Global Experiences

School-sponsored international trips resumed over spring break, a welcome return to global experiences and signature programming for our students. 

The program to Central Europe explored cities and sites related to the Holocaust. This trip aimed to provide a foundation for understanding genocide both broadly and locally, exploring one of the greatest atrocities of the western world. The group went to Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, and Austria and visited historical and cultural sites such as: The Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, Theresienstadt Ghetto Museum, Eagle’s Nest, Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial, Schindler’s Factory Museum, Lidice Memorial, Nuremberg Documentation Center, The Ringelblum Archive, and the Warsaw Jewish Historical Institute, among many others. The group considered a range of people (individual and collective), ideologies, places, monuments, documents, memorials, archives, cities, primary and secondary sources as well as voices and views on various social levels, and they examined the choices victims, bystanders, and perpetrators confronted and the (in-)actions they took. 

The trip was organized thematically, with focus on local, regional, and international spheres, so that students could move beyond the parameters of the Holocaust period and have ample discussion about the aftermath and representation of the this period and genocide in general—which continues to have ramifications for contemporary global society. One of the trip leaders, Upper School history teacher Joseph Daniels, shares, “Our trip to Central Europe had a challenging focus, but one that we felt was incredibly important for young people today. The students accepted the challenging emotional aspects with grace and leaned on each other. They formed a supportive group network among each other that allowed them to care for themselves and connect as a group in the lighter, fun activities and explorations of modern Europe. It was a memory of a lifetime for all of us!” 

Another group traveled to the village of Breman Esiam, Ghana, the home of Heritage Academy, our sister school. Westtown students taught a variety of classes for Heritage 7th graders and led reading groups. After school, the group engaged in their service project: making cement blocks. After the last Westtown group visited in 2019, Heritage used the blocks made by our students to begin constructing a new middle school building. They have named it Westtown Hall in honor of all the Westonians who have been visiting and supporting Heritage through the years. Leaders at Heritage asked this year’s group to continue making blocks as their service project. They made 227 blocks, which will go a long way toward completing the building!

The group also took excursions to explore the life, landscape, and history of Ghana. One of the most important aspects of this experience is learning and reflecting on history. Students visited Elmina and Cape Coast Castles—both significant posts during the trade of the enslaved—which are reminders of the brutality endured by millions of Africans forced through the “doors of no return” onto ships headed to Europe and the Americas. 

“Students are given a rare opportunity to have personal exposure to sites that mark the beginnings of the West African diaspora and to learn in acute detail the history of the trade of the enslaved. To stand in—and understand—these haunting spaces is a powerful and potent experience.” shares Lynette Assarsson, one of the trip leaders. “Students also have immersive, authentic encounters with the culture. They live in the village, go to markets and haggle for goods, savor Ghanaian foods, learn to speak some Fante, and develop relationships with our neighbors and friends at Heritage. These are intense, rich, and joyful experiences for students, and it’s immensely rewarding for us adults to witness their understanding of the world expand and deepen in real time.”  

Another group of students embarked on a tour through Portugal, Spain, France, and Monaco. They visited a host of cities and cultural and historical sites along the way.  Led by Bei Zhang, several faculty members, and partners at EF (Education First) Tours, students explored the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, Castelo de São Jorge, Belém Tower, and other significant sites in Lisbon. From there, they traveled down the Algarve, stopping in Evora on their way to the Costa del Sol. In Sevilla, students got to appreciate the Andalusian culture and lifestyle (and, of course, the food!) and marvel at the cathedral, Plaza de Toros, and Plaza de España. After a quick stop at Gibraltar,  the group traveled to Granada where they toured the Alhambra, a stunning and magnificent example of Moorish architecture. They continued to Valencia where they visited the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias and enjoyed a walking tour. The next stop was Barcelona where they witnessed the brilliance of Gaudí at La Sagrada Familia and Park Güell, and soaked in this art lover’s dream of a city.  Finally, the last legs of the trip were spent along on the French Riviera, including tours of Nice and Monaco.