Our program has three unique features. It is an interdisciplinary and team-taught project that offers hands-on experience in an effort to understand more deeply both other cultures and our own. Faculty from many disciplines join together and propose activities designed to illuminate early chapters in our western heritage. Our seminars are not merely lectures and tours; instead, they encourage participation in diverse activities such as model-making reconstructions of ancient buildings and sculpture to introduce ancient architectural and artistic achievement, recreating a mummification ritual complete with the placement of sacred amulets and the recitation of spell-texts to help us think about ancient rituals, the construction of sundials, water-clocks, or star-maps as part of an introduction to ancient astronomy, the making of our own hieroglyphic tablets that we carve and paint as a way to think more deeply about ancient Egyptian writing and its decipherment, and an archaeological exercise digging and preparing a trench to illustrate how ancient sites are excavated. We shall think deeply about the meaning of our own lives by reflecting upon the ways that life and death became meaningful for the ancient Egyptians. In this sense, our project is both an archaeology of ideas and an expedition. It is a physical journey through lower and upper Egypt, and simultaneously a search for our own self-understanding.

This program is open to the entire community! We welcome applications from persons of all ages, backgrounds, and interests (minors are welcome if they are accompanied by a parent or guardian), including those who hold foreign passports as well as U.S. citizens. Participants range in age from 18-86 years. It is usual for the group to have a blend of junior and senior members. Couples and families are welcome. We have set a traveling size for our group not to exceed 40 persons; thus, enrollment is limited. You can secure a place in our 2007 program by sending a check for $250.00 made payable to Southern Illinois University at Carbondale [SIUC] along with your completed application to: Mr. Thomas Saville, Study Abroad Programs, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Carbondale, Illinois 62901-6885. All programs are $4,580 (includes R/T flight from St. Louis to Cairo). Departures from other U.S. cities will be arranged separately.

Unlike arrivals at many international locations, travel in Egypt is best-arranged in groups. For our comfort, we ask that everyone planning to participate in the 2008 program travel with the group on a regularly scheduled flight of Egypt Air that we have arranged at considerable savings. Payment in full, made payable to Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC), should be mailed to: Study Abroad Programs, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901-6885, and should be sent at your earliest convenience to secure a space in our program. cities will be arranged separately.
Although we encourage you to join the group on Egypt Air, we will accommodate your arrival by any other carrier. However, there will be additional costs. First, by separate arrangement, we will have you met at the airport by one of our representatives and taken to the hotel for an additional cost of $75. Secondly, our program calls for two separate jet plane flights from Cairo to Luxor, Luxor to Abu Simbel and a return from Aswan to Cairo. The cost per participant is reduced for those flying Egypt Air Trans-Atlantic and is already included in the program price. For those arriving in Egypt without Egypt Air, there will be an additional charge of $300 ($150 per flight X 2).

WHAT ACCOMMODATIONS ARE INCLUDED?

All lodging is included in first class, five-star hotels. Cabins on the luxury cruise all have large exterior views of the Nile, and are aboard five-star cruises. Accommodations are all double-occupancy. Single rooms can be provided for the complete program at an additional cost of $685 (including the cruise) and are subject to availability.

WHAT MEALS ARE INCLUDED?

Fabulous full and open buffet breakfasts and dinners are included everyday. In Cairo, open buffet lunches are included, at the Sakkara Country Club, and at the famous Peace Restaurant overlooking the great pyramids. On the cruise, in addition to three meals a day, afternoon tea and pastries are all included. Although each program is slightly different, one dinner in Cairo, one lunch in Luxor, and dinner on the last day of the program are not included.

CHANGES IN THE ITINERARY:

Although we anticipate no changes in the itinerary in either program content or the selection of sites, slight changes in scheduling may occur. This is a consequence of official changes made by the Egyptian government regulating domestic travel and/or the access to specific sites. Currently, our program calls for 2 jet plane flights on Egypt Air, within Egypt, and those schedules are subject to change without notice. The government also maintains the right to open or close certain sites without notice. From out past experiences in Egypt, this has never been a problem but we alert all of the participants to the possibilities. Everyone will receive an updated itinerary upon arrival in Egypt.

We re-enact a mummification ritual, complete with religious amulets and the recitation of spell-texts.

WHAT OTHER MISCELLANEOUS COSTS ARE COVERED?

Included in the program costs are many miscellaneous expenses. All museum fees are included as well as entrance fees to all archaeological sites. Port taxes, domestic air taxes, all ground transportation, and transfers have already been figured into the cost. All project materials such as the clay for model making and the materials for group projects. All faculty lectures by our staff and archaeological site presentations by official Egyptian guides are fully covered. All baggage handling and ALL TIPPING are already included.
We encourage everyone to take advantage of these extensive opportunities. Most tours, on the other hand, include only a few set visits while so many others are available for an additional fee. For the interested and motivated traveler, the cost on the usual tours can become very great (and a hassle to arrange) even if the initial price seems modest.

So, what is not covered? Your visa from the Egyptian government (which is available upon arrival in Cairo and we will arrange for you at the airport) at a cost of approximately $20.00 for persons holding U.S. passports (N.B. for persons holding foreign passports, the cost vary; please notify us immediately if you do not hold a U.S. passport). Although the cost of almost all meals is included, the cost of beverages is not. A large bottle of water is about $1, as is the cost of a small soft drink or juice. Beer costs about $4 a bottle and Egyptian wine is about $10 a bottle. Tuition for optional credit is not included.

