2019 Global Study Visit Program
July 17-26, 2019
Chapel Hill, NC & Costa Rica
CEU / PDCH offered
March through October 2019 | Travel dates to Costa Rica are July 17-26, 2019
Costa Rica is a small country in Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama. With five million people and over 51,000 square kilometers the country has a large agricultural sector, but is growing in the areas of both technology and tourism. Approximately one-fifth of the country’s population lives in the capital, San Jose. World View and Immersion Abroad Costa Rica take pride in creating the most authentic global experience that will forever influence the way educators live, work and communicate in today’s interconnected world.
The cost of the Costa Rica Study Visit Program, including a two-day spring seminar with orientation, a 10-day study visit to Costa Rica, a follow-up workshop and program materials is $2,950. There is an additional charge of $130 if you prefer a single room while traveling to Costa Rica. For educators outside of North Carolina, there is an additional fee of $250.
The $2,950* fee includes:
- Registration to the March 19-20, 2019 Latin America and North Carolina Seminar
- Roundtrip international airfare from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) to San Jose, Costa Rica
- Ground travel within Costa Rica
- All host family (five nights) and hotel (four nights) accommodations. Hotel accommodations are based on double or greater occupancy
- Many meals in Costa Rica
- Supplemental UNC-Chapel Hill Study Abroad international accident and sickness insurance
- All education, cultural and historical activities, excluding independent activities
- Gratuities
- Registration to the study visit follow-up workshop in September 2019
- Program materials for orientation and follow-up workshop
Please note: A minimum of 15 participants is needed to operate the study visit.
FAQ
What should I expect from this Global Study Visit Program?
What are the physical requirements of the trip?
Do I need a passport? Do I need a visa?
How do I apply for the Global Study Visit Program?
When will I know if I am accepted to the Global Study Visit Program?
What preparation and information will be provided before the Global Study Visit Program?
What will I have to pay for on the Global Study Visit Program?
What vaccinations do I need for this Global Study Visit Program?
Do you have any advice for finding funding for the Global Study Visit Program?
What if I want to stay longer or arrive earlier than the group?
What if I have additional questions?
What should I expect from this Global Study Visit Program?
This is intended to be a unique and challenging professional development opportunity—not a tourist trip! Educators who participate in the Costa Rica Global Study Visit Program can expect to:
- Build their own global competencies as they investigate global issues, recognize their own perspectives and learn from and with individuals with different perspectives, communicate across cultures and take action by transferring a study visit experience into their own role as an educator.
- Increase their own confidence and capacity for introducing global issues and themes and supporting global education initiatives in their education environment.
- Exercise collaboration and leadership skills by working with others, moving outside of their comfort zones to be flexible and adaptable, engaging in critical self-reflection and planning follow-up steps.
- Increase their knowledge and understanding of culture, language and daily life in Costa Rica.
- Gain knowledge of Costa Rica’s educational systems and practices by visiting schools and engaging in round table discussions with educators, families and students.
- Explore Costa Rica’s ecological sites and increase knowledge of sustainable agricultural practices and how these practices impact families in Costa Rica.
- Gain empathy and understating for Latinx students in the United States who may be faced with multifaceted barriers or challenges.
- Design and share a “deliverable” that enables transfer of this powerful global experience back to the participant’s school or community college.
- Deliverables can take a variety of forms: a globally integrated unit, a PD workshop for peers, a culture kit and learning guide to be shared with a grade level team, a community college globalized course module, incorporation into a Global Educator Digital Badge PD Capstone, a global education action plan, etc.
- Produce at least one reflection on the study visit experience to be shared with World View. This reflection can take a variety of forms and can be produced during or after the study visit. Examples include a photo essay, a brief article, a story map, blog posts, an audio diary, etc.
What are the physical requirements of the trip?
Participants on this trip must be in good health. Participants are expected to carry their own luggage and walk several miles per day.
Do I need a passport? Do I need a visa?
