Cross Cultural Exchange is an integral part of all Global Routes programs. Our summer foreign exchange programs for high school students are no different. Going beyond the limitations and boundaries in which you live in order to open your heart and mind to people and cultures radically different from your own – that is what is required of each participant enrolled in our summer foreign exchange programs.

The cornerstone of our student exchange programs is a two to three week homestay in a remote rural village. Here you immerse yourself in the daily life and ritual of your host community and work with locals on projects chosen by community leaders. Those seeking overseas voluntary work and volunteer opportunities abroad will discover the difference one individual can make. Whether you find yourself teaching English in Asia, building a community center in South America or a school in Africa, one thing is certain: this overseas voluntary work experience will change your life.

Through hard work, you begin to understand and appreciate the problems and joys of living in a developing country. During your village stay you will be paired up with a fellow group member to live with a host family. We find that high school summer programs offering this level of immersion are far more than a student exchange program – they are a transformative experience to remember and to grow on. To prepare you for the cross-cultural challenges you will face in your host community, we have designed a 5 to 8 day orientation to the culture, language, religion and government of its people. While exploring national parks or biological reserves you and your group will get to know one another and will participate in group-building activities. This provides a solid foundation for teaching English abroad, communicating in the language of your host country, and many other aspects of integration with the host community.

All student exchange programs end with 6 to 10 days spent exploring the environment and culture of the surrounding country. This opportunity for overseas adventure travel is not to be missed. On these adventures, you might canoe the Amazon headwaters, elephant trek in Thailand, or safari in the Serengeti. Our high school summer programs are designed not only for adventure, but for reflection. This final period of your high school summer program offers you an opportunity to reflect on the summer’s experience and how you will integrate it into your life back home.

Our high school programs allow a maximum of 18 students per group and have two leaders and two to three in-country support staff.

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