Posted by Randy LeGrant on Sun, Aug 30, 2009
I've just returned from a week in Paris, where I met with our Paris office staff and five of our partners who recruit and screen families for our
Conversation Corps-France program.
On this trip, I invited my 11 year old daughter, Molly. This was her first trip to France. She has an email-pal in Lille, France named Alexandra and we had arranged for the two girls to meet.
As I sat in Alexandra's living room chatting with her mother, Molly and Alexandra ate Crepes in the kitchen and then took scooters down to the neighborhood park. Molly will learn French this year in school and Alexandra is currently learning English.
At one point, Alexandra asked Molly about her hobbies. Molly had to "act out" about her drama club. When Molly asked Alexandra about the things she likes to do, Molly didn't understand the French and Alexandra didn't know the words in English. So Alexandra drew a picture in the sand with a stick showing a boat with sails and then drew a picture of a horse with a triangle for a girl rider. And the two girls laughed and scootered off as if they could communicate with words and had been BFF.
Since I began this work in 1975, these types of experiences are what keep me going to work each day. After 34 years, I still get out of bed each morning excited about my work and the opportunities
GeoVisions provides people all around the globe. My daughter's life will never be the same. Her first trip to France, her train ride to Lille, eating Crepes in a friend's home and running in a park made her realize learning French this year in school is not a subject she will have to take. Instead, it is a responsibility that in it's own way might bring the world closer. Realizing that, learning French will take on an importance she would have never known without this trip.
My meetings were very positive and I am excited about the tutoring experiences in France for 2010. And I'm very happy Molly and I took a Saturday and traveled to Lille to meet Molly's email-pal. It reminds me to be open to new experiences each day. It would have been easy to fly home on Saturday or to stay in Paris for the day. But, heading for Lille on a Saturday made lasting changes for my daughter and for her friend, Alexandra. And even for Molly's Dad. It's good work we do.
If you happen to read this post, and something similar has happened to you, I hope you will use the comment section and let us know. It is really a great reminder that the
AFS slogan, "Changing the world one person at a time" is right on target.
Live the journey,
Randy
Posted by Randy LeGrant on Fri, Aug 28, 2009
Aref found our Executive Director on Ile St. Louis eating a scoop of Apricot ice cream from Berthillon. And while you can buy Berthillon in a few places just as you come over the bridge onto the Ile St. Louis, you need to walk all the way down to 31 rue St-Louis-en-l'Île to get to the mother ship. The other places serve it up, but it is at number 31 where they actually make it and have been since 1954.
Aref wins a month on Conversation Corps-France.
This marks the 2nd winner for a Conversation Corps program in less than one month. GeoVisions has given away over $2500 in programs during the month of August. Earlier this month we gave away a month on Conversation Corps-Spain.
Play Where On Earth Is Randy in September, when he takes off on another International trip. We will give away one, two or three months on Conversation Corps-China.
Nice going, Aref.
The Global Work and Service Programs Team
GeoVisions
Posted by Randy LeGrant on Thu, Aug 27, 2009
Game On! Where On Earth Is Randy?
Be the first to find our Executive Director and become a member of GeoVisions' Conversation Corps-France for FREE.
Clue 1: Randy will depart Newark International Airport tonight headed across the Atlantic.
Clue 2: Breakfast will be in 8 hours in Western Europe.
Clue 3:
When Randy arrived at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, he sent a text. We received
it at 2:30 a.m. eastern time in the U.S. So there is a six hour time
change.
Clue 4: Standing in this famous Gardens, on my right is an arch and on the left is a pyramid.
Clue 5: From the top of Notre Dame, look towards Ile St. Louis. There you will find the best ice cream in Paris.
Remember: Be the first to "find" Randy and you will spend a minimum of one-month FREE in France on GeoVisions' Conversation Corps--France program. 1 Month, in France, FREE.
You don't have to physically find Randy. You can do that virtually.
Unlimited guesses. Guesses must be in the comments section of the Blog.
Happy hunting and good luck!
