Did you miss out on spending a semester abroad when you were back in school? What if it’s not too late to do so now? And what if you were studying wine in the rolling countryside of Tuscany?
For the Love of Travel (FTLO), a group travel agency for working professionals, launched Sojrn in 2020. Sojrn calls itself “a study abroad experience for working professionals.” The company helps adults who can work remotely to have a month-long immersive experience in an exciting location.
The fee to join a “chapter,” or destination with a theme, starts at about $2,800, depending on which program you enroll in. The fee covers all arrangements, from accommodations and a Wi-fi-connected co-working space to a local host and a “curriculum” of curated activities to fill your free time. In addition, each “chapter” has up to 20 people, so travelers have a built-in group of new friends to study their surroundings with.
Travelers have private accommodations, which can vary between studios, a room in a shared apartment or a hotel room. However, flights and meals are not covered by the fee.
The theme of the activities is closely connected to the location.
“In Tuscany we have a winery visit where you go experience the vineyard and meet the winemakers or a wine pairing workshop with a local sommelier,” Tara Cappel, founder of FTLO, told Full-Time Travel. “In Stockholm, we have a ‘design and drinks’ night where you do a bar hop through these carefully selected bars that are very design-forward. For philosophy in Athens, we have a workshop that takes place in the space which was once Plato’s Academy.”
Chapters scheduled for 2022 and 2023 include History in Rome, Art and Architecture in Barcelona, Cuisine in Mexico City, Fashion in Paris, and Biodiversity in Cape Town, among others.
The Wine Varietals in Tuscany program is available five times in the next two years: May 1-28, May 29-June 25, Oct. 16-Nov. 12 of 2022, and April 16-May 13 or Oct. 8-Nov. 4 or 2023. Participants have access to the Sojrn Club House for work and three tiers of accommodation that range from $4,099-$5,499 (book with a partner or roommate and that person gets 50% off). The curriculum is separated into four-week portions: how wine is made, tasting wine, pairing wine and ordering wine.
To join Sojrn, you will need to answer some questions about yourself and what you are looking for on this page. Then, a community manager will verify your profile and connect with you about suggestions of chapters they think you’ll like, along with more details about the program.
Bon voyage!
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories.
