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A blog that looks behind the scenes at how we bring our mission to life, every day

Jamie Berman ‹ We are EF Blog | Careers

Whether we realize it or not, racism affects everyone. As many of us take the time to educate ourselves, self-reflect, and begin the process of unlearning, we must also consider how racism manifests across society, organizations, and in our personal lives.
At <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Education First</a>, we work every day to help people better understand one another, which is why <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/we-are-ef/a-letter-from-our-ceo-of-north-america/?007002,DEIB_2020" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">we are committed</a> to improving Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging across our organization. As we continue our work to drive change at EF and be better allies for our colleagues, students, educators, and friends, we recognize that education is a critical piece of the equality puzzle.
EF recently hosted a virtual conversation for its U.S. staff with our external learning partner, <a href="https://www.dlplummer.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dr. Deborah L. Plummer, Ph.D</a>., to help attendees dive deeper into the critical topics of racism and allyship. Dr. Plummer is an accomplished psychologist, university professor, author, and speaker on topics central to racial equality, inclusion, and mutual respect. As learning partners, EF and Dr. Plummer have created a supportive system through which both she and the EF community can learn from one another, test ideas, and uncover new ways of thinking.
Her session focused on understanding basic forms of racism and how they interplay; identifying how these forms show up in practices, policies, and everyday interactions; and inspiring attendees to have enlightened, productive conversations about race to build a more inclusive society.
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_17356" style="width: 578px"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-17356" class="wp-image-17356 size-full" height="412" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MicrosoftTeams-image.png" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MicrosoftTeams-image.png 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MicrosoftTeams-image-300x218.png 300w" width="568"> Dr. Deborah L. Plummer, Ph.D., is passionate about creating inclusive organizations and building peaceful communities. </div>
“We have this sense of urgency to treat race relations as something to be feared, as something we need to treat with force,” said Dr. Plummer. “We should see racism as a challenging opportunity to learn new things, change our thinking, and acquire new skills to navigate our increasingly multiracial world.”
To help us understand how racism manifests, Dr. Plummer walked attendees through a matrix that explained “-isms,” or destructive attitudes, belief systems, actions, or practices that are attached to the expression of human differences, such as ageism, sexism, and religionism.
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_17305" style="width: 578px"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-17305" class="size-full wp-image-17305" height="505" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/isms-matrix.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/isms-matrix.jpg 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/isms-matrix-300x267.jpg 300w" width="568"> Source: www.dlplummer.com </div>
“These systems stay in place because we see them every day. We don’t recognize how they’re actually an interlocking system with floating boundaries, which leads to them becoming normalized in society,” explained Dr. Plummer. “Behavior sometimes helps us recognize intent; if I tell you something bothers me and you continue to do it, I might question your intent. But intention doesn’t always mitigate impact.”
Dr. Plummer also explained how we can counter common race-related deflections (e.g., “Well, some of my friends are…,” “I don’t have a racist bone in my body,” “It’s just a few bad apples”); how to correct unintentional behaviors; how to speak with family, friends, or colleagues with views different than our own; and how to address mistakes we’ve made in the past.
EF staff’s takeaways following the session reflect optimism and a desire to impact change:
“Keep reading, keep talking, keep challenging yourself, and keep questioning your assumptions about race. We have a natural tendency towards ‘tribalism’ and seek experiences with those who are, in large part, just like us. The only way to move away from that paradigm is to challenge it and question it.” — Daryl
“I was very heartened to see that it’s very possible to have respectful, helpful discourse about such a sensitive subject when people are knowingly and intentionally engaged in the conversation. It goes back to the core EF mission of breaking down barriers that divide us and opening the world through education.” – Jason
“What struck me the most about Dr. Plummer is her ability to explain difficult matters simply. I have a much better understanding of the different kinds of racism and how they appear in our society and everyday lives. I also learned how to navigate difficult discussions around this topic with the people close to me.” – SB
“The more we give shared language and understanding to the policies and systems that are examples of covert racism in our society, the more it moves to the overt side and the easier it is for us to call it out and break it down.” – Anonymous
“For me, the biggest takeaways were the notions that racism is determined more by impact rather than intent and that, as humans, we tend to see change as a threat to be feared, as opposed to a challenge to be mastered. Both of these statements really resonated with me as I continue to acknowledge and work on my own biases, leverage my own privilege, and elevate my advocacy and allyship.” – Desirae
“Debbie’s -isms matrix was a new way to understand racism (and other -isms) that I think can really give people, myself included, the context to inform real action and change.” – John
“Racism exists and persists, and Black people in this country understand its reality in our everyday life,” said Dr. Plummer. “Many of us aspire to change our thinking, but we can’t do so without understanding the policies, systems, and practices that have brought us to this point. A commitment to educating ourselves will move us forward.”
 
For more information about Dr. Plummer, her writing, her reading list, the -isms matrix, and other resources, please visit <a href="https://www.dlplummer.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.dlplummer.com</a>.

At EF, we work every day to help people better understand one another, which is why we recently spoke with Dr. Deborah Plummer about racism and allyship.

Understanding racism: Expanding our awareness with Dr. Deborah L. Plummer - We are EF

Understanding racism: Expanding our awareness with Dr. Deborah L. Plummer ‹ We are EF

