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Randy LeGrant: Jul 17, 2021 2:30:00 PM
Here in the United States, many people have no idea the meaning of au pair. While, in Germany, it's almost a rite of passage. In the US we use words like babysitter or nanny. In reality, those terms don't fully explain au pair meaning.
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Randy LeGrant: Jul 14, 2021 2:39:40 PM
Are you one of the 110,000 people who searched Google for "travel the world and get paid" this month? Who doesn't like to travel? It's coming up with the funds to make it happen that slows people down. And what happens if you actually do go abroad and...
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Shaunna Caffrey: Nov 20, 2020 8:30:00 AM
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Yeliz Hussein: Nov 6, 2020 2:48:01 PM
What was the most difficult part about leaving home and your comfort zone to embark on your program in South Korea?
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Sarah Anthony: Oct 30, 2020 1:52:59 PM
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Sophie Holt: Oct 16, 2020 2:08:14 PM
You traveled to France in 2016 to live with a host family for 2 months and help them learn conversational English. What made you decide to do a program like this?
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Randy LeGrant: Sep 22, 2020 2:30:43 PM
When I checked my email first thing this morning, I noticed an article from Education Week entitled How COVID-19 Is Hurting Teacher Diversity. I highly recommend reading that piece. I thought I’d just “pile on” by writing about teacher diversity abroad...
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Randy LeGrant: Aug 19, 2020 1:01:53 PM
Travel refunds due to Coronavirus have been elusive. Almost all GeoVisions Foundation travelers have elected to move their travel dates forward, many well into summer 2021. That's probably because traveling abroad with GeoVisions Foundation is very...
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Randy LeGrant: Aug 17, 2020 2:26:42 PM
So you're eager to travel and you're an American. You're ready to pack your bags, plant your butt into an airplane seat and fly away. Your passport is ready to be stamped. It's time. What international travel restrictions are being placed on American...
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Randy LeGrant: Jul 28, 2020 11:06:59 AM
Coronavirus travel restrictions have hit United States citizens in a big way. In general, our reluctance to follow best-practices on containing the virus has caused enough spikes nationally, that the EU and other areas of the world have continued to ban...
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Christy Wilde: Jul 13, 2020 3:15:18 PM
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GeoVisions Participant: Apr 27, 2020 11:02:45 AM
So far my time in Italy has been completely above and beyond my expectations. I tried to have minimal expectations and hopes for when I came because in my opinion, this would allow me to truly enjoy everything without any disappointment.
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Randy LeGrant: Apr 15, 2020 11:02:43 AM
The GeoVisions Foundation has announced the development of a strategic partnership with Renzulli Learning of New Haven, Connecticut.
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Randy LeGrant: Sep 21, 2019 4:36:01 PM
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? And what if money were no object? THEN where would you go? Soon, you could be in a place you never even imagined existed. Or in a place you thought it would take years to see. And living alongside...
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GeoVisions Participant: Sep 18, 2019 9:10:47 PM
While teaching English in Korea, I met a friend who was born in Italy. After listening to him talk about his native country, and show me some pictures of his hometown, I thought to myself...
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Randy LeGrant: Sep 4, 2019 10:24:21 PM
"Live like a local" is a term you find everywhere these days. It's what we say we're going to do to rationalize renting an Airbnb or Home Away for a few days. "Live like a local" has over 6 Billion listings on Google. No wonder...
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GeoVisions Participant: Sep 4, 2019 10:20:21 PM
If you’re looking for new adventures and always dreamed of traveling and experiencing life from a different perspective, then this program might be for you!
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GeoVisions Participant: Sep 2, 2019 8:51:34 AM
It's almost time for my journey of teaching English in Thailand to come to a close. I can’t believe it's already here! It seems like just yesterday, I was picked up from the Suvarnabhumi Airport to begin my six months of teaching English in Thailand. ...
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 28, 2019 9:51:06 AM
Phyllis is a retired 65 year old from Sarasota, Florida.
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Alexandra LeGrant: Aug 26, 2019 10:26:02 AM
Sure, you’ll also be busy with lesson plans and students, but GeoVisions believes in having fun while...
Randy LeGrant: Aug 25, 2019 12:02:00 PM
We're celebrating Nick Fradiani Day here in Guilford. Who is Nick? Well, he's made it into the final four of American Idol ... and he's from Guilford, just like GeoVisions. We'll be posting photos and video all day as all the schools in Guilford...
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Randy LeGrant: Aug 25, 2019 10:41:00 AM
This post was written for GeoVisions by Brielle Sydor of Elon College. Brie was one of our counselors in 2012 on the Italy Summer Camp program and will be returning to Italy this summer to live and work.
While I was happy to find that many of the...
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Randy LeGrant: Aug 24, 2019 10:40:02 AM
Posted by Anni on Friday, August 10th, 2012 at Journeys for Good. This Blog Post is used with permission.
GeoVisions note: Terri Wingham started her "incredible journey" with GeoVisions in Vietnam. This post is an interview done by Journeys for Good...
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Randy LeGrant: Aug 24, 2019 10:36:20 AM
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 23, 2019 10:35:43 AM
Hello! My name is Ashley; I am 23 years old and from North Carolina, United States. When I graduated from college in May of 2014 I just couldn't figure out what to do next in life. Even though I knew it wasn't what I wanted to do, I ended up spending the...
