{"id":5177,"date":"2018-08-02T14:03:44","date_gmt":"2018-08-02T19:03:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/?page_id=5177"},"modified":"2026-03-03T10:24:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T16:24:41","slug":"prepare-for-your-adventure","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/prepare-for-your-adventure\/","title":{"rendered":"Prepare for Your Adventure"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-modular-content-collection><p><!-- begin-migrated-from-panel-builder --><\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\tclass=\"site-section site-panel__micronavbutton panel panel-micronavbutton site-section__bg--default\"\n\t\t\tdata-depth=\"\"\n\t\t\tdata-js-panel=\"micronavbutton\"\n\t\t>\n\t\n\t    <div class=\"site-section__inner site-section__inner--top-padding-none site-section__inner--bottom-padding-none micronavbutton\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<div class=\"site-grid site-grid__no-gutters\"\n\t     data-depth=\"0\"\n\t     data-name=\"buttons\"\n\t     data-livetext\n\t>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"site-grid__col\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"site-panel__micronavbtn-btn u-bc-cranberry\"\n\t\t\t\t   \thref=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/\"\n\t\t\t\t   \ttarget=\"_blank\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"site-panel__micronavbtn-btn-label\">Back to Main Travel Page<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"site-panel__micronavbtn-btn-desc\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div> <!-- .site-grid__col -->\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"site-grid__col\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"site-panel__micronavbtn-btn u-bc-teal\"\n\t\t\t\t   \thref=\"mailto:quiram@stolaf.edu\"\n\t\t\t\t   \ttarget=\"_blank\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"site-panel__micronavbtn-btn-label\">Contact Us<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"site-panel__micronavbtn-btn-desc\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div> <!-- .site-grid__col -->\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"site-grid__col\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"site-panel__micronavbtn-btn u-bc-purple\"\n\t\t\t\t   \thref=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/bucket-list\/\"\n\t\t\t\t   \ttarget=\"\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"site-panel__micronavbtn-btn-label\">Bucket List<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"site-panel__micronavbtn-btn-desc\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div> <!-- .site-grid__col -->\n\t\t\n\t<\/div> <!-- .site-grid -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\tclass=\"site-section site-panel__explore panel panel-explore site-section__bg--normal\"\n\t\t\tdata-depth=\"\"\n\t\t\tdata-js-panel=\"explore\"\n\t\t>\n\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"site-section__inner l-wrapper  explore\">\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    <div class=\"site-panel__explore-chevron site-panel-shape-bbc--teal-navy\"><\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"site-grid site-grid__wrapper site-section__content site-panel__explore-content\">\n\n        <div class=\"t-content site-panel__explore-desc site-grid__col \">\n            <h2 class=\"site-section__title h3\" id=\"resources\" data-name=\"title\" data-livetext data-depth=\"0\" data-index=\"0\">Resources<\/h2>\n\n            <p>In order to make the most of your experience, you will probably like to know more things before you depart. Here is a collection of particularly helpful links that are relevant to our programs.<\/p>\n<p>Make sure to read our <a href=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/frequently-asked-questions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>And, check out these <a href=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/traveler-testimonials\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Traveler Testimonials<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n\n                    <div class=\"site-grid__col t-content\">\n                <h3 class=\"h5\">Helpful Links<\/h3>\n\n                <ul class=\"list-icon list-grid list-grid--two-column\">\n                                            <li class=\"chevron-right\">\n                            <a href=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/travel-insurance\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n                                Included Travel Insurance\n                            <\/a>\n                        <\/li>\n                                            <li class=\"chevron-right\">\n                            <a href=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/safety-overview\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n                                Safety Overview\n                            <\/a>\n                        <\/li>\n                                            <li class=\"chevron-right\">\n                            <a href=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/general-health-information-for-travelers\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n                                General Health Information\n                            <\/a>\n                        <\/li>\n                                            <li class=\"chevron-right\">\n                            <a href=\"https:\/\/travel.state.gov\/content\/travel\/en\/international-travel.html\" target=\"_blank\">\n                                International Travel Info\n                            <\/a>\n                        <\/li>\n                                            <li class=\"chevron-right\">\n                            <a href=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/booking-your-flights\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n                                Tips for Booking your Flights\n                            <\/a>\n                        <\/li>\n                                            <li class=\"chevron-right\">\n                            <a href=\"https:\/\/travel.state.gov\/content\/travel\/en\/international-travel\/before-you-go\/travelers-checklist.html#_blank\" target=\"_blank\">\n                                Traveler&#039;s Checklist\n                            <\/a>\n                        <\/li>\n                                    <\/ul>\n\n                            <\/div>\n        \n            <\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\tclass=\"is-style-default site-section site-panel__accordion panel panel-accordion site-section__bg--normal\"\n\t\t\tdata-depth=\"\"\n\t\t\tdata-js-panel=\"accordion\"\n\t\t>\n\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"is-style-default site-section__inner l-wrapper \">\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<header class=\"is-style-default site-section__header\">\n\n\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"is-style-default site-section__title h3\" id=\"travel-tips\" data-name=\"title\" data-livetext data-depth=\"0\" data-index=\"0\">Travel Tips<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t<div class=\"is-style-default site-grid site-grid__wrapper\">\n\n\t\t<div class=\"is-style-default site-grid__col\">\n\t\t\t\n<figure class=\"is-style-default c-caption\">\n\n\t<figure  class=\"is-style-default c-caption__img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"is-style-default \" alt=\"\" src=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\t\n<\/figure>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"is-style-default site-grid__col\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"is-style-default accordion site-panel__accordion-items\" data-depth=\"0\" data-name=\"accordions\" data-livetext role=\"tablist\" aria-multiselectable=\"true\" data-js=\"accordion\">\n            <article  class=\"is-style-default accordion__row site-panel__accordion-item \" role=\"tab\" aria-selected=\"false\" id=\"accordion-69e60749d131b-header-0\" aria-controls=\"accordion-69e60749d131b-content-0\">\n        \t\t<button\n\t\t\t\t\taria-expanded=\"false\"\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"is-style-default accordion__header site-panel__accordion-title clearfix\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-depth=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-index=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-name=\"title\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-livetext\n        \t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t                    <span class=\"is-style-default accordion__header-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tBlending in\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n                <\/button>\n                <div\n\t\t\t\t\taria-labelledby=\"accordion-69e60749d131b-header-0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t class=\"is-style-default accordion__content site-panel__accordion-content context-content t-content \"\t\t\t\t\tid=\"accordion-69e60749d131b-content-0\"\n\t\t\t\t\trole=\"tabpanel\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-depth=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-index=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-autop=\"true\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-name=\"accordion_content\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-livetext\n                >\n\t\t\t\t\t                    <div class=\"is-style-default accordion__content-inner context-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/files\/2018\/04\/Are-You-the-Ugly-American.pdf\">Are You the Ugly American<\/a>? Experts pinpoint the 10 most common\u00a0<em>faux pas<\/em> among travelers.<\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\n            <article  class=\"is-style-default accordion__row site-panel__accordion-item \" role=\"tab\" aria-selected=\"false\" id=\"accordion-69e60749d131b-header-1\" aria-controls=\"accordion-69e60749d131b-content-1\">\n        \t\t<button\n\t\t\t\t\taria-expanded=\"false\"\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"is-style-default accordion__header site-panel__accordion-title clearfix\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-depth=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-index=\"1\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-name=\"title\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-livetext\n        \t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t                    <span class=\"is-style-default accordion__header-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tEnjoying Group Travel\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n                <\/button>\n                <div\n\t\t\t\t\taria-labelledby=\"accordion-69e60749d131b-header-1\"\n\t\t\t\t\t class=\"is-style-default accordion__content site-panel__accordion-content context-content t-content \"\t\t\t\t\tid=\"accordion-69e60749d131b-content-1\"\n\t\t\t\t\trole=\"tabpanel\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-depth=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-index=\"1\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-autop=\"true\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-name=\"accordion_content\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-livetext\n                >\n\t\t\t\t\t                    <div class=\"is-style-default accordion__content-inner context-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Learn more about\u00a0<a href=\"https:wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/how-to-be-an-independent-group-traveler\/\" target=\"&quot;_blank\">How to be an independent group traveler<\/a> (not the oxymoron it appears to be). Also, <a href=\"https:\/\/vagrantsoftheworld.com\/small-group-travel\/\" target=\"&quot;_blank\">check out this article<\/a> that captures the benefits of group travel from two self-proclaimed independent travelers.