As EdOdyssey alumni, teachers, educational leaders or passionate travelers, we have been fortunate enough to share meaningful travel experiences together! We’ve all come to understand that travel impacts us in all sorts of ways.

When thinking about studying abroad, some college students may be hesitant to do so due to FOMO - the fear of missing out. Although this feeling is a legitimate concern, a powerful tool that we should learn to embrace the positive side is JOMO - the joy of missing out.

If you’re considering a study abroad experience, it doesn’t have to be exorbitant! It’s totally reasonable to have a great time, and be able to stick to a study abroad budget! The awesome part about traveling is that, no matter your budget, you can still see the world!

Often, we hear of students studying abroad, but how might teachers and faculty go about experiencing new cultures that can add value to their classrooms back home? We spoke with Greg Semplice, an avid traveler and high school teacher, and discussed his self-led program EdOdyssey had designed for him while exploring Spain this past July.

Eight students said goodbye to their family and friends and made their way to Lima, Peru, where they met up with the EdOdyssey team in preparation for their semester abroad. EdOdyssey’s orientation is a month-long, which gives students a substantial amount of time to create friendships with one another, participate in language classes, and get to know their new city.

The month of July is the time we celebrate what it means to be Peruvian. Our streets are embroidered with Peruvian flags above every home and building, and children and workers wear cockades, or knotted ribbons, with our national colors in remembrance of the day we declared our independence from the Spanish Crown. In preparation for Peru’s July 28th independence celebration, the restaurants bring on more staff because eating in Peru means so much more than just the food.