A trip to the other end of the world …

We are now a couple of weeks away from our pupils’ departure to Ecuador, that’s why we decided to take a look at behind the scenes of the trip, and interview both teachers and students.
First, what is this adventure about ? It is a volunteer trip, to Ecuador. Students will help renovate a primary school in a village lost in the middle of the Amazonian forest, in the morning. The afternoon will be full of surprises, among which : a sarbacane hunt, a buoy ride on the Nipo river, a hike to an Ecuadorian volcano, a visit to the capital Quito …
The participating students wish to discover a new culture, another environment and lifestyle more ecological and closer to nature. Of course one of the motivations is to improve their oral Spanish. Some of them would like to work in humanitarian causes.
Let’s see how Sarah, a student involved in the trip, reacts to the soon-to-be trip ; she chose to participate to this adventure in order to discover a new culture, and country, speak Spanish and also because she hopes to work for a humanitarian association. Although it is not the first time she has left France, it is the first time she will visit an exotic country. According to Sarah, the downsides of the trip will be the insects, snakes and going to the other end of the world. Nonetheless, she was surprised when she was told that she had been selected for the trip, and is very happy about it (although she “suffers” from her family’s teasing because they cannot imagine her in the Amazonian forest !).
Let’s move on to enthusiasm, and a more objective point of view : that of the teacher’s. Mrs. Bard, Spanish teacher in the high school Jean Monnet, has also worked in an international volunteer association, and believes in linking humanitarian orientation to pedagogy ; moreover, she has worked for a human rights association in Guatemala for six years.
Mrs. Bard had already participated in a humanitarian trip with her students to Morocco, in order to renovate schools, especially sanitary problems and give classes.
Students and teachers keep good memories of those trips, even though sometimes unplanned events can happen, such as, witnessing the eruption of a Guatemalan volcano !
The students will take off on February 12th ; let’s hope that everything goes according to the plan in this marvelous environment.
And don’t forget… : the students leaving will be selling roses during the high school’s portes ouvertes to help finance the project.

Laura Leblay