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Welcome to Cheryl's Travel Blueprint! I’m a former Spanish teacher turned travel advisor, passionate about curating unforgettable experiences. My expertise lies in European adventures (with a special love for Spain), cruising, and all-inclusive Caribbean getaways. I specialize in creating tailored trips for families, multi-generational groups, and teachers—whether they’re traveling solo, with colleagues, or leading student groups.
In this podcast, we celebrate the joy of travel, uncover hidden gems, share practical tips and tricks, and embrace the spirit of adventure. Each episode features inspiring conversations with fascinating guests from all walks of life as they share their unique travel stories, lessons, and favorite destinations. Whether you're planning your next getaway or simply love to dream about the possibilities, this is your place to explore the world from wherever you are.
Let’s embark on this journey together! 🌍✈️
Imagine being 16 years old and stepping off a plane into a country you've only ever seen in textbooks and realizing in that moment that your world just got bigger. Today, we're pulling back the curtain on the trips that changed our lives and announcing something new that will help even more students experience that same transformation. Welcome, everybody, to Cheryl's Travel Blueprint. I am Cheryl from Nostalgic Travel, and I have two amazing guests with me today. I'm going to introduce Ale from She's a former colleague of mine, a former teacher, and we work together and we built an exchange program together. So welcome, Ali. Hi, thanks for having me. You are so welcome. I'm so thankful that you were able to join us and give us some insight into the world of youth exchange. And but before we get into it, I just want to introduce Sarah as well, because she is a former student who traveled with us. I don't know if it was our first trip together. All right. It was our very first trip. Yes. So and thank you as well, Sarah, for joining us. It means a lot. So, you know, I don't even know how many years it's been, but we launched the the we launched our student exchange program in maybe 20 2009. 2009. Okay. And we had so many great memories and I guess we'll get into that in a little bit. But yeah, we decided to, I decided to start the Youth Exchange Collective because I wanted to do something to help students that were not able to financially afford to go on one of these types of trips because it is, I feel, I think it's something that every student should be able to do before they leave high school. That's just my, that's my strong belief. I think that's really important. And it needs to be accessible to all students. So that's kind of the background behind it. Youth Exchange Collective. So that's the why for what we are doing. So before we go too far into this, Ali, could you tell us a little bit about your background and, you know, your why? Yeah, so I was a Spanish teacher for over a decade. I had the privilege of working alongside you and learning with you and doing the exchange program. I think, when I think about what we're doing here, I think a lot about my own experience as a high schooler and the limited access I had, the limited opportunities that I had to travel within that time. And I know I saw firsthand the value in it when we would take students every time or when students would come to us, it always was such a powerful experience. And I don't think that we ever ended a trip without it being very emotional and like in the most beautiful way, right? The happiest of tears, seeing these lifelong friendships for them. And so the ability to continue to give back and help others experience that is such a privilege. Absolutely. I agree with you wholeheartedly. Can you tell us about a defining moment from one of our trips for you? Oh my goodness. I think any time that we saw students where we were kind of trying to figure out, okay, how do we navigate this situation? Or we're looking at a map, or we're looking at something, and we ourselves are learning how to navigate through that, because every trip was so unique. And then seeing a kid say, actually, no, I actually think we should do this this way, or I think I've got it. And, or to see them like advocate for themselves and ask, you know, a police officer, or someone that they knew was a trauma survivor, asking them for help or advice on something and just seeing them kind of gain that level of independence and empowerment was always like a really like, okay, here we go. There they are. You know, it was always such a beautiful moment to see. Absolutely. So Sarah, we're going to switch to you. Who were you before this trip? Honestly, I feel like that's a better question for you two to share your insights into who I was before the trip. Oh my gosh, I could go, I could, I'm like, you were my student, so I could just gush about you for five years. Yeah, what was I like? I don't know. I guess, like, my adult brain doesn't really have salient words for what I was like at 15 years old. Endlessly