Did you know September 27 is World Tourism Day? This quote on the UN World Tourism Day homepage really resonated with me, because it also exemplifies the best Vive has to offer on our travel programs.
Ce secteur [de tourisme] peut être perçu comme la quintessence du dialogue interculturel; il permet de rencontrer « l'autre », de découvrir des cultures différentes, d'entendre des langues étrangères, de goûter des saveurs exotiques, de nouer des liens avec d'autres êtres humains et de renforcer la tolérance. Il s'agit essentiellement d'une expérience éducative et spirituelle enrichissante.
➡️ ➡️ Want to experience this in Senegal? Learn more about Senegal and our trips at a free Informational Meeting.
Not only is this a quote about great travel, it describes the best of what we do in our language classes! And not only do we aim for those UN goals of travel from the quote above, but equally important, we value how we, as educators, bring this knowledge back to our communities. Some teachers have found that this experience helps them understand other groups of students from West Africa or maybe they have a new view on Islam as it’s practiced in Senegal. We return to share more of le monde francophone with our students as a changed teacher because of your experiences in Senegal.
Vive trips maximize our participation in local events, workshops, concerts, and even meals in Senegalese homes for the holiday of Tabaski or Aïd. Though our program is full of activities from sunrise to sunset, we also take time for the unexpected. Once we stopped along the Atlantic coast to chat with the Lébou fisherman sitting next to their colorful pirogues after a long day of fishing, and played a bit with the young boys who were doing little mini-sailboat races with the detritus and recycled objects they found on the sand. We value these impromptu moments as much as the planned visits.
Here’s the Vive link to the UN resources for World Tourism Day in French. You can dig around on the UN site to find some useful information for you and your students.
Vive l'expérience!
Best,
Katy
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