They’re on the Go, in the...

The course description may sound age-ist and exclusionary, but Elderhostel is the most far-reaching, far-out, experiential educational program you can imagine. Participants from North County count it among the sterling advantages of reaching a golden age. In San Diego and its environs, there are 10 Elderhostel sites. “Once I went to one Elderhostel, I was hooked,” says Jeanne Bergstrom, 74, of Rancho Bernardo. “My first was in 1980. After that first one, we kept trying to get other people to go. It’s amazing how unadventurous people can be. But once you get them to go, they’re hooked.”

Bergstrom is a veteran of more than 30 Elderhostels--at sites as near as San Diego County and as distant as Brazil. “Every one is different. The music classes are always great. And one of the most interesting courses I’ve taken is medical anthropology.”

Bergstrom’s experience with Elderhostel led her son, Peter, to establish a branch of the program in Julian at Camp Stevens, a 96-acre summer camp and year-round educational and conference center sponsored by the Episcopal Church.

“Elderhostel has given us quite a different clientele,” Peter Bergstrom said. “It’s allowed us to bring in more people from all over the U.S. We usually offer one course on natural history, one art-based and one on philosophy, literature or psychology issues. Everyone who comes here enjoys the people as well as the learning.”

Meanwhile, Jeanne Bergstrom has graduated from Elderhostel student to teacher. She’s taught watercolor painting and letter writing (“a dying art”) at Camp Stevens. She loves the teaching--she had taught art education at Whittier College. Meanwhile, she has no intention of relinquishing her role as Elderhostel student.

Elderhostel was the brainchild of Marty Knowlton, who started the program in 1975 when he was 55. Knowlton had a vision, fueled by his desire to squelch the myth that old people deteriorate physically and mentally and lose their interest and ability to learn.

Now 72, Knowlton is in Ventura, inaugurating another new venture: the Center for Studies of the Future.

Traveling in Europe, Knowlton had stopped at many small, local “folk schools” where information is passed down from generation to generation. At the time, he was teaching at the University of New Hampshire and thought his idea might also draw on the resource of unused dorm rooms in the summer.

Recalling his visits to many youth hostels, he coined a new word--Elderhostel--which has become synonymous with the intensive, short-term worldwide participatory learning experiences for seniors.

The movement, with headquarters in Boston, now has 1,600 sites nationwide and facilities in 45 countries overseas. There are more than a quarter million Elderhostel participants every year, and the rolls increase 10% to 21% annually. Elderhostelers meet at a wide range of colleges, private secondary schools, universities, national parks, environmental learning centers and other nonprofit educational institutions.

The 10 nearby locations and courses are diverse. In the San Diego region there are programs at four college campuses, a youth hostel, a music and arts school, a resort, a conference center, a spa and an RV facility. Almost all the classes offered through Elderhostel are equivalent to college-level, liberal arts courses, except there are no prerequisites.

At local Elderhostel programs, participants can study “Dynamic Coastal Environments of San Diego” at MiraCosta College, the “Whales of the North Pacific Ocean” at SDSU, “Life on the Border” at Point Loma Hostel, or a passel of arts, political and cultural offerings such as photography, yoga, musical theater, body language, spa cuisine, reader’s theater and art appreciation.

Moving out of the immediate area, one could study Spanish in Oaxaca, Mexico; Mozart in Austria, Polynesian dancing in Tahiti, or the ecology of the bald eagle and how to write your autobiography aboard a ferry in Alaska.

Most California programs average $300 per week, including room, board, classes, materials and extracurricular activities for six nights and seven days. The overseas programs, which include air fare and transfers, can range from $1,700 for two weeks at an environmental center in Costa Rica to $4,580 for three weeks in Australia and New Zealand. A limited number of scholarships are available at each U.S. site.

Participants must get themselves to the host site for a weeklong stay. Overseas programs generally last longer and include air fare from gateway cities in the United States. Participants usually arrive on Sunday and leave on Saturday. They may stay in dorm rooms, communal living spaces or sub-contracted motels.

The program includes three classes per week, often on diverse subjects. Classes are typically held in the morning and last for 60-90 minutes, with 30-minute breaks between. Attendance is not taken; there are no quizzes, grades, exams or credits given. But attendance is often 100% because these people come to learn.

“I love breaking down the stereotype of getting old, sitting in a rocking chair and getting crotchety and grouchy,” said Sara Gaffney, coordinator of the Elderhostel program at the Point Loma Youth Hostel, which has offered the Elderhostel program for about 10 years.

“The people are wonderful,” Gaffney said. “They keep me running all week long.

Robert Loiselle, 42, an adjunct professor at United States International University in Scripps Ranch, taught his first of four Elderhostel courses last winter.

“I fell in love with teaching the elders,” he said. “I really like them because of the age difference. I find I don’t have to teach as much as listen and then redirect. With college students, there’s always the hassle with grades. And also, there’s a confrontational edge: Does the teacher know what he’s talking about? The elders have a much shorter fuse in terms of this.

