Traveling the world is often told in stories entailing adventure and the pursuit of a greater understanding of the world we live in. Some people view it as an experience out of grasp or too unreasonable to actually fulfill, however there are many opportunities for high school students to travel internationally.
In the spring of this year, I walked out of the post office gleaming at my first ever passport. I raised money with my family and friends to afford a trip with my church to Honduras for eight days. We planned to build an additional school building for a low income village in the country.
I viewed it as a way to make a difference somewhere new as well as an opportunity to practice my spanish-speaking skills beyond the classroom. However, this experience left me with so much more than pictures and a hand-woven blanket.
I saw first-hand the effects of poverty through interactions with children and adults. These people were living in homes lacking running water and insulation. Yet, despite lacking basic amenities, they walked around sharing smiles so wide and full of life.
There are other opportunities in high school to travel the world or the US without doing an extreme act of service. One example is Oswego TAG (Travel Abroad Group), a teacher-led trip during different school breaks open to high school students.
“Oswego teachers started TAG to provide an amazing educational travel abroad program,” Heather Stanich, head of TAG, explained. The trips change every year and are an amazing opportunity for students to immerse themselves in a different culture.
One of Oswego TAG’s most recent trips took students throughout Europe. “My favorite part [was] exploring the cultures and getting to try some of the authentic foods there,” OH senior Arleth Antunez explained.
“My favorite part of the trip was getting to meet the other people on the trip and getting to learn about the other countries,” said another member of the trip and sophomore Laurel Lenke.
Not only does traveling in this way enable a different way of learning, but it also is a great way to meet new people.
This year, Oswego TAG will be visiting Costa Rica in the spring. Following that in June, they will be headed to Austria, Germany and Switzerland. They also have three spots left for the 2025 trip to Japan.
Students interested can follow the group on instagram @oswegotag or email Heather Stanich at hstanich@sd308.org.
Another recent trip at Oswego High School was the Journalism Education Association convention in Boston this November. Students enrolled in the Digital Journalism or Yearbook Journalism courses were given the opportunity to explore the history-enriched city resting on the east coast.
A large part of the trip was spent in the convention where students could further develop their writing skills with the freedom to explore the convention how they chose to. However, the trip also took the students around Boston to see the architecture and beautiful landscapes.
“I learned so much from the trip and I’m really grateful I got the opportunity to go,” said OH senior and yearbook editor Avery Schlesinger. She continued by furthering her appreciation for all aspects of the trip. “The city was beautiful and I loved being able to walk around Boston Commons and all the other fun places we visited.”
Traveling provides lifelong memories and can change your life in ways you never thought. It’s something that a lot of people regret not doing more of. Taking advantage of these opportunities offered in high school is a great way to start.
I am a senior at Oswego High School. This is my first year on the 42Fifty staff. I am passionate about writing, fitness, music, and sports
another great piece by chance “mr worldwide” marlowe. he did it again!