EXPLORE YOUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY. VENTURE TO THE MAP’S EDGE AND DISCOVER A PROFOUNDLY DIFFERENT WAY OF LIFE.
Dragons offers summer travel, Gap Year, and college study abroad programs in 19 countries, each one custom-crafted by instructor teams who bring their unique vision and expertise to the course design.
Summer programs for teens and young adults, authentic immersion experiences in developing Asia, Africa, and Latin America. VIEW PROGRAMS.
Gap Year programs that bridge the best in experiential learning with deep cultural immersion, wilderness exploration and meaningful social engagement. VIEW PROGRAMS.
College Study Abroad Programs, Ages 18+Combining small-group, intimate cultural engagement and experiential learning with an outstanding academic curriculum. VIEW PROGRAMS.
More About Student Programs
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For over 25 years, Dragons has crafted transformational learning adventures for Summer and Gap Year students along the map’s edge…but we have so much more to offer! Whether you are a teacher hoping to actively engage in critical global issues, an adult looking to make the most of your treasured time off, or a university seeking the skills to run your own custom programs…you’ve come to the right place.
Immersive professional development courses for classroom teachers, experiential educators and leaders in the field of global studies.
Expertly guided, carefully curated adventures that reengage the curiosity of adult travelers.
Consulting, training and program development for secondary schools, universities, companies and organizations.
MAPMAKERS ONCE DREW DRAGONS TO REPRESENT LANDS UNKNOWN. BOLD EXPLORERS WHO VENTURED BEYOND THE MAP’S EDGE WERE SAID TO GO “Where There Be Dragons.”
Dragons is a global community representing 6 continents, over 30 countries, and countless languages, villages, NGOs, religions, host families, perspectives, and stories. We are united by a mission of nurturing empathy and understanding across borders through authentic cultural exchange. Our goal is to help participants develop the self-awareness and cross-cultural competencies to be active participants in the world.
We take delight in getting dirty for the sake of discovery. We seek participants who are excited by the prospect of exploring the road less-travelled and intrigued by the questions encountered along the way. As we journey, we ask reflective questions about who we are, where we come from, and how those inherent perspectives and power dynamics weave us together. We support our participants as they lean into challenge. And as instructors, we ask ourselves, at every turn, how we can be better teachers and more compassionate human beings. We carefully observe, collectively explore, and partner with participants in a process of discovery.
Our staff speak in local dialects and bring deep cultural fluency and expert facilitation skills to our programs. When not guiding with Dragons, our instructors are graduate students, returned Peace Corps Volunteers, U.N. development professionals, veteran wilderness guides, and career teachers. We believe that future leaders will be required to think beyond borders in order to cultivate a more inclusive, collaborative, and just future. We are fueled by a mission to create positive change and pull off feats of educational acrobatics in remote cross-cultural settings because we love what we do. To see the range of unique professional life experiences and academic educations that make our community of international instructors so exceptional, please peruse our instructor profiles.
Dragons has over 25 years of experience guiding groups and managing risk in the context of international education. In addition to a history of partnerships with over 50 esteemed schools and universities, our staff have facilitated international and domestic training programs specifically for teachers and faculty for almost a decade. We’ve established crucial risk management relationships with key locally-based safety and security officials and a global network of reputable health care professionals and hospitals. For more facts on our institutional reputation and integrity, please visit the Risk Management section of our website.
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