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 22, 2019 11:50:08 AM
Justin is a 24 year old from Washington. He recently returned home after teaching abroad in Thailand. GeoVisions asked him to share some advice for others thinking of teaching abroad. Take it away Justin!
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Alexandra LeGrant: Aug 19, 2019 4:04:14 PM
“You should travel abroad right after graduating from college,” is a common phrase I hear from friends, family and professors. People constantly tell me that will be the only time I will have to travel. After that comes jobs, family and “adult...
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Alexandra LeGrant: Aug 15, 2019 10:27:25 AM
Don’t ask jetsetter David Papier what his favorite country is, because the 66-year-old won’t give you a direct answer. It’s not that he doesn’t want to answer the question. The truth is he really doesn’t have a favorite country.
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 14, 2019 1:20:36 PM
Hello! My name is Katerina and I am a 22 year old student from Calgary, Alberta – the Texas of Canada. It was a pretty extreme difference going from cow country to historic Italy.
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Alexandra LeGrant: Aug 13, 2019 4:22:17 PM
It’s Flash Back Friday here at GeoVisions! Recently we checked in with a past participant who was teaching English in France to a host family backed in 2013. Here’s Dorothy Cammarot’s story.
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Alexandra LeGrant: Aug 12, 2019 5:58:49 PM
Are you teaching abroad in Thailand and not sure what to pack?
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 11, 2019 4:40:18 PM
Pizza with authentic buffalo mozzarella, pasta with bacon, eggs, Romano cheese and pepper, and delicious mango gelato. Now that I have your attention...Hello Readers!
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 9, 2019 11:58:54 AM
Ethan and Marika love adventure. The boyfriend/girlfriend couple have traveled to New Zealand and Jamaica together, backpacked in Oregon and Colorado and have road-tripped all over the Western United States- visiting numerous National Parks.
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 9, 2019 11:57:03 AM
Hello, my name is Angelique!
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 7, 2019 1:52:04 PM
I will never forget my first glimpse of Spain nearing the end of my 28-hour journey from New Zealand to Madrid. The memory is vivid, for it was the moment everything felt real. Whether it was the Spanish desert, or the airplane breakfast of olives and...
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 6, 2019 12:00:00 AM
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 4, 2019 3:46:29 PM
While teaching English in Korea, I met a friend who was born in Italy. After listening to him talk about his native country, and show me some pictures of his hometown, I thought to myself...
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 4, 2019 3:45:43 PM
Hi, I am Anand. I am 21 years old, and from Aukland, New Zealand. I recently graduated from university and felt like doing something exciting before I am stuck with responsibilities. The first thing that came to mind was to teaching English abroad...
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Alexandra LeGrant: Aug 4, 2019 3:44:13 PM
So, you’ve signed up for one of GeoVisions’ amazing programs. Whether you’re teaching abroad in Thailand, or volunteering abroad in Peru- congratulations! Soon you’ll start making that oh, so important “to pack” list.
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Alexandra LeGrant: Aug 4, 2019 3:42:25 PM
Calling all high schoolers! Are you looking for an amazing opportunity this summer? Something different than that part time summer job?
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 4, 2019 3:41:31 PM
I opened my browser and typed the words “teaching abroad in South Korea." This was something I have always fantasized about doing, but never had the courage to take that dream further. For a long time, I dreamt to do something like live and work in a...
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 4, 2019 3:40:42 PM
A normal summer for me throughout high school and college never involved long, lazy days at the beach or weekend trips to the Appalachian Mountains. For years now, summer vacations were spent abroad with a group of American students to study and live in...
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 4, 2019 3:36:46 PM
Ciao! My name is Leanne. I’m from Rochester, NY.
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Randy LeGrant: Aug 4, 2019 3:35:33 PM
Have you always wanted to teach English in Spain and live like a local? This volunteer teaching assignment is in a regular community school about 40 minutes outside of Barcelona. This isn't a private “language school” but a regular community school...
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 4, 2019 3:34:14 PM
Deciding to teach English abroad in Thailand was definitely the easiest decision I made last year. I've been teaching English as a second language (ESL) for about a year, every weekend through a program at my school. This fall, I decided I wanted to...
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 4, 2019 3:29:35 PM
Hello, my name is Christina Carroll. Thailand was not, by any means, my first choice when I first decided I wanted to travel and teach English abroad. I actually had my sights set on Spain. But when I figured out it would have been nearly impossible...
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Alexandra LeGrant: Aug 4, 2019 3:28:19 PM
Last year, Susan Syracuse of Tucson, Arizona signed up with GeoVisions to teach abroad in Italy. For two months, she would be living with and teaching a family English.
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Alexandra LeGrant: Aug 4, 2019 3:27:02 PM
At GeoVisions, we like to toot our own horn and write about our great work abroad programs, like being an au pair in Australia, or teaching in China. But every now and then, we like to change it up a bit. So when we heard about Mike and Sherri...
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 4, 2019 3:02:59 PM
After graduating college and getting myself a job as a 5th grade teacher, I saw many people in my life making choices about their future that I wasn’t ready to make. I saw many of my friends get married and start to settle down, but I wasn’t ready.
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 4, 2019 3:01:44 PM
As I complete my second week tutoring abroad in Italy, I think it is important to take a break and reflect on my experience so far. My hope is not only to inspire you with the quotes and motivate you to do something new, but to give you an insight of...
