FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

There are a number of ways. You can ride public transportation, shuttle, taxi or transit app. Be sure to double check what transit app is used in country because not all use Uber. If you want to save on shuttle or taxi costs we recommend that you contact another participant who may be arriving or departing around the same time. We will provide suggested groups based on your flight arrivals and departures. Our handbook will also provide instructions and/or links for how to get to the meeting location if using public transportation.

The priority application deadline will be announced soon! GEA usually fills up the majority of participant spots with priority applicants. There is a final deadline, however, even if you learn about the program after the deadline, please email to see if there are any open spaces still available for consideration.

There is not an exact number for every experience, however, it will be largely based on the size of the vehicles we will be using and the number of beds we have secured for accommodations. We are estimating that the main program, safari, and community immersion experience will have between 20-30 participants. This number may change due to higher or lower demand.

Transportation to and from the airport does not need to be booked in advance. If there is a saving it is sometimes minimal. Often times you save money by booking in person once you arrive.

Passport information is required for all guests participating in flights, cruises and even some accommodations booked by GEA. Without your passport information, these locations do not allow us to make reservations. If you have concerns about the confidentiality of providing your passport information please contact a GEA representative.

Passport information is required for all guests participating in flights, cruises and even some accommodations booked by GEA. Without your passport information, these locations do not allow us to make reservations. If you have concerns about the confidentiality of providing your passport information please contact a GEA representative.

On the cruises you will find other food options but they often range from $15-$40/per person. You also have the option of purchasing groceries/snacks and eating those instead of a meal on the cruise. That being said, the buffets provide an easier, less hassle option, but most participants only choose 1-2 meals per cruise.

Perhaps the most important selection criteria will be demonstrating a flexible, positive and open-minded attitude and ability to travel well and contribute to the overall group experience. Applicants should be in generally good health and have energy levels that will sustain them during a very full program schedule. GEA is looking for educators who have a strong desire to improve, contribute and collaborate with educators worldwide and to find ways of using what they gain from their experience to benefit others. GEA will also seek to select as diverse of a group of educators as possible including participants from as many school districts and locations as possible and from a wide range of disciplines, grade levels, and school types or positions.

The first step is completing the online application - the earlier the better! Once submitted, applicants need to email a current resume to info@globaledallies.org. The resume should not be cause for great stress - please just provide a record of your professional history. Within one week of the priority or final deadline (or possibly sooner), you will be contacted to schedule a brief Skype or in-person interview. In many cases, applicants are interviewed both via Skype and in-person and may also be interviewed by two or more people. After all priority deadline applicants are reviewed and interviewed, GEA staffing will determine the best possible fit of participants for each particular experience and then inform applicants of their application status as soon as possible. The first deposit due within one week of acceptance.

Yes. Though we cannot guarantee that all food served in restaurants, buffets or host homes will be certified allergy free, they do have options available. Please make us aware of any food allergy concerns. If you also have severe allergies we recommend being prepared with the proper medication in case of an emergency.

Each district varies on what they accept for relicensure points or lane change credits. You will need to check with either your district or state entities to know what is applicable. As an example in one district, Joe earned 8.5 CEUs for the Entire Package (Pre & Post Trips). In his district 8.5 CEUs were equal to 5.5 credits. Since .5 credit = 7-13 professional development hours, Joe earned 77 hours of professional development. Again the conversion varies with each district or state.

The accommodations in Rwanda are more basic than Uganda, however, they are still very safe and clean. Below are some examples with a few pictures to give prospective participants more of an idea of what to expect. Progra​m: In Rwanda, participants will be staying at a Catholic boarding center called St. Pauls while in Kigali and at the Institute of Legal Practice and Development (ILPD) training center while in Nyanza. In both cases there are two single/double size-bed dormitory-style rooms with an ensuite bathroom (see pics below). Single room upgrades are also a possibility. https://static.wixstatic.com/media/undefined https://static.wixstatic.com/media/undefined

Once you have paid the fee to receive CEUs, we cannot make any changes.

Safari Tour: Accommodations will include double and triple rooms at: Fort Murchison Lodge; and Amuka Lodge at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Pictures below are of the Amuka Lodge and Fort Murchison Lodge. https://static.wixstatic.com/media/undefined https://static.wixstatic.com/media/undefined https://static.wixstatic.com/media/undefined Community Immersion in Uganda: Participants will primarily stay in the Villa Anona Guest House in Lugazi, as well as at an Inn in Entebbe upon arrival and departure. Below is the Villa Anona Guest Huse. https://static.wixstatic.com/media/undefined https://static.wixstatic.com/media/undefined

If you have any type of allergies you should come prepared with the proper medication. Please make us aware of any allergies so we can make adjustments to host family dinners. If you are participating in the Lapland experience, we will spend a day on a reindeer farm, so inform us ahead of time if you have any concerns about participating in this experience.

All accommodations have warm water, regular electricity and some outlets, however, power outages are not uncommon and should be expected at some point during your African experience. The water heaters do not always function, and while the internet access will be fairly regular, it is not guaranteed on a daily basis. Most accommodations will have either wifi available or nearby, but often the signal is weak (especially when your fellow participants will also be trying to access it!). In general, participants should prepare to not be able to charge and use electronics as regularly as they are used to doing at home.

