A Peek Into Our Experiential Tours Dept.
In the first half of December, our Experiential Tours Department organized two events in Quito, Ecuador. The first event was an in-person training for current and future hosts who lead our short-term tours. The second event was a partner appreciation dinner for all the organizations that come alongside us to provide incredible hands-on experiences for the students and professors participating in one or more of our Living & Learning offerings.
Here’s how the events went!
Experiential Tour Host Training
Our Director of Experiential Tours, Rachel Roskoski, and our Experiential Tours Coordinator, Sara Arroyo, organized a training for everyone in the Quito area who has hosted or is interested in hosting a short-term team for our faculty-led programs. This was a six-hour long training that prepared the nine participants to be fully equipped for whatever may come up during an experiential tour.
The day started with CPR and first aid training where everyone became fully certified. All hosts for our Experiential Tours are required to be CPR and first aid certified so that they can be prepared for all those what-if situations.
As a team building exercise, participants took part in a “speed-dating” activity where at the end, everyone was asked to share about another person in the room, including their name and something they learned about the individual. To wrap up the activity, each person shared with the group their name, where they grew up, whether or not they’ve hosted before, and three things they would bring with them to a deserted island. Activities like this prepare hosts to listen and learn from others and engage and connect with individuals, which is something that they will do as hosts for our Experiential Tours.
After these interactive activities, Rachel and Sara presented the updated Experiential Tour Host’s Training platform. All Living & Learning hosts are required to complete a multi-step training on their own before they can lead a team. Training modules include expectations as a host, logistics of hosting a team, pre-departure and re-entry, in case of emergencies, and more. We plan to offer these training events regularly–in-person and virtually–to best equip our hosts for their time abroad and to provide high-quality experiences for our partner universities.
Partner Appreciation Dinner
“It has been such an honor for Living and Learning International to work closely over the years with so many incredible organizations in Ecuador for both our short-term programs and extended internships. We are grateful to our sites as they host and facilitate the ultimate community engagement opportunities for our students. This event was the perfect celebration to bring all of our partner sites together and reflect on the impact they make on our students, and our students have on their communities.”
Rachel Roskoski
Director of Experiential Tours
We would not be the company we are today without local organizations coming alongside us and partnering with us. Whether in Ecuador, Italy, or Baltimore for our semester and summer programs, or around the world supporting us in our Experiential Tours, these organizations play a crucial role in the experiences we’re able to offer to students and our partner universities.
While our team was in Quito, we wanted to show our appreciation for the local organizations that partner with us. Our team put together a dinner where guests from 20 local organizations attended. The guests present represented schools, law firms, hospitals, nonprofits, and other prominent organizations in and around the city. These organizations have been gracious enough to open up their doors to our students, staff, and partner universities. It was a wonderful evening honoring our partners, connecting, and casting vision for the future.
“It was incredible to see the team that Living has and Learning has behind the scenes. When students are serving alongside us it is evident how they reflect the genuine love and care that they received from you.”
Fundación Contigo
Partner Organization
“I'm grateful to see partner sites and students working together, learning, and building relationships that are eternal. I'm so honored to see what God is doing in the student's lives and how impacted they are by serving alongside our incredible partners.”
Sara Arroyo
Experiential Tours Coordinator
The Living & Learning Team
Left to right: Loren Groeneweg, Janelle Groeneweg, Phil Payne, Sara Arroyo, Rachel Roskoski, Kelley Jordan-Taube, Charlie
Get to know everyone by checking out our Meet the Team Page!
Learn more about our short-term faculty-led programs on our Experiential Tours page!