Alzar School - Cultural Exchange

ALZAR SCHOOL
When we need a classroom, the world awaits.

Cultural Exchange

Thanks to technology, improved communication methods, and the ease of international travel, the world is getting smaller and different cultures are interacting more frequently. The Alzar School wants its students to be comfortable in the developing global community, and by giving them the experiences we know they will have a broader worldview.

Cultural exchange begins with language skills, so our students learn the basics in lessons from our certified teachers. They then move onto more challenging tasks, such as tackling grocery shopping in foreign markets. They learn to negotiate for better prices, and advanced students collect oral histories from local community leaders.

But the true cultural exchanges are frequently improvised on the spot--like when our students on the Rivers of Chile 2008 expedition had to work with a local rancher and his oxen to extract our truck from a sandpit. Or when a students share a tent and their thoughts with other teenagers from the host country thanks to the Jean Bierle Scholarship Initiative. Those are the types of interactions that can’t be planned and can only happen on an international expedition.

Students come away from our expeditions with a different perspective on the world, a perspective that helps them see beyond their high school culture. This understanding and appreciation for other cultures is an invaluable trait, and aids in understanding the impact of our daily decisions. A globalized world needs global citizens, the Alzar School aims to create them.