Work in a vineyard in Brunnenburg. Swim with penguins and ride a horse into a volcano in the Galapagos. Explore the countryside on a Vespa in Siena. Watch a Shakespeare play in the Globe. See the view of Athens from the Acropolis. Those are just a few of the things you can do if you study abroad through one of the many Guilford affiliated programs, most of which were represented at the study abroad fair held in Founders Hall on Sept. 10.

What some students do not realize is that it costs the same to study abroad for a semester with an affiliated program as it does to stay at Guilford. Most programs also offer financial aid and scholarships.

Students also don’t realize that even science majors can earn credits for their major. The trick to selecting a program is finding out which one works for you.

Biology, environmental studies, and geology majors can study in the Galapagos and Ecuador, Madrid, Kenya, Costa Rica, Australia, Mexico, and Turks and Caicos islands in the British West Indies. Health sciences majors will find several interesting courses in Dundee, Scotland.

English and theatre studies majors might be drawn to study in England or Greece for their rich history of poetry, plays, novels, and much more.

The programs in Spain, France, and Germany each offer an opportunity for foreign language majors to fully submerse themselves in the language that they are studying.

Art majors will love the culture rich opportunities they will have in Greece, Madrid, Sienna, Paris, and London.

Political science majors should strongly consider going to Sienna because of the “Italian Political Thinkers: Cicero to Mussolini” course that is offered.

Business management majors are given many opportunities to learn about international business in London, Madrid, Dublin, Maastricht, and Dundee.

“Every program has its own character. You just have to find out what works for you,” said Professor of Theatre Studies Jack Zerbe. Zerbe wrote the proposal for the program in Sienna, Italy, after he took a sabbatical there and fell in love with the beautiful Italian countryside. Language is a key part of many study abroad programs and anyone going to Sienna will be given the opportunity to study Italian.

Students planning on going to Brunnenburg should look forward to staying in a 12th-century castle nestled in the Italian Alps. This culture-rich program incorporates Guilford’s core value of community. Students work once a week on the farm and the vineyards that surround the castle.

You think that sounds like fun? Well, just imagine what the other programs have to offer. Every program has its selling points. “We think our program is the coolest,” said Assistant Professor of political science Kyle Dell. “We get to ride a horse into the volcanoes and swim with penguins and seals.”

Dell and Angie Moore, assistant professors of geology, lead of the Galapagos and Ecuador program. It is one of the most unique opportunities for students and is only offered every three summers.

Students stay for eight days on the Floreana, a 75-foot boat equipped with sun decks, a dining room, air conditioned cabin, private baths, and eight cabins.

One of the newest opportunities is the study abroad program in Athens, Greece. This program has existed since 1962 and was recently added to the list of Guilford-affiliated programs.

Students who go to Athens are given many chances to go to several famous places such as the Gates of Fire in Thermopylae or the stadium of Delphi.

If that doesn’t sound like fun to you, check out the program in Osaka, Japan. The Japan table at the study abroad fair was very inviting and decked out with various Japanese candies and cookies.

“Studying abroad in Osaka, Japan was an amazing experience,” said senior Myrna Parsons. “I was able to meet a lot of new people when I was there, and absorb the culture.”

Several students who attended the study abroad fair buzzed about how thrilled they were about various programs.

“I can’t speak right now. I’m really excited,” said sophomore Claire Norwood as she nodded her head emphatically. “I want to go to Dublin.”

The rich opportunity that students are granted with when they decide to study abroad is an experience of a lifetime. Simply put, if you have the desire to go abroad, apply for summer or fall programs now.

For more information on the study abroad program, go to www.guilford.edu/studyabroad.