What inspired you to work for EF Gap Year?
I found myself really drawn to the way EF lives its mission of "Opening the World through Education.” My first trip outside the US was actually a 2-week EF trip to Italy with my school when I was 12 years old, and that trip completely opened my eyes to the world around me.
And since I took a gap year myself, it felt really full circle for me to join the amazing EF Gap Year team, which is full of such passionate and amazing people changing young people's lives every day!
Why do you do what you do?
I truly believe that our world is a better place when we can deeply connect with other people who have grown up differently from the way we have. I was drawn to a career in international education because I could see the transformative power of these types of experiences, and I wanted to make that happen for other young people.
I am particularly passionate about gap years. So many of us follow the easiest or most "normal" path in front of us. Taking a gap year is an intentional step towards figuring out what the right path is for YOU. As more and more young people learn about and seize their gap year opportunities, we are going to end up with more creative, productive, engaged, and transformative societies.
Here I am with some of my amazing colleagues at the orientation for our Gap Year 2021-22 students!
What is your favorite part of your job?
Our entire EF Gap team puts so much time, energy, and effort into preparing students to depart on their programs, and one of my favorite things is finally seeing students arrive for orientation. The energy, excitement, and enthusiasm is palpable -- and I love being able to help students bond, learn important travel tips, and get ready to have an incredible gap experience.
Similarly, seeing students at the end of their programs is an amazing experience as well -- they change so much during their time abroad! It is amazing to see the increased confidence, adaptability, and global savvy that students have as they emerge from the program.
How do you use your education and international background in your current role?
I am lucky to have had opportunities to live, study, and work in a number of different countries across the globe. These experiences gave me a lot of humility -- I can never really know what another person has experienced or lived.
Each person has a unique story to tell and a unique path of their own. Every day in my work, I try to bring this sense of individuality to help our students have an amazing gap experience that helps them achieve their individual goals and find their own paths.
Why should someone choose EF Gap Year over competitors?
EF has the best of both worlds -- a small, individualized EF Gap Year team who will help you throughout your gap year journey, alongside a huge global network that supports you through every step of the way. With EF staff, schools, and offices in 100 offices across the globe, we have unparalleled on-the-ground support for all our travelers.
This has become even more important as we navigate today's uncertain world. We continue to use our resources to make sure that our travelers have safe, impactful, and meaningful travel experiences.
Field
Are there any developments with EF Gap Year that you would like to share with us?
I am really excited about EF's Hello Zero initiative! This is an initiative EF has started to offset all of our global carbon emissions -- not just moving forward, but retroactively to cover all of our travel since our founding in 1965.
Travel as a way to connect with others across the globe is more important now than ever, but it is also increasingly negatively impacting the environment. Initiatives like Hello Zero show that the travel industry can and should be accountable for the environmental impact.
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
We want our students to come away from our programs ready to thrive in an ever-changing world. While this looks different for everyone, we want our students to be adaptable, culturally aware, independent, and not afraid to chart their own path!
How do you help support participants?
We have an amazing global team that supports our EF Gappers every step of the way. From the Program Advisors in the Boston office to our Field Directors on the ground with students, to our Operations team in Zurich making sure everything is going smoothly behind the scenes, we have such an amazing support system!
This is a photo of me with the penguins down in the very southern tip of Argentina in Tierra del Fuego!
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel to me has two intersecting parts: 1) learning about the world and 2) learning about yourself in the world. To learn about the world, you must have an open and curious mind, approaching new places, cultures, and people with humility and openness.
To learn about yourself in the world, you must engage in processes of self-reflection to understand how you personally are growing through your travel experiences -- and how you will use this growth to give back to the world. Those two pieces are at the core of any meaningful travel experience!
How is your company handling Covid protocols? What should participants know about your Covid readiness? How are you assisting participants with navigating the new travel landscape?
I am so proud of the way EF has led the way in resuming safe and healthy gap year travel over the past year. Big picture, our EF Global Safety Network is constantly monitoring and working with our global partners to ensure that all travel is done safely and according to the most up-to-date guidelines.
Individually, we are providing students with resources that keep them safe and healthy, including requiring all our students to be fully vaccinated and implementing our COVID Care Promise, which pledges to provide for students should they contract COVID.