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Alexandra LeGrant: Aug 4, 2019 12:54:20 PM
Dee Murray, of Philadelphia, says filling out GeoVisons’ application to be placed with a host family abroad was a bit like...
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 4, 2019 12:53:45 PM
I wanted to travel. I wanted to experience a different country and culture. I wanted meaningful work and to engage in a new language. And I wanted to be done in a couple of months. Apparently I am a millennial.
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 4, 2019 12:52:11 PM
Bom Dia! Or Hello in Portuguese! My name is Brennan and I am from Newport Beach, California. I decided to tutor English abroad in Brazil because I wanted to improve my Portuguese and be immersed in Brazilian culture. I have studied abroad in France and...
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Alexandra LeGrant: Aug 3, 2019 6:58:01 PM
Recently we checked in with some past participants to see what...
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Alexandra LeGrant: Aug 3, 2019 6:56:44 PM
It’s a day to remember Saint Patrick, who is widely known as the "Apostle of Ireland," and to celebrate the heritage and culture of the Irish. However, you definitely don’t...
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 3, 2019 6:55:45 PM
Last year before I began my teaching career, I was very unhappy in an administrative retail job that wasn't a fit for me. I knew I wanted to teach; and when I was offered a position teaching middle school in a neighboring town, I was thrilled.
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 3, 2019 6:54:40 PM
La dolce vita is real! That is all I have to say about my wonderful time working abroad in Italy. For three months, I au paired and tutored a family in English through GeoVisions Walk & Talk program.
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 3, 2019 6:52:03 PM
For me, coming to Italy to work abroad was not only to get a job or to be involved in a cultural exchange. It was proof that I can get what I want if I really work for it -- a dream come true.
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GeoVisions Participant: Aug 3, 2019 6:49:42 PM
Hello Future World Travelers! There are so many different ways to teach English abroad. This is another creative way to make it happen!
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GeoVisions Participant: Jul 28, 2019 9:04:18 AM
Hi. My name is Amy, and I'm here in Thailand doing the paid teaching abroad program through GeoVisions. In the States, I have been intermittently working on getting my teaching certificate for a number of years, so have a bit of experience with...
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GeoVisions Participant: Jul 28, 2019 8:57:36 AM
Thailand is a place that provides so many incredible gifts to someone. So many unexpected things take place when you live there. Being a teacher in Thailand has been the most rewarding thing I've ever chosen to do. I've been rewarded is so many ways....
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GeoVisions Participant: Jul 28, 2019 8:53:47 AM
Over a year ago I woke up with a restless sensation that was burning inside of me. I felt inpatient to learn Italian, a fourth language...
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Randy LeGrant: Jul 28, 2019 8:50:56 AM
But that's not the BEST part! The hospital where medical and pharmacy interns will practice on this medical internship in South Africa, is a five-hour drive from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit, a small rural town just outside of Kruger National Park. You...
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Alexandra LeGrant: Jul 27, 2019 8:50:37 PM
At GeoVisions, when we place you in a job where you will get paid to work abroad, we don’t party or drink champagne. (We do that so many times a day we'd be a bit tipsy.) But this week we do have a great reason to celebrate. On Monday, Jodi...
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GeoVisions Participant: Jul 27, 2019 5:24:59 PM
For three weeks this summer, Meagan was a camp counselor in Zululand, South Africa teaching ESL. GeoVisions recently conducted an interview with Meagan about her experiences. Here's what she had to say.
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Alexandra LeGrant: Jul 26, 2019 7:51:23 PM
A real adventure has joined the family of programs at GeoVisions. If you live outside the United States, it is now easier than ever to teach English in Cuba. And if you live in the United States, the program is available to you, but you do have to go...
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Greetings! My name is Lydia Susong and I am an au pair in New Zealand with GeoVisions. I'm originally from Florida. But for the past few months I have been living with my host family...
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Kate: Jul 26, 2019 7:35:36 PM
When you’re home, you go through life and find interests and hobbies that make you who you are. When you move abroad to become an au pair, sometimes you’re able to take these things with you, and sometimes you lose them. Things like reading and...
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Steven: Jul 26, 2019 7:26:05 PM
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Shanny Neuman: Jul 26, 2019 9:45:42 AM
Shanny recently returned home to Mexico after spending two months as an au pair and tutor to a family in Italy. GeoVisions asked our contributor blog extraordinaire to write a blog about saying goodbye to a host family you have created an incredible...
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GeoVisions Participant: Jul 25, 2019 9:18:05 AM
I was teaching English in Yangon, Myanmar, for eight months, from May to December. I did my TESOL training in Australia and had very little teaching experience when I went to Myanmar through GeoVisions. I had spent the previous 20 years or so working in...
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Alexandra LeGrant: Jul 25, 2019 9:13:45 AM
--Randy LeGrant, GeoVisions'...
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GeoVisions Participant: Jun 29, 2019 2:54:17 PM
We sank into pizza night, a classic Margherita, and switched on the TV news. President Obama's surprise announcement stopped our chewing. New relations with Cuba. A lifting of one of the last symbols of the Cold War. We could travel there and teach...
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We sank into pizza night, a classic Margherita, and switched on the TV news. President Obama's surprise announcement stopped our chewing. New relations with Cuba. A lifting of one of the last symbols of the Cold War. We could travel there and teach...