“But once you establish credibility, that’s over and they go on to interesting issues. You can teach on a level you can’t with college students. That’s more how-to. With elders, it’s more ‘Why?’ ”

Loiselle, who has degrees in French, German, piano performance and education and has taught courses on Arts of the World, Creativity and Paris 1890-1920, said that many Elderhostelers have more knowledge than he does, based on education, experience and time.

“That’s changed my preparation style,” Loiselle said. “For college courses, the syllabus has to have every item listed: what they’re going to learn, when, how, how to get an A. For the Elderhostelers, I don’t know how I’ll run the course until I meet them and get to know them a little--fast. They size you up pretty quickly, too. They want somebody competent, who’s going to listen, and who’s fun. And why not? They deserve it.

“All things being equal, if I had a choice, I’d teach Elderhostels every week, year-round. I learn a tremendous amount each week--as a person--with the elders. . . . I’ve been a little pessimistic about getting older. But after seeing the energy, vitality and good will exhibited by the Elderhostelers, maybe I’m looking forward to it.”

Terese Sanchez of Rancho Santa Fe “sneaked” into her first Elderhostel. She was only 48 when she first accompanied her “significant other,” Norm Koppel, 69, to an Elderhostel.

She knew that you have to be at least 50 to be a companion of a bona fide 60-year-old Elderhosteler. In the years since, Norm and Terese have attended six Elderhostels. “I’m still usually the youngest one there,” Terese says. “I wouldn’t want to spend my life in that kind of milieu, but for the most part, the people are open-minded and really want to learn. We met a couple from Oceanside at an Elderhostel and we’ve become friends.

“It’s been a way for us to get to know California, since we moved here four years ago from Chicago,” says the 51 year-old retired social worker and probation officer. One of the greatest courses was on relationships and sexuality. We learned massage, there was optional nude swimming; it was great.” Sanchez and Koppel recently returned from an Elderhostel at the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts, and they’ll be attending another in January at Camp Stevens.

“We usually don’t have trouble finding a place or courses we’d both like. There’s so much freedom at the Elderhostels,” Sanchez said. “You don’t have to attend the courses if you don’t want. It’s also a great opportunity to have time to read, walk around. They’re always in lovely settings. I’ve never been bored. I view it kind of like going to camp. I don’t expect luxury, or gourmet food. But sometimes I’m surprised.”

One-third of participants traveled more than 1,000 miles to their last Elderhostel program. Seventy-eight percent were completely satisfied with the last program they attended; only 2% were “somewhat dissatisfied.” The courses and location were a major factor in selecting programs for most participants.

According to Jiggs Gallagher, director of Southern California’s 62-site Elderhostel network, most participants are 65-70 years of age, college-educated, female (61%), married (70%), retired, often from an education-oriented career. The preponderance go to one or two Elderhostels a year; some have attended as many as 20 to 50 Elderhostels in a five-year period. An Elderhosteler who does not try the experience twice is virtually unheard of.

Currently, the majority of participants are white. Both the Southern California and national Elderhostels are working to recruit more people of color into the program. “We’re very eager to multiculturalize,” Gallagher said. “There’s a commission on it in Boston right now. We’d love to have more black, Hispanic and Asian Elderhostelers. We want them to become Elderhostel junkies, too.”

Typically, there is very little advertising done or needed by Elderhostel. Word of mouth has carried the program. The courses are published in tabloid newsprint catalogues (130 pages in the winter catalogue covering U.S. and Canada programs). There are four seasonal catalogues a year, plus three annual international catalogues. The central office receives 3,000 requests for catalogues a week. This year, 10,600 seniors enrolled in programs in Southern California alone.

“I saw a survey of why people go to certain Elderhostel programs,” says Al Berg, site coordinator for the Borrego Springs Elderhostel. “No. 1 was location, and No. 2, facilities. Price was way down on the list. In my opinion, people are looking for an experience.

“Our situation is a bit unique. We only run a program in the winter months, January to March; we provide RV space and hookups. Traditionally, that hasn’t been that successful. But last year, our first year, we had a waiting list.

“RV people are a little bit more flexible. They’re not expecting a room, with everything laid out in front of them. We’ve been living in our own RV in summertime (the Bergs spend five months a year in Oregon). You meet the most marvelous, friendly people.

“Our courses all center around the state park, paleontology, the local Indians, geology and characteristics of the desert. We get to brag about the desert and the park and Borrego Springs.” Berg and his wife, both 68, run “the whole shebang” in Borrego Springs.

One of the newer Elderhostel sites, which just began this past fall, is at San Diego State University. “We geared up in a big way,” says Floss Bos, director of the SDSU Elderhostel program. They began by offering a new set of courses almost every week, and will continue that heavy schedule through the winter and spring quarters. Like most Elderhostels, they need a minimum enrollment of 20, but at SDSU, that doesn’t seem to be a problem.

