Anticipating the Journey
One week out and the momentum is building. As the group frantically prepares interviews in midst of prom and graduation insanity, departure looms on the horizon...10 days and counting.
Eight members of City High's founding class and two of it's teachers will travel for 10 days to Costa Rica from June 25th to July 4th. Join us on the way as we meet with the elite and the marginalized, explore urban city scapes and rural forest canopies, push ourselves to new intellectual heights, and transcend self-imposed limitations. In the days to come you'll find artifacts of our interviews and adventures, and perhaps a small sense of the wonder that comes from connecting to a far away place and its people for the first time.
--Oliver
This first blog entry is to give you, the readers, a little background knowledge of what we, the explorers, hope to achieve by participating in this expedition as well as each individual's underlying reasons for taking part in this trip.
Name: Ryan Oliver, Cultural Literacy Teacher
Age: 30
Plans for when we arrive back: I will make our adventures and insights accessible to the public and start planning a new four year cycle with a new 9th grade team.
Reason for going on the trip: As a high school junior I was blessed to be part of a trip like this one and it was truly transformative. The experience solidified my love for exploring faraway cultures and places. Now that I am in a position to help create these experiences for others, I can’t possibly avoid it. In doing so, I also seek to recapture some of the joy and wonder of the process.
What You Hope to Gain from the trip: More than anything I hope to gain a deeper understanding of Costa Rican ideas, values, and concerns. Expanded understanding of these, achieved through dialogue and active work alongside a range of Costa Ricans will ideally provide new insights into the common human challenges that I face as an individual and as a member of local and national communities. As always, I am teaching to learn.
Name: Casey Wilds, Scientific Literacy Teacher
Age: 30
Plans for when we arrive back: Prepare for ninth grade
Reason for going on the trip: To experience a different culture and see the experience through the kids’ eyes
What You Hope to Gain from the trip: A stamp in my passport; a different perspective of life; a chance to experience the rain forest firsthand.
Name: Stephen Bethea
Age: 18
Plans for when we arrive back: When I get back I want to put together a video from our trip. I want to edit the footage we’ve taken. I also want to share my experience with others and encourage them to travel internationally.
Reason for going on the trip: I want to learn more about other countries. This is going to be a great experience for me. I want to see what different cultures are like and I want to do it first hand. I also think its going to be fun. The environment seems really interesting.
What You Hope to Gain from the trip: I hope to gain more knowledge about the Latin American culture and I want to be able to practice and improve my Spanish.
Name: Britney Marie Countz
Age: 17
Plans for when we arrive back: To start out with, I’m going to tell everyone about everything I’ve experienced on this trip. I’ll also hope to keep an accurate journal during the trip that I can share with people when I get back along with the numerous pictures I plan on taking. I want to share as much as possible.
Reason for going on the trip: There were a few reasons I decided that coming on this trip would be awesome. I have never been out of the country and I’ve always wanted to travel the world (since I was little). I'm also excited because of the work we’ll be doing down there. At some point we’ll be building beds for the homeless and I think it’s remarkable thing when people are helping other people. And third why not? It’s a chance of a lifetime.
What You Hope to Gain from the trip: What won’t I gain from this trip? The people I’m with, the work we’ll be doing, the people we’ll be meeting, experiencing another culture. This trip, I think, has it all.
Name: Frances Clouston
Age: 19
Plans for when we arrive back: When I arrive back I plan to take another trip to Jersey City, then Puerto Rico, then Myrtle Beach—to work—and finally returning to Pittsburgh to go to college for Pre-Med. As for what I will do with the experience, I will take it further with me for life as well as sharing with other students. I would encourage others to travel abroad and start early with fundraising for trips like these, plus learn as much as you can about all different cultures. Learning languages is key!
Reason for going on the trip: I took this trip because duhhh…When are you ever going to pass up a chance to experience another country like this? I took it because it would be a wonderful experience and because I can learn a lot about myself and other people people. Hopefully learning about myself and others will make me a better person. It would give me a chance gain my Spanish back and learn directions as well as helping others in the community.
What You Hope to Gain from the trip: I hope to gain an understanding of traveling abroad. I want to improve my teamwork skills as well. I plan on developing myself extensively through this trip so just pay attention to my blogs and may I can fill you in on what I gain, not just what I guess I'll gain! Adios.
Name: Felicia Thomas
Age: 18
Plans for when we arrive back: When I return from Costa Rica I plan to start working and in the fall I will study International Business and Spanish at Carlow University.
Reason for going on the trip: My reasoning for going to Costa Rica is to get first hand experience of the Central American, Latino, and Costa Rican Culture. I would like to see the world from a different perspective so that I am able to share my knowledge and become a better person.
What You Hope to Gain from the trip: Once I return back to the United States I hope to have increased my fluency in the Spanish language while obtaining a glimpse on what the world is like in another area. I would also like to gain team working skills as a leader.
Name: Crystal Daughtry
Age: 17
Plans for when we arrive back: To catch up with my grade since I have to return to school. Truthfully, I hope to work with Bossert with the intention of planning for next year’s expedition. I also want to inform other people about my experience to get them excited about what is to come.
Reason for going on the trip: My reason for going on the trip was to be able take the knowledge that most only learn from a text book, and be able to see something tangible and to experience it. I also was part of this team to be a part of the process to eventually to be part of new a tradition at City High.
What You Hope to Gain from the trip: I hope to gain an eye opening experience. I look forward to being in the midst of a different culture and be one with the people of Costa Rica not just tourist.
Name: Trevor Filipiak
Age: 18
Plans for when we arrive back: Reading all summer, then heading to Allegheny College
Reason for going on the trip: I have a lot of experience doing natural conservation work and am very passionate about the environment. I'm also interested in the culture of other countries.
What You Hope to Gain from the trip: I hope to gain a fuller appreciation of the nature of cultures outside the United States.
Name: Alex Bobbs
Age: 18
Plans for when we arrive back: When I arrive home, for the most part I plan on relaxing as well as going on multiple road trips with friends and family. In the fall, I am going to be attending Penn State University, Behrend campus.
Reason for going on the trip: I originally signed up for the group when it was in the first stages as being an elective. I was interested in it for learning about the historical context as well as the natural science. When the elective evolved into to an elective, I became ecstatic about this opportunity.
What You Hope to Gain from the trip: I want to learn first hand about another culture as well as using this trip to grow as a person.
Name: Martaz Travis Diop Williams Johnson
Age: 17
Plans for when we arive back: Use spanish I learned in everyday life. Try to get closer to my Haspanic roots
Reason for going on the trip: This is a once in a lifetime chance for me. By going on this trip I will be able to take things that I've leaned for this country and bring it home and practice it.
What You Hope to Gain from the trip: A new look and way to handle things in my life.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cityhighcrc/176010618/
posted by Mr. O at 7:46 PM
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