TUITION:

Registration for SIUC credit is optional. Participants who choose to take the program for credit may opt for a grade or audit. For travel/study programs, there is no additional cost for "out of state" enrollees: the cost for each participant is $177.00/credit hour (undergraduate) and $216.00/credit hour (graduate). There is also a $30 application fee for non-SIUC students applying for credit. This is payable to SIUC and should be a separate check. Credit card payments are accepted for tuition and application fees only. Credit in the program, whether for a grade or audit, is available in Philosophy, Art, Architecture, Art History and/or History. Students may also petition to earn additional credit under the supervision of one of the faculty members for completing an additional project during the summer months, extending from travel research. These additional projects must be completed no later than August 1, 2008. The staff will assist any participant in organizing such additional credit-earning projects.

SCHEDULE OF COST AND PAYMENTS:

* Plus additional cost from your departure city if different from St. Louis. For those traveling on to Greece with us, the university will cover the roundtrip airfare from Cairo to Athens plus an additional first-class hotel stay both in Greece and upon return in Cairo, plus all transfers, for $350. An initial payment of $250.00 along with your application is required to secure a place in the 2008 programs. This payment is applied towards the full program fee.

REFUNDS:

All cancellations less than 45 days prior to the start of the program are subject to a $1000.00 penalty.
All cancellations less than 30 days prior to the start of the program are subject to a $1500.00 penalty.
All cancellations less than 15 days prior to the start of the program are subject to a $2500.00 penalty.
There is NO REFUND due to cancellation after the departure date. To qualify for a refund, all cancellations must be submitted in writing to Study Abroad Programs. Study Abroad programs recommends strongly that all participants obtain separately "Travel Insurance" just in case their plans should change after making program payment.

SPECIAL NOTES:

• At this time, no special medical precautions are needed prior to arrival in Egypt. However, medical authorities customarily recommend tetanus and booster updates for those who have not received them within the last ten years. Please consult your physician.
• Southern Illinois University Carbondale reserves the right to decline any application.
  

EGYPT ITINERARY: MARCH 2008

EGYPT ITINERARY: MAY 2008

EGYPT ITINERARY: JUNE 2008

ABU SIMBEL OPTIONAL TOUR:
In the June programs, there is an “optional” excursion to Abu Simbel. This entails two jet plane flights (approximately 30 minutes each way) followed by a 2-hour tour of the temples of Ramesses II and Nefertari. The additional cost is $240 if paid in advance in USA (before flight tickets issued), and $280 if paid in Egypt.

ALEXANDRIA EXTENSION : OPTIONAL

In the May and June programs there is an optional excursion to Alexandria; this includes a full day trip including lunch, and an additional night in Cairo, departing for the USA the following day. The additional cost for 2 days extension is $295 and for 1 day extension $225 .

THE 2008 PROGRAM
INTERDISCIPLINARY SEMINAR TOPICS

• AN INTRODUCTION TO THE CULTURES OF ANCIENT EGYPT:
  An overview of the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms, with emphasis on art, sculpture, religious practices, political organization, and technological achievements. Includes visits to the pyramid complex at Giza, the stepped pyramid in Sakkara, the pyramids in Meidum and Dhashur, the Cairo Museum and the Pharaonic village.
• HOUSE OF AMUN-RE -- MYTHOLOGY AND COSMOGONY IN ANCIENT EGYPT:
  Lively presentations of traditional stories of how the universe came into being, the struggle for authority, and the battles between good and evil, Nobles, and Workman’s Village in ancient Thebes (Luxor).
• THE TRUTH ABOUT EGYPTIAN MUMMIES:
  Why did the artificial preservation of human remains become a preoccupation -- and major industry -- in pharaonic times? How are the practices of mummification similar and different in the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms? With help from the ancient texts and modern science, we will first imagine and then try to recreate our own mummification ritual.
• DIGGING DOWNWARD TO RECOVER AND DISCOVER EXCELLENCE:
  The archaeologist digs down into the ground to discover physical remains that offer clues about ancient civilizations. Through the analysis of burials through time, before and after the invention of writing, we are able to get a glimpse of the changes in social structure along the way, and changing ideals of excellence.
• THE TECHNOLOGY OF EXCELLENCE:
  One way that the ancient Egyptians expressed the highest excellence was through the creation of extraordinary monuments, pyramids and obelisks. But the idea to celebrate excellence required effective techniques to produce them. So, just how did the Egyptians construct pyramids and install obelisks? We shall investigate these ancient technologies and test our theories by hands-on activities by erecting a scale model of an obelisk.
• THINKING LIKE AN EGYPTIAN:
  How did the history and culture of Egypt affect the way that ancient Egyptians thought? We will develop an understanding of the broad view of Egyptian history in order to explore such basic Egyptian concepts regarding the order of the universe, kingship, and the afterlife. We will use the monuments and images from the sites we visit to identify the world view of the ancient Egyptians. Includes a hands-on project painting on papyrus.

RATES:

All rates are based on tariffs, costs, and exchange rates in effect at publication and are subject to change based on these factors.

SPECIAL NOTES

• At this time, no special medical precautions are needed prior to arrival in Egypt. However, medical authorities customarily recommend tetanus and booster updates for those who have not received them within the last ten years. Please consult your physician.
• Southern Illinois University Carbondale reserves the right to decline any application.