Philadelphians are celebrating our new status as a World Heritage City and finding ways to make connections to our natural and cultural heritages. This opportunity during the first two weeks of August is designed for educators to see and study first-hand Indian and Nepalese World Heritage sites and cities and learn about their cultural significance in the past and present. Trip participants will return home and contribute to the growing body of World Heritage and global education teaching resources that focus on Philadelphia’s connections to the world. The trip includes a pre-departure orientation, teaching materials, classroom action plan development system, professional development credits (30 Act 48 credit hours), optional graduate credit, and post-trip debrief and outreach engagements. There are also grants available. Educators from throughout the United States are welcome to join this trip.
The 16-day trip contrasts the colorful culture of India’s cities with the serenity of Nepal's Himalayan mountains. From the banks of the Ganges in Varanasi to a 4x4 safari in Chitwan National Park, an expert tour leader will take travelers through a region of unsurpassed natural beauty and spirituality before revealing the landscape of Nepal’s capital. Among the Indian World Heritage locations the group will visit are the cities of Agra and Amer and the sites Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Jantar Mantar, and Jama Mosque. Moving on to Nepal, the group will see the Nepalese World Heritage locations Kathmandu, Lumbini (the birthplace of Buddha), and the Chitwan National Park, and other sites. Educators will learn about the cultural and physical significance of all of these locations from local guides and possibly, UNESCO representatives. Beyond the genuine excitement of visiting these major sites in India and Nepal, educators will also experience GEEO’s unique travel culture. GEEO designs its trips to be adventurous and affordable with a balance of guided tours and downtime for personal exploration.
The travel dates are August 1st to August 16th, 2017. The program fee is $1985 (Does not include international flights) but participants who place a $250 deposit before March 16th will receive an additional 5% discount. Five $1,000 travel grants will be awarded to Greater Philadelphia teachers who 1.) Demonstrate a commitment to teaching about South Asia in the next academic year and 2.) Create 5 lesson plans after the trip to share with educators. The deadline for the application is March 13th and applicants will be informed the following day whether or not they have received the grant. To apply, please fill out this application: https://goo.gl/forms/OxNC1YMi13akU1CJ3
Registration for the trip will close June 15th, but the program could possibly be sold out before then. Flights will be purchased separately and could possibly be booked at a group rate with 10+ travelers, but you must wait to book until you receive a confirmation from GEEO. Educators are welcome to bring along a non-educator guest such as a spouse, sibling or friend as long as the guest is at least 17 years old. To register for this trip and learn more visit: https://www.geeo.org/tours/PhillyIndiaNepal/. If you have any questions about the program, please contact Jesse Weisz at 1-877-600-0105 (9 AM to 9 PM, 7 days a week) or jesse@geeo.org.
The non-profit teacher travel organization GEEO will run this program, in collaboration with Global Philadelphia Association, Philadelphia’s World Heritage Education Task Force, South Asia Center of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Education Fund, Global Education Motivators and World Affairs Council of Philadelphia.
