The Traveling School Campus
Classrooms:
Traveling School classrooms are anywhere we are. Since faculty and students travel and live together – classrooms can be anywhere where we can set up a white board, a place to take notes, and an inspiring learning environment. Students have had midterms on the back of the yacht while exploring the Galapagos Islands, had classes under an African baobab tree protected from the unrelenting desert sun, had classes during a rainy afternoon at picnic tables under a thatched patio, and had classes in group areas of dormitory style accommodations in cities all over the world.
Campus:
The Traveling School is based in Bozeman, Montana. However, the semester campus is spread to the furthest reaches of the globe. The Traveling School prides itself on its close ties with local people and communities. In returning to the same destinations, we have established and maintain authentic ties with peoples of the regions where we travel. Our campus includes local homes, community centers, regional libraries, vast oceans, national parks, World heritage sites, ancient ruins, local schools, high mountains, and more.
Transportation:
The Traveling School is all about roaming while learning. Students travel vast distances each semester to explore a variety of rural and urban landscapes. Depending on the semester, students either rely on local transportation – using a network of busses, trains, and boats – or The Traveling School hires a vehicle for the entire group. For example, in Africa, local transportation can be sporadic. The Traveling School has an enormous safari truck fully equipped with a kitchen, sand ladders, comfortable seats, and hundreds of gallons of water.
Accommodations:
To explore the outdoors and authentically integrate into local communities, we travel and stay with locals. Depending on the semester, students could spend several days sleeping in dormitory-style accommodations in local youth hostels, sleeping in a courtyard in a tent, sleeping in a guest room in their host family’s house, sleeping on the beach under the stars, or sleeping in a tent in a quiet campground. There is always access to clean water, good toilet facilities (though not always with running water), and hygienic cooking amenities.