By now, most of the student body is familiar with the Greece trip taken by the International History Club over April break–whether that be through word of mouth or because of the hundreds of Instagram posts made by trip attendees (me included). Those Instagram posts fail to show both the trials and tribulations of the Greece trip, however. Relationships were tested, and conflicts with both students at our school and other schools became prominent, while flight issues proved detrimental. The highs included emotional Karaoke performances, historic trips around Greece, and days swimming in the Aegean Sea surrounded by fellow students. I’m sure all the travelers would agree that this trip was an incredibly cathartic experience that none of us will forget. From the very first flight, the Greece trip proved exemplary of the highs and lows of traveling with a bunch of teenagers.
The plane ride there was different for all three groups. Groups “Bus 1” and “Bus 2” had a simple 1 1/2-hour flight from the United States to Canada, followed by a flight from Canada to Athens Greece. The plane ride to Greece was not so simple as it was roughly 7 to 8 hours long. For unlucky bus number three, however, they flew with Austrian Airlines. As friendly advice, I’d encourage you to never dabble in Austrian Airlines.
Every member of Group 3 (about 14 students) had their luggage lost. “I believe our luggage was lost for two days,” said Group 3 member Jenn Rypkema, “I think there was a miscommunication, and the luggage didn’t get on the flight with us.” In situations like these, the airlines are required to pay everyone whose luggage has been lost, and on top of that they are meant to reimburse you for any clothing you buy within that time. I had personally overheard multiple students state that they wouldn’t mind having their luggage lost if that meant they got reimbursed. I understand what those fellow students were saying but overall, this situation was very stressful for the people involved. If you see a member of Group 3 give them a hug or something, I am sure they need it.
Despite the missing luggage, as soon as our feet hit the ground, we were off and running. Directly from the airport, students headed to the city center in Athens. Dressed in airport attire, trip-goers were given some pleasant free time. After regrouping, we all went to the Acropolis Museum in preparation for the Acropolis visit the next day. While beautiful, the Acropolis was both underwhelming and overwhelming at the same time. The gray scaffolding, along with the sea of middle-aged moms holding selfie sticks, took away from the ancient aspects of this temple. The number of people present at the site made taking in the view a little harder as well. However, having the ability to visit an ancient wonder of the world is not something that becomes any less spectacular with those interfering factors. And while I may get annoyed with the number of tourists, I am, alas, one of them. The Acropolis is an eye-opening place, and it is wonderful to see mobs of people coming together to witness something that monumental.
After visiting ancient temples, cities, and olive farms, the group collectively went on a four-day cruise. While having a bunch of teenagers go on a school trip can make tensions rise, putting them all on a boat in the middle of the sea does not relieve any of that stress. Adding two other schools onto the boat definitely does not aid any of these issues, either. A school from Delaware along with an all-girls school from Manhattan joined our school on the boat. Besides the Manhattan girls dissing Saratoga Springs while not even knowing where Toga is, relations were overall manageable–even with the constant side eying and air of pure hatred from the other schools.
These issues were all swept away by the power of karaoke. The pure strength of karaoke stripped away my vocal cords the first night, but still possessed me to sing a laryngitis-filled performance of “Man or Muppet” from The Muppets soundtrack the following night. Arguably the most memorable performance was a dedication to our tour leader and hero, Mr. Ronald Schorpp. Students Chris Prager and Charlie Alexander confidently took the stage and performed “Careless Whisper” by George Michael, with messages of love to Mr. Schorpp at both the beginning and end of the song. Alexander states that he was “nervous yet excited” for his performance and all he wanted was “to impress Mr. Schorpp.” And that they did–it was like the spirit of George Michael took them by the hands and helped them create a wonderful work of art.
The cruise contained many other memorable moments as well. Perhaps the most memorable experience for a particular student was Night Soup. At exactly 12 am the cruise kitchen would serve light sandwiches, tea, and a different soup every night. Peter Bruggeman, a tenth-grade traveler, attended Night Soup every night, and said, “it was an amazing nightly experience to look forward to every day. The surprise of what soup it would be mixed with the refreshing change of pace compared to our exhausting schedule made each trip to the fifth deck restaurant otherworldly.” Additionally, Brueggemann claimed this event had “a cozy atmosphere with stressless enjoyment of the warm stew” and had him “waiting with bated breath for the next night soup.” Overall, these sentiments of utter joy reflect the feeling of the cruise. Night Soup brought everyone together the same way karaoke did.
Despite Night Soup and “Careless Whisper,” my personal favorite part of the trip were the various island adventures including excursions to Santorini, Mykonos, and Rhodes. During these trips, the opportunity to swim in the Aegean Sea arose. Swimming in that crystal clear water was something that cannot be replicated in books or movies. We additionally got the opportunity to swim in the sea again on the last day of the trip. My group of friends bodysurfed on waves and inhaled way too much salt water. If you have the opportunity to swim in the Aegean, take it. You will not regret it.
If you are ever given the opportunity to go on one of these school trips, I would wholeheartedly encourage you to do so. This trip created bonds that I hope will last and reminded me that every experience is multifaceted and complex. Even the most beautiful places can have their downsides, and every group dynamic is unique. However, it is through these shared experiences that we can bond with others and find moments of joy and connection. This is something I hope all people get to experience, as exploring other cultures and understanding how different people around the world live is the key to comprehending the bigger picture of human connection.
