National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Teacher at Sea Program
The Mission of this program is to bring hands-on ocean research experience to the classroom. Teachers from elementary school through college go to sea aboard NOAA research and survey ships to work under the tutelage of scientists and crew. Then, armed with new understanding and experience, the teachers bring that knowledge back to their classrooms.While most teachers take advantage of the program during the summer, cruises are available throughout most of the year on a space-available basis.  Cruises range from one week to several months.  Teachers on sabbatical may have the option to go on an extended cruise; for example, in recent years, one teacher participated in a cruise going to Japan, giving her a wealth of experience in global climate and air chemistry research. Click here to apply.

Culture Xplorers (year-round)
Culture Xplorers offers immersive, small group journeys in Latin America, with an emphasis on the people and living traditions of the countries they visit and a single-minded focus on genuine interaction between travelers and locals. Whether it is the chance to spend time as the guests of a warm local family or participating in unique festivals and celebrations, CULTURE XPLORERS travelers experience local life from ground level - up close and personal. As the modern world has encroached on even the most remote corners of the globe, Culture Xplorers celebrate people and places where ancient traditions still survive, and even thrive. For more details on their trips and philosophy, click here.

Find an International Friend!
Interested in having international volunteers tell your class about their countries and cultures? United Planet is an international non-profit public educational charity open to the citizens of every country on Earth. Their mission is to foster cross-cultural and geographical understanding; to broaden global perspectives; and to promote friendship, peace, and social and economic prosperity among cultures. For more information and to register click here.

People, Places, & Possibilities: Teaching World Cultures UNC-TV
Teaching World Cultures (P3) is a new monthly porgram on UNC-TV designed to provide North Carolina teachers and families with a better understanding of our global community. In partnership with UNC-TV, North Carolina's six National Resource Centers in International and Area Studies have put together a series of one-hour documentaries that examine different international regions through the lens of history, culture and language. P3 is desinged to explore a new area of the world each month covering Africa, East and South Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Western Europe. Classroom materials supporting each film will also be available on the website.

FolkMoot USA: The North Carolina International Folk Festival
An annual summer celebration of the world's cultural heritage through folk music and dance performed by more than 350 people traveling to Western North Carolina annually from 10 to 12 countries, dressed in colorful costumes, and playing music on unique instruments. Join it! This and more will be a part of the 23rd Anniversary international folk festival which is held each summer in the cool, green mountains at the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. For more information, visit their website at http://www.folkmootusa.org.