<\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\n            <article  class=\"is-style-default accordion__row site-panel__accordion-item \" role=\"tab\" aria-selected=\"false\" id=\"accordion-69e60749d131b-header-2\" aria-controls=\"accordion-69e60749d131b-content-2\">\n        \t\t<button\n\t\t\t\t\taria-expanded=\"false\"\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"is-style-default accordion__header site-panel__accordion-title clearfix\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-depth=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-index=\"2\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-name=\"title\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-livetext\n        \t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t                    <span class=\"is-style-default accordion__header-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGetting the Most Out of Your Travels\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n                <\/button>\n                <div\n\t\t\t\t\taria-labelledby=\"accordion-69e60749d131b-header-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t class=\"is-style-default accordion__content site-panel__accordion-content context-content t-content \"\t\t\t\t\tid=\"accordion-69e60749d131b-content-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\trole=\"tabpanel\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-depth=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-index=\"2\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-autop=\"true\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-name=\"accordion_content\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-livetext\n                >\n\t\t\t\t\t                    <div class=\"is-style-default accordion__content-inner context-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>We all want to capture these once-in-a-lifetime experiences with photos. Read about <a href=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/files\/2018\/04\/How-to-get-that-perfect-shot.pdf\">how to get that perfect shot<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Even more than\u00a0foreign-transaction fees\u00a0and data-roaming charges, jet lag is the bane of international travelers. See\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/files\/2018\/04\/How-to-Use-Food-as-a-Jet-Lag-Cure.pdf\">How to Use Food as a Jet Lag Cure<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Mathew Karsten sold everything and left the United States to travel the world. These are some of the best <a href=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/files\/2018\/04\/Travel-Tips.pdf\">travel tips<\/a> he discovered along the way.<\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\n            <article  class=\"is-style-default accordion__row site-panel__accordion-item \" role=\"tab\" aria-selected=\"false\" id=\"accordion-69e60749d131b-header-3\" aria-controls=\"accordion-69e60749d131b-content-3\">\n        \t\t<button\n\t\t\t\t\taria-expanded=\"false\"\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"is-style-default accordion__header site-panel__accordion-title clearfix\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-depth=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-index=\"3\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-name=\"title\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-livetext\n        \t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t                    <span class=\"is-style-default accordion__header-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat to do if &#8230;\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n                <\/button>\n                <div\n\t\t\t\t\taria-labelledby=\"accordion-69e60749d131b-header-3\"\n\t\t\t\t\t class=\"is-style-default accordion__content site-panel__accordion-content context-content t-content \"\t\t\t\t\tid=\"accordion-69e60749d131b-content-3\"\n\t\t\t\t\trole=\"tabpanel\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-depth=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-index=\"3\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-autop=\"true\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-name=\"accordion_content\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-livetext\n                >\n\t\t\t\t\t                    <div class=\"is-style-default accordion__content-inner context-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1EGmiPr_wVV5VAxZzCDaW9UJUFqF8fkeT62C_0jAADts\/edit?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">You get food poisoning while traveling<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1yzBQHNS99ZUCSdYTKfSUcaCJ7IS4PnUoskXeadbSIlI\/edit?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">You experience an earthquake overseas<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1mSAOoMWJkvyjd_AfvhGUhC0ZoYY8sMi2l5jsZ-qI954\/edit?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">There&#8217;s a heat wave during your trip<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1dZD6m-9cWeu6tu6lU8ZYiCueENJjmX2hA3NuCcLc9Nw\/edit?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Your hotel has bed bugs<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1IPhGE4pwui6YAPL_wXqw_QkmZsmMCdH6_2yHkxf20M8\/edit?