Understanding racism: Expanding our awareness with Dr. Deborah L. Plummer

Understanding racism dr deborah plummer

Each year in early December, the newest <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nobel Prize</a> Laureates gather (remotely, in 2020) for Nobel Week, a celebration of their incredible advancements in the fields of physics, chemistry, peace and physiology or medicine. These pioneers have spent much of their lives, often against great odds, working toward achievements that have contributed enormous benefit to humankind. Their stories of triumph serve as inspiration for us all, so as teachers seek new ways to teach resiliency and help students see the greatness in themselves, we’re looking back on <a href="https://www.eftours.com/nobel-museum" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nearly six years of educational partnership</a> with our friends at the <a href="https://nobelprizemuseum.se/en/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nobel Prize Museum</a> and our joint work to inspire students to think boldly about how they can impact the world.
Resources to teach resiliency and confidence
The Nobel Prize Museum focuses on the most significant issues of our time and demonstrates how we can respond to them through science, humanism and cooperation. Our partnership’s cornerstone is a free textbook we co-authored called “<a href="https://www.eftours.com/eliterature/etus/EF_Nobel_Journeys_eBook.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nobel Journeys</a>,” which looks at the various paths Nobel Laureates have taken on their roads to success. Each story focuses on important moments of discovery in the Laureates’ lives. It stresses that there is no one clear path to success, that you can learn more from obstacles than you can “easy wins,” and that you can find inspiration in the most unexpected places.
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_17683" style="width: 578px"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-17683" class="size-full wp-image-17683" height="359" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/efnobelcurie.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/efnobelcurie.jpg 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/efnobelcurie-300x190.jpg 300w" width="568">The “Nobel Journeys” textbook shares 10 Nobel Laureates’ inspiring stories, including that of Marie Curie, a trailblazer in the field of radioactivity, to inspire students to make their own marks on the world.</div>
For example, Marie Curie, a pioneer in the field of radioactivity, was the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize in physics and the first person to be honored with two Nobel Prizes, in physics and chemistry. Curie was barred from attending her local university because of her gender, so she and her elder sister took turns supporting one other financially as they each studied at Paris’s Sorbonne. Curie went on to discover several elements and explore their radioactivity; develop mobile radiography vehicles that could X-ray injured soldiers on World War I’s battlefields; and head an academic institute that would one day bear her name and foster four more Nobel Laureates.
Educators looking for ways to teach resiliency and impact – both timely topics during the pandemic – may find the book’s <a href="https://www.eftours.com/eliterature/etus/EF_Nobel_Journeys_Teachers_Guide.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">teaching guide</a> a helpful resource; the handy supplement offers discussion questions, additional readings and ideas for activities aligned with the book’s content.
“In the spirit of the Nobel Prize, we believe your ideas and words matter, not your gender, background or the color of your skin,” said Carin Klaesson, Curator of the Nobel Prize Museum. “While there’s some celebrity associated with winning a Nobel Prize, we want everyone, especially younger generations, to understand that it takes hard work and a lot of determination to achieve great things. Part of our work at the Museum is to help tomorrow’s pioneers understand that failure is a key piece of education, that there is no one recipe for creativity, and that global citizenship is key to creating new perspectives.”
Putting student solutions to the test
The Nobel Prize Museum also participates in the annual <a href="https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eftours.com%2Feducational-tours%2Fcollections%2Fstudent-summits&data=02%7C01%7C%7C7012746f711742680c5408d864a5f714%7Cf0d1c6fddff0486a8e91cfefefc7d98d%7C0%7C0%7C637370011257518625&sdata=31%2B8ZQjFn%2B46DkPPo9hq0qin%2BhhsbqlnpO3UKq7Rgw8%3D&reserved=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Global Leadership Summits</a>, where we welcome students from around the world and ask them to develop groundbreaking solutions to pressing global challenges. The prize? It’s a pretty big deal: The students who win the Summit’s annual challenge have their works exhibited right next to those of Nobel Prize winners in the Nobel Prize Museum. In fact, EF student travelers are the only people other than the Laureates themselves to have their work displayed at the world-renowned Museum.
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_17682" style="width: 578px"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-17682" class="size-full wp-image-17682" height="359" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/efnobelmuseum.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/efnobelmuseum.jpg 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/efnobelmuseum-300x190.jpg 300w" width="568">The Nobel Prize Museum in Stockholm, Sweden, showcases the discoveries and creativity of the Nobel Laureates, as well as the ideas of innovative EF Global Leadership Summit participants.</div>
“When students are challenged to do what’s hard, they practice grit and tenacity as they develop new ways of thinking,” said Emily Harburg, a director at EF who manages the Nobel Prize Museum partnership. “No one demonstrates this better than the Nobel Foundation, its namesake museum and the Laureates who have contributed so much to humankind. It’s our hope that, by educating today’s students on the nonlinear paths and various obstacles so many Laureates have overcome, they will be inspired to discover their own resiliency and explore the mark they themselves are capable of leaving on the world.”
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_17681" style="width: 578px"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-17681" class="size-full wp-image-17681" height="359" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/efnobelchu.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/efnobelchu.jpg 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/efnobelchu-300x190.jpg 300w" width="568">Steven Chu meets with students at the 2016 EF Global Leadership Summit in Iceland. Chu served as the United States Secretary of Energy from 2009-2013 and shared the 1997 Nobel Prize in physics.</div>
When students learn about groundbreaking achievements and the incredible stories of the people who made them possible, it becomes easier to see there are many roads to education and achievement. By opening their eyes to the obstacles these Laureates have overcome, today’s students can become inspired to chart their own paths, transform challenges into opportunities and see for themselves that greatness truly can be within reach for everyone.

This Nobel Week, we’re reflecting on our Nobel Prize Museum partnership and our joint work to inspire students to think boldly about impacting the world.

This Nobel Week, EF looks to Laureates to teach perseverance and grit - We are EF

This Nobel Week, EF looks to Laureates to teach perseverance and grit ‹ We are EF

This Nobel Week, EF looks to Laureates to teach perseverance and grit

Nobel week perseverance and grit

Here at <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Education First</a>, we follow seven core values that guide everything we do, from how we interact with each other to the life-changing experiences we deliver to people around the world. We live our core values with joy and optimism – look to <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/3039860/behold-someone-made-an-employee-manual-youll-actually-want-to-read" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fast Company’s</a> review of our Very Blue Book (our culture book) that playfully guides new hires through what they can expect from their EF journeys. 
Time and time again, when the going gets tough, EFers turn to these core values – and Entrepreneurial Spirit and Innovation have proved particularly useful during the COVID-19 pandemic. As would-be travelers followed orders to stay home, the team at <a href="https://www.goaheadtours.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Go Ahead Tours</a>, our adult travel business, worked hard to bring the world to their travelers. 
The solution? <a href="https://www.goaheadtours.com/online-escapes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Online Escapes</a> – a series of live, interactive classes and cultural experiences hosted by EF travel experts and partners that helps our travelers to expand their worldviews from home. From exploring ancient Egypt with an Egyptologist, to honing your photo skills with the help of a Costa Rican nature photography expert, to joining a local whiskey tasting in Scotland hosted by a small batch family distillery, Online Escapes has mobilized EF experts from around the world to offer experiences that are truly one of a kind and benefit a good cause. 
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_17172" style="width: 578px"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-17172" class="size-full wp-image-17172" height="369" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/terranova-blog-GAT-escapes-resized.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/terranova-blog-GAT-escapes-resized.jpg 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/terranova-blog-GAT-escapes-resized-300x195.jpg 300w" width="568">Chef Francesca welcomes customers into the farmhouse kitchen where she teaches her grandmother’s recipe for Ravioli alla Caprese, including pasta-making techniques and plating tips.</div>
“EF has an incredible legacy of in-person educational travel experiences, but we have a proven track record of digital innovation, too,” said Heidi Durflinger, President of EF Go Ahead Tours. “Online Escapes is just the latest example of that.” 
This isn’t the first time EF activated its digital know-how during the COVID-19 pandemic. In China, <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/ils/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF’s language schools</a> had to pivot online incredibly quickly. Working remotely, EF’s education, customer service and IT teams created <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/we-are-ef/ef-builds-a-classroom-in-the-cloud-for-students-in-china/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a remote learning platform</a> that students could use from home. More than 200,000 students in China have been migrated onto the platform. 
EF Go Ahead Tours hopes Online Escapes will be a gateway through which customers can follow their travel passions long after their travel experience (or even before they start!). Tour Directors are a vital piece of that, and their knowledge is what makes EF’s group travel experiences so fun and memorable. 
“Online Escapes has allowed people to come together and learn again, and to reach into different parts of the world in a very personal and fun way. Online, our travelers can see and talk to each other, and can experience that special ‘on tour’ camaraderie once again,” said Matt, a Tour Director for EF Go Ahead Tours. “This ability to share our passions with enthusiastic people has been a fantastic opportunity for us to work again in an industry that has been so affected by coronavirus.” 
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_17173" style="width: 578px"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-17173" class="wp-image-17173 size-full" height="369" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/coffee-blog-GAT-escapes-resized.png" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/coffee-blog-GAT-escapes-resized.png 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/coffee-blog-GAT-escapes-resized-300x195.png 300w" width="568">Guillermo, a naturalist and coffee expert, offers a coffee masterclass that highlights life on a coffee plantation, the importance of coffee to Costa Rica’s economy, and how to brew the perfect cup at home.</div>
In designing Online Escapes, EF Go Ahead Tours wanted to support not only its travelers, but the areas in which many of them reside. Communities across the United States need extra support given COVID-19, so EF Go Ahead Tours teamed up with <a href="https://www.feedingamerica.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Feeding America</a>, the largest hunger relief organization in the U.S. All proceeds from Online Escapes go toward providing the equivalent of 100,000 meals to Feeding America, as well as to supporting Tour Directors and hosts. EF has a longstanding relationship with the Greater Boston Food Bank, which is part of Feeding America’s program; EF’s annual holiday drives in Boston have donated more than 40,000 food items to the Greater Boston Food Bank. 
“This was an important opportunity to support a crucial nonprofit here at home,” said Durflinger. “Online Escapes stands to create real impact for all involved, but, most impressively, no one was assigned to work on this project. A few people saw the potential, drafted a proposal, and ran with it. That desire and empowerment to do new things is a critical piece of why we love to work at EF.” 
 
