When abroad, correctly greeting locals could be the difference between coming off as a clueless tourist and a well-traveled globetrotter. Don’t leave home before you know whether to shake, kiss, high five or bow upon meeting new friends on your tour. Do you know your French bise from your Kiwi nose-rubbing smooch?
You spend a lot of time mapping out the perfect itinerary, taking in all the sites you can cram into each day and sometimes even pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone to experience something new. All that and you’re thinking of bringing home a T-shirt to remember your trip? Before you go on the hunt for that tchotchke coffee mug or refrigerator magnet, we’ve got a few suggestions worth considering. Here’s a selection of authentic mementos to appropriately save…what you’ve savored.
You’ll never be short on monuments, museums and historical sites to visit in big east coast cities. But even for die-hard urbanites, it’s nice to go beyond the desktop Zen garden and be one with nature—even for a few hours. Here are some places in Washington DC, New York and Boston, where you’ll discover nature…the way urban planners intended….
Wherever you’re planning to travel, your fundraising activities can tag along. With a little brainstorming and research, you and your students can learn and earn at the same time. Here are more money-making ideas that tie back to the trip location:
Theme-based fundraising ideas by country
Italy—Sure you could have a bake sale with cookies and brownies. But why not dive into the paesano spirit right from the get go. Think about having a biscotti bake off instead. In addition to buying the sweets, let people cast votes for best recipe.
Japan—Spread news about Japan before even taking off for your tour. Teach students that the fortune cookie, commonly believed to be a Chinese tradition, actually has Japanese origins. Instead of typical candy grams, start myth busting by selling true Japanese fortune cookies. Bake them yourselves and insert fun lines or find a novelty baked goods online retailer to help.
Mexico or Spain—Ready for more trivia? Where the piñata is part of Hispanic custom now, its origins are actually Chinese. And, they were first made with clay pots. Have a school dance or fair coming up? Stuff a large Mexican piñata with student favorites, like iTunes gift cards, and sell raffles tickets for chances to take a swing at the hanging treasure trove.
New York City—Get geared up for the “City that Never Sleeps” by sponsoring an all-night dance-a-thon. Ask students for donations to request songs for the Gotham playlist. Sell candy apples for Big Apple-style refreshments. (Did you know the nickname Big Apple comes from a term jazz musicians used in the ‘20s and ‘30s? To pick the big apple meant to upgrade from small-town gigs and play in New York City.)
Greece—Stage an Olympian board game tournament with Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit and even Chess competitions. Include “sportive” games like a three-legged race or ultimate frisbee. Charge an entry fee for teams or individuals, and let the grand winner earn a fitting prize like a Nintendo Wii.
These are just a few ways you can draw on a tour destination’s traditions or customs to drum up support for your educational trip. Did we spark any more ideas? If so, post them in the comments to share with other Explorica groups. Check back often for more fundraising tips.
Every week, Explorations will offer all you inveterate travelers a travel tip from one of our expert Program Consultants.
This week’s travel tip is from Program Consultant Aimee Chevalier, and it’s a good one for
One of the most exciting (well, sort of) aspects of travel is that you have to expect the unexpected….. in terms of weather. You also do not have the luxury of your walk-in closet, your washer and dryer, and multiple wardrobe changes a day. So, you have to pack smart and mix and match your clothing items.
When I travel I make sure that every single clothing item that I bring goes with everything else in my one suitcase, and I stick to solid colors. That way there’s no outfit planning before you depart, and you can just go with the flow once you’re there. Your clothing has to comfortable yet versatile. You have to be prepared for possibly scorching hot days and chilly nights as well as being able to go from day to evening – because who wants to waste valuable sightseeing time worrying about what they’re wearing?
I absolutely love European style . This past summer I found myself oohing and ahhing over many a Parisian girl’s outfit. So, take some cues from the locals while you’re traveling, and maybe try something a bit different with your style!
