International Summer & Study Camps

Garabi Education an international education advisory service offering unique opportunities for young people to experience other cultures. They organise school exchanges, summer camps, university scholarships, gap years, language courses and more.

Interview with Liliana Rodriguez, Garabi Education

What is Garabi Education? What kinds of services do you offer?

We create opportunities for young people to study abroad for 6-12 months (mainly at high school level). We also offer language studies (starting from one week in length upwards) and volunteer programmes. We also organise summer camps, mainly in the US and UK and provide help with University applications in the US and UK.

Who is Garabi Education for? Do you work with any age groups in particular?

We organise experiences for students from 10 years and upwards (there is no age limit). Our international summer camps in the UK and US are mainly for young people aged 11-18. 

Can you tell us about your background and how you first became involved with Garabi Education?

Based in the UK, the founder of Garabi Education Idoia Garmendi, was a sales director for one of the leading organisations in this area for about 20 years. In my case, I joined Garabi Education 6 months ago, after Idoia organised a trip to Canada for my son. We had such a positive experience and I also wanted to explore new areas, so I became a Garabi agent in Spain.

Do you have any advice for parents who are thinking of organising an international exchange or summer camp experience for their child?

I would advise parents to be careful about the organisation they choose, to be really sure that all schools, residences or host families have been carefully selected and have all the official required certifications. That includes the teachers and the administrative person taking care of your kids.

What are the biggest benefits for young people being immersed in a new culture?

Being immersed in a new culture fosters empathy and opens young people to new experiences and ideas. It lets them practice a new language with students of different origins, gain understanding and respect for others and grow as an individual.

What support do you offer young people and their parents during a high school exchange abroad?

We offer a 24-hour support service for both parents and students, for any inquiries or issues they may have. We only work with trusted professionals in the local countries, so we know that we can rely on experts and highly committed teams to try to resolve any possible issues as quickly as possible. 

If a school wanted to plan a stay abroad for one of their year groups, what are the steps to take for your team?

First, for a group school trip, we need a minimum number of 15 high school students and an accompanying teacher. Next, the school should contact us, to look for the most suitable dates (an important consideration to finding the most inexpensive fares, tickets and accommodation. It is important to have a specific objective or theme for the trip, in order to create the best possible plan for the visit.  Finally, we organise an information session with parents to go through the next steps.

Tell us about the upcoming international summer camps in Boston and the UK. What kinds of things do they include?

Our UK Summer Camps will be held in Ascot and Bournemouth, for ages 12 to 17. Both camps include escorted return flights.  Each camp will provide 3 hours of English lessons each morning, various afternoon and evening activities, 2 full days of field trips and one half-day field trip. Full boarding is included, with rooms of 1, 2 or 3 students, a private restroom per room, wifi and 24-hour supervision. 3 meals are provided. Our summer camps are attended by a wide variety of nationalities, with around 15-25% Spanish-speaking students.

Our summer camps in Boston are for a slightly older age range, 16 to 18-year-olds. As with the UK, our USA summer camp also includes accompanied return flights. The camp provides 3 hours of English lessons every morning, some afternoon activities and also free afternoons. Accommodation has 24-hour supervision and is on a half-board basis with breakfast and lunch each day.

What kinds of feedback have you had from young people who have participated in your programmes or exchanges?

We’ve had excellent feedback and several have repeated the experience, enrolling into the same or a similar programme for consecutive years. We also have a large number of participants who have joined us as a result of positive references from other students who have enjoyed a Garabi trip or experience. 

Can you sum up the Garabi Education mission in a few words?

Being a small agency with 20 years of experience, headquartered in the UK and represented in Argentina, Mexico and Spain, we have developed great experience in tailoring trustworthy educational advice. Over the years, we have listened carefully to parents and children, getting to know their real needs and what they value most from their different perspectives. We offer highly personalised attention, and we are there for parents and children at any time they need us.

Read more about Garabi Education and discover more educational specialists on MumAbroad.com.