curious, endlessly curious, just always like hungry to learn more, always like open to, you know, you always wanted to push to know why, but always in a really like open way. you know, I think of you as someone like the true definition of open learning stands, you know, just really wanting to be like, okay, I need to know why, but I'm okay with you contradicting what I originally thought about this thing. And so, to me, that was like, I remember Cheryl and I talking about this when you first showed interest, because originally we didn't know what levels. We were new. We were figuring it out, but we knew you were like the perfect personality for this. We're like, it doesn't matter that she's taken it for a couple months. She is like the perfect personality for this. Well, thank you all for believing in me and taking me with you. So what was your inspiration for deciding to join this trip and what it took? I think kind of like Ali's side, like just the endless curiosity where it's like, wait, I can go to a different country. country and who knows what's going to happen. But like, I want, I want to know. I'm nosy. Like, let me go. FOMO maybe? I don't know. That's great. Did you have any kind of, do you have any recollection of that first, like stepping off that plane the first time? What was that like? You know, I was trying to think about that. I have, a very vivid memory from being in the airport in Amsterdam because we went through customs and I believe one of my lovely classmates said that we were going to Canada. I was like, wait, why are the Americans who are going to Canada coming through Amsterdam? And it was, it was just amazing. But, um, so I have that. And then there's kind of a gap, but I do very vividly remember the first dinner that I had that night. And I fell asleep at dinner, because it was so late. And they, like, covered me with blankets, and I'm just, like, passed out, jet -lagged, like, you know, rapid Spanish that my textbooks did not quite prepare me for. Just being fired every night. And you kind of had a baptism by fire. Oh, yeah. For sure. For sure. But I feel like that's the only way. You just gotta jump in. You do. You definitely do. And I think that's one of the things we always did when we got to Spain. I think we took them, we might have taken them to school to meet their host families, possibly, and then just did some kind of tourings to keep them awake, I feel like. Yes, suitcases and all. Yes, indeed. So I want to talk a little bit about the power of student travel. and how it builds confidence. I think it also builds independence and cultural awareness. And just like what we're talking about now, you got a chance to just jump right in and see something new. And I think one of the things that we did, we learned how to navigate the metro system. And I don't know, I believe with your host family, did you take the subway to school? I don't. think so. I think we just walked. Oh, okay. Because I know everybody, you know, just depended on where everybody lived. So I should probably step back a little bit and kind of explain a little bit about this program. So when we went on these trips, what we would do, we would match our students with the students in Spain. And then once we got to Spain, they would stay with those with those host families and, and kind of find out what it was like to experience daily life as a you know, in a different culture. And it was a, I think we stayed about two weeks. Is that right? About two weeks? Yeah. Yeah. And, and so you got to kind of see what life would be like if you, if this were your family. And, and so we said goodbye to our students. We, you know, the parents and the new families met them either at the airport or at school. I guess every trip was probably different. Every trip was, yeah. Yeah. So we met the families, they went their own separate ways. And then we saw them at school the next day. And then we would meet at school, I think, every day and either stay in school or go on a field trip. And so those were our experiences. So the kids got a chance to see what life was really like through the eyes of their host families, their host siblings and things like that. So I just thought that was just really empowering. important to me. And I, we also had the same experience because we stayed with our host teachers and we, Ali and I, both took the subway. We took the Metro to school every day, pretty much. Yeah. I think there were a couple of times we Ubered, but that was just, those are just, special occasions, I think. Yes, pure necessity. Yes, absolutely. Yeah, and so we got to, we got to see the, we got a chance to see what it's really like to live in a different culture, you know. And it's so funny, just, I really love taking the Metro to school. I wished we had one that we could have taken. Ali's like, no. I think it really depended on the day. A lot of really unique aromas. Sure, yeah. That's true. I mean, there is a downside to it. I guess what I liked is not having to drive. Well, and I really loved that. I loved how easy it was to navigate, that