Williston students are packing their bags and getting ready for another round of international travel. 

In 2019 , Williston is offering trips to Peru and the Galapagos Islands, the Dominican Republic, and Sicily. These trips give students the chance of a lifetime to experience other cultures firsthand.

I have been lucky enough to participate in some of the international trips the school has offered, and it has made a huge difference in my life and the perspective form which I see the world. Senior Aidan McCreary agrees.

“I think that traveling is the best way to learn, you can learn a lot in school and by reading, but there is nothing quite like getting to see something with your own eyes and experience it,” Aidan said. 

Josh Seamon, the Head of the Math Department, has chaperoned multiple trips, including last year’s adventure to Malaysian Borneo, which Aidan was a part of. This year Seamon is leading the trip to Peru and the Galapagos. The trip is March 3 – 17, and  includes visits to the ancient Inca palace of Koricancha Temple, and Machu Picchu, the Inca citadel situated 2,500 meters above sea level which has been designated one of the Seven Modern Wonders of the World.

On their way to San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos, travelers will also visit the Peruvian cities of Cuzco, Lima, and Iquitos.

Aidan recalled the unique friendships he made on the Malaysian Borneo trip, and a particularly exciting experience he had with locals. 

“The trip to Borneo was incredible, I was given the opportunity to stay with the Iban people in a traditional Malaysian long house,” explained Aidan. “I also made some great friends on the trip that I still speak to today.”  

For years, the school has offered students the chance to step outside their comfort zones and travel to faraway places such as China, Madagascar, and the United Kingdom.  

Will Strout 20’ can’t wait for the trip to the Dominican Republic over Spring break. 

“It will be a great experience,” said Will. “I am excited to learn about another culture and have the opportunity to do some volunteer work during my time there.”  

The Willistonian also caught up with junior Nikki Foster, a participant of the 2017 Italy trip. She said the trip expertly incorporated schoolwork into the itinerary.

“It was really fun because we studied Latin, everyone on the trip had studied Latin, so the activities that we did while in Rome had to do with what we were learning earlier in the year,” stated Foster, who added that the group also had free time to wander the ancient city.

Jackson Strout 20’, a proctor in Ford and future participant of the Dominican Republic trip, is ready for everything the trip will present.“I am very excited to get out of the cold a little bit, and also have the opportunity to see the country and help out a little bit,” he said.