The biggest step in summer travel is simply making the decision to GO. That’s right, by deciding that you want to spend part of your summer traveling is the biggest part of planning, but the second is deciding where on earth (literally) you want to go! There are three main questions to keep in mind when you are deciding where you want to go this summer: Where do you want to go? How long do you want to be away for? And which type of program to you find the most appealing?
1. Where Do You Want to Travel?
You’ve decided to travel this summer, so next is to decide exactly where to go. The first thing to think about is whether you want to stay within your home country/continent, or if you want to go overseas so a completely new part of the world. With programs on every continent aside from Antartica, narrowing down to a region will help get you started. Another thing to consider is comfort. Where you you feel comfortable traveling and where does your family feel comfortable with you traveling? We are all about making that step to go out of your comfort zone, but we also want to you go somewhere that you are excited about and will get the best experience from.
2. Which Type of Program Do You Want to Do?
Figure out your priorities. You definitely need that Spanish credit for next semester, but does that mean you need to stay home for regular summer school? Why not go to Spain for classes and a full immersion experience? The same can be said about those community service hours that you need for graduation. Why not head to another state or even another country to complete your service hours and to also gain a unique perspective regarding what it really means to “give back.” If you want to travel just for the sake of travel, then you’ve also come to the right place! The culture, the language, the service projects, the adventure activities, and even the photography opportunities (in the form of a class or just for fun), all tie into where you want to go, what you want to get out of your travels, and how long you are ready and able to travel for.
3. How Long Do You Want to Travel?
Take some time to really think about how long you want to travel versus how long you are actually able to. These days students tend to keep pretty packed schedules during the summer months, squeezing in everything from summer school to sports camp on top of family trips and time with friends. If it’s your first time traveling without your family, maybe you want to try a shorter program. We have that. Maybe you’ve traveled on your own every summer of high school and this is your big travel hurrah before graduation and you want to stay on the road for most of the summer. We have that too. And most importantly, your friends and family will be there when you get back, so don’t think that you need to determine what you do with your summer based on them. They will be happy for you and your experiences no matter what remember that nothing is more awesome than seeing a friend or family member come home a more experienced and fulfilled traveler and person!
Remember: there are programs for every type of traveler and the combinations have no limits, so once you know what you are looking for we are sure that you will make it happen for a truly unforgettable summer!