Ecuador –
Bringing a different angle to this year’s ICGL theme of food, the study tour to Ecuador will be primarily outside with a four day trek through the Andes, lead by junior Dean Mr. Ben Ewing and freshman Dean Mrs. Tamara Neil.Starting on a dairy farm, students will spend two days learning about the farming practices as well as adjusting to the high altitude of the mountains. “We get farm-fresh yogurt and dairy products with breakfast, and I am really looking forward to that breakfast,” Mr. Ewing said. After their time on the farm, the students will then start their four day “Zero Waste” hike, making sure they leave no trace behind. On this journey students will be faced with the challenge of hiking in high altitudes as well as carrying all of their food, water and supplies. “I am most looking forward to students being faced with challenges they may not have anticipated or imagined, and require them to work to a solution and work their way out,” explained Mr. Ewing. Then the study tour will travel to the eastern part of the country where they will go off the grid. During their time in the Amazon Rainforest, students will go canoeing and fishing. It is also important to keep in mind that this trip is heavily weather dependent and is subject to change if there are any concerns.
Greece –
Starting May 30, sophomore Dean Mrs. Allison Tarvin, and ceramics teacher Mr. Ty Nicholson, will lead a study tour to Greece. To study their lenses of inquiry the travelers will go to Athens and Lesbos. The trip’s schedule will include visiting the ancient historical sites of those who previously conquered Greece. “So much of it is a mix of different countries and different cultures that have conquered Greece,” Mrs. Tarvin said. After taking a look at the country’s past, the study tour will shift its focus to migration in today’s age. The group will travel to an island about five km. from Syra, Lesbos. The island is home to one of the largest refugee camps, where students will volunteer and meet those seeking refuge. From there, the tour will return to Athens and go to museums to see art, pottery, and of course, try the food. “My favorite thing there is a gyro, there is nothing like a real greek street food gyro, I mean my mouth is watering just thinking about it,” added Mrs. Tarvin.
Bali –
To start out this summer Guidance Counselor Mrs. Ellye Millaway will lead a trip to Bali, Indonesia, taking two groups to meet the high demand from students interested. After a long travel day of 25 hours, students attending the trip will begin studying the trip’s lenses of inquiry: Environmental Sustainability, Wellness, and Ethical Tourism. To dive into Environmental sustainability, those on the trip will volunteer with Bye Bye Plastics, work with the Green School, and participate in a beach clean up. Hitting the second theme of the trip, students will participate in a mindfulness hike up a waterfall, enjoy a purification bath, and visit a sacred monkey forest to acquire knowledge of wellness. “I love animals, so I am most looking forward to the monkey forest. I heard the monkeys try to steal your trinkets and stuff, so I’m excited to interact with and see the monkeys!” said Mrs. Millaway. Those on the trip will also practice the importance of being respectful visitors and honoring the traditions of the Balinese. “We want to figure out how to be ethical tourists when we come and take part in their spiritual traditions,” Mrs. Millaway said. To do this, students will go to temples and learn about Balinese traditions.
Germany – The first group to depart this year will be the Germany trip, traveling from Jan. 10 – 20, led by history teacher Mr. Tim Hornor. The specific lenses of inquiry for this trip include Art History, Architectural History and the History of World War II. “There are many highlights to our trip,” Mr. Hornor said. The group will visit the concentration camp in Dachau, Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin Wall and Hitler’s Bunker. “The [activity] that sticks with me is the visiting of the concentration camp in Dachau,” Mr. Hornor added. He explained how the site holds a special, paradoxical value to him, symbolizing the highs and lows of the German past. “There’s no other country that has as terrible a history as Germany, but also, sometimes it’s overlooked that it has a magnificent history as well,” Mr. Hornor said. Students should also get excited to visit Checkpoint Charlie, a place where a turning point in the Cold War occurred, displaying a pivotal time in history. Students will also see many aspects of the arts on this trip, such as the Bavarian Opera and the Bust of Nefertiti. Mr. Hornor is especially excited about this. “Nothing is better than actually being in proximity to the place, the person, or the work of art,” said Mr. Hornor. The Germany study tour is jam-packed with marvels of German political, architectural, and art history, and the current workings of food in Europe. The travelers will venture all over Germany, hopping from Munich to Nuremberg to Berlin in just over a week.
Ghana – Ms. Nikki McCrary, the DEI Coordinator of the Upper School, leads the trip to Ghana during spring break this year, from Feb. 27 to Mar. 8. The themes of the Ghana trip are Identity and Heritage, Cultural Exchange and Food Heritage. With Ms. McCrary, students will visit the castle where slaves were held before being forced overseas, traveling along the coast, while exploring a few museums and going to a nature reserve. The students will travel through many parts of Accra and other parts of Ghana. Ms. McCrary also talked about how she plans to dive into the theme of Identity and Heritage. “We are going to be talking with some local leaders that will talk to us about what it means to be Ghanaian, their history and how they celebrate their culture,” said Ms. McCrary. Students also will get the opportunity to take cooking classes with local people, discuss how and where their food is sourced, and how they preserve it. “I’m actually looking forward to meeting the people of Ghana, the food, and also the things that they produce over there: the textiles, the ankara, their language,” said Ms. McCrary.
Italy – A lucky group of students will travel to Italy with history teacher Mrs. Mindy Lawrence during spring break. To explore the themes of the Slow Food Movement, Sustainability and Cultural Awareness, Mrs. Lawrence has a full itinerary. There is a lot of farm exploration planned, with the intention to observe the process of fresh food production. Students will watch buffalo mozzarella being made, attend a cooking class where they will make their own pasta from scratch and taste seafood straight from the Mediterranean sea. The group will specifically study the Slow Food Movement in Italy and the Blue Zones. They will also look into the history of the Roman Empire as well as the history of Italy, visiting essential sites such as the Colosseum and Pompeii. “It’s a combination of looking at the ICGL theme of food plus looking at the history of Italy,” said Mrs. Lawrence. Mrs. Lawrence explained how she is excited to visit Italy for the first time as a teacher of the Roman Empire, and to try the food, but she is most excited to do it all with the students. “I absolutely love going on ICGL trips because of the students I get to spend time with. I form these relationships with them, and that honestly is my favorite part of the experience,” said Mrs. Lawrence.
South Korea – The South Korea trip will also be happening during spring break, headed by computer science teacher Mr. Charlie Bryant. There will be a lot happening on this trip, and Mr. Bryant is excited to explore a country with so much culture. “These trips are in the early stages of planning,” said Mr. Bryant. On the agenda so far is a trip to the demilitarized zone, cooking classes, and trying all kinds of classic, local South Korean foods. “I bet the students are gonna be really excited about the Korean barbeque. Personally, I’m really excited about trying some new seafood,” Mr. Bryant said. The themes of this trip are Food Systems and Culture, Korean History, and Global Religions. South Korea is a very diverse country, with people of many different religions, and the group will study how they all play a part in the South Korean culture. Temples and religious sanctuaries are bountiful in the country, and the group hopes to visit at least one. Relating to the theme of Food Systems and Cultures, the cooking classes will give the students an in-depth look on the culinary traditions of South Korea. “I’m sure [the cooking classes] will be an exciting point in the itinerary for a lot of people,” said Mr. Bryant.
