The Drive to Wales

Our bus slowed as it drove though the Welsh village. There were a few homes, a couple pubs, a store, and not much else. We continued on down the main road and pulled up alongside a two story, white concrete building with black shutters. We’d arrived.

Two weeks earlier my roommates and I stumbled upon a flyer about a weekend trip to Wales. It outlined stops along the way at Chepstow Castle, Titern Abbey, Hay-on-Wye, and one of the oldest pubs in the UK. The highlight of the trip was a horseback-riding excursion through the Welsh countryside. Space was limited, so we jumped on the opportunity and booked the trip.

Unbeknownst to us, all the stops on our itinerary were scheduled for the first day. We dragged ourselves out of bed for the early departure and traveled across London to meet up with the bus.

It was a small group and a small bus. Every seat was filled. The stops along the way broke up our time spent in the cramped seats. They hadn’t really accounted space for our luggage.  After our last stop we had a couple hours on the road still until we arrived at the Inn.

It’d been a long day. Most of us planned on resting during this last leg of the trip. I had an aisle seat and sat next to my friend, Bill. As he dozed off he propped his head on the window. The easy twists and turns in the road and the steady bumps made it easy drift off.

Before long the twists got more aggressive. It felt that our speed had quickened too. I opened my eyes and instinctively inched closer to the aisle. Bill woke soon after. His eyes bulged, he let out a yelp, and he nearly jumped in my lap.

The bus was racing down a rough road on the edge of a sharp drop. From Bill’s view on the window, we couldn’t see the road underneath. Trees growing along the edge zipped past. It was a terrifying scene to wake to. Bill decided to yell up to the bus driver to make sure he was aware of how close to the edge we were.  I don’t know how long we’d been driving like this while we slept, but we carried on for quite a while longer.

I remember feeling nauseous and closing my eyes to keep from seeing the scenery race by.  I didn’t open my eyes again until the bus slowed down. The quaint village was a sight of relief. We survived day one of our adventure…

Lunch on Montserrat

Lunchtime in Barcelona was spent at home with family and friends during the afternoon siesta. Food was prepared, newspapers read aloud, and children were allowed to watch TV. It was a magically quiet and relaxing time.

The day we visit Montserrat I was prepared to be away from the house and my host family during the siesta, but I was not prepared for how we would spend the siesta on the mountain.

My friend, Sonia, made arrangements with a few friends to travel with us. Five of us piled in to a tiny European car and drove outside the city and in to the mountains. The further we traveled and more winding the roads became, I started to get nervous about what I’d gotten myself in to. Two weeks earlier I’d broken my foot and was getting by on an air cast.

When we arrived at the foot of the mountain, we drove through the visitor’s parking lot to a gate. Sonia’s friend argued with a policeman for a minute and then turned to me and said “make sure to limp a little, the policeman is being nice and letting me drop you off here.” Sonia helped me out of the car and held my arm as I limped off to the train.

Montserrat is the home of the Santa Maria de Montserrat monastery. Sonia described that at a young age Spaniards, including herself, make a pilgrimage here. When she did it, a group of them walked all the way from her hometown. She pointed across to another peak where a tall cross stood. They’d stopped there before continuing up to the monastery. It was roughly a 16-mile journey for them. Regardless of my broken foot, I felt humbled by their journey.

Before too long, it was lunchtime. The weather was perfect and so we found a few stone steps outside to sit on. The steps circled around forming almost a stage in the middle. Many other travelers were seated there to eat as well. Sonia had packed a lunch for the two of us. We snacked on some chips and anchovy filled olives. Once we were finished with that, she served the sandwiches. She’d made a baguette with smeared tomato and salt cured ham. We ended with a couple chocolate digestives.

As we sat and ate, other travelers filed out of the monastery and started to gather on the “stage”. Several of them wore traditional polka dotted dresses of Seville. This group had clearly, made a long pilgrimage from the south. A few of them men from this group sat close to the gathering and started to play their guitars. Before long, the women started dancing.

