ByMichelle HackneyContributor
Students may soon have a new study guide for traveling in Europe.
In May, San Diego State alumnus Adam McWethy will accompany 31students on a candid journey through 11 countries to film a studenttravel documentary titled, College Travelers — Destination Europe.
The documentary is a project created through McWethy’s company,College Travelers Inc., to give students an innovative look into theworld of student travel minus scripts, actors or rules.
Whatever happens to the students as
they travel in and around Europe will be edited and shown all overAmerica beginning Spring 2003.
Several SDSU students will travel with the group and be filmed forthe documentary. Each were chosen during casting calls heldthroughout San Diego.
As co-producer, McWethy commissioned young filmmaker JosephMancuso of West End Video to direct and edit the film. This is theinitial production of documentary films and television seriesproduced by Global Icon Productions.
“Students watch 22 hours of television and movies a week and takeover 66 million trips annually; there’s got to be a connectionsomewhere,” McWethy said.
Once the project is completed, College Travelers — DestinationEurope will run 90 minutes and will be shown at independent filmfestivals and selected campuses nationwide.
The film will be used as a tool for students to gather informationwhile planning for travel. McWethy hopes to offer a service thatgives students straightforward information for coordinating efficientand affordable travel.
“Basically, we want this documentary to become a central resourcecenter where people can come to understand how student travel works,”McWethy said. “We want to let students know the ins and outs, what totake, what to expect and how to get it before they enter the realworld.”
After traveling abroad as a student, McWethy and peers realizedthe difficulty in finding information for travel because of “neglectand flaws” in information hubs of the past.
“In a nutshell, there just was this gaping hole in the whole thingand we ended up traveling with no idea as to what we were doing,” hesaid. “There was an ever-present lack of a resource where studentscould find important information about how to travel and studyabroad.”
Students on campus agree that McWethy’s take on student travelwill help ease concerns before they set out for departure.
“It’s scary to leave your hometown and not have any clue whatyou’re doing, nonetheless what you’re doing overseas,” English juniorMarcel Croust said. “The real voyage of discovery isn’t in gettingthe information together, but in having new eyes for travel andthat’s what I think this film will give.”
McWethy believes that over the course of travel, many studentswill learn more about themselves and get a clear idea of theirlifelong goals.
“They get to leave their sheltered little world for a change andreally get to be who they’ve always wanted to be, away from therestrictions and stereotypes,” McWethy said.
For more information on either project or on student travel, visitwww.collegetravelers.comor call toll free 1-866-GO-GET-CT.
