Field notes

Stories from
the road.

Teacher stories, destination guides, packing tips, and lessons from three decades of running student tours in Europe and beyond.

A teacher-led group of students
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A Tribute to Our Founder
travel inspiration

A Tribute to Our Founder: Dr. Gilbert Scott Markle

If you lived in the Worcester, Massachusetts area in the 1980s, chances are you either knew who Gil Markle was, you were employed at one of his companies, you were one of his students, or you knew somebody who knew someb

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Spanish Steps, Rome
travel inspiration

What Does Educational Travel Mean to Us?

What did Passports employees have to say when asked the question “What does educational travel mean to me?”

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Travel scene — hero image for "7 Brilliant Travel Hacks You've Never Heard of".
travel inspiration

7 Brilliant Travel Hacks You've Never Heard of

Check out 7 of our top favorite travel hacks!

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Grand ' Place, Brussels
travel inspiration

How to Break the Language Barrier While Traveling

Keep these tips in mind to grant you a bit more independence and make it easier to interact with the locals!

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Giraffe
travel inspiration

6 of the Coolest Hotels in the World

Have you ever wanted to have breakfast with a giraffe? If the answer is yes, this is the list for you!

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Gargoyle on Notre Dame Cathedral
travel inspiration

Passports vs. Other Student Travel Companies

With many student travel companies to choose from, why Passports? We offer the perfect balance of quality and price.

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Anne Hathaway's Cottage
travel inspiration

Free LINK Lesson Plans for Teachers

Mindful that teachers often spend more time writing lesson plans than implementing them, we provide comprehensive lesson plans for all group organizers.

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Pisa, Italy
travel inspiration

Passports Photo Challenge

3 photo contests, 3 chances to win. Think you have what it takes to beat out all 2016 passports travelers in this year’s photo challenge?

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Bridge of Sighs, Oxford University
travel inspiration

Why Is English So Weird?

There are students all over the world trying to make sense of a language where comb, tomb and bomb don’t rhyme but pony and bologna do.

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Travel scene — hero image for "Quotes That'll Make You Question Why You Don't Travel More".
travel inspiration

Quotes That'll Make You Question Why You Don't Travel More

You’ve heard of ‘wanderlust’… but have you read all of these quotes?!

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Sacre-Coeur
travel inspiration

2016 Passports Photo Challenge Winners

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Sagrada Familia Basilica
travel inspiration

Sagrada Familia: Gaudí's Masterpiece

La Sagrada Familia is an extraordinary church with towers that soar high above the City of Gaudí.

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Grand Bazaar, Istanbul
travel inspiration

3 International Dishes That Belong on the Thanksgiving Table

Since America is a melting pot of people from all different cultures, it seems fitting that we include a few dishes from other countries on our national day of thanks. Try out these international dishes for a change that

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Parc Guell, Barcelona
travel inspiration

The Best Cities in Europe for Architecture Lovers

If you have an eye for art and architecture, you’ll love this list of the most architecturally impressive cities in Europe.

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Travel scene — hero image for "17 Tips for Effective Student Tour Recruitment".
travel inspiration

17 Tips for Effective Student Tour Recruitment

These tips will make student recruitment much easier!

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Arenal Volcano National Park
travel inspiration

Student Tour Group Travel to Costa Rica

A student tour to Costa Rica is a breathtaking, Central American paradise for Spanish-speaking, science studies, in-service programs, and so much more.

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Steam Train to Mallaig
travel inspiration

5 Steps to Successful Student Recruitment

Having trouble recruiting enough students for your tour? Our 5 step guide will help you through that process!

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London Skyline
travel inspiration

Teacher Tuesday: An Educational Tour Experience to Remember

Guest Post by Ingrid B. In the summer of 2000, my husband Bob and I took a group of my students on an educational tour with Passports to England and France .  There had been several Passports tours before and since,

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Tower Bridge
travel inspiration

2017 Passports Traveler Contests

passports is excited to announce the kick off of our annual traveler contests! 2 photo contests + 1 writing contest = 3 chances to win an epic spending spree! Do you think you have what it takes to beat out the other 201

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Figures of Soldier and Horses Clay
travel inspiration

7 Tours, 7 Wonders of the World

There have been numerous lists compiled to nominate the world’s most spectacular natural wonders and manmade structures. Explore 7 Wonders of the World on tour with Passports!

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Rome
travel inspiration

Out of This World: Ristorante Terme Del Colosseo

Immersed in the heart of ancient Rome, Ristorante Terme del Colosseo caters to the Italian culture enthusiast.

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Seville Cathedral
travel inspiration

Meet Lou Baskinger: Teacher Representative for Passports ACTFL16

Lou Baskinger is a retired Spanish teacher who has traveled on over 20 tours with passports. He accompanied some of the passports staff at ACTFL16 to talk to fellow teachers about his experiences traveling with us.

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The Eiffel Tower seen from Trocadero
travel inspiration

Sell the Experience, Not the Trip

When recruiting students for an educational tour, your goal should be to sell the experience, not just the trip.

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Paris, France
travel inspiration

21 Experiences to Add to Your 2017 Travel Bucket List

Inspired by passports participant photos – here are 21 experiences to add to your 2017 travel bucket list!

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