Program Reviews

The Global Routes program exceeded any expectations I had and gave my summer a purpose. I was in an environment where I had to try new things, which lead me to discover new things I never thought I would enjoy. For example hiking. I dove into learning about a culture through experience and from the first day felt so welcomed by the community we were staying with. My Global Routes experience was amazing and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who is interested. At first I was hesitant to choose the Global Routes LIA trip. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my summer, and going away to a different country without my family seemed frightening. I had a service requirement for my school, so I had to do something, but everything that I found wasn’t exactly how I wanted to spend my summer. When I finally considered doing the Global Routes trip, I really loved how I could bring something I love to kids who may not get to experience the luxury of going to camp every summer. What also sold me about the program, was how we, the students, got to create the summer camp ourselves, unlike any other program.

The summer I did this trip was one of the best summers of my life. This trip as influence me in so many ways. I have made so many life long friends, tried new things, and learned so much while on the trip. Getting to immerse in a new culture and really become part of a community was life changing.

One big thing on this trip was the chance to create our own summer camp and work with children. As someone who wishes to go into education this experience was extremely valuable. Running the camp taught me how to work in a group and how to communicate better with others.

Parents and students should take this trip as an opportunity to grow as a person. The Global Routes programs give students the awesome and unique opportunities to really experience a new culture and become part of the community.

Global Routes provided an incredible experience that pushed our daughter out of her comfort zone in a healthy and nurturing way. The service opportunities were unlike anything she would experience in a domestic setting, and I am sure the impact of the trip will be felt for years to come. She came back saying it was life altering and that she can’t wait to return to Africa in the future to be of more service!

In terms of safety and logistics, I can't recommend Global Routes enough. Even though we were sending our 15 year old halfway across the globe, I never feared she would be put in an unsafe situation. In addition, on the return trip there was a major issue with the airline that could easily have created confusion and anxiety in terms of getting the group home. Adam and his team were extremely communicative and were on top of every issue they encountered trying to reroute the group. I was incredibly impressed by how a difficult situation was handled by the organization!

Global Routes provided an incredible experience that pushed our daughter out of her comfort zone in a healthy and nurturing way. The service opportunities were unlike anything she would experience in a domestic setting, and I am sure the impact of the trip will be felt for years to come. She came back saying it was life altering and that she can’t wait to return to Africa in the future to be of more service!

In terms of safety and logistics, I can't recommend Global Routes enough. Even though we were sending our 15 year old halfway across the globe, I never feared she would be put in an unsafe situation. In addition, on the return trip there was a major issue with the airline that could easily have created confusion and anxiety in terms of getting the group home. Adam and his team were extremely communicative and were on top of every issue they encountered trying to reroute the group. I was incredibly impressed by how a difficult situation was handled by the organization!

My Global Routes experience was something I will never forget. I learned more than I ever thought possible. It was definitely a challenge but it for sure shaped me to become a better person. Our trip had 3 different phases, first the cultural orientation, the homestay and service project, then an incredible 3 day safari. Our cultural orientation was at the United African Alliance Community Center in Arusha. We learned a few things that would be super useful at the homestay, as well as bond, try some Tanzanian food, learn a bit of Swahili, and grow an appreciation for the welcoming Tanzanians. Our leaders, Adam and Mary, were clearly very experienced in these situations. They made me feel very welcomed and payed attention to me. I had gotten pretty sick on the airplane on the way there, and they made sure that every activity I was doing I was good with and was feeling better. The homestay and worksite was just an indescribable experience, I seriously do not know how to put it into words. It was just so surreal and educational. I had to kept reminding myself that that was their everyday life. I learned how to cook in the dark and with one flame, clean clothes with 2 buckets, use a squatty potty, and my personal favorite, the bucket bath. The building of the classroom was another unforgettable thing. Seeing the joy in the children and the fundis who helped us build the school was so heartwarming. Definitely challenging but super worth it. The safari was just crazy. It felt like a Disney ride. By the end of this trip, we were all one big happy and loving family. We have a very special bond. Asante sana Global Routes for this opportunity. If you are reading this, go on a Global Routes trip. You will not regret it.

