I Adapt The money was saved. The packing list was long. Emotions were running high. Twenty-four students were about to embark on a journey of a lifetime and spend their summer studying abroad in Greece while taking trips throughout the Mediterranean. Everything was lined up for the summer of a lifetime. Then they got the news. The biggest trip of the semester, a ten-day trip to Egypt, was canceled. HUG student senior Bailey Gammill said he was most excited about going to Egypt because he wanted to walk where the Israelites walked. Though Gammill was disappointed by the change of plans, he still knew the trip would be incredible. "I was a little bummed about it, but I understood," Gammill said. "I was still excited about my trip." According to the director of the HUG program, Dr. Mike James, there had been trouble brewing in Egypt for over a year. Students had been warned they could not go to Egypt if the situation did not improve. Violence during elections was the main cause for concern when the trip to Egypt was officially canceled. Early in the spring of 2012, the government of Egypt moved toward democracy after a violent revolution in the "Arab Spring" of 2011 in which the existing president, Hosni Mubarak, was deposed, and the military took control of governance. Though the "Glorious Revolution" had occurred the previous year, there was political fluidity in the spring of 2012 with the first presidential election since the revolution and the first meeting of a democratic parliament. There were still violent demonstrations in the streets. Travel problems lead to new HUG destinations James said. A 1 0-day trip to Turkey replaced the Egypt trip. In Turkey, students were able to visit five of the seven churches of Asia mentioned in the New Testament, to sail the Bosphorus River, to study Islam and to tour Istanbul, one of the biggest and most diverse cities in the world. Assistant HUG director Steven Chandler said that Turkey was the best trip HUG could offer to replace Egypt. "In my opinion, Turkey is an excellent substitute because it keeps HUG in the ancient world, a theme that runs through our classes and trips," Chandler said. "Ancient Greece had many dealings with the land that is now known as Turkey. Also, Turkey houses many biblical sites." For Gammill, one of the most interesting aspects of the trip to Turkey was experiencing a Muslim country, something he had never done before. The lifestyle of the people in Turkey fascinated him. HUG directors were concerned about violence in Egypt as well as in Greece. There were several riots in downtown Athens, but they did not affect the HUG students. "Demonstrations in Athens are announced weeks in advance," James said. "There are also usually transportation strikes which accompany these events, so students plan their schedules so they do not visit the city on these days." Despite the unrest, Gammill said he never felt threatened or uneasy while traveling, and that helped make it a fantastic semester. He said his most cherished memories were the spiritual growth he went through while in Israel and rededicating his life to Jesus in the Jordan River. "There was some disappointment, of course, but [the "It was the summer of a lifetime," Gammill said. students] had been warned that the cancelation was likely," Corey Stumne HUG Spring '12: Row 1: K. Sheehan, B. Neller, M. Michael, K. Neller, T. Helton, A. Metts, T. Wisely, L. Sawyer, B. Cain. Row 2: J. Lipcamon, E. Weston, E. Owens, Z. Growald, M. Huffman, B. Cochrum, C. Arnold, A. Schulz, A. Bermea, C. Allen, H. French. Row 3: M. Sansom, J. Corbin, D. Smallwood, A. Dixon, B. Searcy, J. Pritchett, A. Ragland, B. Josephson, B. James, E. Hancock. Row 4: Yossi (tour guide), B. Corbin, M. Jones, H. Robison, B. Malec, Z. Wimer, J. Johnson, L. Hoffman, L. Smith, T. Kelton, C. Stumne, M. Morris. HUG Summer '12: Row 1: A. Beason, R. Carter, A. Doherty, S. Metzler, K. Bess, E. Beeman, L. Thompson, M. James. Row 2: L. Beason, A. Moscow, A. Adams, M. Cole, K. Ketchersaid, R. Pettit, E. Wagner, J. Heckmann, C. Loy, B. James. Row 3: C. Beason, B. Gimmel, R. Martin, D. Norris, N. Beaty, R. Johnson, C. Brukardt, B. Niblock, J. Davenport, T. Sanford, S. Chandler, C. Moody. HUG Fall '12: Row 1: M. Ellis, A. Wesley, A. Bolton, A. Raiford, B. James, M. James. Row 2: S. Chandler, D. Zimpfer, C. Templeton, D. Braziel, L. Schwartz, K. Rhodes, C. Lovern, S. Coble, K. Deecke, C. Crowder. Row 3: T. Dias, C. Webber, M. White, M. Hughes, K. Christopher, S. Moore, C. Davis, B. Holland. HUG Est. 1994 143
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==