Jeff Myers, an Explorica Program Leader from Wake Tech Community College in North Carolina, has taken hundreds of students to exciting destinations around the world—including Iceland, Australia, Peru, Dubai, Ireland, and more! Here, he sits down with us to discuss student travel, partnering with Explorica, and his brand new travel podcast Let’s Talk Wake Tech Travel.
What inspired you to travel with your students in the first place?
I lived with a family in Salzburg, Austria during college on a study abroad program through Illinois State University. Travel impacted me in so many ways and I wanted to introduce students to the value of it.
What changes do you see your students go through on and after tour?
Students open up with one another. They socialize, they start to ask intelligent questions. They want to learn! They’re motivated by the first day of travel to think about the next place they’d like to visit. There are about 100 ways students change—they’re more mature, more patient, and much more adventurous.
Why do you think it’s important for students to travel?
Travel gives students better communication skills, something to be motivated about, and helps them focus on goals to save money so they can travel again. Plus, it gives them the skills to accept other cultures and makes them more globally competent.
What have you learned about teaching while traveling with your students?
Students want and need to be motivated, and all students want to learn something.
Tell us more about your student travel podcast!
This podcast is about Wake Tech travel and includes interviews with past student participants, faculty, staff, and community members. In addition, I will be highlighting specific countries, the value of travel and study abroad programs, how to prepare for them, and personal reflections on places like Cuba and North Korea.
I pick any of our travelers to do an interview because they all have a unique perspective and experience. My goal is to get this podcast on the Travel Channel, NPR Radio, PBS, or other national platforms so that students on the fence can hear the one moment of being spoken to about travel that may push them over the edge to go. I also feel that parents who hear students speaking about travel firsthand will feel more comfortable about the value of their investment.
What’s the most unique thing about working with Explorica?
You always know the tour guides are going to be incredible and the hotels are going to be very nice and located in a great spot!
We’re proud of the relationships our employees build with their teachers. How has your partnership with your tour consultant Sabrina impacted your travel experiences?
Sabrina helped me organize a trip to Cuba in 2013, and since then, we’ve traveled back to Cuba three more times. She’s helped me in tight situations with questions and concerns that would have been much more difficult if she wasn’t there to step in.
What do you say to parents who don’t see the value in educational travel?
I say this: Do you ever want your kids to move out of the house? 🙂