GeoVisions Blog

Middle East Peace Process - the GeoVisions Contribution

Some people wonder, "Will there ever be peace in the Middle East?".  Well, we know there won't be if lots of different parties don't contribute something to make it happen.

I'm Kevin, a CVO at GeoVisions.  Today I was reviewing a file full of applications for our Work and Travel US Exchange program.  On this program, university students from around the world come to the US to work in seasonal jobs.  I don't know why this particular file attracted me.  But I started looking through the applications.  In this file, I spotted two students from Jordan, then one from Lebanon.  I liked that.  But as I went further, there was a student from Iraq.  Then one from Israel.

All these students are going to work together in Ocean City, Maryland this summer, and I got to thinking about how programs like ours do bring people together who otherwise would probably never get to know each other.  Our Work and Travel program is a part of the US State Department's public diplomacy effort.  Students from around the world get to know about the USA, but they also get to know each other.  Abraham Lincoln once said "I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends."

Our Work and Travel students always tell us that one of the greatest benefits of our exchange program is that they got to make friends from all over the world.  GeoVisions ... hopefully we can help a little bit to convert enemies into friends.  My file folder gave me hope!

We can also help you go to countries in the Middle East to volunteer and teach. You can be a Conversation Corps or Conversation Partner tutor in Lebanon or in Jordan.  Live with a family, help people improve their English conversation skills, learn about a fascinating part of the world.  Make your own contribution!

In this article we identified four countries, but showed six flags from Middle Eastern Countries.  Can you identify all of them?

 

Safety First When You Volunteer Abroad

For those of us involved in sending people abroad for many years, it is impossible to escape the dreaded call about an accident involving one or more of your volunteers or teachers.  In my 35 years of doing this work, I've been on the receiving end of such calls three times.  When I mention these calls in meetings, someone always suggests that one every ten years isn't so bad.  And if you've been the one picking up the telephone in the middle of the night to hear the news that someone is injured, or worse, even one in your lifetime is one too many.

At GeoVisions, we try hard to provide safety tools for all of our participants and traveling staff.  We provide safety information in advance of our volunteers and teachers traveling abroad.  We include the most amazing travel, accident and health insurance you can get when you go abroad with 24/7 telephone support...answered always by a person, not a machine.

Sara's Wish Foundation is an organization dedicated to keeping people safe when they travel abroad.  Primarily interested in students who study abroad, Sara's Wish Foundation put out a video, Know Before You Go.  The video, which we include here, is really for anyone who is traveling abroad.  It is very powerful.

Please watch this short video.  You can also use this link to get to the Sara's Wish Foundation website where you will find so many useful safety tips and helpful information.

Have the time of your life.  Have fun.  Experience life in another culture, incredible food, make new life-long friends.  And put safety first.

 

 

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Help Our Volunteers By Removing Airline Fees

There are quite a few companies out there offering low-cost airfare.  Here are a few we recommend to people who plan to volunteer or teach abroad:

Smarter Travel

Student Universe

The Airfare Guru

STA Travel

Fly For Good

But my point in this post is that anyone out there who provides airfare for students, teachers, and volunteers...thank you.  And while you're finding lower fares, where you could also be of great help is to negotiate reduced airline fees or negotiate that the airlines get rid of them totally for teachers, students and volunteers.

To illustrate my point, take a look at this chart I downloaded from Smarter Travel.  It is very current...updated on April 6.  It lists 14 airlines and 12 different fees the airline charge passengers.  Just click on the link above and take a look at the chart.

I just returned from meetings in and around London and I flew on United.  Because I fly constantly, I don't have to pay all these fees.  But had I been going over to volunteer abroad or teach abroad, here is what I might have had to pay in fees on United, in addition to my airfare and taxes:

$25 for my bag.

$45 for my 2nd bag (Int'l charge)

$25 booking fee

$9 for extra leg room on the International flight

$9 for a meal plus $6 if I want wine or beer

And that totals up to $119.

On Student Universe, I can fly over June 1 from New York to London and return on July 31 for $280 and then add $389 in taxes and security fees and then add my $119 in airline fees (above).  The airline fees are almost 50% of the airfare and the taxes and security fees are even more than my airfare.

So I'm asking all of you out there who brag about how low your airfares are (and they really aren't all that low if you don't fit a very small demographic like student or maybe a teacher), you could help our volunteers by asking the airlines to get rid of those extra fees. We will give the airlines proof that our volunteers are who they say they are and they are going abroad to volunteer their time.  This is how you can be helpful to everyone.  I understand you can't get rid of security fees and taxes, but the rest of those fees?  You can negotiate that for us.