RULES FOR WHERE ON EARTH IS RANDY
A travel game brought to you by GeoVisions
Prize:
1 month with the Conversation Corps, in France, during 2010 (with the
ability to extend to 2 or 3 months pending the family, also for FREE)
- You must be 18 or older to play. So come on Boomers! Now is your chance.
- You cannot be an employee of GeoVisions or related to an employee of GeoVisions.
- You
cannot be a partner, agent or vendor of GeoVisions, nor a relative of
any partner, agent or vendor. (We just want to level the playing field
here.)
- Prize cannot be transferred to another program. So...it MUST be France.
- Program
value is for 1 month duration, $1,400. If the winner can be placed for 2
or 3 months, the program value is 2 months duration, $1,525 and 3 months
duration, $1,670.
- You may not "cash
in" the prize for money and you cannot transfer the prize to another
country. In other words, "you gotta go and participate on the
program." Outside of Conversation Corps-France, the prize has no
monetary value.
- GeoVisions pays your health and accident insurance while you are on the program.
- Winner
is responsible for his/her own travel, air travel, visa charges if any,
spending money, any additional expenses. The prize is the program
itself and insurance coverage for the program.
- You
must "qualify" to win. You must be a native English speaker, and you
must pass the screening process. In the event the winner of the
contest does not qualify, GeoVisions will take the runner-up and so on
until an actual qualified winner is available. Therefore, there WILL
be a winner.
- You
must guess your answers for Where On Earth Is Randy by using the
GeoVisions Blog comments section. That way, all the guesses are there
for you to read. You may post as many guesses as you like.
- Prize
is for a program month in 2010. This prize is not available for the
winner's participation in the months of May, June, July or August, 2010.
- All GeoVisions Terms and Conditions apply. Please read our Terms and Conditions here.
Posted by Randy LeGrant on Wed, Aug 26, 2009
Game On! Where On Earth Is Randy?
Be the first to find our Executive Director and become a member of GeoVisions' Conversation Corps-France for FREE.
Clue 1: Randy will depart Newark International Airport tonight headed across the Atlantic.
Clue 2: Breakfast will be in 8 hours in Western Europe.
Clue 3: When Randy arrived at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, he sent a text. We received it at 2:30 a.m. eastern time in the U.S. So there is a six hour time change.
Clue 4: Standing in this famous Gardens, on my right is an arch and on the left is a pyramid.
Remember: Be the first to "find" Randy and you will spend a minimum of one-month FREE in France on GeoVisions' Conversation Corps--France program. 1 Month, in France, FREE.
You don't have to physically find Randy. You can do that virtually.
Unlimited guesses. Guesses must be in the comments section of the Blog.
Happy hunting and good luck!
RULES FOR WHERE ON EARTH IS RANDY
A travel game brought to you by GeoVisions
Prize:
1 month with the Conversation Corps, in France, during 2010 (with the
ability to extend to 2 or 3 months pending the family, also for FREE)
- You must be 18 or older to play. So come on Boomers! Now is your chance.
- You cannot be an employee of GeoVisions or related to an employee of GeoVisions.
- You
cannot be a partner, agent or vendor of GeoVisions, nor a relative of
any partner, agent or vendor. (We just want to level the playing field
here.)
- Prize cannot be transferred to another program. So...it MUST be France.
- Program
value is for 1 month duration, $1,400. If the winner can be placed for 2
or 3 months, the program value is 2 months duration, $1,525 and 3 months
duration, $1,670.
- You may not "cash
in" the prize for money and you cannot transfer the prize to another
country. In other words, "you gotta go and participate on the
program." Outside of Conversation Corps-France, the prize has no
monetary value.
- GeoVisions pays your health and accident insurance while you are on the program.
- Winner
is responsible for his/her own travel, air travel, visa charges if any,
spending money, any additional expenses. The prize is the program
itself and insurance coverage for the program.
