What Do Educators Say?
Dara Dawson Middle School Teacher
Which Global Explorers destinations have you visited?
Arctic, Baja, Costa Rica
Do you believe international travel is important for students?
Yes, but only if they step outside of the resort and make an effort to be a part of the country they are visiting. Programs like this are critical because parents don’t necessarily use family travel as an educational experience and get out of their own comfort zones to experience the place they are visiting.
Why do you choose to work with Global Explorers as opposed to other travel companies out there?
I chose GEx because it was not just about travel but about teaching students about leadership, service, and science. I wanted a program that had some substance – a curriculum- and was not all about just sightseeing. If programs are solid, they have looked at the following areas and planned for them: Flight delays, illness and injuries, weather, travel insurance, establishing a relationship with the people in the area of travel and having them as part of the program, service projects in country. GEx was obviously well thought out and created by people who had traveled and put students first in their minds when they came up with a business plan.
What do you believe were the favorite parts of the Global Explorers experience for the group?
Interacting with other kids was by far their favorite part. They found out that you don’t have to be fluent in someone else’s language to communicate and that no matter where kids are from, they have the same interests, fears, hopes and dreams.
What were the favorite parts of the trip for you?
My favorite part is watching the change that students go through while on the trip. They wake up excited and are ready for the day well before I am! On our trips, they go back to the simple things that make life fun. It’s about the basics; friendship, food, exploration, and letting your mind and body dictate what needs to happen instead of a clock. They find they don’t need iPods, cell phones and such to be happy.
What were the most important things you believe participants learned from the Global Explorers program?
The world is a small place and we are all much more alike than different Real giving comes without expectations They can make a big difference in the lives of others They are VERY fortunate to live in the US We (US citizens) should not be ashamed of our culture and how fortunate we are The vacations they take do not give them a real sense of life in other countries and that they may have vacationed in a foreign country but came home knowing nothing about the place Being observant is a skill and when daily distractions are taken away, we sharpen that skill and become more understanding.