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Your passport is lost or stolen while abroad<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1U9kpv41Eglmu2JCuiGp7ewjrWMXha4U22hmrvavss1Q\/edit?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Your phone is stolen or lost while traveling<\/a><\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/article>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\tclass=\"is-style-default site-section site-panel__accordion panel panel-accordion site-section__bg--normal\"\n\t\t\tdata-depth=\"\"\n\t\t\tdata-js-panel=\"accordion\"\n\t\t>\n\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"is-style-default site-section__inner l-wrapper \">\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<header class=\"is-style-default site-section__header\">\n\n\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"is-style-default site-section__title h3\" id=\"traveler-photos\" data-name=\"title\" data-livetext data-depth=\"0\" data-index=\"0\">Traveler Photos<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t<div class=\"is-style-default site-grid site-grid__wrapper\">\n\n\t\t<div class=\"is-style-default site-grid__col\">\n\t\t\t\n<figure class=\"is-style-default c-caption\">\n\n\t<figure  class=\"is-style-default c-caption__img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"is-style-default \" alt=\"Lindblad South American Ecuador Galapagos sea lion pup\" src=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/files\/2026\/03\/Lindblad-South-American-Ecuador-Galapagos-sea-lion-pup-600x350.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\t\n<\/figure>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"is-style-default site-grid__col\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"is-style-default accordion site-panel__accordion-items\" data-depth=\"0\" data-name=\"accordions\" data-livetext role=\"tablist\" aria-multiselectable=\"true\" data-js=\"accordion\">\n            <article  class=\"is-style-default accordion__row site-panel__accordion-item \" role=\"tab\" aria-selected=\"false\" id=\"accordion-69e60749d1bdf-header-0\" aria-controls=\"accordion-69e60749d1bdf-content-0\">\n        \t\t<button\n\t\t\t\t\taria-expanded=\"false\"\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"is-style-default accordion__header site-panel__accordion-title clearfix\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-depth=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-index=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-name=\"title\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-livetext\n        \t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t                    <span class=\"is-style-default accordion__header-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tNovember 2025: Cuba\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n                <\/button>\n                <div\n\t\t\t\t\taria-labelledby=\"accordion-69e60749d1bdf-header-0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t class=\"is-style-default accordion__content site-panel__accordion-content context-content t-content \"\t\t\t\t\tid=\"accordion-69e60749d1bdf-content-0\"\n\t\t\t\t\trole=\"tabpanel\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-depth=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-index=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-autop=\"true\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-name=\"accordion_content\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-livetext\n                >\n\t\t\t\t\t                    <div class=\"is-style-default accordion__content-inner context-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We enjoyed colorful <a href=\"https:\/\/stolafstudytravel.smugmug.com\/2025-Cuba\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cuba<\/a>, which is true not only in the literal sense, seen in the pastel buildings of Havana, but also in the metaphorical sense. Cuba\u2019s culture and traditions are vibrant and vivid. <\/span><\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\n            <article  class=\"is-style-default accordion__row site-panel__accordion-item \" role=\"tab\" aria-selected=\"false\" id=\"accordion-69e60749d1bdf-header-1\" aria-controls=\"accordion-69e60749d1bdf-content-1\">\n        \t\t<button\n\t\t\t\t\taria-expanded=\"false\"\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"is-style-default accordion__header site-panel__accordion-title clearfix\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-depth=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-index=\"1\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-name=\"title\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-livetext\n        \t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t                    <span class=\"is-style-default accordion__header-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSeptember-October 2025: Greece\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n                <\/button>\n                <div\n\t\t\t\t\taria-labelledby=\"accordion-69e60749d1bdf-header-1\"\n\t\t\t\t\t class=\"is-style-default accordion__content site-panel__accordion-content context-content t-content \"\t\t\t\t\tid=\"accordion-69e60749d1bdf-content-1\"\n\t\t\t\t\trole=\"tabpanel\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-depth=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-index=\"1\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-autop=\"true\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-name=\"accordion_content\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-livetext\n                >\n\t\t\t\t\t                    <div class=\"is-style-default accordion__content-inner context-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fall was a great time to encounter <a