After you have been accepted into one of GEA’s programs, you will receive a sample itinerary. After orientation, about a month before the program start date, you will receive a more updated itinerary. However, the itinerary is always subject to change due to unforeseen events. The reason a full itinerary is not given until a month before the program starts is due to all the negotiating we have to do with the cruise lines, charter busses, flights, hostels, host families, schools and all the information and preferences we have to take into account. To customize the program for 100 participants each summer, it takes time to get all the details secured.

All participants will be required to fundraise. The amount will depend on what experiences are chosen. Participants are encouraged to fundraise to help with local educational and community projects in which we will be engaged, or to help raise money for their own fees. We will also welcome others who are unable to participate in one of the 2020 experiences to make a donation to go directly to a child’s education or one of our partner schools.

GEA incorporates some free time for participants to explore local markets and other activities, however, the rest of our time is often very tight and we have to be to certain places at specific times. For this reason, we ask that participants refrain from wandering off and stay with the group.

Participants will have the opportunity to choose how their donations will be directed. Many of the donations will be used to complete a secondary school for Peace International Academy that GEA has been working to support for nearly five years. Additional funds are used to sponsor or co-sponsor an individual child’s education and related fees (such as school uniforms, supplies, bedding, and food). Other donations may be used or combined for a specific project that educators may work on together during their immersion experience. For example, assisting with a library, toilet facility or classroom construction project, creating or improving a water source at or near a school, or facilitating an income-generating project for a women’s group. There are several more possibilities that will be determined once participant selections have been made and their interests and skills have been assessed. All donations will be used directly to benefit students and schools and none will be kept by Global Education Allies.

GEA will be providing a number of ideas for how participants can go about collecting donations and raising funds to assist with the educational projects and students in which we will interact. GEA will also provide some templates and PR materials, etc. to make the task easier! Check out our fundraising page for more ideas.

All donations to our partner projects or for a child's school fees of $25 or more from one individual will be eligible for tax-deductible receipts from our partner charity organizations. Participants will be provided with a form to track donation information involving a tax-deductible receipt request.

We do not encourage a great deal of donation collection of physical items to take to Africa for several reasons: 1) educators will be limited to one carry-on size piece of luggage in order to facilitate easy group travel and to fit in our vehicles in-country, and therefore will not have the space to bring donated items; 2) donations can sometimes cause problems or be confiscated at customs when entering the country; and 3) we would like to support the local economy as much as possible and needed items can be purchased in-country. It is usually better to use donations to purchase what is needed from local merchants.

The preferred deadline will be May 1, 2020. The latest deadline will be in-country in cases where donations may be used directly onsite to purchase materials and supplies for individual children, schools or specific projects.

There will be a way to submit donations directly online through our partner charity organization websites. GEA will provide specific details and instructions once participants have been selected and they have chosen or been assigned to a specific project that is connected to our fundraising efforts.

Yes, GEA encourages participants to fundraise or request donations to help cover part of their own program, immersion or tour fees, however, those funds will not be tax-deductible. Check out our fundraising page for more ideas.

Yes, if a participant prefers not to do any fundraising or solicit any donations, they can pay the fundraising fee and receive a tax-deductible receipt from one of our charitable partner organizations.

Of course! We would love to have more help with making as big of a difference in the lives of students and teachers in East African schools and communities as possible!

There are several recommended vaccinations that participants should consider when traveling to Africa. Upon acceptance, GEA will provide selected participants with a list of recommended vaccinations, as well as required ones such as for Yellow Fever. Several malaria preventions are available and the pros and cons of each will be provided. This information will be covered thoroughly in our pre-departure orientation materials and should not be a major concern for participants at this time.

GEA will provide basic travel insurance that comes with the provided International Teacher Identification Card (ITIC). Participants may choose to upgrade to the premium benefits plan and details will be provided upon selection. GEA also advises participants to check with their homeowners or renters insurance agencies to inquire about possible policies as well as considering travel insurance offered with airfare purchases.

Yes, given the number of package possibilities and dates as well as the GEA experiences involving more than one country, and participants coming from different countries and many different US states, everyone will be responsible for finding and booking their own airfare to and from Africa. GEA will provide several suggestions for flights and connect participants so that those participating together can consult each other and find travel companions. GEA will recommend certain flights and times for each arrival and departure in order to save participants time and money searching for options and to coordinate airport pick-ups. That said, participants will be free to travel before and after their GEA experience(s) and may wish to have stopovers on the way to or from Rwanda or Uganda.

Airfare will likely be the most expensive part! Airfare between Utah and East Africa will likely be between $1500 - $2000. Flights from the East coast or other US cities may be a few hundred dollars cheaper. Simple searches can easily show higher prices, but careful searching and planning can sometimes yield tickets as low as $1000 from some US cities (and can be less, but not usually during summer months when the program will be taking place). Participants may consider seeking frequent flyer donations or using their own miles to get at least part-way to Africa! Tickets between Finland and Africa will likely be at least half the price, in the $800-1000 range. Again, GEA will be looking for the best airfare deals possible and sharing them with their selected participants!