Each participant must have a passport that is valid at the time of entry and at least 1 blank passport page for an entry stamp. Should there be insufficient blank pages in your passport, entry into the country could be denied. Passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the return date.
All participants must send a clear digital image of the first page of their passport by March 4, 2019. Passport applications can take months to process. If you do not currently have a passport, you should apply for one immediately: travel.state.gov/content/travel/en.html
Participants do not need a tourist visa for stays less than 90 days.
How do I apply for the Global Study Visit Program?
To apply, please complete an application and send in your $500 deposit by January 11, 2019.
When will I know if I am accepted to the Global Study Visit Program?
The application deadline is January 11, 2019, or until filled. Participants will be accepted on a rolling basis, unless you have traveled with World View before. If you have traveled on a previous World View Study Visit you will be placed on a waitlist until the deadline has passed. Deposit checks will be deposited upon acceptance.
What preparation and information will be provided before the Global Study Visit Program?
All participants are required to attend a two-day seminar (Latin America and North Carolina) and orientation in Chapel Hill. This seminar will take place on March 19-20, 2019. During the seminar, participants will gather with the study visit leader for an orientation that will cover additional information to prepare for travel to and within Costa Rica. During the orientation, participants will receive a binder with information about each location and additional details. Between the orientation and study visit, participants will receive regular emails from leaders and access to an electronic binder with additional information and tips to help prepare for the experience.
What will I have to pay for on the Global Study Visit Program?
The cost of the Program, which includes a seminar and orientation, a 10-day trip to Costa Rica, program materials and a post-trip workshop is $2,950, plus an additional $130 if you prefer a single room. For all educators outside of North Carolina, $250 will be added to the final cost.
Cost includes the following:
- Registration to the March 19-20, 2019 Latin America and North Carolina Seminar
- Roundtrip international airfare from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) to San Jose, Costa Rica
- Ground travel within Costa Rica
- All host family (five nights) and hotel (four nights) accommodations. Hotel accommodations are based on double or greater occupancy
- Many meals in Costa Rica
- Supplemental UNC-Chapel Hill Study Abroad international accident and sickness insurance
- All education, cultural and historical activities, excluding independent activities
- Gratuities
Registration to the study visit follow-up workshop in September 2019 - Program materials for orientation and follow-up workshop
Cost excludes the following:
- Passport application or renewal charges
- Costa Rica exit fees (est $29)
- Travel to and from departure airport in North Carolina
- Baggage fees
- Trip cancellation or baggage insurance
- Meals on international travel days and two additional dinners and two additional lunches
- Supplemental excursion activities and personal and incidental expenses (including alcohol)
- Travel and accommodations for the World View Seminar on March 19-20, 2019 and follow-up workshop in September 2019
What vaccinations do I need for this Global Study Visit Program?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that travelers to Costa Rica are up to date on all routine immunizations and visit a doctor 4-6 weeks before traveling. Please see the CDC website for additional recommendations. Please check with your medical provider if you have questions or concerns.
Do you have any advice for finding funding for the Global Study Visit Program?
World View recommends talking to your school or district about possible funding for the study visit. You can also try contacting your school’s PTA, your local Rotary chapter or other professional organizations that you belong to. Previous participants have also applied for various education grants or done fundraising on their own
What if I want to stay longer or arrive earlier than the group?
Trip deviations are sometimes possible and are handled on case-by-case basis. Please talk to the study visit leader at least six months before departure if you are considering a deviation from the scheduled dates of the study visit.
What if I have additional questions?
For additional questions, please contact Julie Kinnaird at kinnaird@unc.edu or 919-962-6785.
Follow-up Workshop Information
At the conclusion of World View Global Study Visit Programs, participants gather in Chapel Hill for a one day follow-up workshop. This year, the workshop will take place in September 2019. The goal of the day is to reflect on the trip and discuss ways to design content-aligned learning experiences for our students.
Participants are also required to design and share one reflection (due September 2019) and one deliverable (due October 2019) to demonstrate how the study visit program impacted you as an educator and will be integrated into your school, district or community college environment.