After months of preparation, 14 Kingswood Oxford students traveled to Italy and Greece from June 14 to June 22, visiting historical sites, museums, beaches, and cities throughout both countries. The trip gave students the opportunity to experience places they had learned about in the classroom while also spending time with friends and meeting students from other schools.
The trip was organized by Latin teachers Stephen Sullivan James Ishiguro, who began planning nearly a year before students went. The teachers worked with EF tours, a travel company, to organize the itinerary, transportation, and accommodations. “We reached out in May to put it all together,” Mr. Sullivan said. “They do a lot of the work but we do all of the bookkeeping and try to recruit kids to come on the trip.” Ultimately, 14 students went on the trip, with eight girls and six boys.
Although the trip had previously been more specifically connected to Latin and Greek and Roman mythology classes, it was eventually opened up to students who were not enrolled in those classes. Mr. Sullivan explained that the change allowed for more students to participate in the experience. “Mr. Ishiguro and I decided to do this trip for our students, and then it became a thing where we opened it up to students not specifically taking a Latin or Myth class, and it was a great experience,” he said.
The trip was split between Italy and Greece, with students spending roughly the first half of the trip in Italy and the second half in Greece. The group stayed in several different locations, with Rome being one of the longer stops at around three days. Other locations were shorter stops or day trips, allowing students to see several different parts of each country during the week.
The connection to Latin and mythology was still present throughout the trip though. Students visited places such as the Colosseum and Pompeii. “A lot of the places that we visited are places that we actively study in class.” Mr. Ishiguro said. “Obvisouly, the Colosseum is a big example, and going to Pompeii and visiting the site there was important as well.” Mr. Sullivan added that Pompeii was especially connected to what students see in their textbooks.
The Greek portion of the trip also connected to the material taught in class. “There’s a lot of overlap with mythology, gods and goddesses, religion, and more,” Mr. Sullivan said. “In the myth classes, we talk about Greek and Roman Mythology.”
For Mr. Sullivan, Greece became one of the highlights of the trip. Having never visited Greece before, the experience was especially memorable. “I’ve never been to Greece before,” he said, “and it was an amazing experience for me.”
Mr. Ishiguro, who has previously lived in Greece, had a different connection to the country. “I lived in Greece for a bit, so I love it,” he said. “I’m always going to prefer that, but as I spent more time in Italy than I had on this trip in a while, so I learned to love it a bit more.”
Junior Lilly Jacobson, a student who attended the trip, also found herself changing her favorite between the two countries. Before the trip, she preferred Italy, specifically Rome. After visiting both countries, however, she said that Greece quickly became her favorite. “Before the trip started, Rome, or Italy specifically, had been my favorite,” she said, “but after the trip ended, I would have to say Greece is my favorite place to go.”
One of Lilly’s favorite locations was Delphi, which stood out to her because of its scenic beauty and atmosphere. “It was something about the area, which was built on a mountainside and the town itself is so beautiful,” she said. “There’s not many people, the food is great, everyone is so nice, and it’s just peaceful and relaxed.”
Not every memorable moment came from the planned itinerary though. Lilly described her surprise as she saw the number of cats and dogs she encountered in Greece, especially in Delphi. The trip also gave students opportunities to become closer with people they did not know as well before travelling. Lilly said that different friend groups became closer than she expected during the trip. Students also shared hotel rooms with several other peers, which she described as easier than expected.
As the trip came to an end, both teachers said they hoped to continue offering similar opportunities to students. “I would love to continue doing this trip and offering this to our students and students who aren’t specially taking Latin or Greek and Roman Mythology,” Mr. Sullivan said. “I think it’s a rewarding trip where bonds are formed.”
“For as long as I’m here, I want to offer this to not only Latin students, but to other students at the school as well,” Mr. Ishiguro similarly expressed. “I love taking the class out of the classroom and into the different countries that we’re studying.”
The teachers are already planning another trip for next summer. For now, they expect to keep a similar itinerary and continue working with the same tour group.
From walking through ancient cities and visiting sites students had previously studied in textbooks, to swimming at the beach, meeting new people, and exploring unfamiliar places, the Italy and Greece trip gave students a chance to experience history and culture outside of the classroom. For the teachers who organized it, that experience was the point of the trip all along: taking what students learn every day and allowing them to see it, experience it, and remember it for themselves.
