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1. Why should I sign up with Global Journeys? Global Journeys designs exciting accredited study travel programs that meet and exceed Ontario Ministry of Education guidelines and provide meaningful and enhanced learning experiences for students.
We work in association with Appleby College a non-profit co-educational independent school for students in Grades 7 - 12 which has celebrated its 100th year and is known for its excellence in secondary education.
With an enviable history of developing state of the art educational travel experiences, our programs are often emulated but never surpassed in terms of student safety, staff dedication and relevant course content.
We also work with an established travel agency which has been in business for over 40 years!
Here is why we are great at what we do!
Still not convinced?? More Reasons to Choose Global Journeys Click Here
2. Where do the teachers come from and who hires them? All our teachers are Ontario Certified, and come from public, private and separate schools across the province - as do our students. They have years of experience in teaching and share a passion for exploration, discovery and knowledge which is the essence of educational travel.
Teachers are interviewed, carefully selected and hired by our Academic Director, Mrs. Pip Sadowski who has taught for 38 years in the Ontario Secondary School System as well as at schools in other parts of Canada and Europe including Oxford, UK. She has coached teachers and students for years in various settings and has travelled with student groups throughout the world for the majority of her career.
Pip brings extensive experience to Global Journeys from her years as a Teacher, College Lecturer, School Administrator, Curriculum Writer, and Continuing Education Senior Manager.
Responsible for managing our exceptional team of teachers, she coordinates all dimensions of the academic component of Global Journeys' programs both here in Ontario and abroad.
Want to see where students have come from in the past? Click here
3. How do we choose the locations for our programs? The courses in all our programs are specifically relevant to the locations we visit. Our team researches each location thoroughly, site inspections take place in advance, and programs are designed with great care to come up with an itinerary that is safe, fun, exciting and tied into the curriculum that teachers will be covering with students. Certified teachers along with our Academic Director and accrediting institutions ensure that these courses provide students with the necessary foundation for future studies at high school, college or university.
4. Who designs the curriculum? The curriculum is based on the Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum and is enhanced with materials relevant to the locations we will be visiting - which brings everything you read to life! Reviews and accreditation are performed by Appleby College, a well known private secondary school in Ontario. Our Academic Director and our group of teachers for each program work very hard to make the courses challenging and exiting, ensuring you leave with the foundation you require for your future studies.
In essence the course is similar to what you would learn in your home school – but enhanced by amazing locations abroad to offer incredible learning experiences and inspiration!
Students from outside of Ontario can also join our programs and receive a secondary school credit - simply speak with our office and your guidance counselor for details!
Want to see which courses are available? Click here
5. How many credits can I earn? Students have the opportunity to take one course for the duration of the program to earn one secondary school credit OR have the option to join us on the Summer Semester program that offers 2 credits. Credits are earned assuming of course that students have done all the required work, tests and completed the final exam. The Ontario Ministry of Education requires 110 hours per course and we balance our itinerary throughout the month with classes, site visits and recreational activities – but give students free time to study and explore. Getting a solid foundation in the courses you are taking is crucial to prepare you for higher learning but you will have time to explore and experience the environment, culture and traditions in each location.
6. When are classes taught and for how many hours? Classes are usually held in the mornings Monday to Friday for four hours and then additional hours one or two afternoons a week followed by various tours. These are held in classrooms at university campuses or in conference rooms in hotels as well as at archaeological, historical or environmentally relevant sites – such as at the Roman Forum in Italy, at a museum or café in France, in the Rainforest in Australia or at the Barrier Reefs in Bermuda - where teachers bring your course to life! You will be given a detailed schedule when the entire groups meets in May, prior to departure so you have a good understanding of your daily adventures!
7. What is the class size? Each class has no more than 20 students and so the number of students per program will depend on the number of classes we arrange to send. An average class size is 10 - 12 students per class.
8. Do I need to bring or buy books for the program? Teachers supply students with work books or resource packages that have everything that is required for the program. However, you will be informed prior to departure about books that may be required for your particular course.
9. When will I receive my marks? Your marks are sent to you a couple of weeks following your program. Upon your return your teacher will submit your marks and report to the Academic Director who reviews all the information. The Academic Director and Appleby College will then submit a transcript and report to your home school. Your school is responsible fo listing the credit on your student record. You and your parents will also receive a report by email and mail and we always recommend you check in with your school in September to ensure they have received all the necessary transcripts.
10. Will I receive a reading list before going on my trip and have the opportunity to prepare for the course in advance? Definitely! You will meet your teacher in April/May and you will be given course information, independent study unit topics, and reading lists. Although prep work before leaving is not required for most of our courses, it does help in cutting down your workload. While on site, teachers and program assistants will be conferencing with you and tutorials will be set up to assist you as well. Assistance will always be available.
