Lauren Hines, MHS Spanish teacher, will Participate in Two-Week Eastern Country Educator Tour Over Winter Break
Lauren Hines, MHS Spanish teacher, has been selected as one of 12 teachers across the country to participate in a two-week program in Oman and Qatar during winter break.
Through the Qatar Foundation International (QFI) and the Global Exploration for Educators Organization’s (GEEO) Winter 2019 Educator Tour, this experience is funded by the Qatar Foundation International in conjunction with Global Exploration for Educators Organization.
The first part of the program takes place in Oman where ancient heritage melds beautifully with modern living. The group will then spend the night in the dramatic Wahiba Sands Desert and visit Wadi Nakhr, also known as the Grand Canyon of Oman, to get even deeper into Oman’s ethereal beauty – natural and otherwise.
The group will proceed to Qatar where they will travel into the desert, learn in museums and visit schools to learn more about their education system. Other site visits in Oman and Qatar, include: the National Museum and Opera House of Oman in Muscat, the Grand Mosque of Oman, the Pearl in Doha (Qatar), the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, and Al-Jazeera news station in Doha.
Jesse Weisz, Executive Director, GEEO Teacher Travel Programs, said GEEO is dedicated to helping teachers travel around the world and bring their experiences back into the classrooms. “While our programs are all partially subsidized in order to make them affordable for educators, this partnership with QFI has allowed us to provide programs that are nearly free of cost to the participants.”
Weisz said the twelve educators traveling on this winter’s Qatar and Oman will teach nearly 1000 students. “Many of those students have never heard of Qatar or Oman but will soon learn about the history, culture, and geography of these Middle Eastern countries. I hope this new knowledge will increase their empathy towards people in this part of the world. "
Hines said she is deeply honored and excited to be chosen to participate in this program and thanks QFI for their support of teachers and global education, by giving teachers the opportunity to experience the culture of the Middle Ease firsthand. “While I have traveled with GEEO before, this will be my first trip to the Middle East and Arabian Peninsula and I can't wait to bring back the cultural experiences and history to share with my students, especially my geography classes."