Greenheart Travel: a division of the Center for Cultural Interchange (CCI)
A nonprofit cultural exchange program founded in 1985

Change Your Perspectives. Change Your Life. Travel for a Change with Greenheart Travel.

The Greenheart Travel team is passionate about creating impactful opportunities abroad. Anyone can travel; it's what you do with the experience that counts. As the only cultural exchange organization that incorporates environmental and social responsibility into their mission statement, Greenheart is dedicated to helping you reach your personal and professional goals while creating a lasting impact abroad.

Greenheart Travel's commitment to cultural exchange is matched by their commitment to the environment. A deep concern for the welfare of the planet drives the Greenheart passion for helping responsible travelers satisfy their thirst for adventure while respecting the environment and unique cultural heritage of the destinations they explore. Whether you are rolling up your sleeves in Australia to plant trees or getting paid to teach English in any number of their destinations, you can help ensure that Greenheart's favorite places to visit today are there for the travelers of tomorrow, as well as for the people who call them home.

Greenheart Travel offers students and adults the opportunity to explore the world through unique cultural immersion programs in over 30 countries. Choose from volunteer projects, teach abroad programs, high school abroad, work & travel experiences, language schools, independent homestays or gap programs. All participants will receive an orientation upon arrival, are assigned a local coordinator, provided medical/accident insurance and receive 24-hour support.

Greenheart Travel's Volunteer Abroad programs combine rewarding service work with unmatched opportunities to learn about fascinating cultures from the inside, as you never could through the windows of a tour bus.

Locations: Argentina, Australia, Cambodia, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Georgia, India, Kenya, New Zealand, Peru, South Africa, Spain, and Tanzania.

Dates: All projects run 2-12 weeks in length with year-round start dates according to your schedule. Applications due 8 weeks prior to your intended start date.

Projects include environmental conservation, animal rescue, working with children in schools and orphanages, health care, community development and women's empowerment.

Accommodations are typically with a carefully screened host family but depending upon the project, may be in volunteer guest houses. All or most meals are included.

Depending upon where your new journey takes you, certain language skills may apply.

A Day in the Life: Find Your Inner Tarzan!
Learn how one Greenheart Travel volunteer found her Inner Tarzan after chasing a bus in Costa Rica.

Teach English Abroad while earning your living expenses and a monthly stipend! You will serve as an English Language Teaching Assistant for one or more English teachers at a local public school. In addition to teaching, you will be in charge of organizing various extracurricular activities that can include after-school clubs, sports, art projects, discussion groups and other activities that promote learning English outside the classroom.

Locations: Bhutan, China, Georgia, South Korea, and Thailand.

Dates: Full-time teaching assignments are available for a semester or an academic year, with specific application deadlines and start dates.

Aside from the personal and career benefits of teaching abroad, most assignments include an orientation, a monthly stipend, bonuses, full room and board, paid vacation and health insurance. Some programs also provide airfare and an international travel stipend.

Volunteers must be at least 20 years of age and have a bachelor's degree in any subject.

Earn an Accredited TEFL Certificate: Your Passport to the World! Once you have decided that you'd like to volunteer or work abroad as an English teacher, it is extremely beneficial to obtain a TEFL or TESOL certificate before going abroad. Learn how to teach English as a foreign language online and open your door to international travel opportunities. Special discounted price for Greenheart Travelers!

CCI's High School Abroad programs give students the opportunity to experience daily life like any teenager in their host country. Students gain fluency in another language and culture, lifelong friendships and a competitive edge on college applications.

Locations: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden

Dates: Program lengths are approximately 3, 5 or 10 months (academic year). Applications are due in March or April for the fall semester (depending on the country), and September 15 for the spring semester.

Accommodations are with a carefully screened, welcoming volunteer host family.

Students have 24-hour support and supervision by a local coordinator in their host community overseas.

International airfare and medical insurance are provided.

Looking for a fun and inexpensive way to travel? Work in New Zealand or Australia for up to a year and earn money to pay for your adventures! Greenheart Travel's Work Abroad program provides you with all the guidance and support you need for a successful start to your journey Down Under.

Participants will be met by one of Greenheart Travel's experienced and knowledgeable in-country partners who will provide a comprehensive orientation and job placement assistance. You'll have the opportunity to secure a job in a variety of industries, including farm work, fruit/vegetable picking, tourism, hospitality and restaurants, retail, office work, resorts jobs, technology, marketing and public relations.

Locations: Australia and New Zealand

Dates: Flexible program lengths up to 12 months. Applications due 8 weeks prior to your intended start date.

Receive arrival orientation and 2-night hostel accommodation; job assistance service, support and advice; medical/accident insurance, free Internet access, and organized social events.

Must be a U.S. citizen between the ages of 18-30.

Unlike a tour program, a homestay is an intensive cross-cultural experience. You'll see and experience things beyond the reach of the average tourist: enjoying a home-cooked meal, making new friends, and learning new traditions. If you are studying a language, there is no better way to improve your conversation skills!

Locations: France, Ireland, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Dates: Homestays run 1-4 weeks in length and can begin at anytime throughout the year. Applications due 6 weeks prior to your intended start date.

Accommodation is with a carefully screened host family and all or most meals are included.

You should have the ability to converse at an intermediate level in the language of the host country.

Independent exploration of the host community is encouraged!

Home Stays Abroad: 15 Ways to be Part of the Family
Would you like to experience life in a small Turkish village, see Mt. Fuji when you awake every morning, or hike the northern Spanish mountains with a family as your guide? Greenheart Travel staff members share some of their advice for making your homestay abroad experience a success.

There is no better way to learn a language than by studying it in the country where it is spoken. The learning continues beyond the classroom, whether you are chatting with your host family, talking with vendors in shops and markets, or ordering a meal in a restaurant.

Locations: Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Peru and Spain.

Dates: Language school programs run 1-4 weeks in length and can begin any Monday throughout the year. (Specific start dates for complete beginners may apply).

Courses include 20 hours of lessons each week. Lessons are very active and focus on improving your conversation skills.

Accommodation is with a carefully screened host family and two meals per day are included.

Organized activities and excursions give you the opportunity to experience all the city has to offer, while giving you a thorough understanding of the local art, history, politics, and cultural traditions. You will have lots of free time to independently explore as well!

CCI & Greenheart: Connecting People & Planet
Watch CCI and Greenheart participants talk about the ways cultural exchange has given them a fresh perspective and expanded their horizons. By connecting people and planet, the goal of CCI and Greenheart is to move toward a more just and peaceful world.

Watch more Greenheart Travel videos »

After your application is completed online, Greenheart Travel will confirm your acceptance within 1-2 weeks. You will receive an email packet of information including helpful tips on your program, travelling to a new country, and adjusting to life abroad.

Throughout the process, your Travel Coordinator will always keep you updated and informed of all information regarding your program. One week prior to departure, you will have a pre-departure orientation over the phone to make sure that you are prepared and ready to travel!

Greenheart Travel
746 N. LaSalle Drive
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 944-2544
(888) 227-6231 toll free
(312) 944-0728 fax
info@greenhearttravel.org
www.greenhearttravel.org