2 min read
I lived in Havana, Cuba for one month through GeoVisions. My assignment was teaching English to school age children with another teacher. We taught Cuban students in the afternoons. The children were eager to learn and very appreciative. We were always...
2 min read
We sank into pizza night, a classic Margherita, and switched on the TV news. President Obama's surprise announcement stopped our chewing. New relations with Cuba. A lifting of one of the last symbols of the Cold War. We could travel there and teach...
1 min read
Alexa Puzder: Jun 21, 2019 12:56:50 PM
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Alicia Kravies: May 25, 2019 7:25:00 AM
I decided to become an Au Pair after completing my first semester of nursing school. I was at a time in my life where I did not know exactly what I wanted to do, while everyone around me seemed to know exactly what they were doing. I was in a rut and I...
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David Papier: Apr 3, 2019 1:50:13 PM
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Alexandra Giffin: Mar 19, 2019 4:15:02 PM
Traveling to Hat Yai:
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Abi Whitney: Feb 26, 2019 5:20:00 AM
It's an extraordinary thing, this world. The concept of it is truly limitless. You could travel to every single continent, and only just begun to see it in its entirety. A century, give or take, is simply not enough time to experience what this world has...
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Darby Caneen: Feb 15, 2019 4:28:00 AM
October 19, 2018, I am 30,000 feet above the Pacific Ocean on Singapore Airlines flight 708 to Tokyo, Japan. There was a sense of urgency to get off the 12 hour flight and see what Asia had in store for me, but there was also a sense of caution. Me,...
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Joy Harpham: Feb 5, 2019 3:30:28 PM
Here are her 5 tips when one is considering to be an Au Pair:
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Michelle Castle: Oct 12, 2018 11:51:58 AM
“Gazing into the future, as far as the eye can see, somewhere in a far distance, the wind is blowing. I can’t hear what it's saying, I sense it. A movement in my soul is awakened - trembling with wild anticipation. I feel like I am flying, but my feet...
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Jenna DeVary: Sep 17, 2018 4:03:17 AM
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Randy LeGrant: Sep 12, 2018 10:00:00 AM
Rachel graduated from the University of Connecticut this past May and didn't go abroad her 4 years at UCONN because she couldn't fit it into her schedule and graduate on time. She wanted to study abroad for a semester, and just couldn't make it happen....
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Randy LeGrant: Sep 8, 2018 5:32:46 PM
Although the economy in the US is rolling along and unemployment is almost nil, we hear from a lot of people who have difficulty saving up $350 for the program deposit. People who call us want to travel different. They want to travel and while they...
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Randy LeGrant: Aug 12, 2018 12:34:05 PM
If the best travel experiences happen when things don’t go according to plan, why do we plan so much?
We rely on our participants to write great stories about their #SeekExperiences abroad. Whether they're teaching, doing au pair duties, teaching...
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Briana Romi: Aug 8, 2018 2:27:45 PM
I first heard about what an au pair was during my first semester at college. Prior, I had no clue that an "au pair" was even a thing. A classmate did a speech on how she went to the Netherlands for 6 months as an au pair through GeoVisions, and...
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Gabrielle Christiansen: Jul 26, 2018 11:37:53 AM
I’m sitting here, writing this blog post on my plane ride home from one of the most amazing adventures I have ever been on. I know I’m going to struggle to get everything I want to say out, partially because it is something that can never fully be put...
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Randy LeGrant: May 18, 2018 1:25:12 PM
Trust emerges when we have a sense that another person or organization is driven by things other than their own self-gain.
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Zoe Ripplinger: Mar 8, 2018 10:24:04 PM
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go.” These are the words written by Dr. Seuss that...
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Emily: Dec 19, 2017 7:00:27 AM
Everyone knows there is no better way to learn a language than through immersion.
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Michele Kilmer: Dec 12, 2017 12:53:50 PM
I am Michele Kilmer and I am currently teaching abroad in Madrid, Spain as an Au Pair through the Walk and Talk Program with GeoVisions. Since I have been here, I have been traveling solo through Europe. I have been to Paris, Geneva, and London so far....
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Shanny Neuman: Sep 21, 2017 4:38:08 PM
The most important lesson I’ve learned during my travels is understanding that to travel alone doesn’t mean in solitude. It requires a lot of bravery and strength to travel alone, to learn how to be by yourself, and why this is a great virtue that only...
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Steph Miezin: Apr 21, 2017 12:41:51 PM
I didn’t know what to expect from Malta and this experience, but because of the people I met, it now means more to me than I ever would have thought...
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Kelsey Noris: Mar 28, 2017 3:56:53 PM
Over the past two months, I have had my fair share of solo travel around Europe. Throughout my trips, I have created a list of pros and cons of taking a trip alone. Some of these may seem obvious, but I have found all of them to be incredibly true (and...
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Caitlin: Mar 15, 2017 10:37:00 AM
I have to admit, before leaving to spend six weeks in Europe last summer I was nervous- not necessarily about my safety, the long flight, or the volunteer teaching program I was doing in Italy. I was nervous that I was going to sabotage my own trip by...
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Shanny Neuman: Feb 22, 2017 6:13:00 AM
Over a year ago I woke up with a restless sensation that was burning inside of me. I felt inpatient to learn Italian, a fourth language...
3 min read
Sarah: Jan 16, 2017 5:35:06 PM
“A lot of things in your life will be a jumbled mess from here on out and things you thought would happen will go completely opposite at times, and you’ll start to feel like you’re losing it. But be encouraged and know that none of this world is how we...
