Here I am in Egypt at the Ancient Egypt Tomb Exhibit. What a sight this is, never thought I would ever get a chance to see this. Look at the art work on the walls.

I was lucky enough to get to the field early before a Manchester united game, and what a game it was. They won 2-0 over Arsenal.

Here I am in front of Christ the Redeemer in Brazil, it's amazing. The religious ceremonies they have here are truly one of a kind

I stopped at the Statue of Liberty, what a piece of art! It's amazing to see up close.

Here I am at the Empire State building before I go In to enjoy a view of New York

This is me visiting the reality version of living in the life of a True Spartan. They allow you to visit and experience what a Spartan went through in the past. It was really neat to see the kinds of things that they had to do!

This is me Flying around in Paris. You cannot see the Eiffle Tower, but it is where I Found the flying kite. It was pretty neat until I crashed into someone else and they yelled at me.

This is my group and I visiting Germany at one of the bars. Germany is by far one of my favorite countries that I would like to visit. And I would love to try all of their different kinds of beer!

This is me flying around China. I cannot believe how large China actually is. I would really love to visit it sometime in the near future to get the full experience!

This is me visiting the underground city Atlantis. It is really fascinating to think that this could of really existed. And if it did, I would love to visit!

Gardens in Germany

I went to Germany and decided to go visit some gardens. It was beautiful there. Apparently it is a quite place and there aren't many people who go there. I was talking to a woman who said she was there because no one is ever there. She was doing some thinking because she was caught with another guy in Second Life by her boyfriend. She said "SL is a lot like real life, you have the same problems." She has been on here for a year and a half and told me to "be careful." She was interesting to speak with. She stopped talking when someone else showed up. I left her "alone" to think. It definitely makes me wonder about people and SL.

Wild West

I went to a Ghost town in the wild west. I walked through the town and checked out the town. It was a little creepy being by myself with no other signs of life.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

I went to the National Memorial in South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore. I have never been so I thought it would be interesting to see. The likeness of the presidents in Second life is not the best, but it was cool to fly in front of it and see it. I landed near by at place where you could learn about Native Americans. There were teepees you could go into, drawings on rocks, and a store you could go into. I have enjoyed traveling to different countries, but I realized there are so many places in the United states that I have not seen. Many of these places are amazing.

Museum in Ancient Egypt

We went into the museum after trying to ride a camel (with no luck, sitting on it was all we could do). We sat down to make some pottery, and took pictures in front of some pictures in the museum. It was a great way for her to see some items from Ancient Egypt before the teacher gives them an in depth look at it.

The Nile

I went to Ancient Egypt with a friends daughter because she is studying it. We decided to travel down the Nile and see the sights. There were waterfalls with rainbows in front of them and we went swimming. She helped me steer the gondola, because I was having trouble. After we went swimming in the Nile, we found a museum to walk through.

revisiting the Virtual Hallucinations Lab

another shot of the group in Germany - Look at Kyle go!!!

The Group in Germany

As promised the group met in Germany for some laughs
and a beer. Kyle had one to many and started pole dancing like a
crazy man.

After a bit of unwinding we decided to get down to business and collectivally answered the following questions about our experiences in Second Life:

In World vs. Real World: How is the virtual society different than our real world society?
The “In World” experience is mostly up to the creators of that particular island. Although a certain amount of the detail is attempted there, it is certainly not a replacement for the real life versions. As far as the social implications we did meet quite a few people from around the globe. Many really did not want to talk too much about themselves and repeatedly reminded us that SL was for fantasy. However, there were quite a few folks who were there clearly to meet people and share their SL experiences. In conclusion, we feel the visual aspects are a little lacking, but they are countered by being able to expand knowledge from the social encounters in SL.

How was your group meeting in world different, better or worse than the meeting in Blackboard Vista's chat groups that your instructors set up for this course?
At first it was chaotic, just like the chat room, but as we learned how to better control our avatars, experiences smoothed out. Listening and talking were really difficult in the beginning, but this too improved as knowledge of the system improved. In closing, the SL meeting place is better than the vista chat room because of the feeling of talking with someone and seeing them, even if it is an avatar, rather than to just type on a keyboard.

How can virtual worlds like Second Life enhance the teaching and learning experiences for students?
Both teaching and learning can be enhanced in virtual worlds. Educators can collaborate with colleagues around the globe. They can reach out to a broader audience; conduct seminars or classes at the location of the subject matter, just to name a few. Some of the biggest advantages for the student are in the studies of language, society and art. We will elaborate on the arts and social aspects below, but learning a second language and having the ability to visit and speak with people from that particular country is an awesome opportunity.

What are the implications for the arts and society?
Second Life is a playground for the arts and social sciences. From the minute you step “In World” you are in someone’s artistic creation. As you fly from island to island or teleport here or there, those places had to be envisioned and created. This art can also be purchased in the form of land, homes, furniture, clothing and on and on. The point is Second Life is art. As for society it too is everywhere you travel "In World". There may have been one or two secluded places visited during our visit, but for the most part it was populated. How one chooses to interact is solely up to them, however, the opportunity to meet and learn from others is available. It’s not always awe inspiring, just like in the real world, there are freaks and just like in the real world you walk away. In conclusion, the benefits to and for the arts and society are in Second Life it is up to the individuals within, as to what they do with it.

Images from the Tunnel of Light Neon Lounge

A little swim down under, mate!

My trip to Australia actually took me "down under", under the sea that is. The nice thing about Second Life is that I never got wet and didn't have to wear scuba gear. It would have been nice to see some fish, but the creator of this reef decided not to add them.

Enjoying a little fraternal company at the EM Masonic Park

Who would have thought that I would find a Masonic land here in Second Life! Just proves that there's a little something for everyone here. This tranquil place was not populated, so I couldn't interact with my Bretheren from afar.

Enjoying a beer in Hamburg

The Tudor style shops in Hamburg were awesome! The details were phenominal! I enjoyed a beer while visiting this detail-oriented city with its cobblestone streets and quaint shops. I vowed to bring the group back for pictures and good times.

Group in Paris enjoying the night life

We all had a great time in Paris. Hand gliding from the Eiffel Tower and shopping were just a couple of activities we enjoyed during our stay. There were also some strange individuals in this land. We met a werewolf and vampiress, who was kind enough to ask if she could bite me, to which I quickly declined. Needless to say, we

teleported on to our destination post haste.

Joe's trip to jolly old England...cheery-o off to Paris to meet the group!

Being sprinkled with pixie dust sure helped me see the top of Big Ben in England. Just kidding no pixie dust is necessary here in Second Life. The ability to fly is one of the many talents an avatar can become skilled in, while traveling through the many lands of Second Life. Be careful though if you do not come down slowly you will fall down. However, the only injury you will sustain is a little ego bruising, from the other avatars laughing at you.

but seriously folks group at the Pink Floyd concert

During our trip to Demark the "But Seriously Folks" group decided to attend the Pink Floyd concert. One of the advantages Second Life provides is the ability to come and go as you please. It also gives the opportunity to visit places you may not be able to afford. The graphics may not be the best, but who knows what the future will bring.

My trip to Athens Greece