Today on GoAbroad we bring you an interview with Brent Hunter of Sol Education Abroad. Sol is a quality study abroad provider with programs in the Spanish-speaking world, and was founded by Esteban Lardone and Brent Hunter with some unique built-in commitments.
GoAbroad recently caught up with Brent at his favorite neighborhood bar-b-q in Austin, and our interview today jumps into some of the new and exciting developments at Sol Education Abroad!
In 2005, Sol Education Abroad was founded with the goal of giving students an experience that you, the founders, would want to have. What are some of the ways you do this?
Our focus is on making it personable. We limit our group sizes to a certain number. This allows greater interaction between the students and their program director as well as better interaction during the cultural activities and weekend excursions. Also, having excellent, well-vetted host families is key to the students having a good experience.
How did you guys meet each other and come up with the idea of Sol Education Abroad?
We originally met through the rock-climbing scene in Austin, Texas. Both of us had been highly impacted by international education experiences and had a common interest in Spanish and Spanish-speaking countries. We also both had a shared vision of how we wanted to run our ideal program.
In order to maintain your mantra of catering personally to students, your group size never exceeds 25 - are there any cons to this method?
Yes, because sometimes you have to turn away that one student who would have been really great in the group.
One of Sol Education’s many goals is to make sure students come back home speaking Spanish. How does Sol facilitate that process?
Brent Hunter in Spain, courtesy of Sol Education Abroad
The host family probably provides the strongest base to building up a student’s Spanish and cultural competency on our programs. Having families who actually care about the student and take the time to help them with their Spanish is very important. Also, the cultural activities must be well-thought out and selected so that they are geared toward using Spanish and learning about something in Spanish (group management by directors is important otherwise students fall into English).
What are some of the ways that Sol Education sticks to its sustainability mission?
We are able to stick to our sustainability mission by having 4 locations that we know like the back of our hand. By not having tons of programs we can focus on building a very unique and very real relationship with each component of the program onsite: from the host mother to the person who runs the zipline tour.
Study abroad brings a lot of money to a local economy. We make it a point that those we work with in the host country know how important they are to the program. If everyone involved feels appreciated and that they are recognized for doing a good job then the program works as a holistic whole. It moves in tandem in a positive direction.
Both of you are proficient rock climbers. Do students have to be just as ‘outdoorsy’ to study abroad with Sol Education?
Not at all! I think the root of what makes one a climber is getting out there and doing something a little off the beaten path. I think that’s what we’re trying to attract - students who are willing to step outside of their comfort zone and come along on the program (climbing is all about stepping outside of your comfort zone). We do try, though, to bring an outdoor component to each program. Whether that is a Saturday outing in the mountains of Spain or a bike ride on a greenbelt in Buenos Aires, Argentina, we know how impactful an outdoor experience is since they seem to get rarer and rarer for people these days.
If we take a student hiking or horseback riding in a National Park for an afternoon that can really be the spark to them doing more of that over their lifetime. Early exposure to the outdoors is so important in building a healthy lifestyle and an appreciation of the outdoors as well as a connection with our natural environment. And if anything, they are memories that are not forgotten.
Mexico is one of the most amazing destinations, what do you tell students who think all of Mexico is unsafe?
Students should know that the violence is regional and that we are specifically in Oaxaca City, Mexico. Oaxaca is on the U.S. Department of State Travel Safe List. Malia Obama even studied abroad there with her school in March 2012. Sol Education Abroad is one of the few study abroad providers that has not left Mexico because we feel Oaxaca City is safe and is an incredible study abroad destination. We continue to have a full staff and office there. We also feel that as part of our sustainability mission, it is important to continue to support the Mexican people and local economy.
Many of your student reviews on GoAbroad claim that Sol Education’s excursions set you guys apart from the rest. Why do you think that is?
I think first of all it’s a trickledown effect. I think from the moment a student finds us they realize we do things differently. I think they start to get the vibe that this is something personable and genuine and then that just naturally flows through all aspects of our programming - including the excursions. We make sure that we don’t skimp on anything - each excursion has to be carefully planned from the moment the student is picked up until they are dropped off at their homestay.
Esteban Lardone in Spain, courtesy of Sol Education Abroad
What is the best Mountain to climb in Latin America?
Tough one! Esteban has climbed more mountains than I have (he was a mountain guide in Latin America for several years) but my favorite is in Costa Rica - Mt. Chirripó (Costa Rica’s tallest peak at 3,820 metres (12,533 ft). It’s not that it’s technical but that it’s such a surprise. Here you are in a tropical country and you find yourself hiking through different climate zones and then into what’s a tundra-like area (high parámo). And it’s cold up there! It’s one of the most grueling hikes I’ve done but then you arrive to this amazing National Park lodge that looks like something straight out of the Himalayas.
I can’t imagine how they built that up there. Once you are above the tree-line you are surrounded by swaths of high altitude meadows and craggy peaks. The whole place has a feeling of mystery. When you finally summit Mt. Chirripó you can see both the Pacific and the Caribbean on a cloudless day.
What’s next for Sol Education Abroad? Will you ever consider moving to a non-Spanish speaking country?
I think more than anything we plan to keep on the path that we are on. We will always continue to work on maintaining the high quality we are known for on our programs. Understanding the academic needs of the students is something we always have to adjust to. Making sure the academics are presented correctly and clearly is also really the core of how this all works. We do not plan to move to a non-Spanish speaking country. We want people to identify us as a go-to program for Spanish and programming in Spanish-speaking countries. We make it apparent that that is what we know and do best!
Thanks for chatting with GoAbroad, Brent! Be sure to check out Sol Education Abroad on GoAbroad to learn even more about their programs!
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