Staying in Charleston is not the only way to take a few extra courses this summer. Instead, students can enroll in the 2003 Study at Sea program, with an itinerary that includes stops in countries like Russia, Korea, China, Vietnam, Taiwan and Japan.

SAS is administered by the Institute for Shipboard Education and academically sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh, a press release stated. SAS is a comparative global studies program which uses a 23,500-ton ship as a maritime campus to take students from over 200 colleges and universities across the United States and abroad around the world, a press release stated.

Ginger Rentfrow, an Eastern alumnus, participated in the SAS summer 2000 program. Rentfrow had heard about the program while she was in high school. When she looked into it, the only trips offered were for the fall and spring semesters, which were too long and too expensive for her.

In the fall of 1999, Rentfrow began looking into doing a study abroad trip for the following summer.

“One day at work (at the Brainard House), I saw in The Daily Eastern News an article about SAS offering a summer program through Europe, Asia and Africa,” Rentfrow said in an e-mail.

Rentfrow obtained an application for SAS online and was accepted. She chose SAS over a study abroad program in just one other country because of the unique travel experience.

“There was freedom for independent travel or group trips. I love to travel and the thought of going to nine countries in one summer was better than one or two. I thought it would be exciting to travel with 400 other college students on a ship,” Rentfrow said in an e-mail.

Besides taking classes, Rentfrow has memories of fun things she participated on while in the SAS program. On the ship, Rentfrow danced to 70s and 80s music and was in card game tournaments.

A Pearl Jam concert in Norway, camel-riding around the pyramids in Egypt, bowling at 4 a.m. in Israel and touring a chocolate factory and beer brewery in Belgium are among Rentfrow’s fondest memories of the different countries she visited.

“If I were to recommend this to anyone, I would say go for it. Forget about the money and go for it. It was so worth every penny I spent. I would go again in a minute,” Rentfrow said in an e-mail. “You meet so many great people and make wonderful friendships. In fact, over Labor Day I attended a wedding between two of my friends from SAS along with seven other friends from the trip.”

Rentfrow learned about herself and others, lessons and values she will always carry with her.

“I have learned to be more independent, aware of my surroundings; different languages doesn’t mean different interests; how lucky I am to live in the U.S., how to be myself instead of who society thinks I should be,” Rentfrow said in an e-mail.

Rentfrow also learned how not to take things for granted (medicine, clothes, soap, running water, shoes, etc.), that her views and beliefs can change, to put her feeling and thoughts on the line, who her true friends are, how to be more open to different cultures, backgrounds and religions and how to follow her dreams.

Rentfrow graduated from Eastern in December 2000 and moved to Denver, Colo. in January 2001.

She is currently a math and Spanish teacher at Colorado’s Finest Alternative High School in the night school program.

Nathan Hill, an Eastern alumnus, was in the SAS summer 2000 program as well. His best friend had seen something about the program on MTV and asked Hill if he was interested, and he agreed. Hill met his future wife on the trip.

“We have now been together for over two years, and are planning our future together,” Hill said in an e-mail.

Hill took classes in European history, European finance and Egyptian anthropology.

He also attended the Pearl Jam concert in Norway, and saw Lenin’s tomb in Moscow, saw the pope in Italy and the pyramids of Giza.

“I would advise anyone to go on this…it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. I met some of my best friends on that trip, and it gave me a chance to see how the rest of the world lives. To see outside of my life. It was the greatest time of my life,” Hill said in an e-mail.

Hill has moved to San Diego, Calif. to be close to his girlfriend. He attends San Diego State University and works full time at Raytheon.

Bruce Guernsey, an English professor, taught at the SAS program in the fall of 1996 and the summer of 2001. In the fall of 1996 Guernsey taught poetry writing, world literature and poetry of the world. In the summer of 2001 he taught creative non-fiction and poetry writing. Guernsey also taught the core class.

“All instructors teach a course in World Geography, which all students are required to take,” Guernsey said.

Guernsey has traveled extensively in his life. He studied abroad in Italy while attending college, and he taught in Portugal in 1983 and 1984 and in Greece in 1991.

Students in the SAS program take four 75-minute classes each, Guernsey said. The classes pertain to the countries they visit.

Teaching students from around the world was enjoyable for Guernsey.

“The different perspectives people brought made classes exciting and challenging,” Guernsey said, “All shared a sense of adventure and curiosity.”

Each port stops for four to six days, Guernsey said. Students are free to travel on their own, and the cabin is always open in case they want to stay on the ship.

Guernsey recommends SAS to all students.

“(You) meet and make friends you’ll have forever because you share unusual experiences,” Guernsey said. He plans to teach at SAS again in the fall of 2004.

Fall and spring are 15 weeks long; summers are eight weeks long.

Students get full semester credit for SAS. Costs are about $1,500 for one semester and include all meals, lodging and basic travel.

For more information on the Semester at Sea Program, visit