I will say. I think by the second time we went, it was like, oh, this really isn't a big deal, actually. It was like you knew you weren't going to get lost, you know? Yeah. Yeah. And I mean, I think we could have even walked to school if we wanted to. That would've been a really long walk, but it's not impossible. Like, wait. A long walk even by your standards? That's what I said. Two blocks. Like, two blocks. Like, two blocks. It would've been a long walk by my standards. Oh, no. No. Do your podcast listeners know about you and your two blocks? It's like two blocks away. You're notorious, it's two blocks. I have not discussed that, actually. That's not something we've discussed. I enjoy walking, I'm going to say. And it's, you know, if you just take your mind off it, you'll get there. You have a destination, you just do it. And it's, I don't know, I just enjoyed it. Because it's not something I was able to do at home. Like when we were teaching together, walking to school was just not an option. That wasn't something we could do. And I really, I wish we could have. You know, that would have been great. But, you know, that's just me. So let me just shift gears a little bit. I'm gonna start first with you as an educator, Ali. What is your perspective from watching those students, you know, in real time? What was your take on that, on that exchange program? I mean, I think that you saw, Sarah was a perfect example of this, where you saw someone's language just flourish. And it felt like overnight, it obviously was not. But even just, you know, I had the opportunity to then, I think I taught her several years after that for Sarah. We were together for a very long time. Yeah. I mean, you're the only Spanish teacher I had in high school. Yeah. We were in it together. How lucky was I? But it was amazing to see It was amazing to see, like, the evolution of the language for her. Just how quickly she acquired the language. Like, like her, I mean, it was just, and it wasn't just her, obviously. It was all the students. But really, I think she, I think at that, for that trip, she was our only Spanish 1 student. Because I was going to say, I remember that. And I thought, yeah, it was, I remember thinking, wow, she's picking up on this really very fast. Yeah, yeah. I mean, but, you know, I think in other trips we saw that happen over and over again. you know, where you're just like, I mean, don't get me wrong, Sarah's an exceptional student and her acquisition of language is like, I mean, my gosh, we should all be so lucky. She's amazing. But it was really cool. You saw it at every level, but especially students in one and two, where you're just like, wow, this is incredible to see how quickly you're acquiring it. And I also think that It really depended on the child how much how many risks were they going to take in regards to language? You know, I think it helped a lot that you and I, Cheryl, are lifelong learners. We had the opportunity to model struggling to communicate what we needed. And and I think you and I were not shy about being like, you know what, I really don't know what that word is or like, Loyda and Victor, I don't actually know what you just said to me. Can you help me? And so I think it was cool to see students try more and more and more and put themselves out there more and more. There was a lot of humble pie, absolutely. But that's what being an educator and a learner is because I always say that I'm a lifelong learner because you just, you can't stop learning. There's just no way around it. Yeah. So, Sarah, I want to ask you your perspective as a student discovering your voice abroad. Can you tell us a little bit about that? I think it started before we even got to Spain because I believe originally when you designed the trip you said that it had to be sophomores and like above going and I begged and begged and begged. I feel like maybe I wrote an essay about why I couldn't handle it or like, yeah. So I was 15 where everyone else was 16 or older and I think it's, like you said, I'm very curious and lifelong learner, but I also just like to get into misfit and nonsense. So I was like, well, I wanna go and I can do this and kind of like a stubborn mentality towards it. Like, what do you mean that I can't go? Cause I've only been learning Spanish for six months. But also I think it like, Knowing that you took a chance with my maturity and my language skills and all the things, I really didn't want to let you guys down. So like your two blocks, I was like, okay, it's going to be fine as I'm like cursing you in my head. So don't slow down. Don't be the one that needs to stop because you're not even supposed to be here. But I do remember very vividly again, like Ale, your thinking face is when you put your finger on your nose and you push it down like this. And I remember seeing you do that a lot in Madrid. And I was like, OK, it's not just me where my brain is getting tired because I'm like, what? But, you know, you just keep going and build on your skills. Yeah, absolutely. And especially because how often you think to yourself, the Spanish that you learn, that universal Spanish versus the Spanish that a Madrilenio uses, even compared to someone in Catalonia, right? Like it's not There's so many different, like, nuances there, cultural, but also just genuine nuances there that, like, you don't, I never thought of. And yeah, Ishero is right. A humble pie. Delish. Delish. It's a skipping line. Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum. Yep. I feel like to this day, I, whenever I'm going to use my Spanish for a particular thing, I'm like, do not say estoy embarazada. It's like in my head. Well, I just want to take a quick moment to talk to the viewers out there and say that if you are enjoying this conversation, please don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode of Cheryl's Travel Blueprint. We would love to have you on all of our conversations. Just keep that in mind. As I said earlier, every student deserves a chance to see the world. So make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you'll learn more about what we're doing and you'll never miss an episode. And you'll be the first to hear updates about how you can support Youth Exchange Collective. So let's move on to why we created Youth Exchange Collective. As I mentioned earlier, the gap we saw between people that were able to take the trips and others was just kind of becoming difficult for some families. And so our mission at Youth Exchange Collective is accessibility. We want to reduce cost barriers for students. We want to create equity and open doors for students from all backgrounds. And we want to reinforce language learning, cultural awareness, and global citizenship. Our vision is to give scholarships to students that are deserving, form teacher partnerships as well, We want to have fundraising opportunities and cultural prep resources. And hopefully, we'll have some mentorship from students like Sarah. And just so you all know, Sarah and Ali are both on the board of Youth Exchange Collective. So that's why I've invited them to talk to us today. So what about when students come home? Let's talk a little bit about that. And I don't know who we're talking about. about this, but like the long -term effects of the Immersion Program. Can you kind of think about what that, I think, Sarah, you probably would be the best to answer that because you were a recipient of an exchange program. Times two, right? I think I went with you all two years in a row. Oh, that's right. Yeah. Yeah. Or was it... I'm getting old. I think it was two years. It was, it was stay. Was it two years? It was staggered the first time. I think there was one other time. But you also hosted. You also hosted. I hung her from this year. I got a full career, basically. Yeah, it was the best part of high school. I had stuff. My favorite part, too. I think coming home. I mean, this was 16 years ago for me, right? And I still find ways to continue to process these experiences and the ways that they shape my everyday life. I just took a new position with the organization that I work for. My new title is director of innovation. And all of that confidence comes from traveling abroad and not knowing what was going to happen, but knowing that it was going to be OK and being safe to continue to speak even when my grammar fell apart like a Lego tower. Just learning that main character energy can be you. You do get to go on the trips. You do get to learn. You do get to steer your learning and your story. And I think about those trips every day. That makes me so happy because just, you know, that to me, I don't know. I don't know. if I have the words to describe you know that's what we that was our goal you know having students come back with more than just souvenirs from a country because before we did the exchange program I had led tours and Ali I don't know if you had ever I think you had too right yeah program where you just do I don't even know how to describe those kinds of trips I call them catalog tours where you just, you know, it's kind of like being on a death march. You stay in a hotel, and I'm not putting it down. It has its place. There's nothing wrong with it. But just when you do those kinds of trips, you don't necessarily get to, you don't get to meet someone in a meaningful way. Yeah, I think a lot about, I had the opportunity to do it twice before we did this. And to your point, there is absolutely a time and place for it. But I remember the second time going and it really hitting me that I didn't hear a child use Spanish once. Right. We were a week into it and I hadn't heard him speak Spanish once. And I thought, what are we, what are we doing? Like, what are we doing here? You know, I appreciate you're, you're getting to see cathedrals. That's great. You're getting to see artwork. That's amazing. Like there is like a level of cultural immersion, but you're never once using the language, you know? And I. I just thought to myself, like, what a missed opportunity. So, yeah. I think those trips are safe in a different kind of a way. And when I say safe, I mean, they