EF Go Ahead Tours offers more than 175 guided trips across all seven continents. Each carefully planned, expertly led tour makes it easy for curious travelers of all ages to get to the heart of a destination.

While would-be travelers stayed home due to COVID-19, EF Go Ahead Tours worked hard to bring the world to them. The solution? Introducing Online Escapes.

Living our core values: Introducing Online Escapes - We are EF

Living our core values: Introducing Online Escapes ‹ We are EF

Living our core values: Introducing Online Escapes

Introducing online escapes

Many of us take trips to learn about the world we live in, and are increasingly looking for off-the-beaten-path experiences – which sometimes include interacting with animals. As a world leader in international education, <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/we-are-ef/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Education First</a> has committed to respecting and promoting animal welfare as we help our customers explore the world in more sustainable ways.
At EF, we’ve taken an elephant-friendly travel pledge as part of our collaboration with <a href="https://www.worldanimalprotection.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">World Animal Protection</a>, an international nonprofit organization founded nearly 40 years ago to create a better world for animals. This pledge is just one aspect of our overall commitment to animal welfare, and since <a href="https://www.worldanimalprotection.us/news/ef-education-first-commits-wildlife-friendly-travel" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">launching the collaboration in 2018</a>, EF has worked with World Animal Protection to implement animal welfare guidelines throughout all our travel programs worldwide.
Activities that impact animals’ normal behavior patterns or may compromise their health have been eliminated from our programs, and elephant welfare and education are critical pieces of our commitment. While many people visit elephant entertainment venues – of which there are many scattered across the world – they don’t always realize the inhumane conditions these majestic animals face, nor the cruel process of “breaking their spirit” they have to endure in order to accept humans on their backs. So, while you won’t find elephant rides or performances on any EF program, travelers will find opportunities to learn about these creatures and the roles we can all play in helping them thrive.
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_17257" style="width: 578px"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-17257" class="size-full wp-image-17257" height="376" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wap_secondary.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wap_secondary.jpg 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wap_secondary-300x199.jpg 300w" width="568"> As part of EF’s collaboration with World Animal Protection, EF travelers may observe elephants from afar but do not participate in activities that impact the animals’ normal behavior patterns or may compromise their health. Photo Credit: EF Go Ahead Tours traveler Bea D.</div>
“Education is fundamental to EF, and our elephant-friendly travel pledge with World Animal Protection is another step toward creating more informed global citizens,” said Alex Luther, Director of Service Learning Programs for <a href="https://www.eftours.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Educational Tours</a>. “Instead of simply removing activities that don’t meet our animal welfare standards, we’re finding new opportunities, such as reputable sanctuaries dedicated to conservation and rehabilitation. By using tour experiences as opportunities to educate travelers about these issues, we hope to make an even larger positive impact on the world around us.”
So, what does this look like? Students traveling with EF Educational Tours might find themselves <a href="https://www.eftours.com/educational-tour/culture-service-thailand?utm_source=blog" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">conducting a service learning project in Thailand</a> where they’ll help with the upkeep of an elephant sanctuary while also learning about the <a href="https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121010012427/http:/www.fawc.org.uk/freedoms.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare</a> and how to become an “animal-friendly traveler.” <a href="https://www.goaheadtours.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Go Ahead Tours</a>’ Thailand-bound travelers can take an “elephant exploration walk” before helping prepare food and medicine for the elephants, chatting with a “mahout” (an elephant caretaker) about their historic role in Thai culture, and eating lunch while overlooking the elephants’ natural bathing spot.
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_17258" style="width: 578px"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-17258" class="size-full wp-image-17258" height="379" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/@kaesherr-Tanzania.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/@kaesherr-Tanzania.jpg 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/@kaesherr-Tanzania-300x200.jpg 300w" width="568"> EF customers learn about elephants and the roles we can all play in helping them thrive. Photo credit: @kaesherr on Instagram. </div>
“We have a responsibility to show our travelers how they can play an active role in making the world a better place,” said Lael Kassis, Vice President of Market Innovation and Development for EF Go Ahead Tours. “We’re constantly looking for new ways to incorporate educational elements into our experiences, such as working with the <a href="https://www.ifaw.org/about" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">International Fund for Animal Welfare</a> to incorporate anti-poaching talks into <a href="https://www.goaheadtours.com/guided-tours/kenya-wildlife-safari" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">our Kenya wildlife safari tours</a>.”
By educating ourselves on how we can safely and humanely visit elephants, we can work together toward a better future for these gentle giants. Are you considering incorporating elephant tourism into your next trip? Be sure to check out <a href="https://www.worldanimalprotection.org/elephant-friendly-tourist-guide#slice-2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">World Animal Protection’s elephant-friendly tourist guide</a> so you can do your part and avoid venues that don’t have their best interests at heart.

Travel should always benefit the animals involved. At EF, we've taken an elephant-friendly travel pledge in collaboration with World Animal Protection.

Travel experiences should always benefit the animals involved. At EF, we've taken an elephant-friendly travel pledge as part of our collaboration with World Animal Protection.

