Participants of this advanced institute will spend a day in Albania and then venture off the beaten path on a Balkan adventure through Albania, North Macedonia, and Kosovo — three hidden gems packed with history, flavor, and untold stories. Wander through centuries-old architecture that weaves a tale of resilience and progress, indulge in local delicacies that will surprise and delight, and sip your way through ancient wine traditions that have stood the test of time. Along the way, connect with locals, bond with fellow travelers, and experience a side of Europe most never see. There will be a walking tour and boat cruise in Ohrid, a walk along Sirok Sokak and winery tasting in Bitola, a walking tour of Skopje, a sunset stroll through Prizren Fortress, and a final walking tour of Pristina.
Please read the following information thoroughly before completing the application.

To be considered for acceptance you must be available the following dates:
May 16, 2026 from 9am to 3pm to attend an in-person orientation session at PSU and June 4, 2026 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm to attend an orientation session on Zoom.

Requirements for Eligibility to Apply (your application will only be considered if you meet all criteria):

  • Oregon preK-12 teacher or Pre-Service Teacher
  • You have successfully completed a C-GEO multi-day institute (waived for pre-service applicants)
  • Availability to attend mandatory orientations on 5/16/2026 and 6/4/2026
  • Possess Required Travel Documents: Please do not apply unless you currently possess a valid passport that is less than 10 years old and does not expire before January 31, 2027.
Please note and consider this important information before applying to this institute:
  • Upon consideration of acceptance to the institute you will be asked to provide your passport information. If you cannot provide it when asked, we will not be able to accept you into the institute.
  • We cannot accommodate requests for individual accommodations. Participants will be required to share a room with one other person.
  • C-GEO cannot guarantee accommodation for dietary restrictions during this trip.
  • Participants will be required to travel to the institute with the group from Portland to Albania--no individual deviations permitted.
Cost to Participant:
  • $300 Non-refundable Field Trip Fee due upon acceptance of invitation to participate in the institute - payable by credit card (Includes travel insurance)
  • Transportation to and parking at Portland State University to attend required orientation session May 16, 2026
  • Roundtrip transportation to and from Portland International Airport
  • Any checked luggage fees from airlines (we recommend carry on only)
  • Most dinners and lunches, and all meals during travel to/from the Southern Balkans
  • Personal incidentals during trip
Included and paid for by C-GEO:
  • Roundtrip airfare from Portland to the Southern Balkans
  • Lodging
  • Professional guide for activities
  • Most ground transportation to C-GEO planned events and activities
  • Admission to C-GEO organized museum visits and excursions
  • 80 Professional Development Units (PDUs)
Application Deadline: December 31, 2025
Personal Information

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* 1. First Name

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* 2. Last Name

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* 3. Middle Initial

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* 4. Best Email Address to communicate with you-- that you monitor year-round
**Please Note: We will use email as our main means of communication. We will contact you by email to notify you of whether you are accepted to the institute. It is your responsibility to give us the correct email and to check that email for notices from us!

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* 5. Secondary email address ( to use only if we can't reach you by primary email address)
**Please Note: We will use email as our main means of communication. We will contact you by email to notify you of whether you are accepted to the institute. It is your responsibility to give us the correct email and to check that email for notices from us!

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* 6. Personal Phone Number

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* 7. Home Street Address

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* 8. City

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* 9. State

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* 10. Zip Code

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* 11. Gender (To determine room assignments):

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* 12. Preferred Pronouns

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* 13. Have you previously participated in a C-GEO multi-day institute?

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* 14. If yes, which institute(s)?

Teaching Status

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* 15. Are you currently an in-service teacher?

If you are a pre-service teacher, please skip to question #26

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* 16. Name of school where you teach

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* 17. Name of school district

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* 18. School phone number

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* 19. School street address

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* 20. City

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* 21. State

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* 22. Zip Code

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* 23. County

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* 24. What grade level(s) do you currently teach

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* 25. What is your subject area or teaching assignment (e.g. social sciences, librarian, technology, etc.)

Pre-service teachers answer the following questions (in-service teachers skip to question #31

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* 26. What is the name of your college or university?

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* 27. Name of your advisor?

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* 28. Email address of your advisor

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* 29. If you are currently teaching, what grade level?

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* 30. If you are currently teaching, what is your subject area?

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* 31. All Applicants respond to the following questions:
Are you able to commit to attending the orientations on the following dates:
#1 - May 16th in-person at PSU from 9am to 3pm
#2 - June 4th by Zoom from 5:30pm to 7:30pm
*NOTE: attendance at both meetings is required for your involvement in this program.

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* 32. Do you possess a valid passport that does not expire before January 31, 2027? (You will be asked to provide this at the time of acceptance to institute.)

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* 33. We cannot guarantee accommodation for dietary restrictions while traveling, but for purposes of the orientation at PSU, please let us know of any allergies.

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* 34. All Applicants: Please upload ONE document (MS Word/PDF) with your Name, Email address, and answers to the following questions. Please limit your response to 200-400 words.

1. As an educator, what are the top 2-3 aspects about going to the Southern Balkans that most excite you?

2. How do you anticipate implementing what you learn through participating in the institute?

Optional Questions:

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* 35. Race

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* 36. Ethnicity

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* 37. Number of years teaching

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