Edwin Williams, founder and president of TraveLearn, Inc., will speak at Coastal Carolina University on Wednesday, Jan. 16 at 3 p.m. in University Hall 228. His presentation will focus on upcoming learning vacation opportunities to more than 15 foreign countries. Williams will also describe how learning vacations, created specifically for adults who want to combine education and leisure, differ from more conventional tours.

For more than 15 years, TraveLearn has offered learning tours, featuring special opportunities for first-hand education about the history, culture and customs of many foreign countries. On-site lectures, seminars and field experiences provided by faculty escorts and in-country specialists foster an insight and understanding of foreign cultures. The classroom-in-the-field atmosphere allows participants to learn, live and experience a culture.

Travel groups are small, allowing participants to receive individual attention and make friends. Coastal's groups average 14 participants with some groups as small as eight members, allowing for a close interaction between participants and guides.

Spring 2002 programs are to Belize, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador, Ireland, Italy, Morocco and Turkey.

Summer 2002 programs include China, Egypt, the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Peru, Spain and Turkey.

Coastal history professor James Farsolas will be the escort to his native Greece during a tour from May 16 to 27.

The learning vacations for adults range from $2,000 to $5,000 and include meals, first class accommodations, unique learning experiences, and airfare from the tours' departure cities.

For more information about these programs, contact Coastal's School of Continuing Studies at 349-2648 or visit www.coastal.edu/learn on the Internet.