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Privacy Notice
Greenheart International
Effective Date: 1/9/2019
This privacy notice describes how Greenheart International collects, uses, and discloses Personally Identifying Information (also known as “PII”) or Personal Data (collectively “Personal Information”) from and about users of Greenheart International websites. This privacy notice also applies to any associated paper forms. Please read this privacy notice before using Greenheart International websites or submitting any personal information.
These practices may be changed at any time. Changes will be posted along with the date of the change. You should review this privacy notice when you visit Greenheart International websites to make sure that you understand how Personal Information is collected, used, and disclosed.
The Personal Information you provide to us is only used to:
We may use non-Personal Information for additional reasons described in the remainder of this privacy notice.
If you identify yourself to us by sending us an email with questions or comments, we may retain your comments for future reference.
Greenheart collects Personal Information, which is information that on its own or in combination with other information may be used to identify, contact, or locate an individual. Examples include:
Greenheart International collects other information that relates to you but does not identify you. Examples include clickstream data and web-browsing information (such as the date and time you visit a website, whether you click on various advertisements or links and the search terms you enter when using a website), and information about your computer, device and internet connection, and geographic location.
We collect Personal Information from you in the following ways:
We may share information gathered by us from Greenheart International websites with governmental agencies or other companies assisting us in providing services to you. We may do so when:
Information provided under one of the four preceding bullet points will not be used by those receiving it for marketing purposes, unless specifically authorized by the user.
Third parties who provide webhosting services or other services that make possible the operation of Greenheart International websites and the services you request through the websites may have access to information that you provide us to the extent that those third parties require access to our databases to service the websites.
In connection with the sale or transfer of all or part of our assets, we reserve the right to transfer information we have obtained from or about you.
We are not responsible for any breach of security or for any actions of any third parties that receive information from us.
Greenheart International websites are hosted and maintained in the United States of America. Your Personal Information may be transmitted to countries outside of the European Economic Area, including the United States of America. You can obtain details of the mechanism under which your personal data is transferred outside the EU by contacting us. If your Personal Information is transferred outside the European Economic Area to third party service providers, we will take steps to ensure that your Personal Information receives the same level of protection as if it remained within the European Economic Area, including by entering into data transfer agreements using the European Commission approved Standard Contractual Clauses, or by relying on certification schemes such as the EU–US Privacy Shield.
Greenheart International websites use cookie and tracking technology to collect non-Personal Information. Our system also automatically gathers information about areas you visit on our websites, and about the links you select from within one of our websites to the other areas of the World Wide Web or elsewhere online. We use such information in the aggregate to understand how our users as a group use the services and resources provided on our websites. This way we know which areas of our websites are preferred by our users, which areas need improvement, and what technologies are being used so that we may continually improve our websites. Personal Information cannot be collected via cookies and other tracking technology, however, if you previously provided us with your Personal Information, cookies may be tied to such information. Aggregate cookie and tracking information may be shared with third parties but that aggregate information does not identify individual website users. Our web servers do not record visitor email addresses unless that information is submitted by the visitor. We may determine what technology is available through your browser to provide you with the most appropriate version of a web page. Greenheart International uses Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, Gravity Forms, Yoast, Formstack, Calendly, GoOverseas, and other web traffic tracking tools.
Greenheart International websites contain links to other websites. These links are for your convenience. We do not control, endorse or review the privacy notices of other websites, which may be different than this privacy notice. You should review the privacy notice of other websites before choosing to disclose Personal Information.
Greenheart takes steps to secure your Personal Information. We exercise care in providing secure transmissions when we need to transfer your Personal Information from our servers. Our websites use secure server software encryption, which is indicated by https in the url of the website. Encryption is a common method of ensuring that information remains private. Greenheart International cannot guarantee or warrant that the information that you transmit to us, or any communications is completely secure.
Greenheart International only retains data for as long as necessary for the purposes indicated in this privacy notice or for such other period as may be permitted or required by law.
For children age 14-16, Greenheart International takes additional steps to protect their Personal Information. We do not intend to collect Personal Information from children aged 13 or younger. These additional steps include:
The marks Greenheart, Greenheart Heart Logo, and Sobresmesa are either registered or unregistered trademarks of Greenheart International. All Rights Reserved. Any unauthorized use is prohibited.
Certain jurisdictions provide their residents or citizens with certain rights about their Personal Information. These may include the right to request access to the data we hold about you, to obtain a copy of your Personal Information, to request that your Personal Information be erased, to correct inaccurate information, to ask us to restrict how we process your Personal Information, or to withdraw your consent to our processing of your Personal Information. Your individual rights will depend on your residency and citizenship.
Please contact us using the following information for more information about this privacy notice, to notify us of a concern or complaint, or to exercise any of the individual rights you may have.
