Behind the Scenes

A Year of Firsts! As 2022 comes to a close, we look back on the many ways that our year astonished, changed, and motivated us! In Educational Travel We operated over 40 programs in 2022, and 14 were with new partners! These included Wondrium, Boca Grande Community Center, ArtNews, Zagat, Decanter, Chautauqua, Road & Track and The First Division Museum. The Rhone Valley’s diversity of wines attracted an international audience ready to taste the rich Viogniers of Condrieu, the wild Syrahs of Cornas, and the glorious Grenaches of Gigondas. (Decanter magazine) Two trips—to Iceland and New Orleans—showcased the resilience and adaptation of local populations in the face of climate change. (Chautauqua Institution) An epic, four-country performing arts patron trip arrived in London two hours after Queen Elizabeth’s death was announced, and travelers were treated to a unique experience unlike anything they could have ever planned. (The Philadelphia Orchestra) A group of very lucky history aficionados followed in the footsteps of the US Army’s heroic 1st Infantry Division to the World War II battlefields in France. (First Division Museum) In Study Abroad After two+ years of program closures and interruptions, many of our programs came roaring back with record-setting enrollment to Florence, Czech Republic, Taiwan, and Japan. This fall, in cooperation with the University of Minnesota, a review committee comprised of faculty and study abroad professionals traveled to Jordan and evaluated every aspect of our Arabic language program, from orientation to faculty development and support. We’re pleased that their final report gave the program such high marks, particularly in the areas of academics and student services! Four of our US-based staff recently hosted a well-attended webinar that focused on the future of study abroad in Greater China. When will the mainland open to study abroad, and what will be the health/safety concerns once students can return? Our experts shared their thoughts on these timely questions! New Relationships We welcomed the following new partners to the ATA family in 2022: Our Priorities in DC: JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) and Sustainability On the JEDI front In 2022, we spent time reflecting on the first two years of our Anti-Racist Action Plan—what worked well, what didn’t, and who’s voice was left out—and internally launched a new JEDI Action Plan that continues to involve all staff. We hosted three “Food for Thought” discussions and a JEDI book club and attended Diversity Abroad’s conference. On the Sustainability front We’re thrilled to announce that our decarbonization fund, in partnership with Cool Effect, is investing in three projects this year in Honduras, Indonesia and Tennessee. We also participated in the US Tour Operator Association’s inaugural “Sustainability is Responsibility” Summit in Bodo, Norway. Our Incredible Team Previous Next The hybrid office model we introduced in the spring balances flexibility with the in-person togetherness we seek from each other. Next year, we will be piloting a new reduced hours work schedule. Heartened by data coming from organizations such as Four Day Week Global, we are eager to join other firms who see the social, economic and climate benefits of this move. With fresh passion and commitment to our partners, students and travelers in 2023, we send you our heartfelt thanks and best wishes for the year ahead. Chase Poffenberger

A few weeks ago, the commemorations that marked a year since the world went into lock down were a sobering reminder of the pandemic’s toll on our lives, our families, and our industry. Yet when we asked our colleagues around the world about their “silver linings” from the last 12 months, we were inspired by the ways their stories—both person and professional—have been forever changed. Read on to hear from them, in their own words. On Family Life I have been given the gift of spending every Friday with my 18-month old daughter, using FFCRA leave. I will treasure that time for the rest of my life—Meredith Akery, New Jersey Because we’re all at home more, my kids’ Japanese is better than ever from hearing us speak it at home together. —Kate Maruyama, Maryland I’ve loved eating lunch at home with my family most days. I’m aware this is a unique “of-the-moment” opportunity, and I’m so grateful for it.—Mark Lenhart, Washington DC I was able to spend an entire school year side-by-side with my virtual high schooler. He’ll be out of the house for good in a couple years, and I know I’ll look back fondly on this crazy time we’ve spent together. —Kate Desvenain, Virginia My son learned to walk and it was a moment that my husband and I were both able to enjoy together as a family. —Brooke Masterson, Maryland I got engaged at the National Cathedral! And even though this wasn’t an unexpected new chapter to my relationship, being together so much (so much!) has added a depth to our connection that I am thankful for. —Tess Cannon, DC On New Personal Pursuits We are normally international travelers, so our house rental on Lake Erie was just about the polar opposite of what we’re used to. It was WONDERFUL, felt as much “away” as going abroad, and reminded us about the importance of just being together. —Vanessa Sterling, Pennsylvania Our neighborhood came together in inspiring ways – with curbside concerts, home food deliveries, art projects, and scavenger hunts. While my world “shrunk” during the past year, parts of it also became richer. —Jennifer Kefer, Maryland Being furloughed allowed me more time to read than I’ve had in a long time. —Allison Rottman, China As a tribute to my maternal grandmother, I decided to enroll in a CET Customized Language Training Chinese course and read her short stories and interviews in Chinese. I’ve carved out time twice per week to focus on my language skills, which has helped my mental health when so much of my days are dedicated to childcare and pandemic-related stress; and I’ve gotten to experience a new product that CET created. I think my grandmother would be very proud to know that someone in the family is finally reading her work in the language in which it was written. —Tara Vanacore, DC Spending two months in Italy allowed us to see family, enjoy different treats from the supermarket, order a decent daily cappuccino from the local bar, and work on my lifelong dream: our Italian home. The time difference allowed greater thinking and productive time for work.  I started my workday while the DC office slept, had a long break for lunch and exercise, and collaborated with my team in the afternoon and early evening. —Emma Impavido, Italy and DC On Life Lessons My daily mindfulness practice also helps a lot to cope with unavoidable changes which might happen any time. —Nova Shao, China I’ve learned that work life balance isn’t black and white for me. Having defined working hours is important, but the flexibility I value most is being able to weave my life in throughout my day. —Kelley West, Maryland All you need are a few important people in your life to get by. —Tim Baird, DC I learned to decouple my sense of self and worth from my “output” (creative work, paid work, tangible things I put into the world) and get joy and fulfilment from “input” (information, art, conversation, and, yes, binge-watching Netflix). —Malika Watson, Japan The silver lining for us as an organization has been an increased awareness and inclusion of staff outside of our DC office. Now that we’re all remote employees, we are much more inclusive of our on-site staff. —Allegra O’Donoghue, Egypt