href=\"https:\/\/stolafstudytravel.smugmug.com\/2025-Greece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Greece<\/a>, often called the cradle of democracy and of Western civilization itself. We started with several days in Athens before heading out for ancient sites around the country. <\/span><\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\n            <article  class=\"is-style-default accordion__row site-panel__accordion-item \" role=\"tab\" aria-selected=\"false\" id=\"accordion-69e60749d1bdf-header-2\" aria-controls=\"accordion-69e60749d1bdf-content-2\">\n        \t\t<button\n\t\t\t\t\taria-expanded=\"false\"\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"is-style-default accordion__header site-panel__accordion-title clearfix\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-depth=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-index=\"2\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-name=\"title\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-livetext\n        \t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t                    <span class=\"is-style-default accordion__header-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary and March 2025: Galapagos and Amazon\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n                <\/button>\n                <div\n\t\t\t\t\taria-labelledby=\"accordion-69e60749d1bdf-header-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t class=\"is-style-default accordion__content site-panel__accordion-content context-content t-content \"\t\t\t\t\tid=\"accordion-69e60749d1bdf-content-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\trole=\"tabpanel\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-depth=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-index=\"2\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-autop=\"true\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-name=\"accordion_content\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-livetext\n                >\n\t\t\t\t\t                    <div class=\"is-style-default accordion__content-inner context-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We plunged into the <a href=\"https:\/\/stolafstudytravel.smugmug.com\/2025-Galapagos-and-Amazon\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Amazon<\/a>, the world\u2019s most biodiverse rainforest, and the Galapagos, a unique environment where we encountered a variety of animals in their natural habitats, unfazed by our presence.<\/span><\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\n            <article  class=\"is-style-default accordion__row site-panel__accordion-item \" role=\"tab\" aria-selected=\"false\" id=\"accordion-69e60749d1bdf-header-3\" aria-controls=\"accordion-69e60749d1bdf-content-3\">\n        \t\t<button\n\t\t\t\t\taria-expanded=\"false\"\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"is-style-default accordion__header site-panel__accordion-title clearfix\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-depth=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-index=\"3\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-name=\"title\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-livetext\n        \t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t                    <span class=\"is-style-default accordion__header-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAll Recent Programs\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n                <\/button>\n                <div\n\t\t\t\t\taria-labelledby=\"accordion-69e60749d1bdf-header-3\"\n\t\t\t\t\t class=\"is-style-default accordion__content site-panel__accordion-content context-content t-content \"\t\t\t\t\tid=\"accordion-69e60749d1bdf-content-3\"\n\t\t\t\t\trole=\"tabpanel\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-depth=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-index=\"3\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-autop=\"true\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-name=\"accordion_content\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-livetext\n                >\n\t\t\t\t\t                    <div class=\"is-style-default accordion__content-inner context-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>See photos from <a href=\"https:\/\/stolafstudytravel.smugmug.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">over four dozen programs<\/a> in recent years.<\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/article>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\tclass=\"site-section site-panel__wysiwyg panel panel-wysiwyg site-section__bg--normal\"\n\t\t\tdata-depth=\"\"\n\t\t\tdata-js-panel=\"wysiwyg\"\n\t\t>\n\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"site-section__inner l-wrapper \">\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<header class=\"site-section__header\">\n\n\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"site-section__title h3\" id=\"faq\" data-name=\"title\" data-livetext data-depth=\"0\" data-index=\"0\">FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t<div class=\"site-section__content \">\n\t\t<div class=\"site-grid site-grid__wrapper site-grid__wrapper-stagger\"\n\t\t\t data-depth=\"0\"\n\t\t\t data-name=\"columns\"\n\t\t\t data-livetext>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"site-grid__col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"site-panel__wysiwyg-content\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"t-content \"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t data-depth=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t data-index=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t data-autop=\"true\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t data-name=\"column_content\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong id=\"FAQ\">What\u00a0<em>is<\/em> Alumni &amp; Family Travel, anyway?