- You
must "qualify" to win. You must be a native English speaker, and you
must pass the screening process. In the event the winner of the
contest does not qualify, GeoVisions will take the runner-up and so on
until an actual qualified winner is available. Therefore, there WILL
be a winner.
- You
must guess your answers for Where On Earth Is Randy by using the
GeoVisions Blog comments section. That way, all the guesses are there
for you to read. You may post as many guesses as you like.
- Prize
is for a program month in 2010. This prize is not available for the
winner's participation in the months of May, June, July or August, 2010.
- All GeoVisions Terms and Conditions apply. Please read our Terms and Conditions here.
Posted by Randy LeGrant on Tue, Aug 25, 2009
Game On! Where On Earth Is Randy?
Be the first to find our Executive Director and become a member of GeoVisions' Conversation Corps-France for FREE.
Clue 1: Randy will depart Newark International Airport tonight headed across the Atlantic.
Remember: Be the first to "find" Randy and you will spend a minimum of one-month FREE in France on GeoVisions' Conversation Corps--France program. 1 Month, in France, FREE.
You don't have to physically find Randy. You can do that virtually.
Unlimited guesses. Guesses must be in the comments section of the Blog.
You can read the original Blog post with the game rules here.
Happy hunting and good luck!
Posted by Randy LeGrant on Fri, Aug 14, 2009
Game On! Where On Earth Is Randy?
Be the first to find our Executive Director and become a member of GeoVisions' Conversation Corps-Spain for FREE.
There are now a total of six clues. If we need to add a 7th or 8th we will. But the game is over today and our Exec. will be found! And today, rather than "Game On" someone is going to "Party On" because we're giving away a full month in Spain.
Clue 1: Randy departed Bradley International Airport at around 9:00 a.m. eastern time headed westbound.
Clue 2: Flying United, headed west. If everything is OK, he will land in 2 hours and will be in the Central time zone.
Clue 3: Heading southwest on another United flight. Departed Chicago at 11:00 a.m. Central Time.
Clue 4: Our Executive Director has landed and is in his rental car headed to his first meeting of the day. But what's this? He's still a mile high!
Clue 5: Condoleezza Rice graduated with a BA here at the age of 19 in 1974.
Clue 6: There is a Green on the DU campus named for a famous person. You will find our Exec. right there.
Remember: Be the first to "find" Randy and you will spend a minimum of one-month FREE in Spain on GeoVisions' Conversation Corps--Spain program. 1 Month, in Spain, FREE.
You don't have to physically find Randy. You can do that virtually.
Unlimited guesses. Guesses must be in the comments section of the Blog.
You can read the original Blog post with the game rules here.
Happy hunting and good luck!
Posted by Randy LeGrant on Fri, Aug 14, 2009
Game On! Where On Earth Is Randy?
Be the first to find our Executive Director and become a member of GeoVisions' Conversation Corps-Spain for FREE.
There are now a total of five clues. There will be one more clue to total six clues. If we need to add a 7th or 8th we will. But the game is over today and our Exec. will be found! And today, rather than "Game On" someone is going to "Party On" because we're giving away a full month in Spain.
Clue 1: Randy departed Bradley International Airport at around 9:00 a.m. eastern time headed westbound.
Clue 2: Flying United, headed west. If everything is OK, he will land in 2 hours and will be in the Central time zone.
Clue 3: Heading southwest on another United flight. Departed Chicago at 11:00 a.m. Central Time.
Clue 4: Our Executive Director has landed and is in his rental car headed to his first meeting of the day. But what's this? He's still a mile high!
Clue 5: Condoleezza Rice graduated with a BA here at the age of 19 in 1974.
Remember: Be the first to "find" Randy and you will spend a minimum of one-month FREE in Spain on GeoVisions' Conversation Corps--Spain program. 1 Month, in Spain, FREE.
You don't have to physically find Randy. You can do that virtually.
Unlimited guesses. Guesses must be in the comments section of the Blog.
You can read the original Blog post with the game rules here.
Happy hunting and good luck!
Posted by Randy LeGrant on Thu, Aug 13, 2009
Game On! Where On Earth Is Randy?
