ABOUT LIFELONG LEARNING THROUGH EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL
Educational travel... where the world is your teacher! What an exciting thought for those of us planning for our "After-50" years!
What a wonderful vehicle for our continued exploration of ourselves and all we have to offer society!
Educational travel in our later years is the perfect way to undertake this self-exploration. It helps us understand and appreciate different cultures. It also changes us by broadening our perspectives and teaching us about new ways to measure our quality of life by what we see in other lands.
Vacations vs. Educational Travel
Today, people tend to think the words "travel" and "vacation" are synonymous. They think of them as ways to avoid work, as ways to seek out leisure, and avoid anything "serious." But please don't confuse the two. There is a real difference.
Vacations are just that-vacations, and they certainly have a valuable place in our lives.
Here, however, we are talking about travel - educational travel. Yes, educational travel is certainly fun, but at the same time you are also learning about the history, the culture and the politics, and absorbing the essence of the places you are visiting. You are not soaking up the sun on a beach or heading toward the 18th hole. That belongs in the vacation part of your life.
As technology shrinks our world and brings us all closer together, the opportunity to learn about our neighbors grows. Don't we owe it to ourselves to delve into this landscape and explore the cultures of different people? By doing so, we learn all about their history, the rise of their civilization and in some cases, their downfall. By viewing both the highs and lows, we come away with a much better view of not just them, but also ourselves. Educational travel gives us the ability to do this in ways nothing else can. It gives us the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the exotic spectrum of life on Earth.
Educational travel leaves us with much more than a typical vacation. We gain a deeper knowledge of the world. We get to experience life; to truly live it. It can be a life-changing experience.
History of Educational Travel
Explorers since the time of the Arabs in 800 A.D., Marco Polo in 1200 A.D., and more recently the Middle Ages, have written memoirs about their travels. Those writings opened the world up for the rest of us to experience. These were the first real incarnations of educational travel.
Starting in the Middle Ages, northern Europeans traveled to great centers of learning and to the ruins of the classical civilizations of Italy and Greece. These travels were chronicled in letters and other writings sent back to their homelands. They formed the basis for further exploration and learning. As is evidenced by these works, while they were covering the ground outwardly, they were also advancing inwardly.
In the mid-19th century, thanks to social change and the new technologies of the Industrial Revolution, intrepid men and women traveled throughout the world in organized pursuit of knowledge. And, it was during the 1830s that Baedeker wrote the first modern guidebooks.
Judith Adler, writing about the history of sightseeing says that "Most travel was not for sightseeing, but to encounter important people and civilizations and to visit sacred places."
In the 19th and early 20th century, independent travel by those who could afford it, was just about the only way to learn about other cultures. Today, things have changed. People are living longer, have more free time and more money. Thanks to modern advances, they can travel wherever and whenever they want. But the emphasis of most of this travel has not been on education. It's been on having fun, relaxing, and de-stressing.
Colleges and universities have tried over the years to shift that emphasis toward educational travel by offering opportunities to their students and graduates through student-exchange, study abroad, and alumni travel programs.
Many other people, however, were missing out on the opportunity of learning and traveling at the same time. And of those, most were older adults. There was nothing out there geared specifically to their needs and wants in the way of educational travel.
Enter Elderhostel
The lack of educational travel opportunities for older adults came to an end in 1975 when Elderhostel, Inc. came into existence. These modern-day explorers have opened the door to the world-wide opportunities of lifelong learning for older adults. They have brought educational travel into the 21st century. Today, thanks to Elderhostel, the field of educational travel is booming, not just for older adults but for all ages.
So, think of travel as an educational, spiritual and even a creative journey, a journey that broadens our self-understanding. After all, self-understanding is what our "After-50" years should really be all about.
Format of An Educational Travel Program
Most educational travel programs offer the participant a combination of lectures, field trips and free time. Here's a quick overview of a typical international program.
In the morning, you might listen to a lecture by a well-known expert in a particular field (for example on the building of the castles in Germany.) Then you might view a slide show while listening to a presentation on the family history of the castle inhabitants. After lunch you would visit one of these castles with your group, armed with what you had learned in the morning and escorted by a competent and knowledgeable guide. Later, you might eat dinner with a local family whose ancestors were directly affected by the daily activities at the castle. At day's end, you drift off to sleep aware that you have experienced a day full of learning, exploring, and personal growth.
Each day's format would roughly follow this outline of lectures, field trips, cultural interaction, and reflection. Each day would be full of activities guaranteed to stimulate the brain cells and keep you challenged, while still having fun.
Benefits of Educational Travel
Here are just a few of the many benefits you will derive from educational travel:
- View beautiful and historic sites.
- Learn about the culture and history of faraway places.
- Discover, learn and grow.
- Challenge inhibitions while gaining new perspectives.
- Gain a global viewpoint.
- Satisfy your curiosity about places of special interest.
- Develop lasting memories and friendships.
- Step outside your comfort zone.
Miscellaneous Thoughts About Educational Travel
- Traveling by yourself is easier on an educational travel program because you'll be in the company of like-minded adults, a nice mix of both couples and singles.
- If you prefer, there are organizations that will match you with a traveling companion.
- Regardless of physical capability, special interest or budgetary challenge, there are a host of exciting travel options for you to consider, both in this country and abroad.
- The travel industry is aware of the growing interest in travel for enrichment and more and more companies are gearing their offerings in this direction.
- There are also service/educational travel programs that offer the opportunity to give of your skills and experience by volunteering in different locations.
Conclusion
If you have already left the workforce, begin to investigate the many educational travel options available for mature adults. YouĂll find many that will make you want to start packing.
Educational travel is...
- An opportunity to fill your After-50 years with joy and stimulation...
- An opportunity to help change the stereotypical views of older adults...
- An opportunity to leave a lasting legacy for the next generation...
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