<\/strong><br \/>\nAlumni &amp; Family Travel is learning for the joy of it in fascinating places around the world. The majority of our tours are faculty-led, with custom-designed itineraries. Our trips are consistently rated a good value by participants, with no hidden costs. (See more on that, below, with &#8220;what&#8217;s included&#8221; and &#8220;what&#8217;s not included.&#8221;)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Do I have to be a St. Olaf alum or parent of a St. Olaf student to participate in Travel?<\/strong><br \/>\nNo. Since its inception, this travel program has been open to the public. Some Travelers are St. Olaf alums, some are parents or family members of Oles, and some have no prior relationship with the college.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is the age range of Travelers?<\/strong><br \/>\nTravelers can range in age from late teens to late retirement. The average travelers age is about 63. Shared interest in the themes and destinations of Study Travel create common bonds.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is the typical group size?<\/strong><br \/>\nWe try to keep Travel a good value. Many people prefer smaller group sizes, but fewer people to share costs means that tour prices are higher. The minimum number that each trip price is based on varies from tour to tour. It can be as few as 8, but is usually 12. The maximum group size is usually 25 travelers, including faculty leaders or hosts.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What are the physical demands of Alumni &amp; Family Travel?<\/strong><br \/>\nAlthough our tours are not &#8220;adventure travel&#8221; in the current sense of the term, you should be healthy and fit to successfully participate. Transportation between cities is usually by private coach. All other movement is usually on foot and with public transportation. Participants should generally be capable of walking up to five miles per day over possibly uneven terrain, climbing stairs that might not have handrails, climbing in and out of a variety of transportation vehicles, keeping pace with an active group of travelers on long days of traveling, dealing with the emotional highs and lows that can occur when experiencing a different culture, and being part of a group for several hours each day. If you have any questions about the physical demands of a specific program, please contact Director Heidi Quiram at 507-786-3629 or quiram@stolaf.edu.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Can children participate?<\/strong><br \/>\nMature teenagers are welcome to accompany adults on Travel tours and participate in group activities. Unless targeted at families, our tours are not appropriate for children.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Will I feel &#8220;left out&#8221; if I travel as a single?<\/strong><br \/>\nA 30-something Traveler addressed this concern in one trip evaluation: &#8220;As a single person it&#8217;s great to have people to travel with. The other thing that&#8217;s fun &#8230; is that you&#8217;re traveling with people who have similar interests, who are intending to travel in a way where they learn more than just surface-level sightseeing. I now have a group of friends that I continue to do things with after the trip.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>I&#8217;m single but would like a roommate. Can you help me find one?<\/strong><br \/>\nYes! If you request a roommate, we will assign a same-sex participant to room with you. We can put participants in touch with each other prior to departure and let them decide if they will be compatible as roommates during a tour.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Every tour has an educational theme. Does this mean we are required to attend lectures and take tests?<\/strong><br \/>\nAlumni &amp; Family Travel emphasizes learning for the joy of it. Discussions are offered frequently, either by the faculty leader, guest speakers, or guides. Discussion sessions last anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours, depending on the tour. Groups visit historic sites, museums, and art galleries, or attend music or theater performances that illuminate topics discussed in the seminars. There are no journals, papers, or tests, and every activity on the tour is optional. Tour leaders provide resource lists in advance for those who want to become more familiar with the history and culture of their destination.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Will I have time to pursue my own interests?<\/strong><br \/>\nOn every tour we strive to include free time every day, plus one or more free afternoon+evening or full free days. These unstructured times allow you to explore your interests, pursue new experiences, and savor the delights of different cultures. This is one of the great things about group travel: you&#8217;ve got some built-in buddies, without having to move lock-step with them 24 hours a day. Schedules vary by tour, however, so be sure to look closely at the itinerary posted online. See <a href=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/how-to-be-an-independent-group-traveler\/\">How to Be an Independent Group Traveler<\/a> for more info on this topic.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Can I depart earlier or return home later than the group? Can I leave from a city other than Minneapolis?<\/strong><br \/>\nAirfare is no longer included in tour fees, for several reasons. You are free to choose the flight schedule and fare that is right for you. We will provide information on when best to arrive at the beginning of the tour and when you are safe to depart at the end of the tour so as not to miss out on any group activities. We ask for your full flight schedule prior to departure and provide this information to the tour leaders so that they know when each participant will arrive and depart. For every tour, we recommend you not purchase non-refundable airfare until we can confirm the program has enough participants to go. (See a related answer, below, to &#8220;If I want to arrive early or stay later&#8230;&#8221;.)