From my experience of a Barcelona siesta, this was much louder and much more active. The group from Seville never asked others to join in, or shooed them away when then did. We were free to watch or free to take part. There were the entertainers and the entertained. Instead of a culture clash between regions, we were experiencing balance and harmony. We sat for nearly an hour watching, and it was an unexpected highlight of my trip.

Midterm Proposal

My goal is to merely establish an online presence. I have been hesitant, at best, to create a presence until I established voice to present. Now, I’ve learned, you must practice your voice to strengthen and establish a voice.

Lessons Learned:

It’s far more of a risk to be hidden then to make a mistake in plain view. Without establishing any online presence, I’m allowing others to draw conclusions without hearing my voice. Without a voice I have decided to sit in the back of the bus. I can’t hear what the bus driver is asking for, he/or she can’t hear me respond, and I can’t even see the road we’re driving on. I’m simply along for the ride and nauseated by the speed bumps!

Game Plan to Boost my voice:

1)   It’s time to jump in with both feet. I’m going to join LinkedIn and post my resume. Networking is a reality. However, networking also isn’t what it used to be. I plan to push the possibilities of my resume with key words, linked resources, and listing skill sets that are widely applicable.

2)   Create a portfolio. I am in a program that is pushing my skills. As a marketing major in my undergrad, I should have already started to put pieces of my work together. Now, I need to not only consistently update and add to my portfolio, but also make it publicly available along with my resume.

3)   Develop my interests. The bullet points above should concentrate on work at the professional level. Just like adding an “interests or extracurricular” section to my resume, I shouldn’t be afraid to invest time and energy in to my hobbies.  What does this mean for my web presence? Sharing. I’ve grown to really appreciate the blog I’ve created in this class. It’s a great record of my memories in travel, showcases my writing skills, and focused on my biggest passion.

Still Learning:

Practice, practice, practice. I’ve gotten the push to start writing again, which was the hard part.  And this class has been a great forum to write, critique, and receive feedback. Now, the harder part will be to continue writing after this class. By continuing my blog and building a following, I hope to further receive critique and feedback, which will improve my writing

This last chapter dipped in to the idea of SEO. This the greatest tool to have on the web. Knowing how your words can push searches is key for searching and being found. Incorporating this knowledge in to your sites or your writing is a skill worth working on.

Elevator Pitch

1. Travel guides are just starting to emerge in the iPod scene. You can download guidebooks and maps, audio books, and travel related podcasts. Rick Steves has come the furthest with his walking audio tours. There is still a lot of room to expand this genre. Rick Steves’ guides are historical, what about other themes? There are “Sex and the City” bus tours in New York and Harry Potter tours in London already. These two tours are very popular and no doubt fun in large groups. However, like iTunes has made lesser known bands more accessible; why not make self-guided tours more accessible for less mainstream themes. This could include tours of scenes from National Treasure in Boston, Breakfast at Tiffany’s in NYC, or the entire driving tour from Elizabethtown. Beyond films, self-guided tours could include restaurants, clubs, boutiques, gardens, etc.

2. One of the biggest regrets of travel is an unsuccessful attempt to find home cooking. The best way to immerse in a culture is to taste the food. My idea is inspired by Couch Surfing. Why not create a network of foodies? When you find yourself in a new city, this site will allow you to contact a local who is willing to invite you to dinner.

Injured Abroad

One of the most unique “opportunities” I had in my travels was getting injured. Yes, it was an opportunity. I had a brief glimpse at another countries health care system. And I was forced to re-evaluate my surroundings with the perspective of being (slightly) handicapped.

While I was in Sweden I managed to break my foot. My Swedish friend said I should wait until I was back in London to see a doctor. The health care in Sweden was too expensive, she said.  I had no trouble waiting, I was in denial I’d actually broken my foot. In fact, I was in denial for an additional three days after returning to London.