Be the first to find our Executive Director and become a member of GeoVisions' Conversation Corps-Spain for FREE.
Clue 1: Randy departed Bradley International Airport at around 9:00 a.m. eastern time headed westbound.
Clue 2: Flying United, headed west. If everything is OK, he will land in 2 hours and will be in the Central time zone.
Clue 3: Heading southwest on another United flight. Departed Chicago at 11:00 a.m. Central Time.
Clue 4: Our Executive Director has landed and is in his rental car headed to his first meeting of the day. But what's this? He's still a mile high!
Remember: Be the first to "find" Randy and you will spend a minimum of one-month FREE in Spain on GeoVisions' Conversation Corps--Spain program. 1 Month, in Spain, FREE.
You don't have to physically find Randy. You can do that virtually.
Unlimited guesses. Guesses must be in the comments section of the Blog.
You can read the original Blog post with the game rules here.
Happy hunting and good luck!
Posted by Randy LeGrant on Thu, Aug 13, 2009
Game On! Where On Earth Is Randy?
Be the first to find our Executive Director and become a member of GeoVisions' Conversation Corps-Spain for FREE.
Clue 1: Randy departed Bradley International Airport at around 9:00 a.m. eastern time headed westbound.
Clue 2: Flying United, headed west. If everything is OK, he will land in 2 hours and will be in the Central time zone.
Clue 3: Heading southwest on another United flight. Departed Chicago at 11:00 a.m. Central Time.
Remember: Be the first to "find" Randy and you will spend a minimum of one-month FREE in Spain on GeoVisions' Conversation Corps--Spain program. 1 Month, in Spain, FREE.
You don't have to physically find Randy. You can do that virtually.
Unlimited guesses. Guesses must be in the comments section of the Blog.
You can read the original Blog post with the game rules here.
Happy hunting and good luck!
Posted by Randy LeGrant on Thu, Aug 13, 2009
Game On! Where On Earth Is Randy?
Be the first to find our Executive Director and become a member of GeoVisions' Conversation Corps-Spain for FREE.
Clue 1: Randy departed Bradley International Airport at around 9:00 a.m. eastern time headed westbound.
Clue 2: Flying United, headed west. If everything is OK, he will land in 2 hours and will be in the Central time zone.
Remember: Be the first to "find" Randy and you will spend a minimum of one-month FREE in Spain on GeoVisions' Conversation Corps--Spain program. 1 Month, in Spain, FREE.
You don't have to physically find Randy. You can do that virtually.
Unlimited guesses. Guesses must be in the comments section of the Blog.
You can read the original Blog post with the game rules here.
Happy hunting and good luck!
Posted by Randy LeGrant on Wed, Aug 12, 2009
The "Where On Earth Is Randy?" game begins in 24 hours. Find our Executive Director and become a member of GeoVisions' Conversation Corps-Spain for FREE.
Oh. Well there's the first clue. Randy departs from Bradley International Airport in about 24 hours. His ultimate destination is a location on Friday. But we're sending a lot of clues before then.
Remember: Be the first to find Randy and you will spend a minimum of one-month FREE in Spain on GeoVisions' Conversation Corps--Spain program. 1 Month, in Spain, FREE.
Clue 1: Randy departs in around 24 hours from Bradley Internatinal Airport. It is a domestic trip and he's westbound.
Unlimited guesses. Guesses must be in the comments section of the Blog.
You can read the original Blog post with the game rules here.
Happy hunting and good luck!
Posted by Randy LeGrant on Tue, Aug 11, 2009
Want to join the Conversation Corps in Spain? And do the program for FREE?
Here is how you do that:
Find our Executive Director, Randy LeGrant, and you can join the Conversation Corps in Spain in 2010. Be the first to find our Executive Director. Meet the qualifications below, then choose your dates for 2010. The prize is 1 month in Spain as a member of the Conversation Corps. If the winner wants 2 or 3 months, we will honor it (for FREE) if we can place the winner with a family for that period of time. The prize GUARANTEES one month. Families always determine the ultimate length of the program.