Data Protection Officer
By mail: 742 N LaSalle Dr. Chicago, IL 60654 Suite 300, USA
By email: click here
By phone: +1 312-944-2544
Additionally, all marketing emails and newsletters from Greenheart International allow you to opt out of further correspondence. You can do so by clicking the link within the emails, which will guide you on how to opt-out.
One of the most beautiful things about traveling abroad is discovering a new culture. The language, fashion, food, customs, and even the bathroom can be very different from your home. When traveling abroad even for a short period of time (such as a week or a few months), it is a good practice to go in with an open mind and heart. The new country is going to have similarities and differences from your culture, but your trip will be more meaningful to you if you go to learn! With that in mind, here are 3 steps that I’ve used to learn a new culture!
1. Try new things
Trying new things can be scary, especially when it comes to eating new foods or doing something you have never done before. Growing up, I used to be such a picky eater! I would refuse to eat things I thought looked peculiar. As I got older, I stopped being as picky; however, there were still many things I was unwilling to try. When I began traveling overseas, I soon realized that it would be rude of me to refuse to try culturally relevant foods. When someone would say, “you must try this. It is the food that everyone eats here!” I knew I needed to be more open and give it a try.
There were a lot of dishes I was completely afraid to try. One experience I vividly remember is trying fufu in Ghana. Fufu is a staple for many Ghanaians. It is generally a bowl of soup accompanied by a pretty generous portion of what looks like uncooked dough. You take the flour ball, tear off a piece, dip it in the soup, and then put it in your mouth and swallow. No chewing is involved. I gave fufu a try, but I did not like it much. Sorry to all my Ghanaian friends out there!
2. Make New Friends
During my trips overseas, I always had a great time whenever I was invited to someone’s house for a meal. Making friends with people who are from the country you are visiting will help you feel more comfortable with the new culture you are experiencing. You get to see how families live in that country. In addition, you learn who lives in their house, what kind of food they prepare at home, what is important to them, and so much more. You also get to feel like you have a little piece of a real family in that country rather than feeling like you are simply traveling and feeling homesick.
One time I was visiting a friend at his house for his birthday party in Uruguay. His parents were very sweet and they had a lot of food and drinks for everyone. I quickly found out after eating a lot of appetizers that there was much more food still to come. We had bread, cheese, pepperoni, chorizo, small pieces of sausage, hamburgers, and bigger pieces of meat. Since it was my friend’s birthday, we also had ice cream! Needless to say, I was stuffed after being at my friend’s house, and we were there for hours. His parents just kept feeding us! After missing my family, it was nice to go to his house and be spoiled by his parents for a bit.
3. Take Public Transportation
Figuring out public transportation can be difficult, especially in a language that is not your own. However, it is generally a lot cheaper than relying on a taxi, and faster than walking everywhere. Learning how to use the bus system or metro can save you a lot of money and open up new opportunities to explore. Generally, bus and train schedules can be easily accessed by visiting the station or looking online.
Once, I was visiting Trujillo, Peru. Trujillo is quite a bit smaller than Lima but it is still a pretty big city. One of the reasons there are a lot of people there is because there are a lot of universities in Trujillo. This also creates a need for affordable and accessible transportation. The buses would drive by and stop at places that did not feel like typical stops to me. One of the workers on the bus would hang out the side and shout where the bus was going. Once on the bus, you did not pay until you got off since they charged you based on distance traveled. This was information not available online! Instead, I asked people walking by or waiting at the bus stop to help me figure out which bus I needed to take. Taking public transportation definitely teaches you a lot about yourself and how adventurous and uncomfortable you are willing to be.
After you experience new traditions and ways of life in the country you are visiting, you may decide you really enjoy some of the food, customs, or fashion. That is one of the truly unique parts of traveling and discovering new cultures, you can add some of their traditions into your daily life. I remember when I traveled to Great Britain, I really enjoyed tea time. I loved how the whole country would take a break in the afternoon for a cup of tea and a little treat. Being an American, I find it difficult to take a break in the middle of the day because our culture does not like to take the day slowly. However, before I left Great Britain I bought some tea I liked and decided I would implement tea time in my life when I got back to the United States. I carried on the tradition for a little while, but it slowly started to fade. However, I do find myself more likely to take a little break in the afternoon by getting coffee or taking some time to myself while I am at work. This helps me feel like I am not overworking myself and I am taking some time to rest.
Wherever you go, if you learn something from a new culture that you absolutely love, I encourage you to somehow implement it into your life when you return home! Cultural exchange helps us grow and understand the world more deeply; it will change you forever.
Do you want to try new things, get lost in a new city, and make friends from all around the world? Check out our cultural exchange opportunities by visiting Greenheart Exchange!