don't make you push your boundaries the way I would like to see. And that was the thing that, you know, and then when kids came back from those trips, just like with Sarah, what you're saying, you still have an impact. It's impacting you today. Those other trips, you might think about them and say, you know, but you can't really say you've been someplace in a way because it's just like, oh, I did this. And then it's just over. And it's just like, yeah, I don't know. That was just the impression that I got, you know, and the difference in the response from students. And then, you know, and like you have been back how many times to see your host family and I've been back three times, and then the gentleman that I hosted here came to my wedding. Wow. And see, that's why we do what we do, you know? That's just everything to me. So I went to my host little brother's wedding, and then the second time I went, the host got married, and then the other pair came here. Yeah. And I mean, that's generational. So that's never going to leave. They know my kids. I know theirs. It's everything. And I feel like Ali and I could can speak to that as well. I think we've had the same kind of relationship with our friends, you know, staying with them, going back and forth, visiting them, not just with students, but on our own and getting the chance to just really feel like we're part of their families. Yeah, absolutely. It's a gift. And I just think that the world would just be a better place if everybody had to do this. You know, that's just my two cents. So I think we're going to talk a little bit about how listeners can support the mission. Things that listeners can do if they want to help a youth exchange collective get off the ground, they can donate. sponsor students, share information about Youth Exchange Collective with schools, families, and community partners, volunteer for events as they come up, and follow and support us on social media. We are launching a website. I'll put it in the show notes and you'll be able to actually go there and learn more about it. And as far as destinations being considered, when it comes to Youth Exchange Collective, I would say that people that are interested in having an exchange experience, we're gonna have an application form. I don't think that there's a destination that I wouldn't consider as long as it's, obviously, I think any time you can travel, you're learning something, so. I just wanted to share that information with everyone. So there's lots of opportunities out there for teachers, for donors, and community members. And that's what the hope is, that we can get a movement going. So any last reflections that you guys would share about something that really touched you or just something you want to share about your exchange experience? I'm not sure, like, who I would be without those trips because going forward and for the last 16 years, no matter what life has brought me to, I have been able to be like, well, you know, I basically got dropped off in Madrid at 15 and it was fine. Like, it'll be okay. I'll figure it out. I think for me, it's really just gratitude. Like so grateful to our host families. So grateful to like the students and their families for trusting us. So grateful to Lloyda and Victor. Like truly, like there's so much gratitude there. because it's incredible that we played a small role in this. I think you and I, Cheryl, we poured our hearts into making it really meaningful for students, but I think students also really trusted us so deeply and were so brave with it, and I'm just so incredibly grateful that we had the privilege to play a small role in that with them. That's such a gift. Absolutely. I feel like this was And I'm not exaggerating, I feel like this was the highlight of my career, being able to do this. And just talking to Sarah and other students like her who got a chance to do this, it just, it reinforces the importance, the fact that we were right about doing this, you know, that we did a good thing. And it just makes me so happy and proud. Sarah, you just have no idea how proud we are. classmates for trusting us to do this. So proud. You know I'm a, you know I'm a crier, Sarah. Don't worry, I'm a crier now too. I was a man, but I have people who cry. But yeah, I mean all the other classmates that came with, I mean they're all doing really incredible things. And it's, I would venture to say that a lot of that confidence comes from these experiences. So thank you. And thank you. Yeah, absolutely. Well, if this episode inspired you, I want you to As I said earlier, I want you to definitely consider subscribing so you can follow along with all of the goings on at Youth Exchange Collective and Cheryl's Travel Blueprint. Imagine what one of these trips could do for a student. I want you to follow Youth Exchange Collective, share the mission, or consider becoming a supporter. And don't forget to subscribe to the podcast so you can follow our journey as we help the next generation to see the world. And thank you both for joining us. I appreciate it. Thank you.