11. Are there computers available or can I bring my laptop? Many of our programs include free access to computers for word processing and internet use. Please call or email us for details regarding your specific program. For areas where there is limited access, our staff will direct you to nearby facilities which will offer services at low cost to students. You can definitely bring your laptop/tablet if you wish to do so. Please note you are responsible for the security of your laptop if you do decide to bring it.
12. Can I speak with the Academic Director or my teachers directly about the course? We are always available to answer questions! To contact Pip Sadowski, our Academic Director, just call our office at 905-812-0912 or email her at psadowski@global-journeys.com and she will be happy to answer any questions concerning the academic components. You will also have the opportunity to meet your teacher, staff and other registered students in your course about 2 months before departure to talk about the course and schedule.
13. Will I have any free time for myself? Definitely! After class you can use the afternoon to study, relax, shop or explore with another student member or group of student members and then meet up with the group again for dinner. You are required to sign in and out with teachers and carry the contact information our staff provide at all times. After dinner you have free time once again until curfew. Activities are also organized for you outside of class time both in the afternoons and evenings if you want to participate – such activities include walks, picnics, movie nights, basketball, water polo games, visits to museums, galleries, and local theatre productions - all based on the general group's interest and requests. To ensure your safety, the location of some of our programs may determine when you can head out with other students without staff present.
14. How can you guarantee my child’s safety? Safety is one of our key concerns - we have meetings with students prior to departure - an orientation session is set up on the day of arrival to ensure students are aware, comfortable and knowledgeable of our surroundings, cultural differences, and locations of all staff. Students are informed of all our "rules" in advance and are expected to adhere. Students are not allowed to head out on their own without other students present and no overnight stays outside of residence are allowed. Students are not allowed to drive motorized vehicles and can only ride in motorized vehicles with family with written permission from parents. We have a curfew which students must abide by and any behavior which is deemed unacceptable will be dealt with immediately and is taken very seriously. We want you to have a positively amazing experience and a safe one!
15. Are staff available in Canada while students are abroad? Absolutely, our office remains open throughout the year – and staff are always available to assist parents with any of their needs while our groups are abroad. Our integrity, the quality of our programs and our reputation goes unmatched and so we guarantee to be available when you need us – at the airport, at the office, or abroad!
16. Is there a staff person who speaks the languages of the countries we will be visiting? We will always have a staff person or a local representative on site who speaks the language of the country where we are located to assist the group in every way.
17. Can I board with a friend? Yes you can, if double rooms are available. You can indicate whom you wish to room with on your application form and if it is possible to place you together we will do everything we can to accommodate your request. Rooming is usually in twins and in some cases triples, unless otherwise stated. Should students wish to reside in single rooms when this is not applicable to the respective program, there may be an option to do so and a supplement fee will be applied.
18. How much money should I bring? This of course depends on your spending habits and the program location. On average students require about $10 Canadian Dollars each day for lunch. Of course you may wish to purchase snacks and will require funds for entertainment, gifts and souvenirs - so on average $150 per week would be enough to cover this. We would recommend you bring additional funds should you wish to purchase more expensive gifts and souvenirs.
Lunches are included in some programs and this means you will not have to bring additional funds for meals. For instance in our online and onsite program in Costa Rica all breakfasts, lunches and dinners are included. And for the first 2 weeks of our Australia New Zealand program 3 meals are included daily as well. Please see each program for further details.
19. How can my parents, other family and friends reach me while we are away? We will be providing all parents, legal guardians and students information lists with residence locations, staff contact names, and phone and fax numbers for each programs. In some sites phones are located in students' rooms and incoming calls are transferred by reception. In areas where phones are not available in students' rooms parents can leave messages at reception and they will inform students to return their call that day. Faxes may also be sent to students and are delivered to a Global Journeys’ mailbox and distributed by staff. Should the call or fax be of an urgent nature students will be notified immediately. Parents can also call the Global Journeys office in Mississauga if they are having any difficulty with communication lines. Parents can also mail or courier letters or packages directly to the residences – every one loves receiving mail!
20. What are Program Enhancements and what is the cost? Our programs include so many activities and site visits but for those students who wish to explore areas beyond the focus of the program and outside of the region in which our programs are located - this is your opportunity to do so! The excursions are supervised and organized for you prior to departure - which means you don't have to worry about organizing this yourself and you will always have others to travel with.
Half Day excursions cost approximately $65 - $95; Full Day Excursions cost $125 - $150.
Note several of our programs include all excursions/program enhancements - see the progam of your choice for futher details.
