How to Make the Most of a Site Visit
“Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” – Robert Frost
We like to think of these “roads” as pathways through education. There’s a traditional pathway that we’re all familiar with…and there’s the “road less traveled” (or perhaps “more traveled” is a better term for it).
This is the “road” that takes students out of the classroom setting on a detour through the wider world and back again.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a student who has taken time away from those four walls to join in on an educational travel experience who would tell you it didn’t make a difference.
It might be a week. It might be a month. It might be a semester. But what it will almost certainly be is impactful, eye-opening, and transformative.
If you’re considering a faculty-led custom study abroad experience for a group of your students but you have some questions or doubts, one of the best ways to give it a road test is by joining in on a site visit.
Travel with us on one of these discovery trips and you’ll head home with a comprehensive understanding of our facilities, programs, and support services. You’ll get to know us, and you’ll feel more confident and empowered with the knowledge that you need to guide a group of students down the “road less more traveled.”
If you’ve signed up already, here are a few tips for making the most of a site visit:
RESEARCH. Before you go, arm yourself with knowledge! You’ll learn a lot on the trip, but get familiar with the local currency, cultural norms, transportation, food, etc. and you’ll be better prepared for a well-rounded experience.
LANGUAGE. If you’re heading on a site visit to somewhere like Italy, Japan, or Peru, for example, learn some basic phrases before take-off.
OBJECTIVES. Know what you want to accomplish on your site visit. In particular, consider the academic themes you want to explore. Consider how certain experiences you have on your trip could tie into your course goals. Think creatively as you may encounter some unexpected connections!
PERSPECTIVE. Put yourself in your students’ shoes as you travel. Consider, for example, their budgets, their dietary needs, and aspects of the culture they may be intrigued by or that may shock or surprise them. Think about how all of these considerations will tie into your itinerary.
QUESTIONS. Ask a lot of questions! We recommend jotting down as many questions as you can while you’re thinking about and preparing for your trip and ask these and more as we travel together. The above points may help you to start formulating a list.
CONNECTIONS. During planned (and any unplanned) activities on your trip, you’ll come into contact with locals. Take advantage of these opportunities to make connections and learn from them.
OBSERVATIONS. We recommend keeping a journal—or at least making notes on your phone—with observations, thoughts, ideas, and things you like (or didn’t like) for future reference. You may also wish to take photos or videos so that you can jog your memory when you’re working with us to build the perfect itinerary for your students.
OPEN-MINDEDNESS. Keep an open mind and come ready to be inspired. It’s easy to associate certain places with certain topics for fields of study (for example, art in Italy, technology in Japan, or environmental studies in Peru) but there is a plethora of custom program ideas that could be carried out in any of these places.
MULTI-PURPOSE. Make the most of a trip abroad to visit existing partners in different locations within the same country.
We look forward to sharing with you some of the more unique aspects of our programs, inspiring you as you dive deeper into the cultures of the countries we know extremely well and love, and collaborating with you in a meaningful way to build a successful custom program in line with your vision and academic objectives.
Circling back to Robert Frost, “There are two kinds of teachers: the kind that fill you with so much quail shot that you can't move, and the kind that just gives you a little prod behind and you jump to the skies.”
We can’t think of a better way to be the teacher that inspires students to fly.