Practicing responsible tourism with elephant-friendly travel - We are EF

Practicing responsible tourism with elephant-friendly travel ‹ We are EF

Practicing responsible tourism with elephant-friendly travel

Elephant friendly travel

For 55 years, EF Education First has offered every imaginable way to see the world, experience another culture, learn a language, or earn an academic degree. While we love helping our travelers and students broaden their horizons, things don’t always go as planned. When help is needed, our global team’s size, location, and expertise set us apart. It’s helped us weather countless storms, from geopolitical events to natural disasters, and now, pandemics.
While most people don’t need to tap into our vast support network when they travel or learn a language with us, they have the reassurance that it’s there should they need it. How much do you know about our worldwide footprint? Here are five things you might not be aware of:
1. EF is wherever you go.
When we say we’re global, we mean it! EF is the only educational travel organization with its own network of 600 physical schools and offices, including <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/contact/world-wide/">regional hub offices</a> in Boston, London, Stockholm, Mexico City, São Paulo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Zurich. Our staff live and work in more than 50 countries, so wherever you go, an EF staff member is almost always just a short distance away.
2. EF never sleeps.
Because we have staff everywhere, we have support everywhere. Whether you’ve missed a flight or get separated from your group, there are staff members available to help get you back on track. We don’t count hotel workers, agents, or bus vendors as support staff; if you have hit a snag, our EF team will help.
 
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_17294" style="width: 578px"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-17294" class="size-full wp-image-17294" height="377" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Global-Presence-no.2-Micaela-on-the-phones.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Global-Presence-no.2-Micaela-on-the-phones.jpg 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Global-Presence-no.2-Micaela-on-the-phones-300x199.jpg 300w" width="568"> EF has staff members around the world who can quickly support travelers in times of need. </div>
3. EF communicates with the world.
While English is our lingua franca (and our original educational offering!), many of us speak multiple languages. In fact, our employees speak an average of three languages and often use their multilingual skills to communicate on-the-ground when help is needed.
4. EF is ready for anything.
You learn a lot when you move as many people around the world as we do and for as long as we have. EF has staff trained in emergency response stationed around the world; no matter the time zone, someone is always ready to respond when help is needed. We’re prepared to help with any situation, whether it’s a lost passport, an airline strike or a natural disaster – or anything in between. What’s more, we have team members in nearly every destination we travel to, meaning we can be there to support you when you need us. For example, we had thousands of travelers abroad when COVID-19 travel restrictions were announced. Our infrastructure allowed us to bring them home within 48 hours – an industry-leading turnaround following an unprecedented disruption.
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_17295" style="width: 578px"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-17295" class="size-full wp-image-17295" height="380" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Global-Presence-no.3-TDs-in-DC.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Global-Presence-no.3-TDs-in-DC.jpg 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Global-Presence-no.3-TDs-in-DC-300x201.jpg 300w" width="568"> EF’s staff have wide-ranging experience and a willingness to jump in wherever they’re needed. </div>
5. EF is agile.
EF is an expansive organization: We’re comprised of 17 businesses and associated organizations focused on language, travel, cultural exchange, and academics. Our staff are of nearly every nationality, and their experience at EF helps them navigate cultural differences in almost any situation. They’re also eager to help; we frequently deploy staff from one division to assist customers in another, anywhere in the world, whenever needed.
When you travel with EF, you do so with more than just your fellow travelers or students; you’re supported by the thousands of EFers worldwide committed to creating positive experiences for you. Our people make our culturally immersive education experiences possible, and our global network is ready to help you every step of the way.

While most EF travelers don’t have to tap into our global support network, they have peace of mind knowing it’s there should they need it.

While most of our travelers don’t have to tap into our vast global support network, they have peace of mind knowing it’s there should they need it. Check out these five things you may not have known about our global presence.

5 ways EF’s global presence helps travelers - We are EF

5 ways EF’s global presence helps travelers ‹ We are EF

5 ways EF’s global presence helps travelers

Efs global presence

At <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Education First</a>, we see education as a conduit for transformation and exploration. Even when faced with a challenge, our core values keep us looking forward and thinking about what’s next.
While many of our staff and customers remain at home during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, it would be very un-EF of us to sit on the sidelines. Around the world, we’ve been lending our resources and putting innovation front and center where it can help most.
<h2>Making language learning more accessible</h2>
<img alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-16940 size-full" height="568" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/language-learning-resized.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/language-learning-resized.jpg 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/language-learning-resized-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/language-learning-resized-300x300.jpg 300w" width="568">
While EF is known for educational travel, you may not realize we were also a pioneer in online learning: We launched the world’s first online English school with Apple in the 1990s, now known as <a href="https://englishlive.ef.com/en-us" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF English Live</a>. EF has the world’s leading suite of digital learning tools for the billion-plus people who aspire to learn English, and our deep history in technology allows us to roll out responsive programs on short notice to support learners.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, EF is partnering with governments and companies to provide language learning resources that people can use from home. EF was selected by the French government as the exclusive language partner to support citizens who are working from home with free online English courses. These same resources are being made available to Italian medical workers, doctors and dentists, and EF also partnered with McDonald’s to offer all of its 22,000 Italian staff access to English training. More than 10,000 other McDonald’s employees from, Japan, China, Spain and Belarus are already enrolled. In Brazil and Colombia, EF is offering one free month of courses for all citizens in partnerships with their respective federal governments.
<h2>Putting education first in China</h2>
<img alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-16944 size-full" height="568" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/WeChat-Moment-KT2.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/WeChat-Moment-KT2.jpg 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/WeChat-Moment-KT2-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/WeChat-Moment-KT2-300x300.jpg 300w" width="568">
When China’s quarantine went into effect during the Chinese New Year holiday, EF China’s staff, students and teachers found themselves spread around the world. In a massive undertaking, EF’s IT, education, and customer service teams worked together – remotely – to transform EF’s in-classroom interactive whiteboard software into a remote learning platform that students could use from home. Using video conferencing and interactive lessons, this enormous tech, education, and logistics effort <a href="https://www.cnnmoney.ch/shows/big-picture/videos/schools-out-china-education-still-comes-first" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">has kept learning consistent</a> for even EF’s youngest customers. EF also offered free English resources to all Chinese citizens immediately after the initial outbreak, including 2,000 hours of adult coursework and digital content for kids and teens. So far, more than 5,300 EF teachers have led 270,000 classes – that’s more than 1.2 million hours taught!
In another initiative called “English for Angels,” EF is providing six months of free online English lessons for frontline medical workers across China. The pilot kicked off in Shanghai, Chengdu, Beijing, and Guangzhou, and since launching in March 2020, more than 7,600 frontline workers from 400 hospitals have signed up.
<h2>Keeping healthcare and frontline workers safe</h2>
<img alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-16942" height="567" sizes="(max-width: 322px) 100vw, 322px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/healthworkers-resized.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/healthworkers-resized.jpg 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/healthworkers-resized-170x300.jpg 170w" width="322">
Taking care of those who risk their health every day is top-of-mind for many. Recognizing the need for more personal protective equipment in our own communities, in Switzerland, EF donated 50,000 face masks via the Kanton of Zurich and the Kanton of Lucerne. 40,000 went to <a href="https://www.spitex-zuerich.ch/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Spitex Zurich</a>, an organization of nurses who visit patients at home, and <a href="https://kinderspitex-zuerich.ch/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kispex</a>, an organization of pediatric nurses. Another 10,000 were given to the Lucerne Kanton coronavirus medical task force.
In the U.S., Massachusetts was one of many states facing a critical shortage of personal protective equipment. To aid our hospital neighbors (many of which can be seen just across the river from EF’s North American headquarters in Cambridge), EF donated 5,000 face masks to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The state’s warehouse staff processed the donation, which was distributed to public health heroes statewide.
These initiatives celebrate EF’s mission of opening the world through education. In what are challenging times for many, when health and safety are the most important priorities, we are proud to have the opportunity to support local communities and people worldwide, and look forward to exploring the world together again soon.

