Program Reviews

I was a leader for TBB a few years ago and while I saw a different side of the program than the participants did, I was still a hugely important experience for me and one that still informs many of my decisions and interests currently. I've also led and had experience with a few other student travel organizations and while I know many of them run valuable programs, TBB's are special. Here's a few reasons why:

1) The quality of the program. The program is more than a curriculum, more than an itinerary, more than work projects, more than a set of goals - though all of these things are addressed with such thoroughness and intentionality you'd think there'd have to be a staff of 15 people designing this course and not just the handful of exceptional individuals who do it. The curriculum entails a college-level reading list with accompanying seminars and creative projects that changes the ways students are used to interacting with 'academic' material. Readings can cover both classics and the latest literature on a given problem. Moreover, traveling with laptops, kindles, and academically experienced leaders, the group always has the option of modifying the curriculum to meet student interests or address current issues. The 'work projects' can sometimes seem fruitless to students - as there might not be a new school to marvel at by the end of your stay in wherever - but they are more focused on exploring an issue than they are producing a tangible result. The program is perfect for students who are interested in learning.

2) The comprehensiveness. Virtually nothing is excluded from TBBs scope. Students are given the opportunity to explore every aspect of themselves, internal and external, personal and social, academic and physical, their personalities at work and on vacation. The range of geographic locations (city to forest) also vary widely and students are able to explore across environments and issues - as well as simply experience life abroad in some of its many settings. For example, too often Gap Years feature nothing but the exotic jungle of Bali or wherever, forgetting that the vast majority of people in the world are dealing with issues of urbanization more immediately than they are with issues of the destruction of coral reefs. Not that reefs aren't cool, but you get my point!

3) The change entailed. This program is hard, long, not for the weak or those who just want something - anything - besides school. This means, however, that students can emerge from the program rather differently than they entered. After returning from a summer or even semester abroad, it is easy to fall back into the same habits and worldviews that you had before you left because you didn't spent all that much time breaking or at least reconsidering these assumptions. TBB is long and intensive enough to develop a significant change in personality. I think nearly half the students on our trip changed the university and/or major by the time they finished TBB. The people who come out of this program - students and leaders both - are very different than they people who went in.

The only downside of TBB is the price - though it has dropped significantly in recent years. Moreover, the TBB staff is committed to helping students fundraise for their own trip - a valuable skill to acquire at such a young age. This should also help attract a great diversity of participants, which would also benefit the program greatly.

From it's own side, TBB is an incredible program deserving of almost any student. A better question to ask yourself is: are you deserving of TBB?

Though I graduated from Thinking Beyond Borders a few years ago, the lessons and experiences from the program affect how I think and interact with the world every day. We were constantly challenged by the program leaders, content, and projects to question our selves, our place in the world, and our understanding of development. I don't feel that I can speak to the specifics of daily life during the program, because TBB has evolved a lot over the past few years, but I can definitely vouch for the integrity, intelligence, and compassion of the staff and the quality of the curriculum.

It was the most amazing experience to be able to combine travel and learning in such a way. The home stays can be hard but also some of the most rewarding parts of the experience. Ecuador was my favorite part of the whole trip. The tree planting project makes you feel like you are really making a difference. South Africa is also an amazing part of the trip very demanding emotionally but extremely rewarding.

My experience with Thinking Beyond Borders was amazing. From bathing in a river in the ecuadorian jungle or shadowing health care workers in South Africa, it taught me about the world, myself and how we both work together and make it a better place.

TBB enriched my college experience (and my life more generally) in more ways than I could ever express. I am no longer a passive learner - TBB gave me the skills to take ownership of my educational experience. The curriculum opened my eyes to global issues and forced me to challenge the assumptions I held about the world and my place in it. In every course I've taken thus far in college, I have been able to relate abstract ideas and statistics to individuals and concrete experiences I encountered on my gap year. I learned an incredible amount about myself and my capabilities while nurturing a sense of adventure and curiosity about the world around me. Cultivating a strong sense of self is critical for making the most of your four years in college. Living in homestays, working with local experts on a variety of projects, taking language classes, traveling, reading, and discussing important global issues with my peers... all of TBBs program components combined made for an unforgettable year that has shaped my life for the better.