The main program that begins and ends in Rwanda will be using the Kigali International Airport (KGL is the airport code) in Rwanda. Experiences that begin or end in Uganda will require flying into or departing from Entebbe International Airport (EBB is the airport code) in Uganda. Participants who are participating in package #2 (Rwanda and the Uganda Safari) or package #4 (the entire experience) will be provided airfare between Rwanda and Uganda as part of their package pricing.

The main program and immersion will be using mini-buses or vans to transport participants as a group. The safari tour will generally be using safari vans or trucks to transport participants which can also be used for game drives as well.

Selected participants will be provided with a recommended packing list as part of their orientation and pre-departure materials. No one needs to begin packing this early! Be prepared to pack light as participants are limited to one carry-on size piece of luggage, and this is a strict program requirement, not a suggestion. Don’t worry - there will be laundry options available throughout the experience.

Participants going ONLY to Rwanda can purchase a visa upon arrival at the Kigali airport for $30. Participants traveling from Rwanda to Uganda will need an East African visa which will cost $100. Participants traveling only to Uganda will need a Uganda visa that will cost $100. GEA will provide information on how to obtain visas, however, participants will be responsible for obtaining their own. Participants must also have a valid passport by March 1, 2020 that does not expire before February 1, 2021.

This information will be provided to selected participants in their pre-departure orientation handbook.

Typical foods in East Africa include staples such as rice, potatoes, yams, and plantains with various tomato-based or peanut sauces. Chicken, beef or goat are typical meats and when eaten, tilapia is the most common fish. Fresh pineapples, mangos, avocados, and other fruits will be a favorite among the participants, as well as chapati which is like a thick freshly made tortilla. Most meals will be catered and prepared specifically for our group. Participants will want to plan on buying some snacks along the way and GEA cannot guarantee to be able to provide all special dietary needs, however, we will work with guests as much as possible to assist with special food needs. Participants will primarily drink bottled water. When non-bottled water is provided at restaurants or at our accommodations, it will be boiled, purified, and safe to drink.

Thousands of international visitors travel to Uganda and Rwanda every year and have a great experience. GEA operates in safe areas and within close distance to all services. Despite this, we recommend using common sense and staying with your group. Further ways to ensure your safety and well-being will be discussed at our orientation meeting.

The program is a more formally organized and guided professional development experience that is focused on the particular theme of conflict transformation and resolution and has a training component to it where the GEA participants will both receive training on how to manage conflict alongside Rwandan educators, as well as conduct a mini-training in an educational training at the end of the program experience. The community immersion experience will include a broader range of community and educational organizations and will include some smaller group experiences that are more customized to an educator’s interests and skills and which will require greater initiative and independence on the part of the educator. The main program is also an 8-night experience while the immersion experience is a shorter 5-night experience.

Participants will have the opportunity to stay at a Rhino Sanctuary and track rhinos that are being raised in an effort to repopulate Uganda parks over time. This is an educational organization that promotes anti-poaching and will provide participants with an insight into how this issue has been dealt with in Africa. The safari tour also includes two nights at the largest game reserve in Uganda, Murchison Falls. During this visit participants will have the opportunity to participate in a water safari to the falls as well as the option of hiking to the top of the waterfalls. There will also be two game drives - one at dusk and then a longer early morning drive.

GEA will issue each participant a licensure certificate that documents the total number of professional development hours that the participant engaged in both in Africa and during pre-departure orientations and other related activities. Participants will also have the option of registering for continuing education units (CEUs) from Utah Valley University for a $50 fee. This option requires a final writing assignment as well as keeping a learning journal throughout the experience.

All payments will be invoiced via Zelle (which most online bank accounts offer). There may be PayPal or Venmo payment options, however, any use of credit cards to pay the fees will result in an additional 3% credit card fee that is charged by PayPal or Venmo (when not using direct bank account transfers). A deposit will be due within one week of acceptance. A complete payment schedule with instructions will be provided in the participant acceptance letter. The full fees are broken down into three payments including the initial deposit made shortly after acceptance, a second payment that will be due in March 2020 and a final payment that will be due in early May 2020.

GEA will be providing one or more webinars for the 2020 East Africa participants, including possible in-person and online meetings in May 2020. There will also be required reading materials and a pre-departure manual that will be provided to all participants in advance of the orientation.

Decisions about whether guests will be allowed to participate will be made by December 22 when the priority deadline applicants are informed of their acceptance status. Guests will be expected to be part of the interview and may be asked to complete a guest application before a final selection decision is made. The primary consideration for guests is to ensure they would not be taking the spot of an educator, therefore, there may be certain experiences that become guest-eligible, but that will be determined after the priority deadline and once GEA staff are able to assess overall demands for each of the experiences or package options.

GEA’s primary objective is to provide professional development experiences for educators and we want to ensure that educator needs are our primary concern. That said, we understand that many educators want to share their (hopefully) life-changing GEA experience with a special companion and we feel non-educators can benefit greatly from a GEA experience too. Rather than thinking of there being a 10% increase for non-educators, it may be better considered that educators receive a 10% discount!