Dance!

Small Group Opportunity:

Modern line dances

Dance is one of the many universal languages and can bring people of different cultures together.  In the United States, many dance crazes have swept the nation encouraging both young and old to learn the moves.  These dances include the Electric slide, Cha Cha slide/Casper Slide, Cupid shuffle, and many more.  Each dance is accompanied by a specific song, and when those songs are played at events (clubs, parties, formal dances, etc.) strangers and friends will dance together and share laughs.  Our resident dancer, Hans, will be teaching several of these dances to all those interested and also teach a little about the history of each song.  Perhaps after learning, you will get a chance to showcase your moves!

Church Service

Small Group Opportunity:

ATTEND A SUNDAY KING AVENUE CHURCH SERVICE

The worship habits of Americans are one of the most diverse and complex subjects you might ever imagine.  With that said, this King Avenue United Methodist Church is a good opportunity to observe a service as it is near campus and is very inclusive to all peoples, and is not dogmatic.  If you want to do what many Americans do on a Sunday morning, come and join Mike and Irene for church and just treat it as a cultural experience of something that you have never done before.  And don’t worry, you will not be pressured into any religion, but you will be welcomed and respected.  The church is very beautiful and has been recently refurbished.  

Self-Defense For Women

Small Group Opportunity:

SELF-DEFENSE FOR WOMEN
Brieanne Brillman is one of our alumni teachers who has taught two summers in Wuhan, and one of her popular classes is a hands-on self-defense class aimed especially to educate young women on how to protect themselves and take defensive actions if encountering a violent or threatening situation.  In the class, Brieanne will demonstrate techniques to use in defense, and students will do role-plays to learn how to react in situations.  It will be done with a sense of purpose and humor, so come join the fun if you are interested.  Remember, the best personal defense is to think ahead and be prepared.  This class helps you do both!

Motorcycle Hall of Fame

Small Group Opportunity:

VISIT THE MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME IN PICKERINGTON, OHIO
This museum is for those who love technology and motorcycles.  The museum has many vintage and old motorcycles and shows the history of the motorcycles importance and evolution.  There is a focus on racing history and advances in mechanics and riding techniques.  Honda has a big presence in Ohio as the company builds motorcycles in Ohio and there are current exhibits on Honda and Dirt Track Racing.  If you love cool motorcycles and history, you will enjoy this museum.

Wetlands Project

Small Group Opportunity:


COLLABORATION AND RESEARCH TO IMPROVE OUR WORLD: DR. LARRY BROWN AND HIS WORK WITH WUHAN UNIVERSITY

Dr. Larry Brown has been to China many times and has many friends in Wuhan.  In fact, some of his colleagues and research assistants are from Wuhan and work with Larry at OSU to develop better strategies for water use and quality.  These are huge issues worldwide, and connected to major questions about land, food and water sustainability.  Dr. Brown has a living wetlands laboratory not far from the OSU main campus, and in this SGO we will visit Dr. Brown and hear his story.  We will receive a tour of the Wetlands nitrogen control project and experimental farm.

Ohio Historical Society

Small Group Opportunity:

THE OHIO HISTORICAL SOCIETY

           The Ohio Historical Society has a collection of artifacts, which traces the long history of Ohio from ancient times to the present.  The museum building is unique and has won architectural awards for it unusual design.  The main 15,000 square foot gallery focuses on the historical period in Ohio from early settlement (late 18th century) to the 1970s.  There is an extensive collection of Native American artifacts from the Ohio area.  Most visitors are impressed with the large Mastodon skeleton in the main gallery.
       The Historical Society currently has a focus on the War of 1812, which was a conflict between the United States and Great Britain, and which was fought mostly in and around Ohio in its early phase.  But there is a major part of the collection devoted to the natural history of Ohio too, including its plants, animals, geology, geography, and climate.  Those who like decorative arts will be impressed with the large collection of ceramics, furniture, woodenware, and metal ware.

Frisbee Golf

Small Group Opportunity:

LEARN TO PLAY FRISBEE GOLF
This sport is becoming popular in Ohio as the state hosted the world championships in 2011.  In short, you try to throw a Frisbee into a basket and you must sometimes walk and travel a long course to complete each “hole”.  You have to have different Frisbees for long and short throws, and it takes accuracy and technique.  It’s fun!  We have a great Frisbee golf course on OSU’s West Campus, so if you are interested, sign up, and we will show you how it is done and let you play a round of Frisbee golf!  

Hocking Hills Hiking

Small Group Opportunity:

HIKING TRIP TO HOCKING HILLS NATURE TRAILS

Southern Ohio is a much different place than Columbus and offers a clean, lovely forested landscape that makes for a wonderful hiking excursion.  There is lots of shade so even in the heat the hikes are usually very doable and just challenging enough to be fun.  We will do a nice two-hour hike, see some incredible scenery that you will never find in Columbus, and then come back to Columbus for lunch.  If you like exercise and adventure, this will be fantastic.

Colubus Museum of Art

Small Group Opportunity:

THE COLUMBUS MUSEUM OF ART:

        The Columbus Museum of Art was founded in 1878 and has traditionally focused its collection on American and European art from the Middle Ages to the early modern period.  In recent years the collection has been expanded greatly by acquiring several prominent private collections and has begun to focus on more modern works and on photography.
      Highlights of the collection include splendid works of Picasso, Gris, Degas, Monet, Matisse, Hopper, and Norman Rockwell, whose painting you see at left.  The museum is especially noted for its collection of works of George Bellows, who was a Columbus native.

Rock Climbing

Small Group Opportunity:

THE ROCK CLIMBING WALL AT OSU
This wall is indoors and in a safety-controlled environment.  It is not dangerous as you will have a safety harness and a guide to attempt the wall, but it is a good challenge and there are many difficulty levels and paths to take on the wall.  This event challenges you to break some fears and have a try at something different.  You can really feel good about your accomplishments and it’s a nice, safe way to see if rock climbing is for you.  Takes place at OSU’s Outdoor Adventure Center (OAC).  

Shakespeare in the Park

Small Group Opportunity:

SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK:
The summertime Shakespeare in the Park is such a Columbus tradition! It takes place in the beautiful Schiller Park in the nice neighborhood of German Village. It is always nice to come enjoy free theater with family or friends and a picnic. As a matter of fact, Schiller Park itself seems Shakespearean, with the green grass, beautiful pond, and lovely flowers.  
                         

Even if you are not a big fan of Shakespeare, you can enjoy Schiller Park simply for its natural beauty and rich Columbus history. If you are a fan of theater or Shakespeare, you will surely like the show!  Tip: Shakespearean English can be difficult to understand; reading the synopsis of the show beforehand may help. This summer’s play is The Merchant of Venice.

Columbus Crew Soccer Game

Small Group Opportunity:

ATTEND A COLUMBUS CREW SOCCER GAME



Columbus does have its very own professional major league soccer team, the Columbus Crew, and they have a passionate fan base.  If you enjoy the game or want to learn more about it, this is a perfect opportunity to go eat some good snacks, and enjoy the outdoor stadium and conversation while watching the athletes compete.

Gallery Hop

Small Group Opportunity:

THE SHORT NORTH ART DISTRICT’S
‘GALLERY HOP’ 

The Gallery Hop occurs every first Saturday of each month, thousands of visitors converge on the strip to see new art exhibits and add to their growing collections. With dozens of galleries and non-traditional exhibit spaces, it’s Columbus’ favorite night of the month to celebrate art.  Visitors can “hop” from gallery to gallery in the walking street.