While many of our staff and customers remain at home during the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve been putting our resources and innovation front and center.

EF offers resources and support during COVID-19 - We are EF

EF offers resources and support during COVID-19 ‹ We are EF

EF offers resources and support during COVID-19

Ef offers resources and support

Have you tried to learn something but struggled to apply it in the real world? If you’ve ever tried to learn a language through a mobile, chatbot app, this may sound familiar.
When it comes to language acquisition, the way students learn matters. To become multi-lingual, students need a mix of written, oral and auditory exercises. Apps are appealing because they’re convenient, flexible and cheap, but they typically focus on memorization. This makes it hard for users to take what they’ve learned and apply it to real-life conversations.
Enter Charles Li: A former <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Education First</a> staff member, Charles had left to pursue his own startup. He was interviewing to rejoin EF when he pitched the idea of a free app that used conversational, chat-based learning; if people wanted to learn English for practical use, it only made sense to teach them in a similar way. Charles created his new job and <a href="https://www.hello.ef.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Hello</a> was born.
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7DQ9LmF_Glc?feature=oembed" title="How to use EF Hello App to learn English? 如何使用 EF Hello App 來學習英文？" width="500"></iframe>
EF Hello uses a conversation-based approach to help people learn English for the real world.
EF Hello adapts EF’s rigorous English curriculum to a chatbot-based mobile app that helps users learn through written and spoken conversation. The lessons behind EF Hello have been benchmarked by researchers at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education and the University of Cambridge’s Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics. EF Hello is also guided by an Academic Advisory Council that leverages linguistics experts to provide guidance based on the science of language learning.
EF Hello uses an intuitive chatbot to tackle grammar, expression, pronunciation, idioms and more. The system is driven by artificial intelligence that analyzes learners’ performance and makes recommendations to address problem areas. For example, the platform identifies vocabulary it thinks the user may forget and will suggest extra drills to maximize recall. Or, it may analyze a user’s spoken recordings using EF’s massive speech dataset and suggest practice to master a certain letter’s pronunciation.
“When it comes to language learning, we believe in a hierarchy of information and a structured learning pedagogy, something EF’s years of expertise have supported,” said Li, now Head of Product for EF Hello. “We think technology should act as the connective tissue between the big components of how language is learned, so we layered state-of-the-art tech on top of EF’s English learning platform. We’re using artificial intelligence not only in the user experience – that is, how you physically interact with the app – but also in determining the very content it serves you, how it judges your progress and where you could improve.”
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_17625" style="width: 578px"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-17625" class="size-full wp-image-17625" height="392" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/EF-Hello_supporting.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/EF-Hello_supporting.jpg 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/EF-Hello_supporting-300x207.jpg 300w" width="568">EF Hello combines intuitive artificial intelligence with EF’s 55 years of educational expertise.</div>
And EF Hello users aren’t limited to the AI-based chatbot: Students can practice real conversations with other users, and premium users can even send questions to live EF teachers to get help almost immediately. EF teachers can also give personalized, data-driven recommendations to help students better identify areas for improvement, and EF Hello is one of the only free or low-cost language learning apps to provide this type of access and educational support.
The work is paying off: In the year since its launch, EF Hello has gained recognition and accolades, including Google Taiwan App of the Year, the <a href="https://www.red-dot.org/project/ef-hello-49238" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Red Dot Design Award</a> and the <a href="https://muxawards.com/2019-winners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MUX Design Award for Best Breakthrough Experience</a>. Apple thinks so highly of EF Hello, the app was not only named an Editor’s Favorite, a Best New App and a Best Education App in the App Store, but it’s been preloaded onto demo iPhones in physical Apple stores around the world.
“It’s an unusual marriage of linguistics and technology in one product, but I don’t know of anywhere else where I could learn proper content – for free, mind you – using only my phone,” said Cecilia Roos, Project Coordinator for EF Hello. “EF Hello makes a difference, whether someone is learning for recreational use or because they’ve moved to an English-speaking country and need to achieve proficiency so they can support themselves. EF Hello users have shown me just how impactful meaningful language learning can be.”

The way students students learn English matters. Learn how the EF Hello app helps users master conversational English with a talkative chatbot and AI.