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Alexandra LeGrant: Dec 29, 2016 11:29:59 AM
Seek experiences, not things, seek culture, not just another bar serving frozen cocktails, seek human relationships, not just another good photo op and a clever hashtag.
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About a year ago I took a leap of faith and got on a plane headed toward Amsterdam to spend a year as an au pair. I had no idea what to expect of my new home since I had never even been overseas. A million different emotions were filling my head:...
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Juliana: Oct 28, 2016 9:58:54 AM
This past summer, I volunteered to teach in Italy through GeoVisions and lived with my host family to help them learn English. When I was there, I wrote about what it was like to be an English language teacher in Italy through 6 inspirational quotes ...
2 min read
Avana Garza: Oct 20, 2016 2:37:18 PM
When I first heard about GeoVisions I was excited because I’ve always wanted to travel to different countries, it’s been a tug at my soul since I was little.
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Kim Carmona: Sep 22, 2016 6:08:36 PM
When I made the decision to move to Thailand through the GeoVisions Teach Abroad program, I knew it was inevitable that I was going to be pushed out of my comfort zone, I would be faced with certain challenges and that I would grow in ways I wasn’t...
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Jeena Joy: Aug 16, 2016 8:18:13 PM
This summer I had the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and tutor English to a family in Brazil! I am currently getting my Masters in TESOL, so I wanted to experience what teaching English abroad was like. GeoVisions made the process very easy...
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Marissa: Jul 28, 2016 4:04:04 PM
When I applied to the Tutor English to a Family in Italy program through GeoVisions, I don’t think I was in the right state of mind. I had had a rough year, and all I could think about was escaping my minuscule college town and doing something...
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Amanda Waring: Jul 12, 2016 12:53:30 PM
When I decided to come to teach in Thailand through GeoVisions, it took me 6 months to fill out the application. I always came up with an excuse as to why I couldn’t apply. This was not a small decision to make, and I needed to be sure I was ready to...
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Laura Alfaridzi: Jul 5, 2016 2:27:17 PM
Laura - a GeoVisions participant and solo traveler reflects on a few things she wish she had known before tutoring English in Austria. Check out her helpful travel tips and honest reflections that made her struggles a worthwhile and life-changing...
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Marissa: May 16, 2016 7:06:26 AM
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Shanny Neuman: May 8, 2016 9:07:38 AM
Since returning home, Shanny has written many great blogs for us. Enjoy her latest GeoVisions blog of the fear travelers face.
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Randy LeGrant: Apr 15, 2016 8:22:15 PM
“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all." J.K. Rowling
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When faced with the big question should I do it? Whatever it may be, and you look at your life with nostalgic fondness and comfort, but without any real passion or curiosity-- you already know the answer.
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Maggie: Mar 7, 2016 9:47:19 AM
In February, Maggie, from South Ayrshire, Scotland, traveled to Cuba through GeoVisions. Here's her advice to others thinking of visiting the Caribbean Island, which is located 90 miles off the coast of Key West, Florida.
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Michelle: Jan 26, 2016 1:52:03 PM
Such a spontaneous thing-- to pause your life in your country to live a year abroad in the home of another family as an au pair. It's a learning and growing process from the very beginning. I am 18 years old and have learned so much in the Netherlands...
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Julia: Jan 26, 2016 10:50:40 AM
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Cuba and the U.S. have agreed to people-to-people exchange as the basis for American travel in Cuba. That's my favorite kind of travel.
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Shanny Neuman: Dec 15, 2015 7:41:23 PM
We spend so much time blogging about our experiences while abroad- the food, the people, and the destinations. But what about when you return home? What happens when you are done teaching abroad in Thailand? When you say goodbye to your host family you...
3 min read
Samantha Van Natta: Dec 5, 2015 6:52:16 PM
"If you want to live like a tourist, travel. If you want to live like a local, become an au pair."
--Samantha Van Natta
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Heidi: Nov 7, 2015 10:49:17 AM
If you want to be an au pair, you must keep an open mind, realize you are living in someone else's home in another culture and act accordingly. And you need to understand you are not just living there, you are working for them. Most of all; you must...
3 min read
Kelsey: Oct 25, 2015 10:36:00 PM
I wanted to travel but was absolutely broke from tuition fees. So here I am, an Au Pair in France through GeoVisions.
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Casey: Oct 18, 2015 10:25:06 AM
I came across GeoVisions, which offered multiple programs for working abroad. All I knew at that point was that I wanted to be in Europe for a year. After talking to the people at GeoVisions, they recommended a yearlong au pair program in the ...
3 min read
Alexandra LeGrant: Sep 22, 2015 1:51:16 PM
Congratulations! You are about to begin your journey to Asia, to the beautiful country of Thailand. But wait! What are you going to pack?!
1 min read
Maya Huth: Sep 20, 2015 9:00:00 AM
My name is Maya Huth and I've always been a traveler at heart. I'm currently working as an Au Pair in Spain through GeoVisions.
2 min read
Julio Cesar Ramirez: Sep 12, 2015 8:07:51 AM
Hello! My name is Julio Cesar Ramirez. In 2013 I was an Au Pair in France through GeoVisions. I had such an awesome time that I decided to do it again- this time in China! I recently arrived in Shanghai where I met my host family.
