Coronavirus: a message from GoAbroad’s founder to travelers

Dear Travelers & GoAbroad Community,

We are still here. Our employees are working from home, but they are still hard at work to help make meaningful travel possible. We have heard from many of you, and know that some of you are still traveling somewhere in the world, some of you are still planning to travel in the future, some of you have postponed your travels, and regrettably some of you have had to cancel your trips. We understand that there are many challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has caused.

In this time of uncertainty, global suffering, and sacrifice I am reminded of Mr. Rogers' famous quote, "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, " Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping' ." GoAbroad is a community of helpers. We are millions of individuals who already identify as part of a global community, a family of humanity separated only by distance and political boundaries. Today, the world needs everyone to sit and wait and collectively as a human family, curb the spread of COVID-19. When this has passed, the world will be there and there will be an infinite number of opportunities to travel and to become helpers once again.

If you are currently abroad or are preparing for a trip in the near future, we strongly encourage you to listen to the people who have spent their careers working in this field and heed the advice of reputable sources like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.

We understand that many of you, in light of the global situation, are stuck at home because of school closures, office closures, travel restrictions, or are simply trying to figure out what to do next. I want you to know that we are still uploading new travel content with you in mind. From articles written by travelers to interviews with alumni travelers, as well as program reviews from individuals who have studied, worked, volunteered, taught, participated in an internship abroad, or traveled abroad for any other type of meaningful experience. There' s a world of advice and program options to read about and consider.

Here are just a few things that you can explore anywhere with an internet connection:

• Browse our expert travel articles and start planning where you' ll go next!
• Search and compare meaningful travel experiences' here' s how it works.
• Take an online TEFL course and be certified to teach English.
• Apply for an online teaching job and get experience!
• Learn a foreign language online.
• Enroll in an online degree program.
• Get a job online!

The entire GoAbroad team encourages you to keep dreaming & planning your meaningful travel!

Keep dreaming, keep researching, and keep planning. This will not last forever. There will be another opportunity to travel in the future. We know you are doing what is right for you and your loved ones. Just know, the world will be there for you to experience whenever you are ready, and so will we. GoAbroad will be here to help make your travel dreams come true, and meaningful travel opportunities will not go away.

We hope this will become a definable period of history that challenges the world to unite and work together to overcome.

Be safe, be informed, be positive, and keep dreaming!

Troy Peden, Founder of GoAbroad.com

Self