Palms Encounters are guided short-term cross-cultural experiences available to individuals or groups of up to 8 participants.
The full Encounter program includes pre-departure preparation and briefing, an overseas Encounter Visit including support and guidance in-country and activities upon re-entry to maintain the connections developed.
These 10-12 day cross-cultural experiences are designed to provide an insight into the daily life of people of another culture; an understanding of sustainable approaches to development, including ecological sustainability; and an insight into the life and work of development volunteers.
Palms’ Encounters are designed to maximise benefits for participants and host communities, avoiding perpetuating negative or romanticised stereotypes of other cultures. As a result they may not always be comfortable and may in fact challenge participants perceptions of a number of issues. They will, however, be more beneficial in understanding the truth about global interdependence and the roles that different people can take in making the world a better place for all.
An experienced development professional will guide your trip, providing food for thought and opportunities for deep reflections on your observations. Issues relating to culture, development, poverty, trade, ecology, faith and education will be raised.
We are currently planning two Palms Encounter: Timor-Leste for 2012.
- 30 June -> 11 July
- 22 September -> 3 October
We also welcome enquiries from work/school/community groups who would like to book a private Encounter.
More about the program and how to register
Numbers of participants on Palms’ Encounters are necessarily limited, so as to avoid overwhelming our host communities, so it is important to reserve your place as soon as possible.
Upon receipt of your confirmation form, with a deposit of $1000, Palms Australia will forward a unit of preparation materials, including advice on what to do in the months before departure, information about Palms Australia, and some information about what to expect from the experience.
