When you had an opportunity to go on a life-changing worldwide journey, however you’d have to go away family members at dwelling and give up your cellphone the minute you bought off the airplane, would you do it?
That is the query highschool college students Sofia and Nia confronted once they have been provided the chance to go on an all-encompassing journey that was equal components service, schooling and journey by way of International Glimpse, a non-profit group that has facilitated over 400 worldwide journeys for 8,000 college students since launching in 2008.
“At first, I used to be actually nervous, however earlier than we left, they instructed us to be comfy being uncomfortable,” mentioned Sofia, now a highschool senior within the Bay Space. “And I really feel like that is one thing I actually took to coronary heart throughout the entire journey.”
College students like Nia and Sofia are nominated by a trainer or administrator for inclusion in this system. They then endure a rigorous software and evaluation course of to earn a spot on one of many 40+ journeys that International Glimpse runs every summer season to Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. College students sometimes journey throughout the summer season after their junior yr to participate of a culturally immersive 14-day program in nation. Itineraries are designed to construct empathy, management expertise and world perspective.
For a lot of college students, it is their first probability to journey internationally and expertise a tradition aside from their very own.
“It was a journey in and of itself,” mentioned Nia from Chicago, now a school sophomore majoring in biology and neuroscience. “I needed to get a passport. I needed to persuade my mother and father to let me go, as a result of not solely was I going out of the U.S. for the primary time, however I used to be going with out them. However I used to be so excited, it was a giant motivation for me.”
In 2024, Travelzoo will as soon as once more be a companion group of International Glimpse, offering scholarships that make these memorable experiences obtainable to deserving college students, no matter their monetary state of affairs.
“We really feel strongly that touring internationally broadens your world view. Experiencing new cultures makes you a greater world citizen,” mentioned Andrée Sanquini, U.S. Normal Supervisor at Travelzoo. “We’re proud to assist International Glimpse for a 3rd consecutive yr in 2024 to make this invaluable alternative open to distinctive college students.”
“Be comfy with being uncomfortable”
International Glimpse brings collectively college students from low-income and underrepresented backgrounds from colleges within the San Francisco Bay Space, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Massachusetts for these life-changing experiences.
College students who’re accepted into this system participate in pre-trip workshops to develop management expertise and world competency. Then they’re positioned into teams of about 20 to finish a 14-day in-country expertise. Journeys mix service actions with cultural exchanges, like making ready and consuming dinner with an area household. College students hear from visitor audio system about matters resembling environmental conservation and sustainability, and take turns filling management roles inside their group, beneath the watchful eye of educated employees and area people members. College students are inspired to journal throughout the expertise and supply peer suggestions to the day’s leaders.
Then, there are days dedicated to exploring (like visiting a waterfall) or studying extra concerning the nation they’re visiting (like touring a museum).
“What I loved concerning the journey was that the schedule was completely arrange,” mentioned Sofia, who helped refurbish a playground {and gymnasium} at an area college in Turrialba for her workforce’s Group Motion Mission (CAP). “It was at all times one thing new, and on the finish of the day you actually felt achieved.
“You have been capable of inform your self, ‘I did that’, and then you definitely have been excited for the following day.”
Regardless of not realizing many of the college students in her group, Sofia mentioned they shortly “clicked” and keep in contact by way of group texts a number of months later.
“I used to be so grateful for the individuals on my journey,” she mentioned, “as a result of they actually pushed me and made me really feel comfy.”
Constructing a worldwide perspective
With new individuals, new locations, new meals (and sure, no cellphone), there was some tradition shock at first. However the college students we talked to mentioned that these new experiences helped them each admire what they’ve at dwelling, and worth what they have been experiencing real-time on their journey.
For Nia, touring from Chicago to Costa Rica was an actual eye-opener.
“It was a really humbling expertise for me, due to the little particulars you are taking with no consideration residing within the U.S., like electrical energy,” she mentioned.
After which there was the pure magnificence.
“It was a lot extra lovely than I anticipated,” she recalled. “The forests have been a giant distinction from the place I lived in Chicago. We went into the rainforest, and it appeared like a white noise soundtrack of hen sounds.”
Her expertise additionally made her re-think some issues at dwelling.
“The expertise gave me a extra conscientious thoughts about how I work together with the setting,” Nia mentioned. “How a lot waste am I creating? How a lot water do I exploit to clean my fingers or take a bathe?”
Sofia commented on how the tempo of life in Costa Rica was a lot totally different from that within the Bay Space.
“Nobody’s in a rush,” she mentioned. “It was extra calm and easy.”
When her group reached their base camp within the forest close to Turrialba for the two-week expertise, she was pleasantly shocked.
“OK, nicely that is undoubtedly totally different from the place I am coming from,” she mentioned. “But it surely shortly felt like dwelling.”
Lifelong reminiscences, lifelong vacationers
Upon their return, alumni are inspired to turn into ambassadors for this system—sharing their experiences, growing management expertise and inspiring youthful college students to use.
“I used to be blessed with a once-in-a-lifetime alternative and I wished different individuals to find out about it,” Nia mentioned.
Sofia commented that her expertise interacting with so many native Costa Ricans modified how she intends to journey sooner or later.
“When lots of people go on holidays, they go to the place, however they do not actually know the place they’re going,” she mentioned, recounting the enjoyable she had cooking with an area household. “I actually really feel like after this expertise, I wish to get extra concerned with the tradition and group of the locations that I am visiting.”
For Nia, one in all her most memorable moments was watching child sea turtles hatch and make the journey to the ocean.
“It was so cool,” she instructed us. “I did not anticipate them to be so tiny. We went to the seashore at nighttime, wore all black garments, used particular lights and will solely whisper.”
As for that factor about no telephones, nicely, Nia mentioned that wasn’t a giant deal, in any case.
“It was unexpectedly superb,” she instructed us. “I used to be as into social media as one teenager may get and so related to my cellphone. However when you get there, there was a lot to see and do, that you do not even understand you do not have your cellphone.
“Not having your cellphone is a small worth to pay for the prospect to see child sea turtles hatch and go to the ocean.”
