Other Learning Options

Travel

Learn Through Travel The World is Your Campus! The world is your campus. Ask anybody who's traveled, and they'll tell you they learned from the experience. You can learn a lot from traveling on your own as a "tourist," or you can become a true "student of the world!" You might even end up wanting to learn about or work in the travel industry.

There are many formal programs that let you study abroad. Improve your Spanish while living with a Mexican family for a month. Learn about architecture and design on tour of America's most amazing architectural city, Chicago. Expand your cooking skills at a cooking school in Italy. Learn more about animals on a whale watching tour near Boston.

And don't forget, you can learn without traveling far. You can discover great museums, architecture, food, and more by visiting a nearby town or state you've never seen before.

Think Outside The Trip! Here are a few tips to help you really learn when you travel - whether across the globe or just across town.
-	If something looks interesting, stop and ask a local about it. You might discover that the inside of a grain elevator is fascinating, or that a park is named for a great explorer who passed through long ago.
-	Always assume there's a tour available! If you've always wanted to see how a factory works, ask them for a tour! Ever wonder what happens in the laundry room of a major hotel? Ask to see it! They may not regularly take tours, but many places will gladly show you around if you have a true interest.
-	Get off the freeway. Take country roads. Take small highways. Stop at the library in small towns, and ask the librarian about the place.
-	Learn while you're travelling! Do you fly a lot, but still wonder how airplanes fly? Get a simple book about it, and take it on your next flight. You can probably ask the pilot a question or two as you get off the plane. Do the same with trains and boats.

Double the Fun Most of us take a book on vacation. Next trip, find a great book where the story occurs in the place you're visiting, or someplace similar. You'll expand your English literature skills, and add interest to the place. Going to lay on an island beach? Take Robinson Crusoe. Heading to Europe? Try a Ludlum spy novel. Going on a multi-part trip? Take Around the World in 80 Days. Ask a librarian or bookstore clerk for more ideas.

Useful Links
For a really huge database of worldwide museums visit: Virtual Library museums pages
For an excellent directory of worldwide national parks: World Parks
Find directory of U.S. state parks here: Yahoo Travel National & State Parks
Find a directory of tourism bureaus here: Tourism Offices Worldwide Directory

<< PREVIOUS | Pen Pals

Top

NEXT | Apprenticeships >>

By Randall Shirley
Contributing Writer to World Wide Learn. © 2005. All Rights Reserved.