Program Reviews

My Global Routes trip in Nepal was nearly 6 years ago. Put quite simply (despite the cliché) those 5 weeks changed my life. While I tried to prepare myself (physically and mentally) according to the thorough itinerary sent out a few weeks before the trip, I could not have had nearly as impactful and memorable an experience without the leadership of my GR staff and our Nepali staff. Looking back on that summer, I try to catalog my experiences chronologically: first the 2 weeks of trekking in the Himalayas, 2 weeks doing a homestay and service project, 1 week dedicated to more sightseeing and traveling. But when I really think back to Nepal, I see the faces and smiles of new friends. I recall learning the true meanings behind certain words (both in Nepali and English). I reminisce over the taste of deliciously home-cooked rice and dal (lentils). I feel the comfort of the prayer flags that were constantly in sight. It's hard to write a short description of my trip because it was such an important 5 weeks for me but overall I was always having fun, always encouraged and challenged to grow by my staff, and always in awe of Nepal, aware of the fact that I would be thinking of this trip for the rest of my life!

Despite having gone on this program 6 years ago, it's still something I think about all the time and rave about to friends and family. I had never really traveled abroad before, and if I had it was purely for tourism purposes. This program really pushed me to become a better leader and a better person. Not only did I make lifelong connections with the people in my group, but I got to experience a way of life I never could have imagined.

Running a day camp for the kids who lived on St Vincent and Bequia was not only incredibly fun, but also pushed me out of my comfort zone. Before the trip I was someone who was hesitant to take initiative or contribute to a group effort because I doubted my abilities. Being put in a position of responsibility really pushed me to grow into a more confident and adventurous individual.

Not only did we get to spend significant time with local residents, but we also were able to take part in their cultural scene. We had the opportunity to go to a local basketball game, attend our host family's church service on Sunday, and even got to be guests at a local family reunion. Feeling immersed in the culture of St Vincent and Bequia was an experience that's importance to me cannot be measured.

Additionally, we got to see all of the amazing BEAUTY the islands had to offer!! Hiking an active volcano, visiting a turtle sanctuary, and exploring the local businesses are just a few of the amazing opportunities we had! I would recommend this program to everyone, it is an experience I will hold very dear to me for the rest of my life.

I would definitely recommend Global Routes to anyone looking to go abroad for the summer. Before I went, I looked into a TON of programs, and decided that Global Routes was the best option, and I'm happy to say that it exceeded my expectations. My homestay family was kind, warm, welcoming, and accommodating, my leaders were fantastic, and the places we visited were amazing. The program enabled me to have an authentic experience while feeling very safe and supported. I have wanted to go back to Ecuador since the day I got home. Global Routes definitely knows what they are doing!

Attending the 2005 Global Routes LIA Caribbean program has been one of the most impactful decisions in my life. I know that is a weighty and slightly dramatic statement, but it is the truth. As a current Global Routes travel leader, my experience as a student shapes the way I interact with my students, the communities we work in, and the world through which we travel. My leaders, Jim Whitmore and Lizzy Baker, did a spectacular job balancing the complex roles of Teacher, Mentor, Friend, and Role Model. They exposed me to hard skills like cooking for a group of 16, and soft skills, like how to resolve group issues respectfully and productively. They set a high bar for us in terms of individual responsibility and group cohesion, but provided us with all of the tools and support to soar over that bar.

The format and vision of the trip was particularly important to me. Our group had nearly a week of orientation is New Hampshire, where we camped together, cooked meals on coleman stoves together, and started planning out the structure and activities of the summer camp we were to run. By the time we arrived in St. Vincent, and finally to our new home on the island of Bequia, we already felt as if we were family. One of the most memorable moments from my trip wasn't as much a particular event, but a realization. I was walking to the vegetable market with two other members of my group. In that 15 minute walk we must have passed two dozen smiling faces, most of whose names we knew, and many who had attended our summer camp and came running to great us. The feeling of being grounded in that community, gladly welcomed with warm greetings and genuine interest, hit me like a soccer ball to the face. It gave me a blueprint for how to travel, how to forge real connections, and to try and make every interaction, no matter how brief, meaningful and positive.