On the fourth day I decided it was time to get things checked out. Because of my casual manor, the nurses didn’t believe my foot was broken either. But after the doctor took one look at me he rushed me off for x-rays. He bandaged me up in a temporary cast, handed me some crutches and told me to return in five days. I was alone, an hour from my flat by train, and now on crutches.

Getting home was a whole new challenge. Not only was it taking twice as long for me to maneuver with the crutches, but also I had to make a new game plan for the route home. Even though I rode the train daily, I had to stop and study the map to determine which stops were handicap accessible.  Get off at the wrong stop and I could be confronted with a steep staircase. Luckily, I ran in to a friend on the train and he offered to give me a piggyback ride home from the station.

Another friend came back to the hospital with me five days later. The waiting room was an unusual scene. The emergency room in England is free and they must treat everyone. So, in effect, there were several homeless people coming in to be seen. Some of them were not in their right minds and started a fight. After they were escorted out, the mood brightened up as a snack cart made it’s way around the room. My friend and I looked at each other and couldn’t help but snicker. All of this seemed to be out of place.

I managed to convince the doctor to give me a walking cast. I was only a month in to my semester abroad and wasn’t about to let a plaster cast ruin my plans!  Once I had the walking cast, I was literally back on my feet. Five days later I was on a ten-day tour to Spain and Switzerland. The only thing my injury stopped me from was paragliding in the Alps.

The Unwelcomed Delay

Traveling relies on transportation. Transportation is no stranger to delays. Any where along your route you could get stuck, but it’s OK. Even if you leave hours of room for error it still might not be enough.

 Once, I almost missed a flight because there was no one at the gate to board me. My name was being called on the loudspeaker. I couldn’t help but laugh and yell back- “I’m here!” I didn’t lose my cool though. I waited patiently. Looked for another desk to inform them of the situation. And then waited for someone from the airlines to let me on to the plane. In a matter of minutes the situation was resolved and I was back on track.

Another time, I was in London and simply wanted to get back to my flat after a long day. It had been raining hard that day. When I got to the tube mass crowds and announcements that the tube was shut due to flooding confronted me. I hurried back up to the streets. The excessive number of commuters that would normally be on the trains was now weighing down the busses. The lines to catch a cab were queuing up quickly too. I was roughly a 45-minute walk from home, on a good day. It seemed overwhelming. Maybe it was the look of defeat on my face but in that moment a cab pulled over and illegally picked me up and took me home.

Last New Year’s Eve my sister and I planned a trip to the Bahamas for the Junkanoo festival. The New England weather had other plans. Instead of sitting on the beach drinking Yellow Birds, we were bundled up in sweaters and snowed in watching movies. Our trip was cut short a couple days, but, we got a more direct flight.

Sometimes, you’ve just got to have faith. When delays seem to be keeping you from your travels, maybe there’s an opportunity in the moment you’re missing. And remember that the journey is half the adventure.

Wiki: Educational Travel

Educational travel: A segment of the tourism industry that focuses on the educational content of a trip. Trips are designed to include famous landmarks, demonstrate historical events, and/or introduce cultural experiences. Tours may be domestic or international.

Travel is a unique and profound way to emphasize lessons, especially to young individuals. Educational trips may allow students to visit a famous or historical landmark, literally trace the steps of a history lesson, practice learning a language, or experience firsthand the traditions of a foreign culture.

Every travel opportunity can lend itself to a lesson learned. “One of the benefits of travel is the eye-opening realization that there are logical, civil, and even better alternatives.” (6)

Types of Educational Travel

Family Vacations

Many families try to incorporate an educational component to their family trips. Outside of the historical lessons, families can also instill core values and lessons while away from home. “Travel can help a family absorb more than just facts. It can help people empathize with the experiences of others.” (2)

Group Tours

There is a niche of tour operators that focus on providing education tours for groups. They are often targeted to middle and high school age groups. Schools, individual teachers, religious organizations, or clubs typically lead such groups. Popular organizations include ACIS (1), EF (4), and NETC (5).

