There are exciting ways to go beyond the tourist attractions and still dive into a new culture without getting off your couch! For now, we can still get familiar with future destinations, even from home.

As students, teachers, educators, or travelers, all of us await our adventure and the places we want to visit but that doesn’t mean we can’t gain new knowledge from home. This upcoming semester, students will have an opportunity to learn from EdOdyssey’s team of educators and local partners based in Peru, and educators will learn from our team how to build their own study abroad program.

Below are four tips that students, teachers, administrators, faculty, or travelers alike can embrace in preparation for future travel. These tidbits will prepare you for your next adventure, all from the comfort of your house!

1. Discover New Cultures: Series & Movies 

If you already have it, take advantage of Netflix’s huge catalog of movies, try steering away from Hollywood blockbusters. We are looking for independent films, as the majority of them are produced and shot locally.

Movies about the life of a character in the city, or that international romantic movie that may pop every now and then in your featured list, often show jokes that rely on you knowing the culture in which they are set.

These movies have phrases that have so much more meaning and background information than what the subtitles convey. So dive into these movies, and next time you visit the country they are in, you’ll be familiar with them.

EdOdyssey’s upcoming virtual study abroad programming will include videos and video clips for students learn more about Peruvian culture outside of coursework. Teachers will have an opportunity to learn how to take their classroom content to build a future study abroad program for their students.

2. Listen to Folk Music, Learn Their Lyrics

What’s great about folk music in the majority of countries is that they tell stories about their people. For example, Peruvian creole music, for example, was the way of settling disputes between people in the ’50s, Italian folk songs vary depending on the region of the country you are in, Cuban songs talk about a day in the life. Music continues to be one of the main ways of expression, with many of them making references to the happenings of their time.

EdOdyssey’s virtual study abroad program will focus on cultural aspects involving Peruvian dance and history that will connect participants more with the culture. Our global educator certificate program will provide teachers a way to infuse aspects of their course content from their curriculum into a program that we’ll help them design.

3. Read & Watch Backpacking Stories 

Video blogs give you insight into the experience of traveling through a country you want to visit.

The ups and downs of society, infrastructure, day-to-day adventures. From video blogs portraying life as a budget backpacker to their luxury counterparts, so you can have a grasp of what it’s like to live on both ends of the spectrum of that country you are thinking about visiting.

Bear in mind that this is only one perspective of travel. It will give you an idea of what to expect when, but once you take the leap and go for the experience, you will learn about the nuances and treasures that experiences can give you and your peers!

Students in EdOdyssey’s virtual coursework will enjoy guest lectures that will provide them a new perspective on Peruvian culture that goes beyond their academic coursework. Teachers taking our global student certificate for educators course will learn how to market and connect the value of an international program to students and parents to enjoy a program abroad.

4. Use Google Maps, Take a Virtual Walk

Take to the streets! That is, virtual streets! If virtual mapping has given us anything, that is the ability to visit whichever place in the world you want and experience what is like to walk on its streets.

With this, you can head to Google Street View or Apple Maps, find a landmark that draws your attention and research about it. Why is the clocktower in London called Big Ben? Why is there a statue of an Angel in the square of Buenos Aires?

Cities around the world are full of history! There are tons of fun facts waiting to be discussed and places that haven’t been explored yet!

The internet gives us options to learn more about future destinations of interest. Through our virtual programs, our team will show interactive ways for you and your cohort to be prepared to embrace your destination with open arms!

Want to learn more about EdOdyssey’s Virtual Study Abroad and Global Student Program Certificate for Educators? Sign up for our newsletter here or follow on social media below! Get ready for more information pertaining to virtual study abroad and our global certificate program for educators!