Building Cultural Bridges: Welcoming a New Chapter of Learning in Summer 2025
We are thrilled to announce the Cultural Bridges Program, launching in Summer 2025 in proud partnership with Bridge Charter Academy!
After a 9 year hiatus from leading service-learning and ecological immersion experiences in Ecuador, we couldn’t be more excited to welcome a new generation of students ready to connect across cultures, languages, and landscapes.
The Cultural Bridges Program invites students to step out of the classroom and into the vibrant life of Mindo, Ecuador—gateway to the Andean Chocó Cloud Forest. Here, learning won’t be confined to textbooks: Spanish language skills will come alive through everyday conversation, hands will get muddy planting in community gardens, and hearts will open to the rhythms of cloud forest life.
This program represents the heart of what Cloud Forest Institute stands for:
Building real relationships. Practicing service grounded in respect. Learning by doing. Growing by giving.
Together with Bridge Charter Academy, we've designed a transformative field experience where students will:
Immerse themselves in Spanish through service projects and cultural exchange
Participate in ecological stewardship, contributing directly to community conservation efforts
Experience daily life in an Ecuadorian cloud forest town known for its biodiversity, hospitality, and creativity
Develop a Learning Portfolio, documenting their reflections, growth, and Spanish language practice
The Cultural Bridges Program is more than a travel opportunity—it’s a chance for young people to become global citizens, to deepen their sense of connection to the planet and to one another.
In a world that feels increasingly divided, we believe that building bridges—not walls—is the path forward. This program plants the seeds of empathy, curiosity, and courage in the leaders of tomorrow.
We can’t wait to share this journey with our first cohort of Bridge students—and we are just getting started. 🌎🌿
Stay tuned for updates, photos, and stories from the cloud forest as the Cultural Bridges Program unfolds.
The adventure of a lifetime awaits. And the first step starts here.