Verto Education Semester Abroad With College Credit

This was my first time traveling outside of the U.S. and it was life changing. This trip was a great way to make new connections because you never know who you will meet along your journey. I had met individuals that were all so unique in their own ways and so full of knowledge wether they be my teachers, my cohort, guides, or even natives. Taking into account what these amazing people have taught me, they left me with a new purpose. Because of this trip I now have a new initiative which is to start my own business that will make a change.

I found out about Verto Education at a time in my life when I really needed to know that there was another way for me to begin life after high school. I feel so lucky to have been able to travel with Verto as it was a truly challenging and rewarding experience that made me a better and more educated person. Not only is it great for earning college credit and learning in new and strange environments, but it's extremely fun and you'll meet so many great people that become so important to you. Every experience is probably one you've never done before and one that you'll remember forever.

My daughter was in Fiji, when COVID-19 became a worldwide concern. The staff at Verto handled the situation beautifully. 100% concern was for getting all of those kids home safely. I was communicated with during every step and they made us feel as comfortable as possible! In addition, when she got home classes continued as planned and every effort was made to provide virtual experiences. There was a unity provided by Verto team; They made lemonade out of lemons. I know my daughter truly enjoyed her experience. She made an incredible connection with many of the staff members and students. She was very sad when she had to come home and even sadder the day virtual classes ended. She has always had a love for travel, but this has made her more eager to travel the world.

The Verto team was very supportive and fun the entire semester, I had so many crazy and immersive experiences when we got to visit villages in Fiji and white water rafting in New Zealand. The classes and teachers were very interesting and informative. One of my favorite memories was being in Nausori village with my host family and learning all about the fijian culture and traditions. One day we woke up at sunrise and hiked to the top of the mountain with our host brother, on our last night there he took us to his farm and we had a bonfire on the edge of a cliff, it was one of the coolest things I've ever done.

I had already attended college for a year before I’m went on my Verto semester. The summer leading up to the semester took great preparation, for I have a lot of medications to handle due to being a heart transplant recipient. Nevertheless I was able to spend the 3 months in the beautiful South Pacific doing crazy things like bungee jumping and skydiving with no medical issues.
I would say that you have to be a very adaptable and patient person on this experiential learning journey. Most of the locations you go to are very rustic and remote. That be said these places offer any extreme amount of natural beauty and culture. Since it was such a small class size (13 students) we took the classes week by week, but it was sometimes hard to get work done with the amount of traveling we did. Often times during our down time we had to choose between doing work, catching up on sleep, or attending to our mental health. The semester was jammed packed with activity after activity, great meal after great meal, and kind and compassionate programs leaders that I am still in touch with today. I think about the everything that made that trip special to me on the daily. The strongest thing that I took away from my time in the South Pacific is having a better sense of the environment and cultural relativism.

This was my first time traveling out of the country, let alone to spend three months with people I’ve never met. At first it was intimidating, adjusting to the environment and getting to know everyone. When I got back from this trip people asked how it went. What I found was that this wasn’t just an ordinary trip. My experience abroad with Verto was unique. And what made it unique was the people, my personal journey, and the cultural experiences.

I loved my cohort! The professors were amazing, fun, and interesting people. Not only did I learn from them during class but also out of class they taught me a lot. Our guides were all around the best! They worked so hard everyday to make everything go as smoothly as it could go. Being responsible for a group is not easy! I know I can speak for my fellow classmates when I say that we made beautiful relationships and connections with everyone.

My personal journey was one that I will never forget. I learned so much about myself and yes there were hardships such as being homesick or just feeling overwhelmed or even more personal issues. But, without the bad I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy the good. And looking back, if it wasn’t for everything that I endured whether that be good or bad I wouldn’t be the person I am today. It forced me to get out of my comfort zone and pushed me to try new things. This semester abroad not only shaped me personally but also academically.

I wanted cultural immersion and that is exactly what I got! Everyone was so nice and welcoming. Learning the culture around me didn’t make me feel like a tourist but more of a well rounded traveler. I learned phrases and words in different languages, I learned cultural do’s and don’ts, and I tried a bunch of tasty new foods! When you’re culturally immersed it puts you into a different perspective. You see all sides and not just your own. You learn why people do what they do and you experience the hardships that they go through as well.

A part of who I am is made up from my experiences abroad. This is a unique opportunity and if you have the chance to do it, go for it! Don’t overthink it and don’t talk yourself out of it. I promise this is life changing!

My experience with Verto was extremely unique because it was the first semester ran in the South Pacific in Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia. In Fiji, I experienced different cultures and ways of life that have impacted the way I view the world today and forever. The semester was filled with adventure and personal growth. I loved the experiential learning aspect of the trip- we were not sitting in classrooms but rather experiencing and learning at the same time. I learned a lot about the environment by actually putting myself in different settings and learning how to create a more sustainable world. I found that I gained so much knowledge about myself, my perspective on the world, and ultimate understanding of the universe.

My daughter was introduced to the Verto experience in her senior year of high school. She has always been interested in studying abroad and this seemed like a great opportunity for her. I was nervous about her going so far away for so long, but my fears were quickly put to rest seeing how happy and well taken care of my child was while away. She did two semesters with Verto. The first was Latin America followed by South Pacific. Reading and talking about what the students would be doing while away was exciting but the actual experiences my child had was like nothing I could have ever imagined. Of course there were a few hiccups along the way dealing with culture changes and personality differences, but the program leaders and instructors were amazing. My daughter got hurt the first week she was in the Dominican Republic and the program leader called me to tell me everything and made me feel comfortable that she was in good hands and they would keep me updated about her injury. That same program leader was incredible throughout the entire semester, as were the other PLs. The homestays were a favorite of my daughter. Her DR host family treated her like their own and her "mom" taught her Spanish while she taught her mom English. She was also proud of her "dad" and the work he did in the community. While in Fiji, she really enjoyed watching the rugby team and getting to hang out with locals during their free time. The students were not to go anywhere alone and as a parent I appreciated that as an extra safety measure. During the SOPAC semester is when things had to be cut short due to COVID-19 and everyone had to return home. My daughter was heartbroken that she had to leave even though she understood why. The Verto team included the parents in the decisions about what what happening and even started a group chat on WhatsApp for the parents so we could support each other and let everyone know that our children made it home safely. That was very helpful during such a scary time. Class online just finished this week so I am sure there will be a new set of feelings. I cannot say enough about Verto and the entire experience we have had. I would recommend it to anyone that is looking to have an opportunity of a lifetime. This would not be for someone thinking they were going on a "vacation". There were many activities planned that were thoroughly enjoyed, but it is still college work and can be difficult at times. It has been life changing for us with no regrets.