I studied international development issues through readings, seminars, capacity-building projects, and research projects in the field. Traveled for 8 months in 8 counties. Lobbied for international development funding to Capital Hill Congressmen and presented to high schools in D.C.

TBB is a unique and transformational experience. You will learn a ton from qualified teachers (they all have masters degrees!) and community members, you will live with welcoming families, you will challenge what you know. Together with a close group of peers you will live, work, and play in a variety of countries, probing deeper into issues that typical travel allows

What it is not:
+ 100% easy every day
+ A fun way to party for a year
+ A luxurious vacation in fancy hotels

As an American-born citizen of Indian origin, I had assumed I had little to learn about South Asia. But the truth is it turned out to be so much more foreign than I had thought. However, after my time with TBB in India, Thailand, and Cambodia, I feel a newfound comfort and respect for the cultural intricacies that make South Asia different and challenging, yet incredibly special.

In Jaipur, India I faced the struggles of an overpopulated nation seeking to educate its people in one of the most difficult settings possible. Teaching children from the slums of Jagatpura in a tiny concrete room English and Math was never easy. My peers and I had to fight language barriers, constant chaos, and devilishly naughty children. But a mutual affection soon grew between us and the kids, a connection both sides needed to embrace in order to progress. It takes a lot of effort, but after an hour of constant supervision and support, seeing one of my students finally understand how to multiply two and three digit numbers was one of the most fulfilling moments in my life. More than anything, I took away an understanding of the real difficulties of global education, just legislation and political promises are not enough.

In Thailand, I was forced as far out of my comfort zone as I've ever been, and I'm so glad I was. Living in the rural Thai villages of Mae Tah and Huae Tong Kow was enlightening and challenging at the same time. We had to make do with limited language ability, complete isolation from internet and electricity, and the apprehension of being in a completely foreign culture. But in our time there, we made connections to our hosts that I will never forget - we spoke different languages and looked different, but living, eating, and sleeping under the same roof made us family. We also learned about sustainable organic agricultural practices that these people were pioneering - they showed us that being environmentally responsible while still producing enough to feed the family is absolutely possible.

Overall, I'm glad I went. It may be the other side of the world with practices and norms that we don't quite understand, but this program made me see our similarities, and come to love the differences for what they are.

I took a gap year, because I felt like I was living in a bubble: a bubble of privilege shielding me from the real world. Thinking Beyond Borders forced me to step outside of myself, my community and my home country, and turn my eyes to the most pressing issues of our time. I learned the real side of how complicated development work really is rather than just completing some band-aid service project that ultimately served me, not the people I am trying to help. Traveling with eighteen of my best friends was an incredible experience that I wish I could do again! Living in home-stays reminded me of the innate humanness we all share and the ways we communicate without words. Nights sitting in silence, eating noodles, making hand gestures, and sharing photographs with my Chinese host mother, are my most precious. Every work project provides an opportunity to gain a glimpse of the authentic struggles and joys that people face on a daily basis.Thinking Beyond Borders enables students to gain a comprehensive outlook on the world and a new perspective, that will undoubtedly shape their college life and beyond. Every belief I had prior to the experience was shaken and reaffirmed, making me a stronger, more informed, agent for change. Thinking Beyond Borders has been one of the most challenging and best experiences of my life.

I am now a student at Dartmouth College and feel that I would not have been as intellectually motivated or emotionally capable to be as successful as I have been, without my TBB experience.

Thinking Beyond Borders changed the trajectory of my life. This is not an easy trip. This is not a vacation. This is an investment in your future and a journey of incredible personal growth. If you are looking to challenge yourself, broaden your perspectives, and meet some incredible people in some incredible places- this program may be for you.