Study Abroad

Exchange programs or study abroad experiences allow students a longer-term visit to a location. Typically these programs can run from a week to year. Students may stay with a host family, on their own, or in dormitories. The goal with such programs is to fully immerse into the culture. “A critical dimension of achieving intercultural understanding and competence is personal experience.” (3)

References

(1) ACIS

(2) Allee, Judith Waite and Melissa Morgan (2002). Educational Travel on a Shoestring : Frugal Family Fun and Learning Away from Home. Colorado Springs, CO: Shaws Books.

(3) Cushner, Kenneth (2004). Beyond Tourism: A Practical Guide to Meaningful Educational Travel. Toronto: ScarecrowEducation.

(4) EF

(5) NETC

(6) Steves, Rick (2005). Rick Steves’ Italy 2006. Emeryville, CA: Avalon Travel Publishing.

See Also:

Tourism

Outdoor education

Travel documentary

Adventure travel

Student Exchange program

International student

International education

Intercultural communication

Study abroad

STA Travel

How to Pack for Two Weeks in One Carry-on Bag

It was the flight home from my cousin’s wedding when my sister lost her luggage. We flew from Atlanta to Philadelphia and then home to Boston. Her luggage, apparently, did not. She fought with the airlines and reported the lost baggage. After three weeks she was basically told to give up and submit a claim of the items she lost with her luggage. We learned that if items go unclaimed for three weeks, it is sent to Arizona to be sold at auction.  All they could do now was send her a check to compensate for her lost belongings. It was after this that I decided to avoid checking luggage at all costs. I know the chances of my luggage being lost for good are slim. However, since this happened baggage fees have also become a norm.  Both of these reasons have justified the extra effort it takes to pack in carry-on luggage only.

The most difficult trip I packed for recently was a twelve-day tour of France and England. Besides the horror stories of lost luggage and avoiding the risk of baggage fees I also wanted to keep as mobile as possible. This was a large group tour of teenagers and so everyone was responsible for carrying their own luggage. There would be no bellhops at the hotels and our coach wouldn’t likely fit down the narrow, cobblestone streets in Normandy. So, the challenge was made, I needed one easily transportable carry-on bag.

How to pack for two weeks in one carry-on bag:

1)      Pick your bag.

a.       Ideally, a large backpack would have been great for this trip.  I would have loved throwing my pack on and been on my way. Reasons I did not use a backpack, however:

                                                               i.      My overnight camping pack was too long and had too many straps. The length of my pack could have instantly forced me to check my bag. I’m sure, if it wasn’t stuffed full I could have snuck through, but I wasn’t willing to risk it. And then once it was checked, the straps would have been a nightmare! Airports hate straps. I would have had to secure each strap so my bag didn’t get snagged on a conveyor.

                                                             ii.      Bad storage space. Although, the pack was long and fit a lot, it’s not an efficient packing style. The narrow body of the bag would force me pull everything out and re-pack every time I needed something. And without a firm structure, all of my clothing would be wrinkled, too.

                                                            iii.      Security. Backpacks are a huge target for pick-pocketers.  Traveling with a backpack would mean investing in a backpack protector. A backpack protector is basically a wire mesh to place over the pack and secured with a lock. This is easily a $50-$100 investment.

b.      Instead, I chose a mid-sized roller bag. The size secured I could use it as a carry-on bag. It was small enough that I’d have no trouble carrying it. The zip-around maximized the space inside for my belongings, and made them easy to access. Lastly, I could secure it shut with something as simple as a twist tie and no further locks or protection would be necessary. The only con is that it was a roller bag. This wouldn’t be ideal on old, cobblestone roads, but the pros outweighed the cons in this case.

2)      Pick your shoes.

a.       The bulkiest items you’ll likely ever pack are your shoes.  So, start here. Remember that you’ll want to wear your bulkiest shoes on the plane, if possible. For this trip, we were planning to walk, a lot! Shoes needed to be comfortable. It was also summer, so shoes needed to be lightweight and breathable. Also, cobblestone roads require your shoes have good traction and no heal.  The last point to consider is that you want your shoes to match as many outfits as possible. I chose a neutral, strap on, “Mary Jane” style shoe. It had traction like a sneaker, color to match just about anything, and comfort for walking. I also brought a pair of black flip-flops to wear on the bus or in the hotel at night.