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Kayla: Aug 30, 2015 7:46:41 AM
At home, I am an only child of a small family and unfortunately, I haven’t had many opportunities to travel, so becoming an Au Pair in France seemed to solve both issues: getting to experience a new family’s culture while getting to explore!
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Amanda: Jul 21, 2015 10:23:14 PM
"Get an internship," they said. "Work 8 to 5 at an office all day," they said. "Make connections and get experience related to your job field," they said. So I said "OK -- I’ll enter the adult world and get an internship, but I’m doing it my own way....
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Alexandra LeGrant: Jul 7, 2015 2:02:00 PM
Going to a foreign country for the first time can be a little intimidating. But going alone can be downright frightening!Whether you're planning to teach abroad in Thailand, au pair in the Netherlands, teach English in Italy, or take advantage of ...
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I was fortunate enough to be able to study abroad in Seville, Spain when I was an undergrad at the University of Wisconsin. My time spent in Spain, and all of my travels throughout Europe, were life-changing to put it simply.
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How many college-age adults do you know who go to sleep at 9 p.m., wake up at 5:30 a.m. and are at work at 6:30 in the morning? Of those few, how many willingly work with over 200 children from sunrise to sunset, five days a week?
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Kesli: May 19, 2015 11:40:28 AM
My name is Kelsi and I work as an au pair in France through GeoVisions. I’ll admit I’m no sage, I have relatively little life experience compared to others, and my advice is probably not that reliable. That, however, does not stop most people from...
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I have been wanting to visit Australia since I can remember.
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Aubrey: Apr 20, 2015 4:50:45 PM
I wanted to start a new chapter - one that would be broadening, challenging, and fun. Being an Au Pair was the perfect fit!
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Marley: Apr 14, 2015 2:41:59 PM
My name is Marley, and ever since I was little I remember always wanting to travel. I grew up in North Carolina and lived in Tennessee last year working as an educational assistant. I have my elementary school teaching degree, but wasn’t ready to settle...
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Gabriella: Apr 10, 2015 7:47:56 AM
Every day is exciting and busy, and filled with new challenges. Some major challenges I have overcome is biking. The bicycle is The Netherlands main transportation. I have had to learn to bike in traffic, adjust to new road rules, and bike with a child.
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Sarah: Apr 7, 2015 3:32:00 PM
I became an Au Pair in Australia through GeoVisions mainly because I’m from a small town in New York, and I believe if you don’t explore the world while you’re young, chances are you never will.
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Alexandra LeGrant: Mar 13, 2015 1:33:15 AM
Graciela Duperrault is originally from Paraguay. She came to the United States (Wisconsin) when she was 17 as a foreign exchange student. Her goal was to learn English.
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Kayt Adamson: Feb 20, 2015 1:26:50 AM
Before I moved to Thailand to teach English, I liked to think I was a go-with-the-flow type of person, but in reality, I was too anxious to not have a plan. I always mapped out how I was going to reach my goals and how I was going to live my life. ...
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Alexandra LeGrant: Feb 15, 2015 3:00:00 PM
Have you ever tried to capture a moment in your life through a camera? Have you ever wanted to take a perfect photo of your adventure working abroad, so you could remember it forever?
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Randy LeGrant: Feb 13, 2015 1:45:43 AM
So where did the world get this holiday named Valentine’s Day? Most sources say it’s a day named for a Christian martyr and dates back to the 5th century but has origins in the Roman holiday Lupercalia. The roots of St. Valentine’s Day lie in the ancient...
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Alexandra LeGrant: Feb 10, 2015 1:34:35 AM
I walk into McDonalds sobbing. One of my co-workers asks me, “What’s wrong, Carrie?” I manage to squeak out, “Luz Ma went home this morning.”
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Randy LeGrant: Jan 20, 2015 1:11:01 AM
Recently, I declared 2015 at GeoVisions as the year of “Why.” Why?
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Randy LeGrant: Dec 29, 2014 8:30:55 AM
... and your host family in China will assist you with your airfare, and your visa fees will also be paid. Included also is your orientation and 4-6 hours each week of Mandarin lessons. Of course you will receive private accommodation, all of your...
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Randy LeGrant: Dec 8, 2014 10:03:00 AM
How many teachers are out there looking for paid summer teacher programs? If you are one of them looking around for a way to have a meaningful teaching experience this summer (and get paid) look no further. This program is the "bomb-diggity" of teach...
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Randy LeGrant: Jul 21, 2014 10:13:00 AM
I’m kind of at the end of a 31-day trip abroad. I’m visiting GeoVisions partners and participants in Spain, Italy and France. I have 7 more days ahead of me … the rest of Italy and Northern France. It has been a great use of my time. I have talked to...
Randy LeGrant: Jul 14, 2014 10:15:00 AM
I posted this video sometime ago, and wanted to post it again since we're in the peak travel time for most people.
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Randy LeGrant: Jul 10, 2014 10:37:00 AM
I’m going to do a series (over the rest of this year) about a few things of interest (I hope you find them interesting) about GeoVisions. I’ll bet some of our staff didn’t even know some of these things.
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Randy LeGrant: Jul 7, 2014 10:17:00 AM
Five days agoSally Smith (alias … ) talked to us about Walk and Talk Italy. She really wanted to go, the country was right, the timing was right and the price was right.
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Randy LeGrant: Jul 3, 2014 11:06:00 AM
I’m traveling in Europe for a month visiting our overseas partner offices and meeting and talking to many of our participants in Europe who are on our programs. That’s mostly tutors,...