<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is typically included in the tour price?<\/strong><br \/>\nBased on double occupancy, tour prices usually include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Discussions led by the faculty leader or guest lecturers<\/li>\n<li>All accommodations<\/li>\n<li>Breakfast daily and several other group meals<\/li>\n<li>Entrance fees<\/li>\n<li>Guided tours of museums and other sites included in the itinerary<\/li>\n<li>Ground transportation (except airport transfers)<\/li>\n<li>Gratuities to group drivers and guides<\/li>\n<li>Limited <a href=\"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/travel-insurance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">international travel medical coverage<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>There is usually a supplement for single occupancy.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">What is not included in the tour price?<br \/>\n<\/span>Airfare is not included in tour prices. Participants are solely responsible for all expenses not specifically included in the tour price. Examples of excluded expenses are: airfare, transfers between the airport and hotel on arrival and departure, any passport and visa fees, any recommended immunizations or vaccinations, baggage \/ trip cancellation insurance, beverages, laundry, dry cleaning, phone charges, room service or mini bar charges, tips to porters and hotel maids, expenses incurred during free time or non-group activities, and lunch and dinner, unless specifically included on program itinerary.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Is travel insurance included in the tour price?<\/strong><br \/>\nLimited medical coverage is included in your tour price for international destintaions. Trip cancellation and loss of baggage are NOT included in the tour price. Visit the <a href=\"https:wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/travel-insurance\/\">Travel Insurance<\/a> page for more information.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What happens if I have to cancel my participation after I register?<\/strong><br \/>\nA Payment and Refund Schedule is posted for each program, clearly outlining the due dates of payments, and the amount of any refund.\u00a0A deposit is always needed to guarantee your participation and is fully refundable until the interim payment is due. An Interim payment is requested about 6-8 months prior to departure, half of which is refundable until the final payment due date. The remainder of the balance is generally due about 2 months prior to departure. After the final payment due date, no refunds can be made. Again, please see the individual Payment and Refund Schedule posted for each program.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If I register a year or more before departure, will you just forget about me?<\/strong><br \/>\nCertainly not! We strive to check in with you about once a month. As departure approaches, you&#8217;ll hear from us more frequently. Here are some of the subjects we&#8217;ll communicate with\u00a0you about: the\u00a0resource list or hotel list become available, to ask for scheduled payments (everyone&#8217;s favorite), with the go\/no-go decision, with any relevant visa application information, with itinerary updates, to share articles or web sites related to your destination or educational theme, to request your Who&#8217;s Who submission and flight schedule, among much else.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If I want to arrive a few days early or stay a few days later, can you help me do that?<br \/>\n<\/strong>Yes, absolutely. We&#8217;ll write to the hotel and make the reservation on your behalf in the hopes that you can keep the same room you&#8217;ll have during the group stay. Quite a lot of\u00a0participants do their own traveling before or after the program, turning the group experience into a personalized travel plan.<\/p>\n<p><strong>I&#8217;m convinced this is right for me. How do I register?<br \/>\n<\/strong>Scroll back up to the top of the page and use the Our Programs link to the right to see info on each program, including program descriptions, info about the leaders, what to expect, program fees, and more. Within each program page is a link to register for that program.<\/p>\n<p>We hope to see you on St. Olaf Travel!<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div> <!-- .site-grid__col -->\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div> <!-- .site-grid, .site-grid__wrapper -->\n\t<\/div> <!-- site-section__content -->\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n<p><!-- end-migrated-from-panel-builder --><\/p><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1899,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":-95,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/page-department-landing-page.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5177","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5177","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1899"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5177"}],"version-history":[{"count":68,"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5177\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15363,"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5177\/revisions\/15363"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5177"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}