What Sets Meet The Middle East Apart From The Rest?

MTME's Youth Ambassador Program is extremely unique. While there are many travel opportunities abroad for high school youth, focus on the Middle East remains extremely rare. Additionally, most travel programs do not include in-depth educational preparation. This four-month prelude serves another purpose, as it brings youth together to get to know their travel companions. Before the students leave on their journey, they are well-educated, close to one another and to their trip leaders and chaperones, and confident in their mission to apply their service-learning project. Additionally, students have the added advantage of meeting with youth in the region, and participating with them in well-monitored programs. The friendships they form with a diverse array of youth leaves them connected and world-wise upon return.

As a final bonus, colleges are enthralled with the program. Past students all attest to the positive response they have received from college personnel. In short, it strengthens their college application in a powerful way.

Who Can Apply To The Youth Ambassador Program?

YAP is open to students currently in 9th through 12th grades who are enrolled in a Colorado Front Range high school. Students will be expected to have a genuine interest in the Middle East, International Relations, Religious or Interfaith Studies, Intercultural Studies, Conflict Resolution, Peace Studies and/or other related topics.

Each applicant is required to fill out a short application and furnish the contact information for at least one reference from a teacher or other academic professional. MTME finalizes the application process with an interview between MTME staff and the prospective participant. To view the complete application, please click the "JOIN Now" button.

JOIN NOW

Students may participate in the program only once during high school, with exceptions considered for individuals who are unable to complete the course in one year due to extreme circumstances.

Can I Get School Credit For Participating In The Youth Ambassador Program?

MTME encourages its participants in YAP to work with their school administrators to grant them elective credits once the program is complete. In addition to elective credits, many high schools are requiring an allotted amount of volunteer or service hours in order to graduate, therefore MTME encourages its participants to use their time in YAP to fulfill those hours as well.

What Are The Dates Of The Classes And Trip?

In addition to meeting the other admission requirements, your acceptance is heavily predicated on your ability to fully participate in 7 classes, 1 trip preparation class, 10 day immersion trip and 1 post-trip session.  Only in extreme circumstances will you be excused from no more than 2 classes.  Otherwise, attendance is mandatory during the following dates:

2019 Class Dates:

  • Tuesday March 5 & 19 5:00pm – 8:00pm
  • Tuesday April 2, 16, & 30 5:00pm – 8:00pm
  • Tuesday May 14 & 28 5:00pm – 8:00pm

Trip Preparation Class:

  • Thursday, May 30, 2019, 7:00-8:30

Parents are strongly encouraged to attend this informational session about the trip.

Trip Dates:

  • June 10-19, 2019 (Includes travel dates)

Students leave Colorado together with MTME staff from Denver International Airport on June 10, arriving at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel on June 11, and arrive back in Denver on June 19

Post Trip Re-Entry Session Date:

  • TBA

Sometimes one of the most difficult parts of your experience may be re-entry.  You may find it hard to process much of what you have learned or seen and expressing that to your friends and family can be challenging.  MTME offers a post-trip session to help our participants with that process by equipping you with the tools and language to communicate your views effectively.

MTME understands that many of our senior participants may be preparing for college, we will work with you to facilitate this session through other mediums.

Program Cost Inclusions

The program cost and fees include the following. Please note that MTME staff will assist students in their fundraising efforts to help cover their travel costs and fees.

  • 7 Classes, 3 hours each
  • All teaching materials
  • Dinner during each class
  • Supplemental meetings, such as the Trip Prep Session and the Post Trip Session.

Trip Cost Includes:

  • Roundtrip airfare from Denver to Tel Aviv
  • 24/7 Male and female chaperones
  • Three meals and all beverages everyday, including snacks
  • Based on double, triple, quadruple occupancy with private bathrooms and showers
  • Private transportation in modern, air conditioned bus and private driver
  • Trip leaders, tour guides, excursions, entrance fees, honoraria for speakers and hosts
  • Pre-trip preparation class
  • Post-trip re-entry class

Cost Information:

For further information about YAP and pricing, please contact info@meetthemiddleeast.org

Participants who wish to contribute to the cost of the program with their guardian or need financial assistance to cover the cost, MTME staff works with each of our students individually from the start of the program, during each class, with professional fundraisers and other resources to insure they reach their fundraising goals.

That said, MTME will always strive to offer scholarships, but resources vary from year to year.

