While going out of the country at all teaches differences in culture, economics and world view, going on a school trip added on lessons of independence, flexibility, bravery and gratitude that I otherwise would not have learned.
It is often said that teenagers need to be more grateful for everything they have, but that’s difficult when all they see is what they have. There becomes nothing to compare it to.
As for the internet, most of what is seen is carefully edited to look idyllic, therefore creating a cycle between students seeing what they have, and what they could have if they were rich and famous. Leaving the country gave me a new perspective on what we do have. Clean water, sturdy houses and modern medicine to name a few. Things that in theory I knew to be grateful for, but only found a great appreciation once I was living a maximum of ten days without it, and seeing others where that was their ‘normal’.
Naturally, a lot of people don’t want to venture out of their comfort zones. That being said, Inc did a study in which they show that not leaving your comfort zone prevents learning. For me, going into a place with lower sanitation without my parents with me, spending most of my time doing things I would never choose to do was my worst nightmare.
Which is exactly why I did it. The trip forced me to learn flexibility, even though I’d rather not leave my suitcase at a hotel and leave it for multiple days. I was also forced to be independent, being one of two students who didn’t have at least one parent with them out of six kids.
Going on a school trip was also an exercise in looking for the good when all seems the opposite. After the fifth consecutive meal being quinoa soup, 50% of your concrete service project being destroyed by a thunderstorm, and the thought “it can’t get any worse” getting disproved time and time again, I started to appreciate what most people from our country think as insignificant. Shoes, pretty views and stories that would seem funny after the fact are the little things that would’ve gone unnoticed on any other kind of trip.
On the contrary to my experience, if a student enjoys hiking, or putting themself in new places, maybe school trips could even be considered a vacation; and even if not, the trips are eye-opening either way.
Ashley Guild, a senior from Air Academy who went to Peru with me, said, “When going to Peru over spring break I learned a lot about Peruvian culture that I didn’t know about. I also learned about their architecture and history. I would say it was more fun learning in person rather than sitting in a classroom.”
Ethan Stach, an LHS junior said, “I really loved going to Peru and it was structured really well with Mrs. Gaughan. I had a really good experience on every part of the trip creating a family with the people I went with. Places like Puno or Cuzco were really cool and just experiencing the culture was great. The travel days were a bit long and tiring sometimes but worth it to go to places like Machu Picchu or the floating islands on Lake Titicaca.”
