Skyline students will have a chance to visit Japan, South Africa, or Peru.
Coming up next semester, Skyline College students will be able to travel abroad to a number of different countries to learn about new cultures, and will receive credits for classes while on the trip.
Students will have the opportunity to visit either Japan, South Africa, or Peru, and will take two classes associated with each location that will help them critically think about what they are seeing while on the trip.
For students looking to visit Kyoto, Japan, the deadline for applications is Mar. 19, 2026. Students will leave the United States on Jun. 12, and will return from Japan on Jun. 27. Students will take two classes, one on ethnographic film and another on interaction design. The trip will focus on Japanese culture through film, and how objects in Japanese culture are designed specifically with the user in mind, meaning objects are catered to the ease of use for the user.
In Japan, students will have a chance to walk around the Gion or Higashiyama district. They are also planning to visit Toei Studio Park: a theme park modeled after the Edo period, which took place between 1600 and 1868. Students will additionally be able to visit Hiroshima, where they will tour the National Peace Park and Memorial Museum.
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For students looking to visit South Africa, the deadline for applications is Mar. 11, 2026. Students will leave the United States on Jun. 11 and will return from South Africa on Jun. 28. The two classes that students will take are Intercultural Communication and African American History. While studying intercultural communication, students will be able to understand how communicating with different cultures can be beneficial for understanding the differences between people. While studying African American History, students will learn about different African traditions and the greater African diaspora.
In South Africa, students will arrive in Johannesburg. Then, they will tour Soweto and visit the Nelson Mandela house. Next, they will visit the Apartheid museum and will go on a tour of the city of Johannesburg. From Johannesburg, the class will fly to Durban, where they will do a historic and cultural tour. Lastly, they will do a historical and cultural tour of Langa.
For students looking to visit Peru, the application deadline has been paused until faculty organizes the logistics for the trip. Daily checking of the San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD) website would be ideal for anyone interested in knowing when applications will be accepted. In Peru, students will study environmental science as they wander through the beautiful landscape of Peru’s mountains and coast. They will learn how Peruvians interact with the land around them and how they gather resources from it to take care of themselves and their families.
In the beginning of the trip, students will spend time in Lima, Peru, which is more urban, and will learn about how the city manages pollution and resources. Then, they will spend five days in the Andes mountain region — where they will learn about water resources and solid waste management — before visiting Machu Picchu. Last, they will visit a small fishing town, where students will work alongside the town’s residents on community projects related to water treatment and renewable energy.
All information regarding the specific details of the trips and the faculty who will be teaching on it can be found on the SMCCCD website.
AloJapan.com