Does The Pangaea Project know the local families who host students during the homestay experience?
The Pangaea Project has been working with the same host families in Ecuador and Thailand for several years. The families understand the interests, needs and challenges of Pangaea Project students, and they offer warm, supportive households. Each student will have a partner or “buddy,” so there are always two students staying at each home. Students will live with the family and learn about local customs and lifestyles by sharing meals and participating in conversations, leisure activities, and basic daily chores. Participants often develop close bonds quickly with their host families, and many stay in close touch after returning to the United States. Homestays occur during the second half of the trip after roughly two weeks of traveling and learning about social justice issues, grassroots leadership, culture, and basic language skills. Through this experience, students continue to develop their leadership skills by functioning outside of their comfort zone, communicating and working wit
