Description

Passage provides personal journeys for mature and motivated individuals of all ages. These can take place at any time and last from four to twenty weeks in Nepal and twenty-four weeks in India.

We are currently offering Personal Passages in Nepal and in Varanasi, India.
The goal of a Personal Passage is to help students create their own experience by providing the methods, as well as the space and freedom, to make their experience happen for themselves. Unlike traveling to a new land alone, we give the support, contacts, and basic means to know a place and a culture intimately. There are many options.

A month before a personal journey begins we start to develop an itinerary through e-mail conversations. We discuss the student's personal interests and goals and work closely with them to design a unique itinerary that suits their vision.

Upon arrival, a coordinator orients students to local customs and traditions, health and safety issues. Visits are arranged to possible internship locations. The last day of the program will be used for Close of Program Session - a period in which the participant can reflect upon his/her experiences and discuss with the coordinator how Passage has challenged and enriched his/her life.

We start working for you from your very first contact with Passage. We discuss your personal interests and goals and work closely with you or your school advisors to design an itinerary especially tailored to your interest and vision. Long before your personal journey begins, we start planning an itinerary through e-mail or phone conversations. The in-country coordinator orients you to local customs and traditions, and health and safety issues and protocols. We arrange visits to possible internship locations.

Shortly after orientation, students will move in with their home stay families. The families all come from varied economic, religious, and ethnic backgrounds, and will provide students with their most enriching exposure to local culture and lifestyle. In addition to lodging, your home stay family will provide daily meals. We will find your home stay based on your interests and other information we receive from you during the pre-trip planning. A typical home stay will provide you a small but private bedroom. Food with your family will also vary but a typical meal will consist of dal bhaat (rice with a lentil sauce), some vegetables and occasionally meat side dishes. Some families may eat a more western style breakfast. The home stay is one of the most profound cross-cultural experiences, and students will undoubtedly find that their families offer them one of the best introductions to a new country and culture.

Determined by each student's interests, the ISP usually ranges from community and humanitarian projects to arts, music or philosophical understudy. The extensive variety of ISPs available allows students to explore new interests and to pursue academic or career resources. The ISPs are developed around specific projects that our students can complete by the end of the term. Students find that the daily routine and responsibilities that accompany an ISP help them integrate quickly into their surroundings.

Your language class will consist of one and a half hours of instruction 5 days a week for up to 52 total hours, depending on the length of your program. Learning to communicate with the people around you provides an important entry into the host community. Students find that people appreciate their effort to learn the local language and are eager to practice with them.

In addition, students who opt for a twelve-week Personal Passage or longer can choose a volunteer placement in a field of their interest. There are several and varied charities and social service organizations to choose from. They work with on such issues as health, sanitation, urban planning, ecological preservation, and more.

If students wish to travel further at the end of the program, Passage will help them to determine the various options and costs.

This type of program is for those who are motivated and independent. It is ideal for individuals who wish to study a particular aspect of a new culture; those who desire the freedom to truly design their own program or who would like a more independent experience.