faq

Have a Q? Our team is here for you! Check out some of our frequently asked questions below. If you don’t see your question here, feel free to contact our staff. 

About

Global Routes

To prepare emerging leaders with the tools, skills, and confidence to thrive in our interconnected world through the powerful experiences of immersive, meaningful, and authentic cross-cultural exchange.

At Global Routes, we provide summer programming for students ages 14-18 to international destinations across the globe! Our summer programs are culturally  immersive, community-driven, and based on the principles of reciprocal exchange.

Our program pedagogy seeks to incorporate all of our Global Routes values: 

    • Curiosity – We remain open to see, learn, and experience what is different.
    • Courage – We step outside of what’s comfortable in order to challenge ourselves and grow.
    • Community – We see ourselves as members of a global community and we take responsibility for the direct and indirect impact our actions have on others and the planet. 
    • Compassion – We suspend judgment to and strive to openly appreciate and understand perspectives other than our own.
    • Creativity – We find joy and exhilaration in thinking outside of the box, playfulness, expressing ourselves, and harnessing our imaginations.
    • Collaboration – We believe meaningful change occurs most effectively when we work together across national and cultural boundaries.
    • Connection – We build meaningful and long-lasting relationships based on trust and mutual respect by first connecting to our own inner truth.

At Global Routes, we’ve been offering experiential education programming since 1967! We began our international travel programs in 1987 and have never looked back. Our Hawai’i, Nepal, and Costa Rica programs have been community favorites for a solid decade. 

The main thing that separates Global Routes from other summer travel companies is the length, and thus the quantity and quality of cultural immersion our students can experience. Our programs are significantly longer than most teen summer travel programs. Thus, while other programs may sell themselves as a “teen tour,” Global Routes is NOT. Students should be prepared for a meaningful and challenging program that expands comfort zones and gets them deep into the country they are visiting. 

Choosing 
a program

No problem! Use our program program comparison chart to identify the programs that are a right fit for you or schedule some time with our team via this link “book a call.”  We can help you determine the best program based on your availability, goals, and interests.

During any Global Routes experience, you can expect the following outcomes: 
  • Increased global awareness
  • Increased empathy and social skills
  • Enhanced confidence
  • Leadership experience
  • A new community of like minded peers!
  • Community service experience
  • Language proficiency
  • High school students, including entering freshmen and exiting seniors (14-18 y/o) 
  • International students are accepted (although usually 85%+ are from the USA)
  • Students seeking challenging, rugged, and immersive group experiences
  • With our long and immersive Itineraries, are programs are good for students seeking “more” out of their summer travel
  • Students should be prepared for a structured program and be ready to push their comfort zones
  • Students who are unsure should book an informational call with the Enrollment Advisor! 
Global Routes Leaders undergo rigorous pre-semester “staff training” covering program logistics, health, safety, group dynamics, mediation, and conflict resolution.
 
Additionally:
  • Trip leaders are typically 25-32 years old
  • Possess extensive travel experience
  • Are well-experienced in group dynamics (specifically with youth) 
  • Often certified Wilderness First Responders
  • Frequently have backgrounds with organizations like Americorps or Peace Corps.
  • We boast a high leader retention rate, with many leading 4 or 5 summers in a row (which means experienced, well-reviewed, and passionate leaders!) 

Applying 
a program

Simply get started by submitting our obligation-free application. Afterward, you’ll be directed to schedule an optional informational call with our team, or continue your enrollment with a deposit for your chosen program. 

Our programs are meant to be inclusive, empowering, and promote confidence. During our interview, we’re looking for reasons that the program will be a mutual good fit! The ideal Global Routes student is open-minded, interested in self-growth, and curious about the world around them. As long as we are assured that students are applying for the right reasons, we’re excited to welcome you to the Global Routes community!  Step 4. Complete your student interview * If upon completion of the student interview, our team decides that a Global Routes program is not the best fit for you, we will notify you immediately and refund 100% of your deposit

Tuition, costs & payments

All programs require a deposit of $600 upon finalizing your enrollment. From there, tuition payments are due on February 1 (50%) and April 1 (50%) prior to your departure date. These payments are made through your student portal, via ACH or Credit Card. Once you’ve enrolled, you’ll be guided through the process of setting up your student portal and have access to payment due dates, amount paid, and remaining tuition details. 

Over two decades of experience has demonstrated to us that providing financial aid awards increases the diversity of our student body and thus the depth and quality of our programs. Global Routes strives to make our programs accessible to students who otherwise, due to financial reasons, would not have the opportunity to contribute their energy and special gifts to our projects.

We offer scholarship and aid packages on a case-by-case basis. Once you’ve applied, we recommend talking to your Enrollment Advisor to review your options. 

Preparing to travel

Yes, for most programs, you will need a passport. We accept students from all over the world, so be sure to review your passport and/or visa needs when deciding which program is for you. Our team can help!

Once you’re enrolled, you’ll be invited to our password-protected student page. There, you’ll find packing lists, reminders, best practices, and everything you need to know to prepare for your trip.

During a program

Living conditions will vary throughout your program, but they will always be safe and comfortable. During orientation and final travel you stay with your group in family-run guesthouses or small hostels or hotels. During the homestay portion of your program, your entire group will stay in one village where you and a partner live in a simple and rustic home, constructed of wood or cement block. Host families are selected for their warmth and friendliness, though their homes may not have electricity or indoor plumbing.

Your leaders are possibly the best part of your program! We pride ourselves on having fantastic leadership, selected for their professionalism, cross-cultural experience, educational background, leadership skills, and empathy. You’ll be “introduced” to your leaders via your program page after complete enrollment and will meet them in person for the first time on departure day!

In each destination we have in-country staff who identify potential communities and  interview and select each host family. Prior to the start of your program, one of your leaders makes an additional pre-trip visit to your community to meet with village leaders, members of the project committee, and all host families. 

You spend between 10 and 18 days on the service projects (40-100 hours total) and work between 5 and 8 hours each day. After the workday is over, you have a chance to develop your secondary projects, play soccer with local children, help prepare dinner with your host family, or simply enjoy some down-time to read, relax, and take it all in. Some evenings are spent meeting with your group to discuss the service projects or plan a community party. On the weekends, you and your group may have the chance to go to a nearby beach, hike to a waterfall, accompany your family to the local market, or attend a dance in a neighboring community.

Throughout the program, we’ll partake in family meals, restaurant meals, grab-and-go, and home-cooked dinners at different times in the program. Many of our students are vegetarian or have other dietary restrictions. We make every effort to accommodate dietary restrictions to ensure that each student is well-fed. There may be occasions when it is not possible to obtain a different meal or when hosts do not understand the dietary restriction and are therefore unable to prepare the meal accordingly. In these cases we ask you to be culturally sensitive, flexible, and patient as we work together to find a solution.

Health & safety

As an organization, we work hard to mitigate risk on our travel programs. Ahead of travel, we provide you with a comprehensive list of immunization recommendations specific to your program to make certain that your preventive inoculations are up to date. Additionally, each of your leaders is certified in First Aid and CPR and travels with a well-stocked medical kit. If you have allergies which require special emergency medications such as Epi-Pens, please contact us and we’ll work out those details if necessary. Finally, we have highly competent on-call medical, mental health, and risk management experts who assist our staff when necessary.

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