3)      Pick your outfits.

a.       Although, you may want to pack sundresses in the summer, they really do fill your bag quickly. Dresses are typically only worn once on a trip. Shorts, pants, or even skirts can be worn multiple times. The goal is to see how many outfits you can arrange with the least amount of clothing. Keep in mind the shoes you’ve chosen and make sure they match each outfit. Some people will pick a theme to help pack in this way. For example, pack in neutrals or in all black. This way, everything matches no matter what two items you take out of your bag.

4)      Accessorize.

a.       If you do decide to pack in a theme you might have saved some space to add accessories. This is a good way to dress up a casual outfit for dinner or to make a new look out of an outfit you’ve already worn.

5)      Load up.

a.       Plan your entire outfit for the plan ride and set that aside. Keep in mind airplanes are cold, so you’ll want to carry your bulky sweatshirt or jacket as opposed to packing it. Try to avoid wearing a belt. If possible, wear slip on shoes with socks. (Security will make you remove shoes; you’ll appreciate the socks at this point.)

b.      Start with your bulky items like jeans and any extra shoes.

i. Jeans: fold in half and lay across the entire back of your bag.

ii. Shoes: pack soles together (to avoid getting your clothes dirty), heal to toe, and put as close to the wheels of your suitcase. Shoes are likely to be heavier than your clothes, so this will reduce shifting. If you are packing sneakers (which you should reconsider wearing on the plane) pack your socks inside them to save on space.

c.       Next, any items that you would mind becoming wrinkled. Fold in the best fashion for that item and place on top of jeans, as flat as possible.

d.      All other clothing: (Hear me out, this saves more space then you can believe.) Fold the item in half. Roll from top to bottom. Stack the rolled items in your suitcase like bricks. Start from the top of your bag and work down to the shoes that rest near the wheels.

e.      Leave space between your shoes and the rest of your clothing for your toiletry bag and accessories.

6)      Personal bag.

a.       Airlines will allow you one personal item beside your carry-on. This is where you want to store your wallet, IDs (including passport), other travel documents (hotel or transportation information), electronics, entertainment (reading material, music player, deck of cards…), and liquid items (see step 7).

7)      Toiletries

a.       Consolidate whatever toiletries you have to toiletries you need. Make sure it fits in one small bag that will fit in the space you left available in your suitcase. Take out ALL liquid items.  Security will only allow each passenger one quart-sized bag of clearly labeled 3oz bottles for liquid items. Keep this separate toiletry bag in your personal bag.

8)      At the airport.

a.       You have all items needed for your travels in your personal bag. There will be no need to dig through your luggage at the airport. At security put your shoes and jacket in a bin. Put your personal bag in a bin with electronics and bag of liquids pulled out. Carry your boarding pass and ID. Smile politely, as TSA agents are people too. And avoid personal remarks about full body scanners.

These instructions are nearly full proof. I’ve had TSA agents compliment my packing capabilities and efficiency. Give it a try and share your tips! The smarter people pack, the shorter those lines at security will get!

A Mediterranean Morning

One of my favorite mornings to date was during my time in Barcelona. I was staying with a friend and her family in Sant Cugat, just outside the city. We needed to catch an early train in as she had to get to class. We planned to meet up later in the afternoon, but the morning was mine to explore.

As an ambitious traveler, I planned to visit a museum and catch the hop-on-hop off bus to see a few famous sights. Little did I know that the city had other plans for me. When I got to the museum, it was closed. And the bus tours hadn’t started up for the day either. I was quickly learning that Barcelona was not a morning city.

