Thinking Beyond Borders

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1. Is Thinking Beyond Borders a new program? September 2008 is the launch of the first Thinking Beyond Borders program. However, TBB is built upon years of experience among the founders, board of directors, international program partners, and advisers. Co-Founder Chris Stakich spent five years as the Director of Costa Rica for a high school community service organization. His duties included responsibility for 1200 high school students per summer, hiring and training a team of 55 staff members, organizing all in-country logistics, and creating health, safety and emergency protocol. Co-Founder Sandy Pendoley spent two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Republic of Kiribati where she designed language and math curricula for junior secondary school students. Sandy also spent a year as a Team Leader for AmeriCorps NCCC*. Sandy s team of 9 Corps Members completed various service projects, including the supervision of 1500 volunteers in gutting the homes of hundreds of Hurricane Katrina victims. Co-Founder Robin Pendoley earned his undergraduate degree in International Development at UCLA, a Masters in Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and spent 10 years working and teaching in public schools. To learn more about the Founders and Board of Directors, please see the Team page. Our international program components are hosted in each country by local partner organizations that have a deep history in hosting student and volunteer groups. Examples of our program partners include The Association of the Indian Experiment in International Living which has hosted students in India for more than 40 years, and the Yunnan Center for Cultural Learning and Development whose director spent 16 years as an Academic Director for the School for International Training in Nepal and China. It is individuals and organizations like these that form an extensive and highly skilled knowledge base for Thinking Beyond Borders, and ensure that all aspects of our program are safe and powerful learning experiences. 2. Can I enroll for a single component rather than the entire TBB program? No, TBB programs are specifically designed to provide a complete educational experience. While each component is a valuable learning experience on its own, the powerful nature of the program is the result of completing the entire itinerary and curriculum. The curriculum is specifically designed to give students a snapshot of the interplay between governments, economies and social systems throughout South America, Africa, Asia, and the US. If you would like a shorter or country-specific program, TBB would be happy to suggest other Gap Year programs that will better suit your needs. 3. How are homestay families selected? In each country, our local program partners facilitate the placing of students with homestay families. Each of our partners has extensive experience placing students with safe, conscientious, and reliable homestay families. All homestay families have access to clean drinking water, sanitary bathroom facilities, and private bathing facilities.

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