Xperitas Experience Archive

Xperitas is dedicated to providing cultural and language immersion experiences that advance our mission, and for that reason we believe it is vital to show support for language programs and language teachers while advocating for study abroad programs. On February 19 and 20, Xperitas Executive Director Leslie Gale and Director of Language programs Jenny Behrens traveled to Washington, D.C., to join the Minnesota delegation at Language Advocacy Day, sponsored by the Joint National Committee for Language.

Leo was a seventh-grader at Minnetonka Middle School East when he attended an informational meeting about his school’s upcoming Xperitas language immersion program to Spain. Leo away walked from the meeting inspired and determined to participate the following year. Read his story and how he successfully raised funds for his program abroad.

Each year, Xperitas holds a photo contest, which provides an opportunity for all of that year’s immersion program participants to share their experience with the larger Xperitas community (and the opportunity to win prizes!). This year we were blown away by the volume and quality of entries we received. 

Xperitas was honored with the Pro Lingua Award, “in recognition of outstanding service to and support of education in world languages and cultures. It is bestowed “in recognition of outstanding service to and support of education in world languages and cultures." 

Virginie Donzo, French Program Manager, reflects on her summer language immersion travel program to France with an Xperitas group composed of three schools from Minnesota and Illinois. 

Katharina McCawley, German Programs Manager, reflects on her German immersion program travels with group of three schools from Washington and Illinois.

Emma Rojas, Spanish Program Manager, reflects on her immersion travel programs to Mexico and Peru with student groups from the United States.

After reviewing all the feedback and input from our post-travel surveys, we’d like to take this opportunity to share some of the results with the Xperitas community.

This June, The Blake School, an independent high school in Minneapolis, departed for a Mandarin Chinese immersion program with Xperitas. The educational journey was a result of a year of preparation planning between the school’s language department, Xperitas and our partners in Asia to develop a six-week-long program.

Xperitas team members bumped into Jill Gabel, of Fargo, North Dakota, at a recent parent meeting we attended at an area high school. Jill was a high school student participant in a French immersion program thirty years ago with ISE (now Xperitas), and now has two sons in our programs.

During the Spring 2018 travel season (March - May), Xperitas groups traveled to seven different countries for French, German and Spanish language immersion experiences. Overall, it sure sounds like it was a great spring for our language immersion programs!

While many parents speak directly to the positive impacts of their child's cultural and language immersion experience, from things like improved self-confidence to sharpened language and cultural competency skills, many parents also mention that the Xperitas program was a learning experience for their entire family.

Barbara Koester's first travel group started small, with only two students from her school. Now, 31 years later, her travel group has grown to 28 students. We asked her advice for high school language teachers looking to get an immersion program approved, and how to turn that program into a consistent success.

All Spring 2018 language immersion program participants have returned home safely from their trips abroad. As we look forward to the summer travel season, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past year, which was one of our best ever!

On this Teacher’s Day, 2018, Xperitas salutes ALL teachers for the crucial role they are playing in developing the young people who will be the decision-makers in our communities for decades to come.  But we especially applaud those teachers that have had the courage and commitment to travel with their students to foreign countries and cultures, each doing their small but vitally important part in creating a generation of young global citizens.

I have been collaborating with Xperitas since 2008 to take my Spanish students overseas, and I cannot imagine working with a more dedicated group of professionals.

Our Xperitas planned school exchange has earned the accolades of students, families, administrations and communities, and the impact and connections reach well beyond the individuals traveling.

Over 20 years and 17 trips later, I can't imagine traveling with anyone else.

Xperitas held our annual Global Leaders Conference in Bloomington from January 26-28. We were joined by about a hundred language teachers from across the United States, all of whom are leading immersion programs abroad in 2018. Many of our international vendors and partners also sent representatives to meet with us and share ideas about traveling abroad with students.

Nicole Weaver, a high school French and Spanish teacher in Denver, is the author of several award-winning trilingual children's books.

We are pleased to announce the winner of our 2018 Xperitas Alumni Scholarship: Lily Hauptman of Ladue Horton Watkins High School in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Due to safety concerns in the aftermath of hurricanes Irma and Maria, we made the decision to cancel our Puerto Rican programs planned for 2018. The students from the canceled groups were disappointed, but many were determined to help. Read how they took action.

Cara Meyer was the recipient of our 2017 Alumni Scholarship. Cara traveled to France and Germany with Xperitas in 2016. Recently, we caught up with Cara, who reflected fondly upon what her Xperitas program, and the scholarship, has meant for her future.

We are excited to announce that Leslie Gale became the new Executive Director of Xperitas on November 6. Learn more about her plans for Xperitas here!