Panama

¡Vamos a Panamá con ISE!

¿Quién es ISE?

• Intercultural Student Experiences, a nonprofit educational organization since 1972

• Strong emphasis on language and cultural immersion

• Mission: To inspire and educate students of the world through experiential learning across cultures.

¿Por qué ISE?

• Emphasis on language usage & family stay

• 40 years of experience and knowledgeable staff

• 24-hour on-call emergency phone while group is abroad

• ISE Student Code of Conduct

• Financial aid

• Health and trip cancellation insurance coverage

Nuestro Destino: Panamá

¿Cómo se prepara para el viaje?

• As a group we will get familiar with Panama and the places we’ll visit:• Classroom discussions

• Learn about culture, customs, traditions with assistance from ISE Beyond the Classroom Wiki

• Internet research for trip

• Seek out additional opportunities to practice Spanish

¿Qué vamos a hacer en Panamá?

• Miraflores Visitors Center at the Panama Canal

• Visit an Emberá indigenous community

• Fort San Lorenzo

• Valle de Antón

¿Por qué quedarnos con una familia panameña?

• To fulfill ISE’s commitment to offer students cultural immersion opportunities abroad

• Opportunity for students to observe and partake in daily life in Panama

•To practice using Spanish in a real life setting

Hechos interesantes sobre las familias panameñas

• Families live in both rural and urban areas

• ISE travelers may or may not have the opportunity to attend school with his/her host brother or sister depending on when you travel. The academic calendar in Panama is structured in three trimesters per year:

Mid/late February – June followed by 1-2 weeks of vacation

June – September followed by1-2 weeks of vacation

September – mid December followed by 2 1/2 months of vacation

Más hechos interesantes sobre las familias panameñas

• Two common dishes are ropa vieja (shredded beef in a tomato based sauce, which actually means old clothes) and sancocho (Panamanian chicken soup)

•Tamales, empanadas, fruit, vegetables and chicken are also very common in the Panamanian diet

•ISE recommends that the family provide the traveler with bottled or boiled water

¿Cómo se seleccionan las familias?

• ISE Family Stay Coordinators: teachers, community leaders, or individuals connected to churches & other community organizations

• Host families chosen by ISE Family Stay Coordinators

• Families complete application and have a home visit prior to acceptance

Más información sobre las familias

• Host families are expected to provide room, board, and genuine cultural experience for student

• ISE traveler might share a room with a host sibling of the same gender, but is required to have his/her own bed

Detalles Importantes

• Program travel dates

• Approximate price• *Fuel surcharges included in price

• Add-on’s

• Trip inclusions and exclusions

Seguro Médico y de Accidente

• Included in program price

• $50,000 maximum coverage

• Coverage details available on ISE website

Seguro sobre cancelación por razones médicas

• Included in program price

• Valid for cancellation due to medical issues affecting participants or immediate family

• $1,000 max coverage

¿Cómo y cuándo lo voy a pagar?

Fechas de pago - viajes de primavera

Spring ProgramsEarly Bird registration deadline: June 15Final registration deadline: October 1

June 15 (Early Bird)October 1 (final)

$500Due with program application

November 1 $800

December 1 $800

January 15 Balance

Fechas de pago - viajes de verano

Summer Programs Early Bird registration deadline: June 15Final registration deadline: October 15

June 15 (Early Bird)October 15 (final)

$500Due with program application

November 15 $1000

January 15 $1000

March 15 Balance

Haz un plan financiero

• Consider ISE’s financial aid & fundraising

• ISE Early Bird Discount: save $200

• Participate in ISE’s US Hosting Program and receive a discount on your own ISE trip

Apoyo económico

•ISE provides need based financial aid

•Financial Aid Grant Calculator on website

•Application online

¿Cómo se inscribe?

• Student Application in English

• Code of Conduct signed by participant & parent/guardian

• Family Stay Application in Spanish

• $500 deposit check or money order

• Save $200 with Early Bird sign-up by June 15th

• Send “Dear Host Family” letter & photos by fall enrollment deadline

• Don’t forget to apply for your passport!

“I loved ‘becoming a member’ of [my host] family. My

family was so wonderful and loving. I learned to be

more accepting and open to new people and foods.”

Spanish Student, WV

“…the best part is not what you see in pictures and hear about in stories, it's what you find for yourself.”

Spanish Student, MN

“I am so glad I went with ISE on this trip, the people, the family stay, the food, the guides, the day visits, my teacher, and my classmates all made this trip a success!”

Spanish Student, WI

Comentarios de viajeros ISE

Resumen de detalles importantes• ISE’s Panama program provides language and cultural

immersion in a real life setting

• ISE’s valuable family stay experience cannot be obtained through a tour only program

• ISE’s Early Bird sign up allows me to save $200 and plenty of time to fundraise, submit your application and deposit by June 15 to ensure your Early Bird discount!

¡Nos vemos en Panamá!