Connecting with Cultures, Not Trampling Them
WSA strives to work with American and abroad universities in order to maximize the long-term value of the study abroad experience through travel while overseas. When students have a rewarding trip with WSA, they have a higher satisfaction level with their study abroad program.
WSA aims to enhance the student's cultural and educational experience by providing tours that go beyond the typical tourist areas, explaining the cultural or historical context of tour destinations, maximizing sightseeing in a short trip with "skip the line" access, and providing free time for students to explore these destinations on their own. WSA trips take students to local neighborhoods and restaurants and utilizes local public transporation to give the students a real taste of the local culture.
WSA has designed each of our tours with the concerns and wishes of program administrators in mind. Get in touch with us to enquire about more information.
In our active participation in international education conferences, we come across quotes that remind us of the value of the abroad experience, reaffirming our mission of deeper student travel and empowering young adults to be better citizens of the world.
"Students need to be challenged to step outside their comfort zones when studying abroad - that is possibly one of the most rewarding aspects of the experience... These are undergraduates, not children. They should be challenged to be a little uncomfortable, to be a little overwhelmed. By interacting with their local environment, they should be questioning their cultural norms and perspectives and returning home more informed and unbiased about the world around them. These kinds of experiences often create the best oucomes, and will foster the confdence that young individuals need to be prepared for academic, personal and professional challenges in the future."
- Alyssa Iricarry (From the Forum for Education Abroad handbook Denver, 2012)