At a loss, I walked down the street and continued down a wharf. Just as I neared the end, I found a café.  With time now on my hands, I decided to enjoy a nice breakfast. Even though I didn’t drink coffee at the time, my sister told me prior to my trip that I had to try the “café con leche”. I ordered one and a pastry. The café was tiny and not specifically designed for guests to stay and sip their coffee. There was one other customer. I pulled up a chair near the front door and took out my guidebook. The fishy breeze was refreshing in the stuffy café. Any my sister was right, the coffee was amazing.

The guidebook stated that the museum wouldn’t open for another hour. So, after I ate, I decided to continue to stroll around the area until the doors opened. None of the shops were open, the street vendors weren’t set up yet, there were no business people rushing to work, and the city was quiet. The only other people I saw out and about was a group of German tourists. I’d run in to them the day before on a bus and so we nodded politely to each other. Having already discovered we didn’t share a common language, we continued on our separate paths.

Before long, I was back strolling along the water again. This time, I was on a boardwalk. More people were starting to appear. The city must finally be waking up.  Vendors started to unroll their mats and set out merchandise along the boardwalk. They had carved wooden bracelets, Barca Football Club t-shirts, sunglasses, earrings, postcards, and magnets. I picked out two scarves and bought them for my sisters. As one of the first customers of the day, I managed to haggle the price down a bit.

The city was in full swing now. Tourists crowded the boardwalk. The vendors were yelling out the merchandise they had for sale. The shops all had their doors propped open. It was time to get back to my itinerary and I headed to the museum.

Travel and Terrorism

On 9/11 I remember looking up.  I remember how uneasy it felt to see an empty sky. I knew that no matter how long I stood there, staring up, I would not see a single plane fly by.  We were shaken as a nation and paralyzed by fear. It was unsettling and I never wanted to feel that fear again.

Unfortunately, four years later the London tube bombings happened.  It was one month before I was to move to London for a semester abroad. Selfishly, I remember thinking that my mother would forbid me to go. She didn’t. Instead she offered me a one of our family mottos, “beware of the moose.”

Once, when we’d traveled to Maine we saw a sign on the road that simply stated, “beware of the moose.” It became a motto in our family. It didn’t mean to actually keep an eye out for moose crossing your path. It meant that you can’t control what might get in your way, but to be at the ready when it inevitably does.

Although, traveling, at that time, seemed to be a more of a risk, I realized that I wasn’t raised to fold in the face of adversity. I had more to lose if I let fear take control. I was raised to “beware of the moose.” And so, I moved to London.

Devil's Advocate

All-inclusive resorts are the best way to travel internationally. They are huge money savers, excursions can be arranged for cultural experiences, and their standards are higher than most local hotels and restaurants. It’s hard to consider traveling any other way once you see the benefits of staying at an all-inclusive resort.

Any one who has traveled knows what a hassle it can be to organize all the details of a trip. You have to consider the flights, transportation from the airport, hotels, food, activities, admission fees for those activities, and how to get around. First you have to come up with a plan, research your options, price your options, book everything, confirm your bookings, and then you still have to pray your requests didn’t get lost in translation. All-inclusive resorts do this all for you, for a set price. Even if you managed to get a better price by booking each of these details on your own, consider the headache you’ll be saving yourself.

Once you’re in the resort, you’ll see all the activities they have available right on site. There’s usually something for everyone. You can enjoy massages, take part in karaoke, stay up dancing, or just lounge by the pool. There’s almost no need to leave the facilities. But, if you’re adventurous enough to leave the resort, you can always join an excursion. These trips, organized by the resort, will usually include transportation and a guide. It’s such a great luxury to have a local be able share fun facts or history along your trip. After one excursion I joined in Costa Rica the bus even made a pit stop where we could buy authentic souvenirs. We would have definitely missed out had we arranged the tour on our own! And it’s an added bonus with these excursions that you’re usually grouped with other travelers.  It’s a great way to meet others with similar interests.

The best thing about staying in an all-inclusive resort is how certain you can be of the quality of service you’ll receive.  You can absolutely trust that your rooms will be cleaned daily. All the amenities you’d find in an American hotel are likely to be available. And the food is safe to eat. With any foreign travel, you’ll want to stick with bottled water, but at least you know your food was prepared in a clean kitchen.