EF Hello: The chatbot-based app teaching English more effectively - We are EF

EF Hello: The chatbot-based app teaching English more effectively ‹ We are EF

EF Hello: The chatbot-based app teaching English more effectively

Ef hello app teaching english more effectively

In fall 2019, 27 U.S. high school students departed Pennsylvania for the Panama Canal with <a href="https://www.eftours.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Educational Tours</a>. These students would soon experience firsthand the power educational travel has to reveal what’s possible when you step outside your comfort zone.
<a href="https://www.mhskids.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Milton Hershey School</a> (MHS), founded in 1909 by the chocolate pioneer of the same name, is a private, cost-free residential school for children from low-income families. The average family income for students enrolled at MHS during the 2018-19 school year was just less than $22,000, 15 percent below the U.S. federal poverty guidelines for a family of four.
MHS is not your typical independent school: for 2,100 kids and teens in grades pre-K through 12, MHS is a safe, stable home where they have the opportunity to unlock their full potential. Every aspect of the MHS experience fosters a love of learning and helps students build life skills for future success. Its model prepares students to become productive citizens who are engaged, find value in their work and contribute to their communities. Along the way, MHS provides everything from supervised on-campus housing to meals, clothing, health care and other services.
A key piece of MHS’ strategy to develop confident, global thinkers is its <a href="https://www.mhskids.org/academics/multicultural-global-education/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Multicultural and Global Education program</a>, which offers MHS high school students the chance to travel internationally. Launched in 2015, the program has expanded in recent years to offer a wide range of educational travel experiences, including those focused on <a href="https://www.eftours.com/educational-tours/collections/service-learning" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">service learning</a>, <a href="https://www.eftours.com/educational-tours/collections/language-culture" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">language</a>, <a href="https://www.eftours.com/educational-tours/collections/stem-tours" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">STEM</a>, and leadership via the <a href="https://www.eftours.com/educational-tours/collections/student-summits/student-summit-highlights" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Global Leadership Summit</a>. In 2018, the school received an International SOS Foundation Duty of Care Award for its proven ability to support and protect students who travel internationally through its Multicultural and Global Education program.
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_17484" style="width: 578px"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-17484" class="size-full wp-image-17484" height="487" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/mhs-2.png" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/mhs-2.png 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/mhs-2-300x257.png 300w" width="568">MHS students gather as they explore the ruins of Panamá Viejo, the original Panama City, on their recent tour.</div>
“We want our students to understand their role in the world and be prepared to take action, whether they’re in kindergarten or approaching the end of high school,” said Andrew Miller, Social Studies Curriculum Supervisor and International Learning Experiences Coordinator for MHS. “It’s important for students to have experiences beyond our campus through which they can interact with new people, become more empathetic to others and further their understanding of what it means to live and succeed in the real world.”
On the fall STEM tour to Panama, MHS students learned about the importance of wetlands and how to preserve them; got an up-close look at coral reefs during a snorkeling excursion; and worked alongside biologists to learn about wetlands conservation and mangrove reforestation. On a different trip, MHS students attended the 2019 EF Global Leadership Summit, where young minds from around the world collaborated to solve global issues affecting large populations.
“Educational travel allows students to take what they’re taught in the classroom and bring it to life in new ways,” said <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/we-are-ef/luke-ef-journey/">Luke Shelley</a>, Director of Sales for EF Educational Tours. “Encouraging them to step outside their comfort zones allows them to practice what they learn in the classroom about autonomy, leadership, and creative thinking to come up with solutions that create the largest impact.”
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_17485" style="width: 578px"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-17485" class="size-full wp-image-17485" height="427" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/mhs-3.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/mhs-3.jpg 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/mhs-3-300x226.jpg 300w" width="568">MHS students listen as they take an expert-led tour of Panama City’s Metropolitan Natural Park.</div>
“The most rewarding part of my trip was making connections and new friendships, and I had the opportunity to experience things I never thought I’d do in high school. This hands-on experience helped me see that I’m truly passionate about studying science and biology in the future,” said Kennedy, an MHS student who traveled to Panama. “To other students, I say, do it. Traveling abroad may be nerve-wracking at first, but I promise it’s worth the experience. It gives you so many new perspectives on life and the world as a whole. We may think we’re educated on life beyond the U.S., but once you get firsthand experience, you’ll realize how different the world really is.”
“You’d think that a certain kind of student signs up for these experiences – ambitious, outgoing – but they always surprise me,” said Miller. “For many of our students, this is their first time traveling internationally. Every year, we see students start the trip glued to the teacher’s hip, and by the end, they’re talking to the bus driver and interacting with locals. I can’t think of a similar experience where students go through as much change in such a short period of time.”
And for MHS students, learning doesn’t stop when they return home: Tours are kept alive in several ways, including a required project through which each student articulates what they learned, how they plan to change their local community and what they’ll do for others.
“The post-trip projects are incredible,” said <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/we-are-ef/keeping-spirits-high-allys-ef-journey/">Ally Lynes</a>, a former Tour Consultant for EF Educational Tours who worked closely with the school. “I went on a campus tour during one of my visits to MHS, and I was blown away when we stopped at the art gallery, which is curated annually to highlight student projects tied to the theme of that year’s educational travel opportunities. It was so powerful to see the students’ experiences brought to life in that way.”
“Travel experiences have unbelievable potential to transform students, and it’s always a very humbling experience for our faculty to witness how students have grown once they come back from an educational tour,” said Miller. “In education, change happens slowly. You have to nurture it and give students a number of experiences in the classroom to build a certain skill set, but with global travel, it’s like teaching with lightning – it’s that fast and powerful.”

Read about how educational travel programs develop students into confident, global thinkers while teaching them valuable life skills for future success.

Educational travel programs have the power to develop students into confident, global thinkers while teaching them valuable life skills for future success.

EF Educational Tours and Milton Hershey School: Teaching confidence and empathy through educational travel - We are EF

EF Educational Tours and Milton Hershey School: Teaching confidence and empathy through educational travel ‹ We are EF

EF Educational Tours and Milton Hershey School: Teaching confidence and empathy through educational travel

Ef educational tours and milton hersey school

At <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Education First</a>, we believe the world is better when people try to understand one another. When we come together with people of diverse backgrounds and experiences, we form cultural connections that help us grow and discover ourselves along the way. EF has a history of supporting initiatives that bring people together, and now we’re celebrating two new appointments with the <a href="https://www.2021chengdu.com/en/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2021 Chengdu Summer World University Games</a> and the <a href="https://www.olympic.org/news/pyeongchang-2018-legacy-foundation-opens-its-doors" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">PyeongChang 2018 Legacy Foundation</a>. Both appointments are the result of EF’s longstanding partnership with major sporting events, including the <a href="https://www.olympic.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Olympic and Paralympic Games</a>.
Led by the <a href="https://www.fisu.net/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">International University Sports Federation</a> (FISU), the Summer World University Games (formerly Universiade) are a celebration of international sports and culture that draw student-athletes together to compete in high-performance sports competitions. EF was named Official Language Services Provider for the 2021 event in Chengdu, and will provide a series of language training services, including customized online courses, volunteer training and online assessments for the staff and volunteers of the Organizing Committee and relevant government agencies.
The largest global multi-sports event for student athletes, the Games feature 12 days of sports competitions and draw more than 10,000 student-athletes and officials from more than 150 countries. FISU encourages athletes to take part in both sport competitions and educational events, and it offers programming about topics such as equal opportunity, leadership, ethics, gender equality, how to balance dual athletic and professional careers, and anti-doping.
“We are delighted to partner with the Organizing Committee of the 2021 Chengdu Summer World University Games,” said Jesper Knutell, Executive Vice President and General Manager of <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/corporate/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Corporate Solutions</a> in China. “We hope that through our services, we can help the event organizers improve their language skills in an all-round way and contribute to the success of the whole event.”
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_17156" style="width: 578px"><img alt="Roundtable" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-17156" class="wp-image-17156 size-full" height="379" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/EF_Roundtable_JKnutell.jpeg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/EF_Roundtable_JKnutell.jpeg 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/EF_Roundtable_JKnutell-300x200.jpeg 300w" width="568">Jesper Knutell participates in a roundtable discussing how international sport events lead the development of city branding and contribute to the economy.</div>
The celebrations continue as EF was also appointed the <a href="https://legacy2018.org/forum/view/53032" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Official Education Services Partner</a> for the PyeongChang 2018 Legacy Foundation, which focuses on sports-related activities for young people and the development of winter sport, as well as managing select venues used during the Games. EF was the Official Education Services Partner for the <a href="https://www.olympic.org/pyeongchang-2018" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics</a> and will re-launch <a href="https://www.olympic.org/news/pyeongchang-2018-curriculum-aims-to-excite-inform-and-engage-students" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the Winter Sports Education Program</a> we created for those Games. The revamped program will educate Korean youth on the sports of the Winter Games and will include an <a href="https://www.education2024.com/watch" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">education portal</a> with winter sports videos, winter sport-themed coloring pages and web-based lessons that Korean teachers can use to explore sports with their students.
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_17159" style="width: 578px"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-17159" class="wp-image-17159 size-full" height="324" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/hugo-and-team-jpg.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/hugo-and-team-jpg.jpg 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/hugo-and-team-jpg-300x171.jpg 300w" width="568">Hugo Bezerra and members of the EF Education First and PyeongChang 2018 Legacy Foundation teams celebrate the new appointment.</div>
“The program will focus on preparing Koreans and select athletes from southeast Asian countries for the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games, which will take place in Gangwon province, home to the 2018 PyeongChang Games” said Hugo Bezerra, Managing Director of Olympic Affairs for EF. “We feel fortunate to have had such a successful partnership with PyeongChang 2018 and look forward to continuing with our mission of educating youth together with the Legacy Foundation.”
EF has a seasoned presence in the sports world, having designed and delivered language and educational solutions to athletic governing bodies and organizing committees over more than 30 years. <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/about-us/highlights/2020/ef-and-the-olympics/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF has worked</a> with Olympic and Paralympic Games’ local organizing committees for seven appointments since 1988 to provide volunteers, staff, local students and residents with English language learning training and tools; <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/we-are-ef/special-olympics-world-games-partnership/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">supported the 2019 Special Olympics World Games</a> by training 20,000 volunteers; and recently kicked off <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/we-are-ef/ef-kicks-off-football-union-russia-partnership/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a partnership with the Football Union of Russia</a> to train players, coaches and staff.

