Voices of the Bayou: Exploring Culture and Climate Action (US)
Dates: 4/5 – 4/10
Location: Domestic
Price Range: $2900-3600
Theme: Environmental Sustainability, Social Justice
Faculty Contact: Laura Botero
Explore Louisiana’s unique coastal landscapes while learning how communities adapt to environmental change. Work with marine scientists to contribute to real climate and sustainability projects that protect fragile ecosystems. Immerse yourself in Cajun and Indigenous traditions—learn basket-weaving, enjoy Cajun music and dance, and discover efforts to preserve endangered languages and cultural heritage. Experience shrimping and fishing practices that have sustained local families for generations, connecting science, culture, and community. This immersive program invites students to learn, serve, and make a difference while exploring the vibrant heart of Louisiana’s coastal and cultural identity.
- Students and families should be aware that this experience includes:
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- Extended time outdoors in humid, coastal environments with potential for rain, heat, and insects
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- Boat travel and hands-on fieldwork in wetlands, bayous, and marine settings
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- Engagement in physical activities such as walking, light manual work, and environmental data collection
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- Encounters with complex environmental and historical topics related to land loss, climate change, and cultural preservation
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- Limited technology use to support reflection, teamwork, and cultural immersion
Daily Itinerary
(Please note that activities and days may adjust and change due to schedule and availability of tickets, tours, events, etc.)
Day 1: Arrive in New Orleans, drive to accommodations, Introduction and welcome, Dinner.
Day 2: Houma Visitor Center: Bayou Reflections: Indigenous Houma Art & Ecology, Pointe Au Chein Tour of École Pointe-au-Chien – Language, Land, and Resilience, Land Loss Talk with Pointe-au-Chien Community, Bayou Crabbing Dock, Casting Net Fishing, Indian French Lesson & Sing Along
Day 3: The Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON)
Day 4: Ferry to New Orleans, Walk to Treme, Tour of the Backstreet Cultural Museum – Tremé’s Living Legacy, Explore French Quarter, Presbytère Museum: The Living with Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond & Mardi Gras: It’s Carnival Time in Louisiana
Day 5: Destrehan Plantation, Music from the Bayou: Live Cajun Music, Cypress and Gators: Explore the Heart of the Bayou
Day 6: Closing trip activity, depart for Seattle.