Stepping off the plane into uncharted land, students embark on an unforgettable journey. For years, students have had the opportunity to travel abroad through a school partnership with Education First (EF) Tours.
EF Tours is a program that offers trips for adults and students from all over the United States, allowing them to discover new countries, learn about their cultures and gain experiences they will never forget–all for relatively low prices. EF Tours offers more than just exploring the countries and gaining new experiences; it provides valuable insights and new perspectives about the world and helps develop an appreciation for other cultures.
Immersion
Exploring different nations provides opportunities to engage in daily routines and learn the traditions of the local people. Priya Draude (’27) traveled to Spain this past spring break. In her tour, she experienced a variety of activities that aided her understanding of other cultures and being exposed to Spanish natives also helped her develop her Spanish vocabulary.
“EF curated a wonderful tour itinerary,” Draude said. “We were able to visit countless landmarks, try authentic Spanish cuisine, experience local entertainment and still had time to explore the cities ourselves.”
Trips curated by EF allow students to immerse themselves in a culture, especially for those taking a language at an advanced level as it can prove beneficial for their linguistic skills.
“It was the perfect way to immerse myself into Spanish culture, as I learn to speak Spanish at school, but not that much about the customs or ways of life.” Draude said.
Similarly, students who went on the Summer 2025 trip got to experience unique culinary classes, such as a Cambodian cooking class, a valuable experience for students who want to go into the nutritional and gastronomical field.
Self-discovery
Oftentimes, traveling is associated with a journey of self-discovery, as new environments spark the courage to broaden your horizons. The Madison coordinator of the EF tours Rachel Vanpelt has been to many countries with EF tours. Having never before left the country, she took a leap of faith after the dates aligned one summer. After traveling to over 30 countries in 25 trips, she has been branching out of her comfort zone, this past summer going to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. Partaking in multiple experiences helped her learn about the culture and city, but also about herself. International trips helped expose her to new hobbies, broadened her horizons and fostered greater independence.
“Europe is great, but I am kind of branching out of my comfort zone.” Vanpelt said.
These new environments not only spark new curiosities, but they provide opportunities to foster new relationships with individuals you weren’t closely acquainted with. Kevin Brown (’27) who also traveled to Spain with EF tours, originally just wanting to be with his group of friends on the trip. However, after being surrounded with individuals he was unfamiliar with, he ultimately made new friends with people he didn’t know prior to his trip.
“I found myself isolated in that group…” Brown said. “If I went back I would’ve realized that traveling is a cooperative experience and that is what builds these great relationships.”
For the first part of his trip, he confined himself to just hanging out and doing activities with his friends. However, as he was exposed to other people from Madison who also signed up on the trip, he expanded his network and made new friends with people on the trip, and he remained in contact with them after the trip.
“Now, we have a group chat with all the kids that were on the trip, [and] we all hang out together as a group outside of school. I have become especially close with two others on the trip who I didn’t know at all before.”
Learning
Vanpelt’s reasons for taking these trips aren’t just limited to her journey of self-discovery; she also has a natural curiosity about the world and wants to learn more about other countries’ cultures and people.
“I’m always learning new things, just different ways people live… [and] different cultures,” Vanpelt said.
Cambodia was a country she didn’t really know much about and never really considered visiting, but after traveling there, Vanpelt learned a lot about the challenges of the country itself, and it became one of her most memorable journeys.
“…just kind of learning things from that aspect [was unique] because we could have been on a bus and said, ‘hey, there was war and there were fights and there were landmines.’” Vanpelt said. “But the fact we got to go and see how they are currently dealing and navigating with those situations, that was pretty cool.”
Vanpelt also learned to appreciate her home because not everyone she met through her travels had the same flexibility she does. This was especially true as Vanpelt described her experience visiting a Peruvian school.
“To put into perspective…comparing the struggles that [Madison] deal[s] with, compared to these kids wanting to go to school because that is where they can brush their teeth, and that’s where they learn the skills that they’re not getting at home.”
The tours allow the development of a variety of interpersonal skills; they broaden your horizons, give you new perspectives through immersion and facilitate learning.
¨A lot of families in this area are well vacationed but not necessarily well traveled..going on student tours, without your families, gives you guys a little more independence…[the tours] give you an opportunity to see countries in a different way.” Vanpelt said.
