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Center for Global Education Travel
Seminars
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who goes on a travel seminar?
2. Who will I meet, and what will I
learn?
3. Where will I stay?
4. Will I have free time?
5. Why don’t you tell us the
itinerary before we leave?
6. What about academic credit and
continuing education units (CEU)?
7. What about meals for
vegetarians?
8. What should I pack?
9. Do I need to bring my own towel?
10. Do I need to bring my own
bedding?
11. I want to arrive before/stay
after the travel seminar begins/ends. Will CGE make
arrangements for me, or do I need to do this on my own?
12. Can the Center help me
transport materials to Mexico, Central America or Southern
Africa?
13. What is the difference between
service learning and community engagement?
1. Who goes on a travel
seminar?
Lots of people of many ages! Most travel
seminars are geared toward independent adult learners or
undergraduate students traveling as part of a course. Our
brochures can give you a sense of the audience for which each
seminar is geared. Most travel seminars require a high level of
emotional and physical stamina. We will make every effort to
accommodate special needs pertaining to medical conditions and
dietary restrictions. Given local realities, however, it is not
always possible to accommodate every need. We ask that you
communicate specific concerns you might have about this with us
before your seminar.
In recent years, we have also designed a number
of travel seminars for high school youth. Young adults under
the age of 18 are welcome to participate on a travel seminar
provided they and their parents and/or legal guardians have
completed a certificate of consent form and checked with the
Center for Global Education in advance. There are some travel
seminars whose programming allows for the limited participation
of children traveling with parents. Requests for children to
accompany adult travel seminar participants are considered on a
case-by-case basis.
2. Who will I meet, and what
will I learn?
Each travel seminar is designed around a
specific theme that will determine the specific people you meet
and things you learn from them. In general, all travel seminars
emphasize the voices of individuals and organizations working on
a grassroots level for social change. In addition, every travel
seminar will include a health and safety orientation and lecture
on the historical and political background of the country where
you have come to learn. You will have an opportunity to ask
questions of speakers you meet, whether they are decision-makers
at the governmental level or working-class communities
reflective of majority-world experiences.
3. Where will I stay?
You will stay in modest local hotels and
guesthouses with two or more people to a room with shared
bathrooms. In some cases, there will be bunkbeds. Overnights
with host families are arranged for particular seminars,
depending on the program objectives and goals of the learning
community.
4. Will I have free time?
You will not have very much free time at all
during the day, but most seminars will schedule some free time
after dinner and if possible on weekend afternoons.
5. Why don’t you tell us the
itinerary before we leave?
We know that most participants are anxious to
know exactly what they are going to do where and when on their
upcoming travel seminar. However, local realities and
conditions are such that itineraries scheduled months ahead of
time will inevitably change. Our biggest reason for not
distributing itineraries before your departure is so that you
will not get too attached to a particular speaker or event that
may not in the end happen. We ask that you are open and
flexible to changes in the schedule. We will always find
replacement activities when cancellations occur, and will
provide you with a tentative list of activities upon your first
day in-country.
6. What about academic credit
and continuing education units (CEU)?
Travel seminars open to the public will specify
in the brochure whether or not academic credit or continuing
education units are available to participants, and from which
educational institution these credits or units will be granted.
The best way for you to receive academic credit for a travel
seminar if you are currently enrolled at a college or university
is to arrange for an independent study at your home
institution. We cannot, unfortunately, grant academic credit or
continuing education units to individuals through Augsburg
College unless such arrangements have been made ahead of time
and are stated in the seminar brochure.
7. What about meals for
vegetarians?
In most cases it is not a problem to accommodate
meal requests for lacto-ovo vegetarians, or people who do not
eat meat but do eat egg and milk products. Lacto-ovo vegetarian
meals are especially common in Mexico and Central America, where
rice and beans are often dietary staples. It is a little more
difficult in Southern Africa, where meat comprises an important
part of most diets. We will do our best to accommodate stricter
vegetarians, vegans and participants with dietary restrictions
such as food allergies. However, it is not always possible in
local restaurants and guesthouses to guarantee satisfactory
meals for those with inflexible dietary needs. We advise
participants with dietary needs beyond those of lacto-ovo
vegetarianism to bring nutritional supplements such as “power
bars” or other snacks in sealed, pack-able containers.
8. What should I pack?
Click here to see
our pre-trip preparation web pages
9. Do I need to bring my own
towel?
In general, no. Local guesthouses and hotels will provide you
with towels for indoor personal use. If your seminar includes
time at a beach or water park, we will advise you to bring your
own towel for this purpose. Similarly, we will advise before
your departure you if a small hand-towel is necessary to bring
for personal use during a family stay.
10. Do I need to bring my
own bedding?
No. You do not need to bring your own bedding or
blankets as these will be provided for you unless otherwise
specified.
11. I want to arrive
before/stay after the travel seminar begins/ends. Will the
Center make arrangements for me, or do I need to do this on my
own?
The Center for Global Education is responsible
for programming and arrangements for the duration of a travel
seminar. The first day of a travel seminar is the day of
arrival, where we will either pick you up from the airport or
make other arrangements to meet you. The last day of a travel
seminar is the day of departure. Any travel plans you make
before or after the first and last day of the travel seminar,
including meals, lodging and transportation, are your
responsibility.
12. Can the Center help me
transport materials to Mexico, Central America or Southern
Africa?
We often get requests from individuals
interested in transporting materials such as donations or funds
to individuals and/or organizations in the countries where we
work. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate these requests. You
will need to work directly with the individual or organization
in question on this matter.
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