11 Comments
User's avatar
Lasita's avatar

I deeply enjoyed reading about your experiences and looking at the pictures. Most of my long-distance glimpsing into other cultures is nowadays vicarious and I am very grateful for what the internet offers me.

In my earlier years, I had many opportunities to travel, live in other countries and learn a lot.

I do support the idea of travel being deeply educational and subsidizing it for those without the money to do it seems fantastic.

Expand full comment
Sheryl Morris's avatar

“The world would be a better place if instead of subsidizing military bases and weapons depots, we subsidized international study-away programs, not only for young people but for people of all ages.“

Expand full comment
Gregory Pettys's avatar

Absolutely. Next week a grand group of traveling educators will gather together in the Eastern Sierras for the Where There Be Dragons 20 year reunion. I f we didn't travel together for joy, without students from time to time, I don't think we could maintain enthusiasm for the challenges we face. I am so glad you were able to go adventuring. :)

Expand full comment
Becca Katz's avatar

Wow- are you going to that gathering? Where we’re you an instructor with WTBD? I worked Bolivia and Sikkim courses.

Expand full comment
Gregory Pettys's avatar

Yes! In fact I worked a semester in Sikkim, with Sharron didi!

Expand full comment
Becca Katz's avatar

Have fun and say hi to folks for me!

Expand full comment
Penny Gill's avatar

ah, Jennifer, you've reimagined the American Field Service, an organization for high school student exchange. It was founded by US ambulance drivers after World War II, who had served in Germany. They began with German kids coming to the US, and quickly expanded in both directions, into a global program. I spent a summer in Norway when I was 16. It completely changed and shaped my whole adult life!

Expand full comment
Becca Katz's avatar

Beyond Where There Be Dragons, there are lots of great options for study away- sit.edu and https://www.globalcitizenyear.org/ to name a few. Also recently learned about https://www.workaway.info/

Expand full comment
Penny Gill's avatar

And SIT - School for International Training based in Putney, Vt runs superb programs for college students. Mount Holyoke students found those semesters abroad life-changing.

Expand full comment
Jennifer Browdy, PhD's avatar

Yes, these were/are good programs. My vision is that such cultural exchanges would be fully subsidized and fully worldwide, with students from all countries and cultures encouraged to participate. It would be not only life-changing, but world-changing!

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment deleted
Jun 17, 2023
Comment deleted
Expand full comment
Jennifer Browdy, PhD's avatar

I so agree, Cari!

Expand full comment