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Fostering International Philanthropy

Global Exchange: Madurai and Goa,
India 2015

October 7-17, 2015

Travelers have a unique opportunity to not just visit a country but actually experience the culture as an active participant through immersion and volunteerism. Traveling with a small group of like-minded individuals with a passion for learning will make for an unforgettable adventure. The YMCA has a long history of international philanthropic exchange trips and partners with reputable change-making organizations abroad, providing participants an extraordinary cultural encounter like none other.

  • Explore one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world, known for its temples
  • Build a community of like-minded individuals to support reputable change-making organizations abroad
  • Be part of a mutual exchange of experiences and cultures
  • Become familiar with local life and customs through a temple visit
  • Discover the region's vibrant artistic community and historical significance with a cultural arts tour and a trip to the Gandhi Museum
  • Engage with local children at the YMCA Boys' Home which provides housing and education for orphaned youth
  • Find inspiration through a visit to the YMCA Center for Hearing Impaired that supports students in speech language training and lip reading, integrating them into regular schools
  • Learn about India's striking culture by interacting with community members
  • Investigate India's Portuguese influence, colonial architecture and exotic beaches with a trip to Goa, on the western coast along the Arabian Sea

Phase One: Pre-Trip

Orientation, Team Building and Cultural Overview

Phase Two: Trip

Day 1: Arrival in Madurai and temple visit

Day 2: Welcome, orientation, Gandhi Museum

Day 3: YMCA Rural Education programs visit, arts tour

Day 4: YMCA School for the Mentally Challenged, Boys' Home

Day 5: YMCA Center for the Hearing Impaired, afterschool programs visit

Day 6: Travel to Goa

Day 7: Explore Goa

Day 8: Departure to US

To register, contact:

​Jackie Martinez-Vasquez, Community and Global Engagment Executive

206 331 7882 

Paul Lwali, Executive Director, Bellevue Family YMCA

425 746 9900

 

Trip cost: $5,500*

Includes airfare, accommodations, meals, guide fees and local transportation.

 

*A significant portion of your fee will be a direct donation to support local programs. Cohort members are encouraged to fundraise for global programming beyond this initial contribution.