Traveling leaves an impact on every individual. It broadens one's horizons and alters their perspective of life, the world and their place in it. Opening the door of adventure and giving your students the opportunity to travel as a class; is one that will inevitably change their life forever.
Without you even knowing it - You may change one of your pupil's life by taking them on the adventure of a lifetime. Student travel may be the first of their many travel adventures, while for some this may be their only travel experience.
So, why wouldn't you take your students abroad? We made a list of 5 Reasons Why Every Student Should Travel Abroad to make you see it all just a little clearer:
1) Build international friendships
One of the greatest things about traveling is meeting new people from different backgrounds. Students have so much to learn from other countries and what better way to experience culture than through interacting with locals and people their age? Building these lifelong relationships is not only super fun but extremely beneficial down the road in regards to their network. Who knows... The people they meet can be their future travel buddies and maybe they can be the locals who show them around your hometown when they decide to visit. If this is something that interests you, take a look at our immersion programs we offer to students and teachers such as school visits as well as amazing homestays.
2) Personal growth and development
Traveling offers students the opportunity to explore while granting them a chance to be independent and responsible. Their problem solving and communication skills will strengthen; as they will find themselves in situations where they need to practice the common tongue as English might not be as fluently spoken. Did you know that practicing a foreign language is proven to improve more in an immersive environment compared to that in the classroom, where it's easy to fall back into speaking English?
3) Experience of a lifetime
What's really amazing about an educational tour is that this may be the only chance your students get to travel. A lot of students may have never travelled nor have they ever thought about visiting other countries. You as a teacher can be the key to sparking their imaginations and helping them discover underlying passions by bringing them across the globe - Something they've only ever dreamed about. No matter where you go and for however long it may be; traveling is an experience of a lifetime for everyone - especially students.
4) Learn lifelong lessons
Learning a new language, a set of traditions, and exploring another way of life; these are the learning experiences waiting for your students. Traveling to a foreign country allows individuals to develop an open mind to understanding and accepting every person who they will meet throughout their life - no matter their background. Different isn't something to be feared nor is it wrong, or bad. One of the greatest life lessons travel has to offer is the ability to accept and respect one another; no matter where they come from - sharing their values to form strong relationships rather than fear and divide themselves. What better time to learn this than throughout your student's adolescent years?
5) Expand your academic and career opportunities
It's proven that travel increases students opportunities throughout their academics as well as later on in their careers. Taking your students on an educational tour allows them the opportunity to travel and be more cultured, learn more about themselves and the world. Taking a chance into the unknown and experiencing new things reflects their eagerness to learning new things and how they are not afraid of change but also ready to embrace it in all the forms it may present itself.