“We have a lot of resources,” says Bos. “And who in the world wouldn’t want to come to San Diego? SDSU is a magnificent campus; it’s a natural. We’re hearing raves. We have a commuter program for locals ($199 per week, instead of $350, including lunch, dinner and all activities), a huge variety of courses, and great extracurricular activities (trips to Balboa Park, the zoo, Tijuana; Western dancing). When we did the programming, we wanted to go all over the place in topics. The participant evaluations have been really gratifying. They love the people, the courses and the instructors.” Most instructors are SDSU faculty members.

Still getting under way is the Elderhostel program at MiraCosta College in Oceanside. Originally expected to be launched in January, the start date was moved back to August when the first weeklong programs didn’t fill.

“I sort of took it personally,” said Kristen Stonebreaker, 39, administrative coordinator for the new MiraCosta program, “but I heard that it’s not unusual for a new site. We’ve done a lot of things differently for next time. I’m very optimistic now.”

Each Elderhostel catalogue describes the demands of the site, as well as special facilities. For instance, selected classrooms are equipped with FM systems for the hearing impaired. There’s a special wilderness program in Hawaii for deaf hostelers. In some sites, the Elderhostel participants rub shoulders with young students.

At the Elderhostel in Idyllwild, the catalogue boasts of “walking on clear paths of forested terrain.” That will attract some, deter others.

“Idyllwild is a mecca for hiking and rock climbing,” says Pat Gibson, program coordinator. “There are hikes almost every afternoon during an Elderhostel week. The majority of our Elderhostelers are in good physical condition, but some just come to sit, relax and enjoy the fresh air and terrific water. It’s very tranquil and peaceful here.”

But what attracts most Elderhostelers to this site is the School of Music and the Arts. The courses focus specifically in those areas. For example, the three course offerings for the week of Feb. 7 are: “After Richard Rodgers: The Modern Musical Theater,” “Ballet and Modern Dance: The Liveliest Art Form” and “Behind the Scenes at the Theater.”

In the last course, Elderhostelers get lectures as well as backstage experience, perhaps even helping with the high-caliber productions mounted at this private, residential performing arts high school. Students and Elderhostelers sit together at mealtimes, and that’s a good experience for all.

Al Pomiado, USIU’s director of special programs, said that from the standpoint of the regular students at the campus, “it’s like having your grandmother around.”

“These people have more stories than you could choke a cow with. At the beginning, we thought it would be taken negatively by the students. But the students love it. Our students--and our food--are so international, the Elderhostelers love that. We have 80 to 90 different countries represented here. The students sense that the Elderhostelers are not just average mature adults. Some have extensive life experience and some have lots of education. I think kids grow up a little straighter and better when they have grandparents around. This is a taste of that.”

To provide this broad-based experience for knowledge-hungry seniors is, in some ways, a labor of love. The programs have to be completely self-supporting. The nonprofit sponsoring sites get the full registration fee, except for $50, which goes to the national office. But from that, they have to arrange for food, lodging, field trips, extracurricular activities, instructors (who earn about $200 for teaching a weeklong, 7 1/2-hour course), and an on-site coordinator.

“The site coordinator is kind of like a camp mother,” says DeLoise King, director of community education at Mt. San Jacinto College, which sponsors Elderhostels at two sites: Highland Springs resort in Cherry Valley and Murietta Hot Springs spa. “It’s really a wonderful concept that gives the seniors one person to go to with problems, complaints--and praise. The site coordinator even goes on trips with the Elderhostelers.”

The trips and extracurricular activities are some of the highlights of an Elderhostel week. They include star-gazing, shopping sprees, museums, recreational areas, historical sites and hands-on field experiences. And there are evening activities, too, like lectures, concerts, demonstrations, card games, videos, and sing-a-longs. Almost every Elderhostel has an evening graduation ceremony.

A certain number of local participants may be built into any Elderhostel program. These “commuters” get a reduced rate for the week and participate in all the classes, trips and activities except for the overnight stay.

“Commuters are great,” says Sara Gaffney, coordinator of the Point Loma Youth/Elderhostel program, “but they’re missing out on some things. There’s real bonding and camaraderie that develops at night, especially when Elderhostelers live in a communal space. We’ve had great luck with commuters, but there’s definitely a different dynamic the weeks they’re there. But I’m recruiting more and more.”

In the meantime, the people who do come are what keeps everybody coming back.

“The first time I taught for Elderhostel,” said Loiselle of USIU, “I didn’t know why I was doing it. Now I just do it because I enjoy the people so much.”

“The Elderhostelers are a delightful group to be around,” says Bergstrom of Camp Stevens. They’re interested in life, in learning and in new things. It gives a lot of hope for getting older.”

“A lot of people don’t like being called ‘elder,’ ” says Peter’s mother, veteran Elderhosteler Jeanne Bergstrom. “I don’t mind much what they call me, but it helps if they know my name. I may be an elder,” she says with a chuckle, “but I’m definitely not hostile.”