21. What happens if I decide not to sign up for Program Enhancements? Most students sign up for all or most of the excursions to enhance their cultural experience abroad. However, for those who choose not to go on particular excursions - they can be assured that a number of teachers and staff will always be available at our residence for assistance of any kind. Those who stay behind can use their time to study, relax or explore the city along with another student group member. We do ask you to sign up for excursions prior to your departure. If you are on location and decide to join us for an excursion which you originally did not sign up for, we will try our best to add you to the excursion if space is available but cannot guarantee this.
22. Do we get to go swimming? Absolutely you can go swimming - and where you go swimming of course depends on the program you have selected. Most hotels have pools on site which we have complete access to and university residences have sport centers nearby which charge a small fee.
23. What type of insurance should I purchase? You can purchase comprehensive insurance through us when you submit your application and this provides all medical, travel, cancellation, baggage and emergency transportation (flight home) coverage.
24. Can I arrange my own flight and stay longer if I want to? We recommend you fly with the group only because this gives you an opportunity to bond with everyone. It is really where all the fun starts! However, if you wish to make alternative flight arrangements or wish to extend your trip once the program is over simply call us and we will provide you with the details to make this happen.
25. What type of currency should I bring along? This will depend on the program you will be taking and we will provide you with all that information prior to departure. We recommend you bring some cash on hand for the first few days until you get the chance to go to a bank. Also having a combination of sources of funds is ideal….so in addition to some cash, bring a bank card, traveler’s cheques and a credit card if you wish. Bank cards need to be connected to a “chequing account” and your PIN code must have 4 digits. If a situation should arise where you need additional funds, your parents can also wire funds through your bank or places such as Western Union or Thomas Cook – keep in mind this does get expensive.
26. What kind of meals do we get? Breakfasts and dinners are included in all programs and in some programs lunches are also included - for example Australia, Costa Rica, and Bermuda inlcude all 3 meals. Check details that are specified for your program on our website or in our brochure. The meals will vary based on the location you are visiting and will always have local cuisine for you to experience as well as things you recognize. For most people, the local cuisine will be very different from their usual home meals and this is all part of experiencing a new country. If you have any special dietary requirements or allergies just let us know and we will do everything we can to accommodate your needs.
27. How many students are there to each room? You are placed in single, twin or triple rooms depending on the location of the program. While in the Outback in Australia (for about 2-3 nights) you would be in triples or quads.
28. Are there refrigerators to store my medication? We ask that you inform us on your application form of any medication you will need to take while on our programs - which helps should an emergency arise. If your medication needs to be refrigerated please inform us in advance and we will make arrangements to ensure you are accommodated.
29. What type of transportation do we use? Private motor coaches, planes, trains, and ferries. Of course this depends on the program you have selected and locations we will be visiting.
30. Will I be allowed to go out in the evenings? Students can go out in the evenings after dinner as long as they are accompanied by another fellow student or students. We do expect students to discuss with their teacher and staff where they are planning on going and to follow our sign out/in procedure - this ensures we can be of assistance should you ever need it. The guidelines however will vary based on program location and is at the discretion of staff on site. In some cases you will head out as a group, be given time to explore, and return as a group.
We want you to have an amazing time but would like you to come home safely too!
31. Do I need a Visa? Canadian students going on the New Zealand/Australia program will require visas for Australia and this is processed by Global Journeys free of charge to students.
Students on the South East Asia and China program must obtain their own visas as this cannot be processed by the Global Journeys office. There is a charge for these visas which students will pay directly to the respective consulates issuing the visas. We will advise students accordingly on the time to apply for their visas and the process.
Students who do not hold Canadian passports should inform Global Journeys staff and they will direct you to the correct embassy to obtain the appropriate information.
32. What is the luggage weight allowance? Remember, Travel Light!!! Because you will be carrying your own baggage around! And charges for overweight baggage can get expensive - so leave some room for those special things you wish to bring back with you from your trip. You will be informed of weight allowances in your travel information package in early May. Keep in mind that weight allowances are subject to change.
33. Can I visit relatives or friends and stay at their home overnight? These programs are designed to offer a group experience and in order for our staff to monitor your safety we cannot allow overnight stays. You can definitely visit your family or friends abroad but if you are leaving the city and will be missing dinner we will need written permission from your parents and contact information.
34. I live in another province/country, can I still join Global Journeys and earn a credit? Yes! Absolutely! We have had several students who reside outside of Ontario, join us abroad and earn their secondary school credit. Our Academic Director will discuss your options with you and your school advisor/counsellor to ensure a credit can be applied to your secondary school diploma. In addition, the cost of the program is no different for students from outside of Ontario - if you fly with the group from Toronto Pearson Airport and return with the group to Toronto. Of course this may not be possible depending on where you live - so just call our office for details on how we can help to get you into Toronto to depart with your group at a reduced rate.
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Affiliated
with an Established and well-known educational institution