AORE Association News June 2017 | Page 11

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make reservations, plan the trek, and organize transportation. Participants not only had the opportunity to travel to Peru, but learned key skill sets and gained confidence for planning their own international outdoor trips. There is room for creativity and development of different models for international travel.

Among the many successes, some of the participants faced challenges with running international programs. Two individuals planned a trip, but were unable to run the trip due to a lack of registration. Several others encountered organizational changes or impediments to hosting international programming. There is not one model for international programming that will work for all organizations, but the AORE community is a great resource to learn from both the successes and challenges.

International outdoor program will likely continue to be a growing part of college and university outdoor programs. When the programs are done right, they can benefit local communities, have a life-long impact on participants, and provide unique opportunities to learn about relevant issues such as sustainability or climate change in the field. The Peru trip began a conversation that will continue to develop as more programs design and deliver new opportunities.

By Bryan Karban