This document provides information about an educational trip to Panama organized by Intercultural Student Experiences (ISE). The trip includes visits to cultural sites like the Panama Canal, indigenous communities, and forts. Students will stay with host families to experience daily Panamanian life and practice Spanish. ISE has 40 years of experience arranging cultural immersion programs and provides medical insurance. The payment schedule and sign-up process are outlined.

1. ¡Vamos a Panamá con ISE!

2. ¿Quién es ISE?
• Intercultural Student Experiences, a nonprofit
educational organization since 1972
• Strong emphasis on language and cultural immersion
• Mission: To inspire and educate students of the world
through experiential learning across cultures.

3. ¿Por qué ISE?
• Emphasis on language usage & family stay
• 40 years of experience and knowledgeable staff
• 24-hour on-call emergency phone while group
is abroad
• ISE Student Code of Conduct
• Financial aid
• Health and trip cancellation insurance coverage

4. Nuestro Destino: Panamá

5. ¿Cómo se prepara para el viaje?
• As a group we will get familiar with Panama and
the places we’ll visit:
• Classroom discussions
• Learn about culture, customs, traditions with
assistance from ISE Beyond the Classroom Wiki
• Internet research for trip
• Seek out additional opportunities to practice
Spanish

6. ¿Qué vamos a hacer en Panamá?
• Miraflores Visitors Center at the Panama Canal
• Visit an Emberá indigenous community
• Fort San Lorenzo
• Valle de Antón

7. ¿Por qué quedarnos con
una familia panameña?
• To fulfill ISE’s commitment to offer students cultural
immersion opportunities abroad
• Opportunity for students to observe and partake in
daily life in Panama
•To practice using Spanish in a real life setting

8. Hechos interesantes sobre
las familias panameñas
• Families live in both rural and urban areas
• ISE travelers may or may not have the opportunity to attend school
with his/her host brother or sister depending on when you travel. The
academic calendar in Panama is structured in three trimesters per
year:
Mid/late February – June followed by 1-2 weeks of vacation
June – September followed by1-2 weeks of vacation
September – mid December followed by 2 1/2 months of vacation

9. Más hechos interesantes sobre
las familias panameñas
• Two common dishes are ropa
vieja (shredded beef in a tomato
based sauce, which actually means
old clothes) and sancocho
(Panamanian chicken soup)
•Tamales, empanadas, fruit,
vegetables and chicken are also
very common in the Panamanian
diet
•ISE recommends that the family
provide the traveler with bottled or
boiled water

10. ¿Cómo se seleccionan las familias?
• ISE Family Stay Coordinators: teachers, community leaders, or
individuals connected to churches & other community organizations
• Host families chosen by ISE Family Stay Coordinators
• Families complete application and have a home visit prior to
acceptance

11. Más información sobre las familias
• Host families are expected to provide room,
board, and genuine cultural experience for
student
• ISE traveler might share a room with a host
sibling of the same gender, but is required to
have his/her own bed

12. Detalles Importantes
• Program travel dates
• Approximate price
• *Fuel surcharges included in price
• Add-on’s
• Trip inclusions and exclusions

13. Seguro Médico y de Accidente
• Included in program price
• $50,000 maximum
coverage
• Coverage details available
on ISE website

14. Seguro sobre cancelación
por razones médicas
• Included in program price
• Valid for cancellation due
to medical issues affecting
participants or immediate
family
• $1,000 max coverage

15. ¿Cómo y cuándo lo voy a pagar?

16. Fechas de pago - viajes de primavera
Spring Programs
Early Bird registration deadline: June 15
Final registration deadline: October 1
June 15 (Early Bird) $500
October 1 (final) Due with program application
November 1 $800
December 1 $800
January 15 Balance

17. Fechas de pago - viajes de verano
Early Bird registration deadline: June 15
Summer Programs Final registration deadline: October 15
June 15 (Early Bird) $500
October 15 (final) Due with program application
November 15 $1000
January 15 $1000
March 15 Balance

18. Haz un plan financiero
• Consider ISE’s financial aid & fundraising
• ISE Early Bird Discount: save $200
• Participate in ISE’s US Hosting Program and
receive a discount on your own ISE trip

19. Apoyo económico
•ISE provides need
based financial aid
•Financial Aid Grant
Calculator on website
•Application online

20. ¿Cómo se inscribe?
• Student Application in English
• Code of Conduct signed by participant &
parent/guardian
• Family Stay Application in Spanish
• $500 deposit check or money order
• Save $200 with Early Bird sign-up by June 15th
• Send “Dear Host Family” letter & photos by fall
enrollment deadline
• Don’t forget to apply for your passport!

21. Comentarios de viajeros ISE
ily
amily . My fam ing
of [m y host] f more accept
ember’ o be
ng a m ing. I learned t nish Student, W
V
‘bec omi v a
“I loved onderful and lo nd foods.” Sp
w a s so
w ple a
n to new peo
and ope “I am so glad I went with
ISE on this trip, the people,
the family stay, the food,
the guides, the day visits,
my teacher, and my
classmates all made this
trip a success!”
Spanish Student, WI
“…the best p
art is not wha
hear about in ty
stories, it's w ou see in pictures and
hat you find fo
r your
Spanish Stud self.”
ent, MN

22. Resumen de detalles importantes
• ISE’s Panama program provides language and cultural
immersion in a real life setting
• ISE’s valuable family stay experience cannot be obtained
through a tour only program
• ISE’s Early Bird sign up allows me to save $200 and plenty of
time to fundraise, submit your application and deposit by June
15 to ensure your Early Bird discount!
¡Nos vemos en Panamá!