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Randy LeGrant: Jun 30, 2014 10:09:00 AM
This post is for parents. Your child is abroad and you're nervous. All too often we explain to parents when they call for information about the program their child is on that we can’t talk to them about very...
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Randy LeGrant: Jun 12, 2014 10:15:00 AM
I'm reading The Lean Startup by Eric Ries, who defines a startup as an organization dedicated to creating something new under conditions of extreme uncertainty. I think we would all agree that changing currencies, wildly fluctuating airfares, political...
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Randy LeGrant: Jun 4, 2014 10:45:00 AM
Our CEO, Kevin Morgan, sometimes has to remind us that, "We're not saving lives here." And this typically comes up when someone is taking what we do too seriously.
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Randy LeGrant: Jun 2, 2014 10:25:00 AM
I was a high school English teacher from 1972 to 1979 ... in Kansas.
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Randy LeGrant: May 28, 2014 11:34:00 AM
Nothing is as important as our participant's safety. Absolutely nothing.
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Randy LeGrant: May 23, 2014 11:44:00 AM
Here at GeoVisions, we have a new website. Yeah ... you're thinking you just went over there and saw the same-ol-same-ol and yeah ... you did. The site isn't live yet, but will be soon.
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Randy LeGrant: Jan 16, 2014 11:30:00 AM
On March 5, 2007, I wrote a Blog post entitled "You Say Goodbye And I Say Hello." I was on an airplane when I wrote the post, and it was all about how difficult it is to say "goodbye" to those we love when we travel and at the same time, how exciting...
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Randy LeGrant: Jan 8, 2014 10:30:00 AM
Unfortunately, 75% of our participants choose Western Europe as their destination of choice for their GeoVisions program.
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Randy LeGrant: Dec 23, 2013 8:51:00 AM
Each week I take a look at The Expeditioner ... an online travel magazine run by Matt Stabile. The site is amazing and I can't recommend it enough ... Matt's a genius at knowing what kind of content is King.
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Randy LeGrant: Dec 20, 2013 10:13:00 AM
According to Matt Stabile, the founder and Editor-in-Chief of TheExpeditioner.com, the video we have embedded here for you "may qualify as one of the most oddball, strange, entertaining and beautiful road trip videos you’re going to see for a while (at...
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Randy LeGrant: Dec 16, 2013 10:15:00 AM
So what else is new? I’m going to buck the system. This time of year my Travel Blog buddies are coming up with “travel resolutions for 2014” and making lists of the “hottest travel destinations for 2014.” I wanted to come up with something different....
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Randy LeGrant: Dec 13, 2013 10:48:00 AM
Try something really different in 2014 and help a lot of people at the same time. This adventure takes you to the Dana Biosphere Reserve in the Jordanian Desert.
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Randy LeGrant: Dec 11, 2013 10:19:00 AM
Where I really let myself down on New Year's resolutions is what I'm eating and how much I weigh. Ugh. By the end of August I had lost 10 pounds and right now I've put it all back on again. So I guess the good news is I don't have to worry about...
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Randy LeGrant: Dec 9, 2013 10:35:00 AM
What are the holidays without a little humor? Who can forget National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation movie?
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Randy LeGrant: Dec 6, 2013 2:30:00 PM
I have one full screen for my travel apps on my iPhone. I have so many, I even put them into groups like Air, Hotels and Navigation. I use these apps all the time when I travel abroad and just before I head to the airport.
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Randy LeGrant: Dec 4, 2013 10:45:00 AM
Here at GeoVisions, we send people abroad (mostly Americans) and some need a visa, depending on what they're doing and where they're going. Also, the other side of GeoVisions (The U.S. Summer Work and Travel side) is designated by the U.S. Dept. of...
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Randy LeGrant: Dec 2, 2013 10:22:00 AM
In an article I saw on the Huffington Post by Suzy Strutner, I was interested in why students should take a Gap Year. Suzy lists the 10 Reasons You should Take A Gap Year in her post. And at the end of the post she gives the top 10 destinations for a...
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Randy LeGrant: Nov 26, 2013 10:30:00 AM
I just read an article on The Expeditioner site entitled How Many Days Can I Travel In [Insert Country Here] With $1,000? It was interesting. The comments ran from "this is all a load of crap" written by someone who can obviously either spend MUCH...
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Randy LeGrant: Nov 25, 2013 10:15:00 AM
Recently, Michael Huxley, founder of Bemused Backpacker, wrote an article entitled Why I Hate The Term Solo Female Backpacker. It reminded me of the posts we published here by GeoVisions teacher in Thailand, Carla Gott. Carla pinned 3 posts for us on...
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Randy LeGrant: Nov 21, 2013 8:47:00 AM
Where do you want to go? Where have you been? Have you read 1,000 Places To See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz? Did you find yourself adding destinations of your own?
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Randy LeGrant: Jul 23, 2013 10:05:00 AM
Greetings from Denver, Colorado!
