Course Offerings

Group Learning in Cross-Cultural Context
How do members of traditional cultures adopt new ideas and make changes in their lifestyle?  In what ways do new ideas and changes spread through communities and societies, and what happens when there is resistance?  This course explores principles of group learning and development using case studies and practical exercises. 

Resiliency & Thriving Cross-Culturally
How can you learn to swim in a new ocean without feeling like you’ve landed in a fishbowl?  This course provides training in understanding the sources and effects of cross-cultural stress in yourself and those around you.  Based on the latest brain science, it gives practical ways to boost resilience and move toward a sustainable lifestyle, even in the most challenging situations.  Those who have received this training find that they can not only survive, but even thrive personally, in their families, and on their teams.  

Marriage and Family Life on the Move
Is it possible to prioritize healthy marriage and family life, even while transitioning cross-culturally?  Experienced trainers provide teaching, personal stories, and practical tips for managing moves and adjustments and cultivating good communication skills.  Educational choices, housing and lifestyle issues, and emotional engagement are among the topics covered. 

Personal Security and Risk Management
How do you know what risks are worth taking, and how to prepare for possible outcomes?  This course provides training from security experts in understanding and evaluating various types of potential risk.  Real-life stories and simulations flesh out the principles of advance preparation for challenging and potentially life-threatening situations. 

Handling Stress and Transition
What sources of stress are most significant in your life?  How does stress relate to your underlying values?  What happens when you go through major transitions, whether planned or unexpected?  How can you use stress to give you insight and better equip yourself to handle tough situations?  These questions and many more are explored by our experienced trainers in this course.  

Effective Teamwork and Communication
How can you work more effectively as part of a team, and what does it take to maximize the fruitfulness of a group working together?  This course explores the dynamics of team life, including good communications skills, negotiating differences, and understanding the various roles people play in a group.  Using both expert-led discussion and practical skill-building, participants discover how to work with others in multi-cultural contexts to accomplish goals. 

Participatory Language-Learning
Does the thought of learning a new language as an adult make you anxious?  You’re in good company!  This course is taught by those who have been there and done that, but became fluent through an innovative and effective language-learning method called GPA.  You will be trained in this method, both in the linguistic theory and practical activities, while experiencing language learning in a participatory environment. 

Conflict Prevention and Resolution
How do you handle conflict on a team, in a family, or as part of a community?  Our trainers will give you strategies for healthy communication and avoiding conflict, resolving conflict once it happens, and restoring relationships with others when conflict has caused damage.  These principles and strategies will help you, your family, and your team to set an example in communities where conflict is a deep and ongoing issue. 

Comparative Religion and Bridge Building
How does your orientation toward God and toward others color life and work in a different culture?  How can we understand and respect differences while being clear about our own deepest values and beliefs?  This course will provide both expert classroom instruction and real-world practice in interacting fruitfully with others across religious divides.   

Orality and Literacy Around the World
Are you in a cross-cultural context where the majority of people prefer oral learning to the written word?  How would you go about finding out, and what are the implications for work among them?  Trainers with years of experience in oral cultures guide you through understanding oral-based societies and adapting work goals and strategies appropriately.  Practice with neighbors in orality skills fleshes out the classroom experience. 

Learning with Ethnography
How can I learn to know my neighbors and co-workers in a new, cross-cultural context in ways that go deeper than surface-level?  In this course, participants will learn from experts in the area of ethnography, using both classroom discussion and real-world practice.  Good observation skills and well-crafted questions lead to deeper understanding and growing relationships.  

Communicating Your Story and Developing Your Brand
Do you sometimes feel at a loss when it comes to communicating your life-changing experiences in far-away places with those who make up your “home base”?  And how do you make your cross-cultural relationships real to your family and friends without resorting to exploitative stereotypes?  In this course you will practice making distant worlds real and cultivating a strong supportive base to hold the ropes as you launch out. 

Spiritual Reflection and Growth
How do you keep your spiritual life healthy and connect with God in places where the resources you relied on don’t exist?  You will learn from experienced trainers how they have found resources and practices to sustain them through tough times.  You will try out worship and prayer forms, both individually and as a group, and will grow together through the Spirit’s unique work.