The #FirstTimeAbroad initiative is designed to provide additional resources to Americans who have not yet traveled outside the U.S.!

Background

To travel to new countries is to expand your view of the world, and thus enrich your understanding of it. International travel yields appreciation of and reflection on different values, traditions, and habits, prompting you to reevaluate your own. Travel not only shifts the way you consider ideas and cultures, but it can also enrich the perspectives of those around you through the stories you tell. And of course, it’s also fun!

Although everyone deserves to experience the benefits of international travel, statistics find that this remains a privilege reserved for a select few. The perceived cost of travel is one likely cause behind the bleak figure that less than 19 million Americans even hold passports. Even the most optimistic measures find that the majority of Americans (54% to 64%) do not hold valid passports.

Services

Normally, services entail finding cheap flights only. However, for individuals and families who have not yet traveled abroad, cost is likely not the only obstacle. Passport requirements, exchange rates, hotel bookings, language/cultural customs, and itinerary planning can be daunting factors as well. As helping Americans to experience other cultures for the first time lies at the core of my motivation, I am pleased to offer additional services to American individuals/families traveling abroad for the first time if they have found this travel to be previously inaccessible. A #FirstTimeAbroad package includes:

• Finding affordable flights based on your criteria (booked by you)
• Finding affordable hotels based on your travel plans (booked by you)
• Finding an affordable rental car (booked by you)
• Sending a guide on obtaining passports and answering questions if needed
• A 1-2 page document with a brief overview of the city/transit system (if applicable) and recommended attractions
• A one-page language sheet with basic phrases, as well as general tips

For custom or add-on services, such as creating itineraries or additional coaching on the travel process, please contact me and we can design a custom package that fits your needs.

To share the impact of a first experience abroad and promote the initiative, #FirstTimeAbroad recipients are also requested to do the following:

• Include the #FirstTimeAbroad hashtag in social media posts of the trip
• Feature one social media post at the conclusion of the trip linking to affordyourtravel.com and describing how they benefited from the planning services
• Submit a brief testimonial of their experience (photo or video)