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Many of us have used the phrase, ‘it’s a small world after all.’  Last year while I was on our Continuing Education Theatre Tour in New York City, I bumped into two other people from Marshfield who were not with our group. This week, a friend of mine emailed me a picture of her and another one of our colleagues she saw while sitting on a bench in Paris waiting for her mother.  We just can’t seem to go anywhere without finding someone we know.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s study of North American Trade and Travel Trends reports, “overnight travel between the U.S. and other countries increased 33 percent between 1990-2000…reflecting the increasing globalization of the economy and lower airfares… .” Their National Household Travel Survey indicated, “56 percent of all long distance trips are taken for pleasure.” As our population ages and more people begin to retire, the number of people traveling abroad will also continue to increase. 

These trends are evident in our travel offerings at the UW-Marshfield/Wood County Office Continuing Education. We have seen an increase in interest and demand for all our trips, both domestic and abroad.  Participants seek our offerings because the college offers a unique educational component, which is different from other commercialized tours.

For example, our former UW-M/WC theater director and instructor Greg Rindfleish and his wife, Sally, lead the annual New York Theatre Tour. Greg brings a wealth of theatre experience and shares that with the participants. Having led the group for more than 27 years, he and his wife ensure an exciting and successful trip, which includes four Broadway shows, a historical tour of New York and much more.

The UW-M/WC Continuing Education offers several study abroad opportunities that are available for both students and community members. Traveling abroad can be intimidating for the novice traveler, but with the university program, all worries can be set aside. Our trips include university instructors/professors who are either from that country or who have traveled and studied there extensively.  The price is always right, as we keep our costs low to accommodate our students and encourage community participation. 

For example, Assistant Professor Andrea DePalma, a native of Argentina, and UW-M/WC Assistant Professor Iddi Adam will lead our upcoming trip to Argentina. Andrea and Iddi will provide participants with a hands-on and insiders look at the culture, economy, landscape, traditions and more.  Another educational travel program is our Europe trip: Lessons of the Holocaust, scheduled in May. Participants will travel to several cities in Germany and Poland; learning across multiple disciplines with UW-M/WC faculty Jeff Kleiman, History; Catherine Kalish, English and David DeLyser, Music.

Adults 55 and older can enjoy our UW-M/WC Elderhostel programs right here in Marshfield or travel afar with any of the thousands of Elderhostel offerings. The Office of Continuing Education offers two different Elderhostel tours each year.  The Cutting Edge of Medical Research tour held each year in September and the Unique Garden and Art with a Touch of Nature tour scheduled in July. Our Elderhostel programs bring people from all over the United States to Marshfield. This past month, our tour included four people from Hawaii, two from California, two from Utah and many others from Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin.

If you haven’t seen our travel programs and offerings, now is the time to inquire for the spring and summer. We would love to have you join us on these unique lifelong learning opportunities, you never know, you might just bump into someone and say ‘it’s a small world after all.’

For more information about these programs and other CE offerings, contact us at 715-389-6520, pick up a program brochure at the Marshfield Public Library lobby or check course listings online at www.marshfield.uwc.edu/ce.

Michelle Boernke is director of the UW-Marshfield/Wood County Office of Continuing Education.