What inspired you to work for CIEE?
When looking up CIEE online, the mission and values resonated with me. Inclusiveness and problem-solving are very important when you want to work in international environments. Being able to contribute to that mission was a real driver for me to apply. Also, the job description of Center Director is amazing and seems to fit my generalist profile quite well.
Let's get down to business. Presentations for academic partners visiting Amsterdam.
Describe a typical day at work.
I usually come to work with a precise idea of my goals and a tight schedule, but the Center Director role is such that my days usually look nothing like I had planned! We are dealing with a variety of issues and people are central to my role, so every day is different from the next!
What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?
Go for it, you won't regret the journey! Building up an international experience and mindset is a great way to build up some very valuable life and work skills. From adaptability, mental agility, and intercultural awareness, traveling and experiencing firsthand other cultures is the best way to learn.
The best days at work are when this great team goes out for a team lunch together!
Why should someone choose CIEE over competitors?
I can't speak to what our competitors do, but CIEE programs are built in such a way that we allow students to fully enjoy both "studying" and "being abroad" when they join our study abroad programs. Besides that, CIEE's focus on health, safety, and security is so important that we can provide students with great programs in the safest conditions!
Are there any developments with your organization that you would like to share with us?
Following the pandemic, CIEE is growing and opening new centers in many locations. It's a very exciting time to be part of this organization.
We are providing a greater variety of programs in more and more locations, making our mission an even greater success globally. The experience CIEE had in creating new programs is real and we can build on that for the future.
Team photo in front of the office. This was CIEE's great Amsterdam High School Team for the summer.
What is your organization's mission and how do you continue to work toward it?
CIEE's mission is "To help people gain understanding, acquire knowledge, and develop skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world." We change lives, and hope our alumni help us change the world! With every new program and new location developed by CIEE, we create new opportunities for learners to gain global experiences.
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
Firstly, participants will gain direct knowledge of a new culture. With the length of the programs and the different cultural components, participants gain access to many different layers of local cultures during their program.
Secondly, all our programs have strong academic components. This allows students to gain knowledge relevant both locally and internationally.
Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?
Getting to know new cultures allows students to realize how wide and small the world is at the same time. It's a unique opportunity to build bridges between the culture you come from and the culture you are discovering and getting to know. Even more so, you get to experience a new culture in its setting and authenticity!
To see more of the city along the river, we went on a boat cruise in Amsterdam.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful is the space where the individual traveling abroad meets other cultures and other people. It is in the impact it has on the traveler and how it will change his future after these travels.
It is about learning more about yourself as a person, and others. It's also about putting yourself in a different context and understanding the perspective of the foreigner.