EF has long supported initiatives to bring people together, and we're celebrating two new appointments to provide language training and education in sports.

EF to deliver language and sports education with new appointments - We are EF

EF to deliver language and sports education with new appointments ‹ We are EF

EF to deliver language and sports education with new appointments

Ef appointments deliver language sports education

Stepping outside your comfort zone is one of the most exciting ways to learn about yourself and the world. Whether you realize it or not, every time you visit a new place or talk to someone from a different background, you’re experiencing culturally immersive education, one of the best ways to broaden your worldview and create common ground with other people. So, what is culturally immersive education, and why is it important? Let’s dive in.

<h3>Culturally immersive education 101</h3>
Culturally immersive education is a form of hands-on learning that involves experiencing a culture other than your own to understand its customs and ways of life. Whether you are a student or a traveler, a teen or a grandparent, this kind of education can help you learn more about the globe; apply what you have learned to the real world; challenge preconceived ideas and strengthen values; and help you push the boundaries of your comfort zone. Culturally immersive education can occur in many ways, such as:
<ul>
<li>A French class’s <a href="https://www.eftours.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">trip to Paris</a> to learn about French culture and practice language skills</li>
<li>Someone learning independence and confidence as they <a href="https://www.efultimatebreak.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">travel abroad</a> for the first time</li>
<li>A foreign exchange student who <a href="https://efexchangeyear.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">spends a year with a host family</a> and attends the local high school</li>
<li>A tourist who visits a family-run farm and cooks a regional dish with the owner, who tells them about the previous generations who settled the region</li>
</ul>
“Cross-cultural education is more important than ever in a world where everything is interconnected. Societal challenges – and even small problems we face in our everyday lives – will only be solved if we’re able to empathize with one another,” said Keri Charles, Vice President at <a href="https://efexchangeyear.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF High School Exchange Year</a>, an associated organization of EF. “Exploring the world and experiencing another person’s way of life builds compassion and understanding while challenging our beliefs. This willingness to consider others’ situations and viewpoints is key, whether you’re trying to promote global diplomacy or even collaborate with a colleague overseas. If we can instill this appetite for understanding from an early age, we will build toward a brighter, more collaborative tomorrow.”

<h3>Opening the world</h3>
At EF, we believe that the world is better when people try to understand each other. For more than 55 years, we’ve created education platforms to help people communicate, experience other cultures, and expand their knowledge. Throughout our history, we’ve created new ways to merge education and cultural exchange, and these programs have given confidence to millions of people of all ages, nationalities, and backgrounds.
The scale of EF’s offerings makes us one of the only organizations capable of offering so many ways to learn; at EF, you might <a href="https://www.ef.edu/ils/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hone your English</a> in San Diego, <a href="https://www.efultimatebreak.com/trips/bali-tropical-escape" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">explore Bali’s beaches</a> with new friends, or use augmented reality to observe what it was like to land on Normandy’s beaches as an Allied soldier. And, our customers learn straight from the experts, whether it’s a passionate Tour Director, an enthusiastic English-language teacher, or an educational partner like the <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/we-are-ef/nobel-week-perseverance-and-grit/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nobel Prize Museum</a>.

“Empathy and learning are always top-of-mind whenever we build a new offering,” said Kate Berseth, Executive Vice President at <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Education First</a>. “We’re always looking for creative ways to help customers engage with their peers and the community they’re visiting, whether they’re there for a day or a year. It’s our job to help nudge them toward mutual understanding, and our teams are experts in finding opportunities to do so that are both fun and growth-oriented.”

These culturally immersive experiences help EF travelers achieve growth and learning in their own unique ways:
<ul>
<li>“There is a huge lesson in building empathy, that is one of my priorities. The culture and the language are really important, but it helps kids be better people if they can meet more people that aren’t exactly like them” – Cal, Group Leader and Spanish teacher</li>
<li>“I didn’t know how, or why, but I knew that travel was supposed to be a part of my life. As soon as I came back from my first trip, I decided to take in other perspectives that I hadn’t noticed before. I took more chances, I learned to forgive, and I became such a better global citizen. And I realized I had such potential to have an impact on the world. I can thank travel for not only changing my job route but changing my life. I think that’s what makes me feel so empowered and motivated to take a more active role in making the world a better place.” – Alexis, student</li>
<li>“I advocate for travel because the world is vast and diverse. If we want to truly understand our neighbors in other states or countries, we must reach out and meet them where they live. Travel provides a glimpse into another world that our students may have Googled or watched on a device, but living it with the smells, food, smiles, and various challenges teaches flexibility, tolerance and understanding, and empathy.” – Chuck, Group Leader</li>
</ul>
Everyone has a role to play in contributing to a more open, empathetic world, and we can all make a difference by prioritizing compassion and understanding. EF is proud to make these culturally immersive experiences possible, and we’re here to help you every step of the way.

Culturally immersive education is a form of hands-on learning that involves experiencing a culture other than your own to understand its customs.

Culturally immersive education: What it is and why it matters - We are EF

Culturally immersive education: What it is and why it matters ‹ We are EF

Culturally immersive education: What it is and why it matters

Culturally immersive education what it is and why it matters

Engaging with local communities is one of the best ways to learn about the world, and one of the most enjoyable ways to do this is by experiencing the local cuisine. <a href="https://www.goaheadtours.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Go Ahead Tours</a>, the adult travel business within <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Education First</a>, recognizes the role <a href="https://www.goaheadtours.com/travel-styles/food-wine-tours" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">these gastronomic experiences</a> can play in supporting local economies, fostering understanding and learning more about the world.
“Across cultures, people like to eat and drink, and there’s no better way to meet others than by sharing a glass of wine, taking a cooking class together or digging into a group meal,” said Lael Kassis, Vice President of Market Innovation and Development. “Shared experiences like these, where everyone is there to explore a destination through the lens of food culture, can create incredible and often unexpected memories.”
The many food and wine experiences EF Go Ahead Tours offers include <a href="https://www.goaheadtours.com/guided-tours/food-wine-a-taste-of-greece" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">preparing regional dishes</a> alongside a local chef on the Greek island of Crete, <a href="https://www.goaheadtours.com/guided-tours/food-wine-a-taste-of-portugal" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">visiting a cork factory and sampling olive oil</a> in Portugal’s Alentejo region, and <a href="https://www.goaheadtours.com/guided-tours/food-wine-adventure-through-tuscany-piedmont" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">exploring truffle fairs in Tuscany</a> through <a href="https://www.prweb.com/releases/ef_go_ahead_tours_and_americas_test_kitchen_combine_travel_and_food_expertise_to_create_fully_immersive_culinary_led_travel_experience_to_italy/prweb16701109.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">our partnership with America’s Test Kitchen</a>.

