A letter from Anne Scott, our founder.
We just got back from our trip to Istanbul!
15 women from our Girl Gone International community who had never met before travelled together to spend 5 days in Turkey.
In doing so, we all met new friends, had new experiences and contributed to making our non profit Girl Gone International financially self sustainable so we can keep offering 8000 FREE events per year to our one million members in our 250 local communities across the world!
So THANK YOU!
It is really brave to turn up in a new country to travel with a group of women you have never met before!I don't think anyone is immune to thoughts .. eg. What if I don't like anyone? What if they don't like me? What if we have nothing to talk about? What if I don't like the group dynamic?
What if, what if, what if....I wish I had an easy way to show you how amazing it really is and how even those who shiver at the idea of strangers in a strange land LOVE it. I think the reason why they do love it is that we have been bringing extremely diverse groups of women together for 16 years so we know how to do it and are always learning how to do it better.
We are not a big corporate who just see you as a sale, a name on a spreadsheet - we get to know each other BEFORE the trip and work with you to learn about your hopes and needs and build the trip around thatc) our team joke we are all unique flavours of neurospicy so we think of everything and everyone at all times!
We build a mix of structure and freedom so you feel safe, organised, planned but free!
Everyone is really kind, patient, open minded there is freedom to be YOU and freedom to go off on solo side quests as well as social time so you make genuine connections and enjoy that sense of community so many of us miss when we move abroad.
Anyway, let me introduce you to some of the women who joined this trip via some of my favourite photos of their gorgeous wee faces that I already miss!!
We ranged from our 30s to 70s, with 12 different passports represented, living in 7 different countries with 11 languages spoken between us.
Everyone spoke English to varying degrees.
We had 7 GGIs in their 30s, 6 in their 40s and 2 in their 60s+.
Our group lives across Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, the UK and the US, and brings Scottish, American, Brazilian, Romanian, Indian, Mexican, Dutch, Ecuadorian, Chinese and Irish (and more) backgrounds.
And the life experience? Deep!
We all lived abroad for varying lengths of time, some 3 months, some 50 years!We had an art collector, professional Christmas decorator, financial analyst, nurse, TEFL teacher, writer, engineer, biotech researcher, global marketing professional, HR manager and more...This is what I love about our community and our trips: there is no one “type” of woman who comes.
You belong because you bring your own story, your curiosity and your willingness to share the experience with other brilliant women living international lives and want to have an adventure together while making new friends and feeling part of something temporary but that stays with you for a loooong time! We are going to Scotland, Morocco, Jordan, Japan, Iceland and Bali next!
What women said after our Istanbul trip
“This was my first group trip and I didn’t need to be apprehensive at all. We had a warm, engaging group of women from all over the world who were so friendly and made the trip what it was. I felt really safe and supported throughout, and it was a relaxed experience in a busy city. I would recommend Gone International trips to any woman considering one.”
Beth
“Travelling with a combination of creating friendships, supporting other women and the opportunity to meet smart, fun international women doing amazing things in their lives, all tied together with a beautiful ribbon of travel to new places, can’t be beat. The best group travel experience I have ever had.”
Julie
“I felt safe and looked after. Even introverts can find enough space during a trip to relax and unwind. Finding other women from different backgrounds having similar stories to me made me feel seen and less alone.”
Riya
“It was a great experience, not only to explore beautiful places but to get to know and exchange with women from all over the world. For anyone having doubts about joining a GGI Trip, I can only say: just go for it!”
Tania
“I decided to go on this trip knowing I was stepping outside my comfort zone to try a new experience with strangers. The Istanbul trip offered exactly what I needed, while still giving me the opportunity to meet amazing women and get to know a city that felt too large for me to have ventured into alone for a first visit.
“GGI attracts women from a multitude of backgrounds, experiences and personalities. Yet somehow, we all share a similar vibe, and that connection is really the heart of the trip.”
Mel
“I am so glad I went because I was able to meet great women, discover a new place and do something different from what I am used to: joining a group trip by myself. I will definitely do it again. GGI is the community to go to for like-minded people.”
Sara
“There were so many reasons I was hesitant about jumping into a group trip with strangers and an itinerary outside of my control. However, I’m so glad I went because this trip became a treasured experience. I felt very safe and comfortable, both in Istanbul and within our group.
“Despite visiting one of my personal bucket-list destinations, the camaraderie and connection I felt with the other women was as memorable and enriching as anything else we did there. I didn’t expect that part to be so impactful. I left with genuine friendships.”
Maralyn
“I had a great time, saw so much in four days that I couldn’t have managed myself and met great people. It was my first time on a group trip, so I was a little apprehensive, but it was a great experience.”
Beth