So if I'm a senior citizen (and I almost qualify) and I can't access the student airfare, I'm going to have to pay full freight to buy my ticket through you.  But if I go ahead and buy my airfare from you anyway and prove I'm going to volunteer, why can't you help me by getting the airlines to get rid of all those extra fees?  That helps everyone and it would certainly sell a lot more tickets on your site.

Please? Anyone else have ways to help?

Thailand: Teach, Volunteer, Splash - Happy New Year

Splash!

Happy New Year!  It's Songkran.  April 13-15.  The Thai New Year.  We have GeoVisions teachers, volunteers and staff in Thailand now.  

In Bangkok there is political turmoil.  Red shirts trying to bring down the government.  Red shirts being manipulated by an outside force.

But ... it's New Year.  Songkran.  The Water Festival.  

The water will wash away past transgressions.

 

 

The sprinkling of water on friends and visitors is a way to appeal to the higher powers to bring water to the fields for a new rice crop.  The sprinkling has turned into splashing.  The splashing has turned into dousing. In Thailand ... at New Year ... you are going to get VERY wet.  Thais will spread a floury paste on your face ... on your neck ... it wards away evil.

The fun of the New Year lasts for three or four days.  How wet can you get?

Happy New Year.  It's 2553!  Come to Thailand.  Teach.  Volunteer. Discover.  LIVE! 

GeoVisions in Thailand includes Teaching, Volunteering, Conversation Tutoring in a Classroom or with a Family.  Join us.

Top Five Things NOT To Put In Your GeoVisions Host Family Letter

For the weekend, we are recycling our number one most popular Blog post.  Since this post went live on August 9, 2009 it has been viewed over 4000 times.

If you have joined the Conversation Corps, if you are headed abroad to be a Conversation Partner, or if your volunteer project includes a homestay, this post is for you.  It's fun, and very instructive.

_______________________________________________________

So you've joined The Conversation Corps!

Next item on the "Things To Do" list is write a "Host Family" letter.  Here is one recently submitted to us:

Dear Potential Host Family,

I love French fashion and French food.  I want to come to Paris and spend my time learning how to design French clothes and show the French fashion industry what I know about French fashion.  I'm also a really good cook so I think that will help me fit in to the culture.

1.  Your "Dear Family" letter is the most important part of your packet.  GeoVisions is out there "marketing" you to families seeking tutors.  Tell them why you have a passion to visit their country.  Explain why you have a keen interest in languages and communication.  Write something funny about conversational English and that you know it's not only difficult but most of the time doesn't make any sense...even to Americans.  Let them know something about your own family and what you've been doing the last few years with your life.  Tell them how friendly you are and that you know one of your "duties" is to respect their family's rules.  You are eager to try all kinds of things and you look forward to meeting them.

2.  When you submit your five photos you want us to show your prospective host family, keep in mind only your closest of friends are interested in your tattoos, piercings and your talent of holding 5 beer bottles with your toes while standing on your head...on the bar.  Mom and Dad are not especially interested in showing your bikini-clad body at spring break to their teen-aged sons.  They don't care what you look like asleep with the marker drawings on your body that your friends drew on you when you were passed out.  They want to see you with clothes on, with your own family, with your friends doing ordinary activities.

3.  Use humor, but don't go overboard.  Don't do this, which is an actual letter we were asked to share with a potential host family:

Dear Host Family,

I want to come live with you because I hate my own family and living with you could not suck more than the family I live with now.  I am embarrassed about my own family and since no one here knows you...you have to be a step up.  My father is gone and I have no idea where he is nor do I care.  My mother dates an undersea welder who's main function it is not to get blown up.  My sister dates every man in [location left out to protect the innocent].

4. Don't demand Paris, Rome, Rio, Barcelona, Bangkok, or San Jose.  Tell your potential family you are eager to go where you are needed.  It's OK to tell them you hope it is easy to find public transportation where they live because one of the reasons you want to come to their country is to learn as much as you can about their COUNTRY.  You don't want to tell them you want a central apartment in Madrid to allow you to stay in the clubs until 4:00 a.m. making your return to awaken them early in the morning much easier and safer.

5. Let the family know you hope to travel as much as possible and that if they choose you, you would love to set up a tutoring schedule that matches their expectations to learn Conversational English and also takes into your consideration how much you want to experience their country.  Don't go thinking you are going to SIT in their home all week.  Plan the activities you want to do, read up on the area and make a list of things to do, ask GeoVisions for other hints and ideas to make your 1, 2 or 3 months rewarding...to your host family and to you.

GeoVisions can help you prepare the very best Dear Family letter and packet to guarantee your placement.  Our staff has a lot of experience and are available to help you when you decide to join the Conversation Corps.