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Randy LeGrant: Jul 17, 2013 11:00:00 AM
This is installment 3 of 3 of Carla's Blog post on a woman’s perspective, living and working in Thailand. Feel free to email Carla at: gocarla1@umbc.edu
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Randy LeGrant: Jul 15, 2013 10:00:00 AM
Carla Gott has been teaching in Thailand with GeoVisions for more than five months. For more information on a woman’s perspective, living and working in Thailand, please email Carla at: gocarla1@umbc.edu
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Randy LeGrant: Jul 12, 2013 11:05:00 AM
Carla Gott has been teaching in Thailand with GeoVisions for more than five months. For more information on a woman’s perspective, living and working in Thailand, please email Carla at: gocarla1@umbc.edu
1 min read
Randy LeGrant: Jul 10, 2013 10:05:00 AM
As if we needed to list our reasons ... we all know, even those of us who are native speakers, English is tough. How many times have you heard your friends at school say, "I don't know where I put it at." Or, "I don't know where it's at." And of...
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Randy LeGrant: Jul 8, 2013 10:00:00 AM
I need to publicly thank my daughter, Molly, who provided background for this post.
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Alexandra LeGrant: Jul 5, 2013 9:00:00 AM
Are you one of those people who are glued to their smartphone? Yeah, join the crowd, and just admit it! The truth is (as sad as it might be) smartphones have become an integral part of our daily lives, including when we travel. For example, traveling...
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Randy LeGrant: Jul 1, 2013 11:00:00 AM
The last time I wrote a Blog Post was February 26. Over four months this Blog has been dormant. That's embarrassing. Not that people stand in line to read my Blog...it is just embarrassing that I'd go over 4 months and not write, which had to leave...
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Randy LeGrant: Feb 26, 2013 3:03:00 PM
After obtaining degrees in English Literature and English Secondary Education, Sean Lords packed up his bags and left to Seoul, South Korea where he lived for three years teaching English abroad. Sean has since returned to the States and is currently at...
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Randy LeGrant: Feb 25, 2013 2:05:00 PM
EURO CUP 2012
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Randy LeGrant: Feb 19, 2013 3:08:00 PM
This is a guest post by travel blog writer, Kara Drake. Some of our volunteers and teachers participate on programs with us multiple times. If you teach English abroad or work or volunteer abroad with GeoVisions multiple times, there are substantial...
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Randy LeGrant: Feb 12, 2013 1:05:00 PM
Yesterday I wrote a post about The Five Things I Wish I Knew When I Decided To Travel Abroad. In all honesty, the post was "The Ten Things..." but I typed so much, no one was going to read such a long Blog post. So I cut it in half. Here are the other...
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Randy LeGrant: Feb 11, 2013 11:06:00 AM
I took my first trip abroad in 1976. As an American, that was our Bicentennial year and so my passport was in celebration of that fact. I still have it.
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Randy LeGrant: Nov 14, 2012 11:03:00 AM
Hi
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Randy LeGrant: Nov 13, 2012 11:36:00 AM
Guest post by Billy BeltzCo-Founder & CMOVolunteer Forever
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Randy LeGrant: Nov 7, 2012 10:30:00 AM
It's great to be back.
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Alexandra LeGrant: Oct 16, 2012 3:38:00 PM
Every now and then we like to trot out a post that has done really well over the course of the last few months. And this is one of them. This particular post has been read 2,220 times since March. That's 10 reads a day, 7 days a week for the last 228...
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Randy LeGrant: Oct 4, 2012 11:03:00 AM
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Randy LeGrant: Oct 2, 2012 11:02:00 AM
This Blog post (part 2 of 2 parts) was written by Steve Weddle, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Volunteer Forever. Steve Co-Founded Volunteer Forever after his volunteer trip to India. The experience was life-changing. Upon returning to the...
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Randy LeGrant: Oct 1, 2012 10:05:00 AM
This Blog post (and the one that follows tomorrow) was written by Steve Weddle, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Volunteer Forever. Steve Co-Founded Volunteer Forever after his volunteer trip to India. The experience was life-changing. Upon...
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Randy LeGrant: Sep 28, 2012 11:05:00 AM
Jody Fox is one of our Au Pairs in France. When we see a blog by one of our participants, we like to point people in that direction. There are testimonials and there are online reviews. In fact, we use Rate My Study Abroad for online reviews and you...
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Randy LeGrant: Sep 27, 2012 1:05:00 PM
Guest post by Sherry Ott
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Randy LeGrant: Sep 26, 2012 10:01:00 AM
GeoVisions is so very proud of one of our Summer Work and Travel students from Malaysia. And we were suprised at the WYSTC (World Youth and Student Travel Conference) conference last week in San Diego. Abby, who hails from Malaysia had just won the...
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Randy LeGrant: Sep 25, 2012 11:00:00 AM
Each week, GeoVisions posts an actual email from a Conversation Corps tutor, a Conversation Partner or a full time teacher abroad on a GeoVisions program. We call the series, Help Me Teach Abroad.
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Randy LeGrant: Sep 24, 2012 5:00:00 PM
Each week, GeoVisions posts an actual email from a Conversation Corps tutor, a Conversation Partner or a full time teacher abroad on a GeoVisions program. We call the series, Help Me Teach Abroad.Our Help Me Teach desk is manned by Betsy Bruneau, a...
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Randy LeGrant: Sep 5, 2012 2:05:00 PM
Take a look at this photo. What do you see?
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Randy LeGrant: Sep 4, 2012 11:10:00 AM
Each week, GeoVisions will post an actual email from a Conversation Corps tutor, a Conversation Partner or a full time teacher abroad on a GeoVisions program. We are going to call the series, Help Me Teach Abroad.
