Oberlin Alumni Magazine

Travel
On Tour with the Alumni Association

	Costa Rica—Alumni travelers enjoyed an expedition of eco-tourism and camaraderie along the pacific coast of Costa Rica and through the Panama Canal in January. Faculty guide Bruce Simonson, Biggs Professor of Geology, enriched the experience as Obies kayaked, snorkeled, swam, and hiked through this stunning region of Central America.
	Istanbul—Alumni and friends rang in 2006 while exploring the churches, palaces, and museums of Istanbul. Highlights included visits to the ancient Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and the Topkapi and Dolmabahce Palaces, as well as a cruise along the Sea of Marmara and an excursion down the Bosphorus.
	Eastern Europe—Oberlinians sailed from Germany to Hungary last November during a magical Danube River cruise that included stops in Munich, Berlin, and Prague. Accompanied by faculty guide Annemarie Sammartino, assistant professor of history, the group heard educational lectures on the shifting borders of Eastern Europe, the Holocaust, Communism, and fin-de-siècle Vienna.

Andrew Rohn ’89 finished a sold-out run of his musical comedy, Walmartopia, which he co-wrote with his wife of 11 years, Catherine Capellaro. Wisconsin newspapers called it “campy, caustic, and comically irresistible.” The show will run at the New York Fringe Festival from August 16-22. Andrew and his wife, who live in Madison, have a disco band called VO5; a children’s music band called the Madgadders; and a “neo-burlesque” troupe, the Cherry Pop Tarts. Andrew also does massage therapy part time and tries to practice Tibetan Buddhism. “Our delightful 6-year-old twins, Leo and Julian, spend most of their time drawing and acting out battles from The Lord of the Rings.” W: www.walmartopia.com.

Winter Term 2006: The chance to design urban-area sustainability projects was the focus of a Chicago-based winter-term project hosted by Peter Nicholson ’91 and his firm, Foresight Design Initiative. Pictured are alumni from the Chicago environmental community, along with Oberlin students who took part in the Urban Sustainable Design Studio. “The object they are holding is a sweet potato—a long story—but it was used as a prop during the public presentations of their projects,” Peter says.

Front row: Caroline Valette ’08 and Laura Einsel ’08. Middle row, from left: Chicago Environment Commissioner Sadhu Johnston ’98; Rodger Cooley ’95, midwest program manager for Heifer International; Peter Nicholson ’91, executive director of Foresight Design Initiative; Claire Jahns, junior economist at the Chicago Climate Exchange; Grant Huling ’07; and Lynne Stewart ’08. Back row: Rick Sanford ’02, co-founder and former manager director of Foresight Design Initiative; Lyrica Hammann ’04, sales associate at Greenmaker Supply Company; Natallia Lebedz ’06; and Amanda Medress ’09.

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