Conditions

zis makes to young people, between 16 an 20 years, who are still at school or have not attended university yet, an unique offer: You get a travel grant of 600 euros for a journey in a foreign country. On your trip and afterwards you work on a topic chosen by yourself.

The following conditions ensure an immediate encounter with a topic, a foreign country and the own personality. Because of the special conditions of the zis Foundation all your fantasy, effort and curiosity is requiered during your journey. But you will see, that a zis journey is an unique experience!

zis journeys are undertaken alone.

When travelling alone, young people experience their environment intensively. They learn to assess and to use their talents and abilities. zis participants are flexible in their plans and open to new encounters. At the same time, they get to know their identities, their goals and values. On a zis trip, young people learn of the difference between loneliness and being alone.

zis journeys are paid with the grant alone.

It takes quite some imagination to cover all travel expenses including transfer from and to home with the grant alone. The sum is deliberately low as this forces the participants to improvise and to compromise. Not all wishes will become true on a zis journey. But the participants learn that the best experience cannot be bought with money.

zis journeys are undertaken without plane.

Who travels to his destination slowly, has more time for preparation. He feels the distance between his native country and the host country more directly. Planes are often too fast for such experiences. For this reason zis journeys are undertaken overland or by ship.

zis journeys last four weeks at least.

Looking below the surface requires time. Research within the zis framework will only be successful if participants meet a great number of people, if they can spend enough time with their contacts and if they can thoroughly study sites and places. So far, literally every zis topic has provided enough ideas and work for four weeks of research.

zis participants hand in a study report, a diary and a statement.

It‘s nice when young people see a lot. But it is better when they reflect on what they saw. The zis rules force the participants to structure thoughts and feelings after returning. In their study reports (8000 words at least), they connect their personal experience with the cultural or scientific framework. The diaries serve to narrate what happened and to reflect on the effects the journey has on the the participants’ knowledge or values. All written work has to be handed in within three months in German or English.