reservations. Travel Channel. Collection 3: 3 discs. Released ASIN: B001HB1K1E 6

7 2) DVD: Buena Vista Social Club. Dir. Wim Wenders ASIN: B00002SWEM HONOR CODE Semester at Sea students enroll in an academic program administered by the University of Virginia, and thus bind themselves to the University s honor code. The code prohibits all acts of lying, cheating, and stealing. Please consult the Voyager s Handbook for further explanation of what constitutes an honor offense. Each written assignment for this course must be pledged by the student as follows: On my honor as a student, I pledge that I have neither given nor received aid on this assignment. The pledge must be signed, or, in the case of an electronic file, signed [signed]. 7

SEMESTER AT SEA COURSE SYLLABUS University of Virginia, Academic Sponsor

SEMESTER AT SEA COURSE SYLLABUS University of Virginia, Academic Sponsor Voyage: Fall 2014 Discipline: Drama DRAM 2020-501 and 502: Acting I (Sections 1 and 2) Lower Division Faculty Name: Dr. Judith Williams