EF Go Ahead Tours relies on the experience, passion – and appetite – of its team when developing new experiences. Tour Directors often uncover emerging trends through deep connections in their respective local communities, and they are passionate about the impact food and wine experiences can create.
“Travelers seek experiences that let them walk away with a feeling they’ll remember forever,” said Linda, a Tour Director for EF Go Ahead Tours. “A memory is built upon something you actually lived or touched, and a food and wine tour is a journey through which you can create memories by constantly meeting people and getting a sense of their lives.”
“I had the opportunity not so long ago to go truffle hunting in Piedmont, Italy, with a local truffle hunter,” said David Evans, Vice President of Operations. “We met with the host on his truffle farm, met his dogs, and then we headed into the woods. Once the dogs located truffles, we helped our host prepare dishes using what we’d unearthed, and then we sat around the table, drinking local wine as he told us stories about his great grandfather, who started the farm. It was the most unbelievable experience, and it’s one I’ll always remember.”


Kassis explains that the team looks for contrasting experiences that show the variety in each destination. “If we’re exploring a region’s wine, we’ll visit a traditional, authentic vineyard, but we’ll also visit a producer that’s more modern and innovative to show off the region’s variety. And it’s hard to experience food and wine culture if you’re rushed, so we emphasize a few places so groups have enough time to fully dive into the local cuisine.”
“Food and wine are powerful ways to come together, and they promote understanding and mutual acceptance,” said Linda. “Sharing intimate traditions makes people willing to overcome personal opinions and clichés because the natural hospitality of these experiences is spontaneous and extremely powerful. Food is a great expression of someone’s culture, and it is the inner soul of a territory. Travelers have the unique opportunity of absorbing the culture of a place visited, but they also get to enrich it by bringing their own experience. Food and wine travelers do not simply take something away with them – they also leave a lot behind.”

“The more we can work directly with local people and support regional jobs, the more impact we can drive in the economies where we send travelers,” said Evans. “By offering alternatives that are off the beaten track, we can lessen our impact on certain destinations, all while giving our travelers unique, hands-on opportunities that they couldn’t get anywhere else.”
Food and drink – and the producers who make them possible – have long told the stories of their respective regions and histories. These experiences help travelers build understanding, learn something new, venture beyond their comfort zones, and make new, unexpected friends. Wherever and however you decide to experience the world and all its flavors, we wish you bon appétit and bon voyage!

Whether you’re a foodie or a wine connoisseur, food and wine tours like those from EF Go Ahead Tours can foster understanding and teach you about the world.

Creating cultural understanding through food & wine tours - We are EF

Creating cultural understanding through food & wine tours ‹ We are EF

Creating cultural understanding through food & wine tours

Creating cultural understanding through food wine tours

Technology has shaped every part of our lives, including how we work, what we buy and where we consume content. It has the power to open the world and make opportunity more accessible than ever, and this is especially true in China, where artificial intelligence is key to unlocking the power of English language learning for millions of people. English language skills have long been a crucial career advancement tool in China; however, students’ learning objectives have evolved to prioritize travel- and lifestyle-specific language as the world becomes more connected.
“Students’ learning needs have been steadily changing over the last decade as technology has proliferated our lives,” said Sam Cheung, President, Commercial Management for <a href="https://center.ef.com.cn/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF English Centers</a>. “As their needs and abilities have become more fragmented, there’s become a real demand for flexible learning resources that can help adult students speak English confidently anytime, anywhere and in any way they’d want.”
With this in mind, the team at <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Education First</a> seized the opportunity to use artificial intelligence in English language teaching; while linear learning programs – those through which learners must complete one module before moving to the next – have long been the norm, their rigid structures often leave students’ pain points unaddressed.
<a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/about-us/research/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF EdTech</a>, EF’s global research and development team, and EF English Centers in China used intuitive artificial intelligence and EF’s education expertise to launch a new course series called <a href="https://center.ef.com.cn/course-overview/?utm_expid=.Fn2d9n-aR7OvhEjiSf0fFQ.0&utm_referrer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Smart+</a>, which combines state-of-the-art curriculum with a hybrid format model, cutting-edge tech and personalized learning.
<center><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SSXM0KMaz8k" width="560"></iframe></center>
<div style="text-align: center;">EF Smart+ enables users to tailor their learning experience to meet their individual needs, and the app uses intuitive artificial intelligence to reinforce each learner’s areas of weakness.</div>
EF Smart+ uses data analysis to make customized content recommendations based on students’ needs and preferences; for example, if a student is interested in learning English for use at work, their learning material tailors itself to focus on professional skills, and they will spend less time on travel or general lifestyle topics. The interactive system makes recommendations that help students to pursue the path most relevant to their goals.
“Before Smart+, students might jump between units without having mastered the content necessary for positive learning outcomes because they were being forced to study topics that didn’t interest them,” said Mike Li, Product Owner for Adult Products for EF EdTech. “Now, students have the flexibility to pick and choose among the topics that best suit them, and we’ll work together to develop a plan that gets them to where they want to be.”
Other additions include an artificial intelligence-driven speech recognition system based on EF’s proprietary database of pronunciation data, which helps students master authentic spoken English; oral assessments administered by EF teachers at the end of each module; and customized learning plans developed in tandem with EF staff to help students meet their goals.

EF Smart+ students complete classwork via a hybrid model that uses online group learning, online self-study, and in-person classes in a physical EF English Center. The platform is being rolled out in EF English Centers across mainland China, using artificial intelligence in English language teaching to make English language learning accessible to even more adults.
As a cross-functional project, EF Smart+ required input and effort from EF staff spread across multiple teams and time zones, which was made more complicated by the ongoing pandemic.
“It was a very unique time to launch a new product,” said Reenie Xu, Program Manager for EF EdTech. “Many companies might stop new product development or technology investments during a pandemic, but not here. At EF, we’re continuing to develop our offerings and lean into what we know. For our staff and customers alike, it’s very motivating to see.”
“The pandemic created some real challenges for collaboration because everything had to happen virtually,” said Li. “But, EF is a place where something like this is likely to succeed because its people are so entrepreneurial and self-sufficient. Above all else, they’re always driven to provide the best and most accessible learning opportunities for our customers.”
</div>

English language students in China needed an adaptive learning solution that could better keep up with their changing needs. Learn more about EF Smart+.

English language students in China needed an adaptive learning solution that could better keep up with their changing needs. Enter: EF Smart+.

Jamie Berman

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