Anyone who has ever studied abroad will tell you: it isn’t all about studying. An important part of the University’s numerous study abroad programs is simply being abroad. That means tasting the food, hearing the music, dancing the dances and, especially for the Camp Counselors Russia program, playing the games.

As a means of getting the word out on their trip, this program will be playing a variety of international games outside of the Ramsey Center in the courtyard today and inviting prospective travelers and recreational enthusiasts to join in.

For those interested in a taste of foreign culture, or who just want to learn some cool games to impress their next tailgating crew, a few of the games that will be exhibited are previewed here.

Goradki

Goradki is a Russian folk game, with a history dating back to 1923. The basic idea is like bowling, or maybe horseshoes with some pizzazz.

First, each team (one or two people) sets up their goradki, which translates to “little cities.” These goradki are made up of “pins,” small, cylindrical pieces of wood, arranged in figures that in some way resemble a town. There are 15 pre-set figures to choose from like the “cannon” or the “well,” but creating your goradki is a good way to let your creativity run wild.

Each team then stands a set distance (20 feet or so) apart and takes turns tossing “bats” at the other team’s goradki. The bats are just long objects — sticks or PVC pipe would work or, for the extreme goradki player, actual baseball bats. The point, of course, is to destroy the other village. The first team to completely ravage the other team’s village wins. Maybe it’s really more like bowling for the sadist.

Bocci

Bocci is an Italian game belonging to a broad set of games that grew out of the Mediterranean coastal regions. Bocci is also somewhat similar to horseshoes, but closer to curling.

You can play one-on-one or with two teams of up to four players per team. First, one team tosses a small ball, called a “jack” or pallino, down the 20 yard-long, three yard-wide court. That team then tosses another larger ball, trying to get as close to the pallino as possible.

Then the other team bowls, trying to get closer to the same pallino. From here on, whichever team is less close to the pallino continues bowling. When each team has bowled their four balls, whichever ended up closest wins the round and a point. Feel free to set your own limit for points to win the game, but traditionally it’s between seven and 13.

Croquet

This English game is undoubtedly the most simple yet complicated yard game ever invented. The official rules are entirely too complicated to effectively explain here, but the gist is simple.

First, you set up a series of either six or nine wickets (small vertical hoops) in a field about 50 by 50 feet.

In the center there should be a stake, right behind the final wicket. For six-wicket croquet, there should be one wicket on both the north and south side of the stake, and two on both the east and west side. Each player, six players for six-wicket croquet, has their own ball, and proceeds to whack the ball through the hoops in an agreed-upon path.

There is a complicated order to the whacking, and there are many complicated rules for multiple turns and whacking other peoples balls, but basically, just go through all the hoops.

The first person to hit their ball through the last hoop and hit the stake wins.