The icing on the cake: all-inclusive resorts are all-inclusive! Meaning, your trip can be nearly cash-free. You don’t have to worry about exchanging currencies. And you don’t have to worry about where to hold your money while enjoying the swim-up bar! Swimsuits were not meant to carry wallets.

All-inclusive resorts have made traveling effortless. Even being abroad, you don’t have to worry about finding your bearings. From the moment your flight lands through to the end of your trip, the resort will take care of you. You can almost literally turn off your brain and just focus on relaxing. All-inclusive resorts are the best way to travel internationally.

Resume

Education

York College of Pennsylvania                                                 York, PA                              Spring 2007

Bachelor of Science in Marketing- Minor in Advertising

Work Experience

University                                                                                Location                                2009-Present

Position Title (2010-Present)

·       Provide administrative support for students via email, phone, and in person.

·       Create reports reflecting student statistics (i.e. enrollment, rosters, retention, restrictions, etc)

·       Provide in-house support

a.      Work with program directors and administrators on student issues and retention support.

b.     Provide back up support for “other university departments and titles”.

·       Assist with planning new student orientation.

·       Update and manage shared information including website content.

·       Recruit, Support and Monitor Non-traditional Programs

a.      Program name

b.     Program name

c.      Program name

·       Delegate tasks as needed and manage /train student workers.

·       Set up and manage student evaluation process.

Skills acquired: Successful communication and administrative troubleshooting between students and institution; responsibility as point of contact for institution administrators, faculty, and outside administrators; and creation and organization of departmental information and reports.

Position Title (2009-2010)                                                                             

·       Admissions representative for prospective online graduate students.

·       Recruited and advised students over the phone, in person, or through email about programs and admission requirements. Assisted students through enrollment process.

·       Prepared students for orientation and responsible for students starting first class.

Skills acquired: Communication skills as a liaison between students and institution, organization of student file and lead records, effective sales technique in an admissions position.

National Educational Travel Council (NETC)                          Boston, MA                               2007- 2009

Senior Tour Consultant

·       Sales Representative for educational travel groups.

·       Spoke daily over the phone, at conferences, or at schools to teachers and interested travelers in my given region to sell NETC’s services.

·       Customized itineraries and arrange catalog tours for student and adult groups, assisted with recruiting efforts, provided support for group leaders during the enrollment process.

Skills acquired: Customer relations, phone skills, communication, time management, and hands-on experience in the travel industry.

York College Admissions                                                            York, PA                                2005-2007

Student Ambassador

·       Served on student panels as a speaker for large events

·       Served as a campus tour guide weekly and for large events.

·       Assisted with email tele-couseling and acted as a chat room student representative for prospective students.

Skills acquired: Leadership, public speaking, and ability to diffuse customer objectives.

Capstone Marketing, LLP                                                            York, PA                           Summer 2006

Administrative Assistant

·       Created unified documents, organized company files, began initial design of the company portfolio and exhibit booth services.

·       Participated in weekly company meetings and brainstorming.

·       Observed client meetings and networking tactics.

Skills acquired: Client relations, hands-on experience in the developmental process of marketing services, networking strategies in the local industry.

Leisure Pass Group (LPG)                                                        London, England                                    Fall 2005

Marketing Intern

·       Represented and spoke with businesses for LPG at the World Travel Market

·       Conducted initial web-based research for the development of the Athens Pass.

·       Assisted in accounting paperwork, website content and editing, and product editing and assembly.

Skills acquired: Intercultural communications, business- to- business communications, operational overview and introduction to the travel industry.

Extra Curricular Activities

International Students Club at YCP                                  President                                           2007

American Marketing Association at YCP                        VP of Communications                     2006- 2007

Computer Skills

Experience with PC and Macs                                                   Image Now

Microsoft Office                                                                        Datatel- iStrategy           

Salesforce/Intelliworks (CRM systems)                                    College Net: ApplyWeb