My Up With People Journey

Jeff joined the Up with People program based out of Denver, Colorado, on a six month multicultural education program in 2007 traveling to seven countries and twenty cities learning global citizenship and gaining in depth cross-cultural understanding. Jeff says of his gap year experience, "I learned more about the world than I ever could have learned reading a book." Jeff's story below is an exceptional testimony about the personal impact and benefits of international travel and cultural immersion as part of a structured gap year experience before college.

The Journey of a Lifetime

I think that it is truly amazing how much a person can learn in a matter of six months. I find that you can not only learn about yourself, but you can also learn about others and about the world around you as well. Lucky enough for me…that is exactly what I did. I went on the “Journey of a Lifetime” with the global education program Up with People. I traveled with Cast C 2007 for a six month trip that took me to seven countries and 20 different cities all over the world. During the time I traveled, I was learning not only about myself but my cast mates, my host families, and I learned more about the world than I could have ever learned reading a book.
When it came to learning about me, I learned about my comfort zone and how I could push it in a positive manner. I was faced with many situations in which I wasn’t used to. I was in countries that I had never visited, ate food I never thought I would eat, and stayed with families I had never met. My comfort zone was challenged! I also learned about my personal tolerance. My tolerance with people, my tolerance with food from all over the world, and my tolerance with being away from my home and family for so long. It’s funny because as you grow up, it seems like leaving home couldn’t come any sooner. However when it really happens, you find yourself in a whole different ballpark. Dealing with food was another big tolerance I learned very quickly to deal with. Whether it was eating bugs in Thailand, drinking sour milk in Finland, or eating sushi for the 1st time in Japan, I learned that I had definitely gotten used to the food here in the United States growing up. Moreover, learning about my comfort zone and about tolerance, went on to teach me more about myself in six months then it took me learning in 18 years of life I had already lived.
Traveling with Up with People also gave me the amazing chance to learn about my cast mates. Cast C 2007 consisted of 68 people from 18 different countries. I was able to see firsthand that people from all around the world can work together and not only get along, but can complete difficult tasks such as building houses for Habitat for Humanity, having “Hot Topic” conversations about things such as global issues, politics, religions, and even come together to perform a dynamic show. The show serves as a thank you for our host families and communities we visited as well as a celebration of cultures. Visiting 20 different cities meant staying with 20 different host families which was a huge learning opportunity. Being away from my real family was hard but learning that a family I had never met and interacting with siblings that weren’t related to me could actually be very similar to life back home. Our host families did everything our families back home would do. They fed us, they asked us about our day every day, and they were even there for us when we went thru tough times. My grandmother had a stroke while I was with a host family and I honestly could not have asked for a better support system in my time of need. With that you can see that family means family…no matter where you are in the world.
Joining Up with People also gave me the unbelievable opportunity to literally see the world. As I went through school I took history class after history class and what I learned in Up with People while traveling the world, I could have never learned reading in a book. I learned that there are people all over this world that have the same desire to make it a better place. These people come from all different races, religions, political and social backgrounds. I learned about global warming and could actually see places where it was effecting. I saw how families all over the world interact and that the bond between parents and their children are very similar everywhere. I learned that there are people in this world that truly love others for who they are, regardless of their race, sex, religion, or sexual orientation. I learned that people are people and that the bonds that you make with them can truly last a lifetime.
Now if I could tell you that there is an organization out there that would give you the potential to learn about yourself, others, and the world…would you believe me? I guess I am living proof that there is. It is the global education program Up with People. So did I learn about myself?…yes I did. Did I learn about others?…more than I thought that I would. Finally, did I learn about the world?...more than you would believe. It is because I went on the journey of a lifetime and I have Up with People to thank for that.

Up with People seeks to train youth in global leadership and to spark them to action in meeting the needs of their communities, countries and the world. The program distinguishes itself among youth exchange programs by combining international travel,cultural immersion, community service, performing arts, professional development and intercultural living. The program addresses the real need to help young adults gain global perspective, knowledge of worldwide issues, leadership and a sense of social responsibility.