When I think back on this trip, I don't just think about how cool it was to travel abroad—I think about the people I met, first and foremost. I was able to mingle and meet with people I normally wouldn't talk with, both within the group and in the local area. Though it's been years, the experiences have made such a bond that I still consider the friends I made on that trip something like family. The trip opened my eyes to see the fellow humanity in and find kinship with people across the globe.
Beyond the people met, the chances to learn leadership were fantastic. I learned leadership through collaboration, mistakes, healthy risks and different approaches. The leaders of the trip were encouraging and open-minded, and even when certain attempts at a task ended poorly, it never became a point of punishment. I learned how to lead and take command, something I had always shied away from in the past.

This trip changed me for the better. It taught me so much, all while being some of the most fun I've ever had.

I chose this program in my freshman year of high school because of its safety. I wanted to learn spanish in Latin America in a stress-free environment. The very pleasurable group that I went to CR with was small, only about 14 people and 2 counselors, both who spoke Spanish very well. I really enjoyed working on a small village project at the local school and I am still in touch with my host family today.

Tanzania was most definitely the best experience i have ever had. I have grown in so many ways. I've learned so much about the culture and customs of Tanzania and i have been able to live a Tanzanian life. I felt really welcomed there and i feel like i have a place and a home in Njoro. I wish i could have stayed longer with my family but i know i couldn't have stayed forever. My favorite part of the trip was every night after dinner, being able to spend time with my brothers and roomie playing games and laughing together. Another was being able to play soccer with locals and although i didn't know enough swahili to know what they were saying, we were able to laugh and enjoy our games. The only downside to the trip was having to leave too soon. Also the language barrier was very challenging but if we had stayed longer it would have become easier. I will never forget this trip and i am looking forward to hopefully going back in a few years to visit again.

In the five weeks I spent in Nepal, I learned more about who I am and who I want to be than any other point in my life. I feel so incredibly lucky to have participated in this program. The leaders of the trip were the best I could ask for—super fun, interesting, responsible, and inspiring—and I met so many wonderful people in my group whom I will be friends with for years to come. Nepal is a magical place with the most welcoming of people. I was awed by its beauty on the 10-day trek, with mountainous landscapes and icy glaciers distracting me from the physical challenges of hiking. My home stay was comfortable and had some of the best food I've eaten (I still miss it), as well as the sweetest family that I still keep in touch with. It was very satisfying to have contributed to the building of the school, and while we did not help with constructing it directly, I still enjoyed my time on the worksite. One of my favorite parts of the trip was traveling through Bhaktapur and Boudhanath—two beautiful cities I intend to visit again. As a whole, this trip was more amazing than I could have ever imagined.

I absolutely loved my experience in Nepal. I felt that the group of students was incredible and sort of a self-selecting bunch because the trip was so rigorous that it weeded out anyone who wasn't genuine and willing to fully immerse themselves. My two leaders were amazing--so friendly and fun, yet really responsible and always coming up with the most clever, sweet, and thoughtful touches to add to the trip. For example, they surprised us with snickers bars after the toughest day of our trek, and were continually coming up with wacky but fantastic games for us to play at the worksite (carrying bricks and digging all day could get a little slow sometimes). The trek was wonderful--amazing sights, rigorous in the most character-building way imaginable, and the perfect way to get to know everyone really well. The home stay was unexpectedly wonderful considering that almost none of our host families spoke any English and the few people that did spoke barely any English. However, we still became so close with them that I cried when we left. The country of Nepal is also wonderful--we met so many warm, kind, and interesting people along the way. The cities we explored in orientation and final travel were really interesting and the way in which we explored them with Global Routes was really fun--a mix of going to see sights and exploring on our own volition. Overall, it was the self-selecting group of students and the two amazing leaders that made the trip so amazing for me, and I would recommend it to anyone who is willing to give up many of the material comforts of home in exchange for a whole new perspective on life.

The best summer of my life. I feel as if I have another family and home in Tanzania. Our family was welcoming and lovely to spend time with. Most of the food is pasta, beans, fruit, chicken, rice, beef but the leaders do have snacks and you can buy some cookies and such around town. There were always children to play with, and students at the school we worked at to interact and laugh with. A couple of us did have difficulties with minor illnesses (specifically in the bathroom) Everyone eventually got used to using a squatter toilet and taking bucket showers, which really isn't as bad as it seems. Although going to another country to live with another family may seem scary, it was one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life. Hakuna Matata Tanzania.