Randy is leaving on a quick trip this Thursday morning, August 13, and returns on Saturday evening, August 15. The contest begins at 7:00 a.m. eastern time on August 13, and ends at 6:00 p.m. August 15, eastern time.
Our Exec. is then traveling abroad the end of August. If you are the first to find him, you can join the Conversation Corps in another country to be decided in 2 weeks. And if the contest is successful, we'll do this each time Randy travels.
We'll post hints on our Blog and on Twitter multiple times each day.
Find GeoVisions Blog here.
Become a GeoVisions follower on Twitter here.
Read the Conversation Corps--Spain program page here.
Ready?
Take a look at the rules below and check our Blog post starting this Thursday morning. Guess as many times as you want. The first one to correctly answer, "Where On Earth Is Randy" will join the Conversation Corps in Spain in 2010. FREE. We will post multiple Blog posts Thursday, Friday and Saturday until someone wins. Winner will be announced.
RULES FOR WHERE ON EARTH IS RANDY
A travel game brought to you by GeoVisions
Prize: 1 month with the Conversation Corps, in Spain, during 2010 (with the ability to extend to 2 or 3 months pending the family, also for FREE)
- You must be 18 or older to play. So come on Boomers! Now is your chance.
- You cannot be an employee of GeoVisions or related to an employee of GeoVisions.
- You cannot be a partner, agent or vendor of GeoVisions, nor a relative of any partner, agent or vendor. (We just want to level the playing field here.)
- Prize cannot be transferred to another program. So...it MUST be Spain.
- Program value is for 1 month duration, $960. If the winner can be placed for 2 or 3 months, the program value is 2 months duration, $1060 and 3 months duration, $1110.
- You may not "cash in" the prize for money and you cannot transfer the prize to another country. In other words, "you gotta go and participate on the program." Outside of Conversation Corps-Spain, the prize has no monetary value.
- GeoVisions pays your health and accident insurance while you are on the program.
- Winner is responsible for his/her own travel, air travel, visa charges if any, spending money, any additional expenses. The prize is the program itself and insurance coverage for the program.
- You must "qualify" to win. You must be a native English speaker, and you must pass the screening process. In the event the winner of the contest does not qualify, GeoVisions will take the runner-up and so on until an actual qualified winner is available. Therefore, there WILL be a winner.
- You must guess your answers for Where On Earth Is Randy by using the GeoVisions Blog comments section. That way, all the guesses are there for you to read. You may post as many guesses as you like.
- Prize is for a program month in 2010. This prize is not available for the winner's participation in the months of May, June, July or August, 2010.
- All GeoVisions Terms and Conditions apply. Please read our Terms and Conditions here.
Posted by Randy LeGrant on Sun, Aug 09, 2009
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
Posted by Randy LeGrant on Sun, Aug 02, 2009
I came across a Blog Post recently, entitled, How To Travel On Your Own Without Getting Attacked, Maimed, Robbed (And Maybe Even Enjoy Yourself) and wanted to pass it on. It's a post (with comments) on staying safe, especially if you are a female and traveling alone.
Around 80% of all volunteers abroad are female and the majority travel alone to their project.
If you have ideas and suggestions about travel safety and traveling alone, I hope you will comment at the actual post. I've no clue who Sarah Von (the Blogger who keeps up that site) is, but the topics on her Blog about travel are really very good. Take it from someone who started traveling professionally in 1975...the suggestions there are really very good. From staying safe to packing and even how to pack a backpack for a 6-month trip...all worth your time.
You will learn a great deal about traveling safely by reading Sarah's site, but in a nutshell:
- Be Aware of Your Surroundings
- Leave The Daisy Dukes at home
- Learn Some Choice Phrases
- Know The Scams Before You Get There
- Make Friends With The Locals
- Take Part In A Volunteer Program
- Learn How To Amuse Yourself
- Allow Yourself Some Downtime