Travel note: While Meet the Middle East requires our Youth Ambassadors to fully participate in all of the classes and the trip, we recognize that life happens. Therefore we require every student to purchase comprehensive trip insurance.

Where Are Classes Held?

YAP classes will be held at the Meet the Middle East offices in Denver in the Posner Center for International Development.  The Posner Center is the creative hub and now home to many international non-profit organizations working for positive change. The MTME facilities are outfitted with an expansive classroom in a safe environment.

The Posner Center for International Development is located at 1031 33rd St. Denver, CO 80205 (map).

Please visit our Contact Us page for further information about getting to our offices.

Know Before You Go

Is It Safe?

Safety is MTME’s first and foremost concern – ahead of education, experience, or fun. While travel abroad or nationally always presents some element of risk, MTME leaders have been leading trips to the region since 2007 without incident, bringing students as young as fourteen and adult learners in their eighties to experience the incredible richness of the region.

  • Participants are accompanied by MTME staff at all times, day and night.
  • MTME strongly urges participants to purchase travel insurance in the event a health or environmental emergency were to arise.
  • Travel is provided by modern and safe busses.
  • Lodging is clean and secure.
  • Fluent in all local languages.
  • MTME contacts in each region visited

Registration

Participants wishing to register with one of MTME’s travel programs should submit a $350 deposit by the the second class date. These dates vary by group, so please make sure you are aware of all important payment dates for your trip.

Payments

Payment due dates for each program will be published on each program page at least six months in advance. Meet the Middle East accepts Visa, Master Card, Discover and American Express. Please make checks out to Meet the Middle East with the traveler’s name in the memo line. Please note, there is an approximate 2.8% service charge for all major credit cards.

You trip must be paid in full by the adversities payment due dates and before the scheduled departure.

Cancellations & Refunds

Meet the Middle East is unable to provide refunds to participants who cancel before departure. Therefore MTME strongly urge you to purchase travel insurance.

Most comprehensive trip insurance policies will cover any medical emergency, trip interruptions or trip cancellations. However, we strongly encourages that you purchase the “cancel for no reason” option to protect your investment in the program as no refunds can be issued by Meet the Middle East. The average cost for these policies described is $150. MTME does not offer any insurance plans to its participants and it is the responsibility of each traveler to cover their own trip.

No partial refunds will be granted for unused hotel rooms, meals, or other scheduled activities. MTME trips are quoted as a package and credits are not given for unused portions.

MTME reserves the right to cancel a trip due to dangerous political situations.

Health & Wellness

All participants should expect to walk extensively on some days in mild to hot temperatures. Each traveler should be able to carry their own suitcase, walk and stand over the course of four hours at a time, and potentially be prepared to hear very low street noise in their hotel rooms.

All participants are obligated to fill out and sign a Risks, Responsibilities Agreement and Release form, acknowledging that you will inform MTME staff about any pre-existing physical, mental, or emotional disability that may require attention or treatment. Failing to report this important information could result in your expulsion from trip at your expense, including any fees that may have incurred during any event leading up to said expulsion.

Itineraries are Subject to Change

As you can imagine, the Middle East is an ever changing place and to insure our participant’s safety and that of our staff, we are constantly looking two steps ahead on our itinerary. If we feel that it is simply unsafe, we will change the itinerary. On occasion, sites will be closed for renovation or we will have to work around holy days, or a speaker will unexpectedly cancel. In events like these, we will either reschedule or have a backup activity for our participants.

Single Supplements

Our trips are priced as double occupancy.  Our student and programs will also have triple and quadruple rooms. if you wish to have your own room there is a single supplement charge. This charge varies per group. Please ask a MTME staff member for further information.

One Carry On Bag Per Person

Please do not exceed more than one carry on sized bag and backpack/daypack per person. A good rule of thumb – pack everything you think you need, reassess, and then take out half of what you originally put in!

No smoking

All of our programs are smoke free during group meals, tours, bus rides and in hotel rooms. If you choose to smoke outside, please do so at a respectful distance that does not disrupt the group.

DO NOT USE ILLEGAL DRUGS OR ALCOHOL

Meet the Middle East has a zero tolerance policy for drugs for all participants during the trip.  There is also a zero tolerance policy for alcohol for our participants that are minors during the trip.  If you chose to use drugs or alcohol it will result in your immediate expulsion of the trip at the expense of your parent/guardian.

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