10. Maps
Tues., Nov. 25
Post #10. Maps: The basic idea for this assignment is to study some maps of the place you're going and prepare to be oriented when you arrive. As always, include an image and comment on someone's else post. If you don't want to use your own map for the image, remember that most maps on web pages are jpg images, and you can insert one into your post just as you do with other images. Here are some suggestions for the assignment:
1. Make your own Google map of your study abroad site, right on our website. Go to Create content > Google map. Use the navigation tools to zoom in (using the + icon) on the city or country you want to map; you can use the arrows or click-drag the map to position it. Ignore all the fields for color, opacity, and strokes, but for the "Marker" field, select "Numbers." This way, when you flag an address or location on your map, a number will appear, and then in your blog post you can refer to locations by number. When you're done with the map, copy the "embed" code at the bottom, and then go to your blog post, disable rich text, and paste in the code just as you do when you insert an image. Then paste in the text from Word.
2. Explore the Google maps other people have made of your place. Just go to Google Maps and type in the place (or even an address), and click on the user-created map links on the left. You can make your own Google map like these by following the instructions on the Google Maps support page. You can put any Google map you find or make into your blog post by clicking on the "link" at the top right of the map, and copying and pasting the "embed" html code into your blog—remember to disable rich text before you paste in the code, and you'll need to change the "input format" to "full html."
3. You don't have to get high-tech about making your own map. You could draw one by hand, then scan it or go to a photocopy store and send yourself a pdf file, and then convert it to a jpeg and post it on your blog. Check out this great collection of hand-drawn maps.
4. If you don't want to make your own map, just study some different maps of where you're going and write about what you observe. You might also check out these blogs: Map Room; Travelography; Geography for Travelers; 10,000 Words. (Try typing in the place you're going into the search engines for each of these sites and see what comes up.) Make some text links to websites that you mention in the post.
5. Download Google Earth and type in the place you're going, and you should be able to find a Google Earth 3D map of the place; play around with the different layers, especially the 3D buildings, and zoom in and roam around. Write about you learn.
Read:
- Optional: Vincent J. Del Casino Jr and Stephen P. Hanna, "Representations and Identities in Tourism Map Spaces"
- Optional: Italo Calvino, from Invisible Cities (pdf below)
