March through September 2018  |  Travel dates to the Dominican Republic are July 21-28, 2018
Application deadline: January 12, 2018
The Dominican Republic is a small country on the eastern side of Hispaniola Island in the Caribbean. It is the second-largest Caribbean nation by area at over 18,700 square miles and the third largest by population with over 10 million people. Over three million people live in the metropolitan area of the capital, Santo Domingo. The Dominican Republic has the ninth-largest economy in Latin America. One major phenomenon facing the country is the large number of unauthorized immigrants from Haiti as well as the need to understand how best to integrate Dominicans of Haitian descent. The DR receives and sends large flows of migrants.
The $2,850* fee includes:
  • Registration for the World View Building Stronger Bridges: Cultural Respect and Equity in the Classroom Seminar and study visit orientation (lunches included) on March 20-21, 2018
  • Round-trip airfare from Raleigh-Durham airport to the Dominican Republic
  • Ground travel within the Dominican Republic
  • All hotel accommodations based on double or greater occupancy
  • All meals in the Dominican Republic, excluding international travel days
  • Supplemental UNC-Chapel Hill Study Abroad International Accident and Sickness Insurance
  • All educational, cultural and historical activities excluding independent activities
  • Gratuities
  • Registration to the study visit follow-up workshop in September 2018
  • Program materials for orientation and follow-up workshop
*An additional charge of $250 is added for educators outside of North Carolina
Please note: A minimum of 20 participants is needed to operate the study visit.
Note: please download and save your application prior to completing it digitally.

FAQ

What should I expect from this Global Study Visit Program?This is intended to be a unique and challenging professional development opportunity—not a tourist trip! Participants on this trip must be in good health and able to carry their own luggage and walk several miles.
Educators who participate in the Dominican Republic Global Study Visit Program can expect to:
  1. Increase their knowledge and understanding about Colonial Americas and the legacy of the trans-Atlantic slave trade by touring the colonial city of Santo Domingo, education institutions and cultural and historical sites.
  2. Increase their knowledge and understanding of the Dominican Republic’s public and private educational systems and practices.
  3. Increase their knowledge, understanding and the ability to apply concepts of women’s rights and women’s voice in Dominican society and culture to instruction.
  4. Design and share a “deliverable” that enables transfer of this powerful global experience back to the participant’s home school or community college. Deliverables can take a variety of forms: a globally integrated unit, a professional development workshop for peers, a culture kit and learning guide to be shared with a grade level team, a community college globalized course module, incorporation into a Global Educator Digital Badge PD Capstone, a global education action plan, etc.
  5. Produce at least one reflection on the study visit experience to be shared with World View. This reflection can take a variety of forms and can be produced during or after the study visit. Examples include: a photo essay, a brief article, a story map, blog posts, an audio diary, etc.
  6. Improve collaboration and leadership skills by working with others, moving outside of their comfort zones, engaging in critical self-reflection and planning follow up steps.
Do I need a passport? Do I need a visa?
Each participant must have a passport that is valid at the time of entry and at least 1 blank passport page for an entry stamp. Should there be insufficient blank pages in your passport, entry into the country could be denied. Passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the return date.
All participants must send a clear digital image of the first page of their passport by March 3, 2018.  Passport applications can take months to process. If you do not currently have a passport, you should apply for one immediately: travel.state.gov/content/travel/en.html
Participants do not need a tourist visa for stays less than 30 days, but the Dominican Republic requires a tourist card, which can be purchased at the airport upon entry.
How do I apply for the Global Study Visit Program?To apply, please complete an application (available here) and send in your $500 deposit by January 12, 2018.
When will I know if I am accepted to the Global Study Visit Program?The application deadline is January 12, 2018, and participants will be accepted on a rolling basis, unless you have traveled with World View before. If you have traveled on a previous World View Study Visit you will be placed on a waitlist until the deadline has passed. Deposit checks will be deposited upon acceptance.
What preparation and information will be provided before the Global Study Visit Program?All participants are required to attend a two-day seminar (Building Stronger Bridges: Cultural Respect and Equity in the Classroom) and orientation in Chapel Hill. This seminar will take place on March 20-21, 2018. During the seminar, participants will gather with the study visit leader for an orientation that will cover additional information to prepare for travel to and within the Dominican Republic. During the orientation, participants will receive a binder with information about each location and additional details. Between the orientation and study visit, participants will receive regular emails from leaders with additional information and tips to help prepare for the experience.
What will I have to pay for on the Global Study Visit Program?The cost of the Program, which includes a seminar and orientation, an 8-day trip to the Dominican Republic, program materials and a post-trip workshop is $2,850, plus an additional $250 if you prefer a single room.  For all educators outside of North Carolina, $250 will be added to the final cost.
Cost includes the following:
  • Registration for the World View Building Stronger Bridges: Cultural Respect and Equity in the Classroom Seminar and study visit orientation (lunches included) on March 20-21, 2018
  • Round-trip airfare from Raleigh-Durham airport to the Dominican Republic
  • Ground travel within the Dominican Republic
  • All hotel accommodations based on double or greater occupancy
  • All meals in the Dominican Republic, excluding international travel days
  • Supplemental UNC-Chapel Hill Study Abroad International Accident and Sickness Insurance
  • All educational, cultural and historical activities excluding independent activities
  • Gratuities
  • Registration to the study visit follow-up workshop in September 2018
  • Program materials for orientation and follow-up workshop
Cost excludes the following:
  • Passport application or renewal charges
  • Dominican Republic Tourist Card (purchase required upon entry, est. $10, and exit fees, est. $20)
  • Travel to and from Raleigh-Durham airport
  • Baggage fees
  • Trip cancellation or baggage insurance
  • Supplemental excursion activities and personal and incidental expenses (including alcohol)
  • Personal and incidental expenses (including alcohol)
  • Travel and accommodations for the World View Seminar on March 20-21, 2018 and follow-up workshop in September 2018
What vaccinations do I need for this Global Study Visit Program?World View cannot legally give participants medical advice. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that travelers to the Dominican Republic are up to date on all routine immunizations and visit a doctor 4-6 weeks before traveling. Please see the CDC website for additional recommendations.  Please check with your medical provider or World View if you have questions or concerns.
Do you have any advice for finding funding for the Global Study Visit Program?World View recommends talking to your school or district about possible funding for the study visit. You can also try contacting your school’s PTA, your local Rotary chapter or other professional organizations that you belong to. Previous participants have also applied for various education grants or done fundraising on their own
What if I want to stay longer or arrive earlier than the group?Trip deviations are sometimes possible and are handled on case-by-case basis. Please talk to the study visit leader at least six months before departure if you are considering a deviation from the scheduled dates of the study visit.
What if I have additional questions?For additional questions, please contact Julie Kinnaird at kinnaird@unc.edu or 919-962-6785.

Follow-up Workshop Information

At the conclusion of World View Global Study Visit Programs, participants gather in Chapel Hill for a one day follow-up workshop. This year, the workshop will take place in September 2018. The goal of the day is to reflect on the trip and discuss ways to design content-aligned learning experiences for our students.
Participants are also required to design and share one reflection (due September 2018) and one deliverable (due October 4, 2018) to demonstrate how the study visit program impacted you as an educator and will be integrated into your school, district or community college environment.