It can take a while to truly settle back into a normal routine after an immersive international experience. So, we checked-in with our 2018 alumni to see how they were doing 8-months later, and to ask for their advice to this summer’s students.
Given that our first 2019 programs depart in exactly three weeks (!!!), we wanted to share some ‘words of wisdom’ from our 2018 alumni to our 2019 students.
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves… Enjoy!
——————————————————
Be open-minded, nobody is flawless.
Make the best of your opportunities.Â
Immerse yourself in the culture as much as you can. It is so rewarding to say a sentence you learned in Nepali (or whichever language your trip’s country speaks) to your host family and see their faces light up.
Get to know and talk to everyone in your group.
Don’t put any limitations on yourself, be open to friendship with everyone regardless of their backgrounds. Challenge yourself and trust the process.
Participate in everything to get the most out of it, even the small things!Â
Open yourselves up to everything the trip has to offer…Meeting new people was one of the highlights of my trip. I met some of my now closest friends there and if you’re not open about meeting people or you stay with your own little group then you risk not getting to know really amazing people. That also goes for when you’re in the village (which is the majority of the trip), you really have to be open to trying new things and meeting new people, being talkative and asking questions is your best friend. That also means rolling with the punches, there are cockroaches and food and other things that may surprise, scare, or freak you out, but the more often you take a deep breath and do what you need to do the better the situation will be. In some cases that involves picking up a shoe and getting far closer than you’re comfortable with to a cockroach 🙂
Let yourself go.
Love every second and don’t waste your time if you really aren’t interested. You really have to be completely living in the moment to get the full experience so do that and you will have the trip of a lifetime. That is exactly what I did, and I don’t regret 1 second of it. (Well maybe except the leeches, but that was a fun experience haha)!!
Be open and lean in.
Be more connected with everyone including the leaders.Â
Stay engaged in the activities.
Don’t be afraid of pressure and let that hold you back! Make the most that you ever could of this experience.
To really keep an open mind. To not imagine too much and just be ready for a surprise. To live in the moments and keep every moment close.
Don’t be a dweeb and be a team player 🙂Â
——————————————————
The staff of Global Routes and our incredible program leaders are so excited to meet our 2019 students in just a few weeks! Keep our alumni’s advice top of mind; they are smarter than we are!