My Global Routes experience was something I will never forget. I learned more than I ever thought possible. It was definitely a challenge but it for sure shaped me to become a better person. Our trip had 3 different phases, first the cultural orientation, the homestay and service project, then an incredible 3 day safari. Our cultural orientation was at the United African Alliance Community Center in Arusha. We learned a few things that would be super useful at the homestay, as well as bond, try some Tanzanian food, learn a bit of Swahili, and grow an appreciation for the welcoming Tanzanians. Our leaders, Adam and Mary, were clearly very experienced in these situations. They made me feel very welcomed and payed attention to me. I had gotten pretty sick on the airplane on the way there, and they made sure that every activity I was doing I was good with and was feeling better. The homestay and worksite was just an indescribable experience, I seriously do not know how to put it into words. It was just so surreal and educational. I had to kept reminding myself that that was their everyday life. I learned how to cook in the dark and with one flame, clean clothes with 2 buckets, use a squatty potty, and my personal favorite, the bucket bath. The building of the classroom was another unforgettable thing. Seeing the joy in the children and the fundis who helped us build the school was so heartwarming. Definitely challenging but super worth it. The safari was just crazy. It felt like a Disney ride. By the end of this trip, we were all one big happy and loving family. We have a very special bond. Asante sana Global Routes for this opportunity. If you are reading this, go on a Global Routes trip. You will not regret it.

This Global Routes trip was the best 2 weeks of my life! Although challenging at times, every moment was truly life changing. I created a new family with my fellow travelers, and the Tanzanians! It was a great experience in which I furthered my global mindfulness and gained a sense of community and family with all of the people I was with throughout the trip. My fellow travelers and I have become friends for life and I will never forget the warm smiles of all the Tanzanians. The trip was amazing and I would do it again in a heartbeat. None of it would have been possible without Global Routes. I truly recommend a Global Routes trip to anyone who wishes to touch others lives while becoming closer with the ones they travel with. If you have any doubts about going on a trip like this, I can assure you that Global Routes leaders offered tremendous amounts of support throughout the trip and they will not let you down.

This Global Routes trip was the best 2 weeks of my life! Although challenging at times, every moment was truly life changing. I created a new family with my fellow travelers, and the Tanzanians! It was a great experience in which I furthered my global mindfulness and gained a sense of community and family with all of the people I was with throughout the trip. My fellow travelers and I have become friends for life and I will never forget the warm smiles of all the Tanzanians. The trip was amazing and I would do it again in a heartbeat. None of it would have been possible without Global Routes. I truly recommend a Global Routes trip to anyone who wishes to touch others lives while becoming closer with the ones they travel with. If you have any doubts about going on a trip like this, I can assure you that Global Routes leaders offered tremendous amounts of support throughout the trip and they will not let you down.

While in Tanzania with Global Routes and my peers, I was able to step out of my comfort zone in the best way. Through this service program, I was able to learn more about myself and the amazing and unique culture of the Tanzanian people. To explain this trip one one word is impossible, but if I had to: Life-changing. The leaders of Global Routes not only helped get me ready prior to the trip, they also encouraged me throughout the program and helped me to grow in ways I never expected. This trip planted a seed in my heart that has made me realize how fortunate I am and how much I want to help others. I always knew doing a service trip was something I wanted to do, but now I realize it is something I needed to do. It was a remarkable opportunity and one that I would do all over again in a heart beat!! 

There is no easy way for me to put this trip into words. It went beyond my expectations and connected me to the world in a way I didn't know was possible. It opened my eyes to a new culture and allowed me the opportunity to give back to people in the local village there. It truly changed my perspective of the world and I cannot express how thankful I am for the chance to have gone on this trip.
One of the highlights of the trip was the locals themselves. They were all so genuinely happy to see us and welcomed us like family. I was definitely nervous about the language barrier going into the trip but I soon found that the love and gratefulness we had for one another was easily communicated. The kids were so excited to see us and just wanted to hold our hand. I really learned so much about the world around me and would definitely recommend this trip to a wide range of people. Even though this is the only Global Routes program I have partaked in I would definitely be able to suggest any of their trips because they put equal time and effort to all of their programs and make sure that the safety and enjoyment of each trip is at its full potential.