SCHOOL TRIPS
Broadening horizons
Planning a trip
abroad with
your students
is one of the
most stressful extra-
Biology
curricular activities you
can get involved in. Ross
Cruickshank, an S6 pupil
technology
at St. Thomas of Aquin’s
High School in Edinburgh,
takes us through the
process from a student’s
point of view
HEN RUMOURS started
W
spreading around the school
that Mr Montenegro – one
of the modern languages
teachers – was organising
a trip to Cuba during our
school’s activities week
many eyebrows were raised.
However a lot of interest faded once the students
learned that the price was going to be around £1200.
What the students who opted not to go may live to Cuban journey: The students and teachers from St Thomas Aquin’s High School in
regret is that it was the best £1200 you could ever Edinburgh who visited Cuba had the opportunity to mingle with locals, interact with
spend, and I am sure the other 15 pupils who came Cuban school children, and take in the sights – from inner-city residential blocks to scenic
along, as well as the three teachers, will all agree.
After a couple of meetings at the school, things between Scotland and Cuba. For one, the national “commanding presence – incredibly inspirational” by
started to progress rapidly, with everyone growing more sport of Cuba is baseball, and nearly every Cuban can one of our pupils, Canta Levicky.
and more enthusiastic. It was through this enthusiasm handle themselves on a baseball field. As you will For the students, including myself, who will go on
that the Cuba Trip website was born. be aware, this is completely unlike Scotland where to study Advanced Higher Spanish this term, the trip
On the website, we all created our own profile the national sport is traditionally golf and football (or was extremely beneficial. We were in a country where
pages, and Mr. Montenegro would then leave posts soccer to them). Only a small proportion of the Cuban the native language is Spanish, and there were not
here that would remind us of things like meetings and population actually play or have a general interest in many English speakers, so we had to use our Spanish
deadlines for payments. It was a modern and fun way to these sports. speaking skills in order to communicate with the locals.
keep up-to-date with the teachers and fellow pupils. Dance is an enormous part of life in Cuba – mainly It was this practice that has personally given me a new
We knew from the beginning that the trip would salsa. I don’t think we met one person who did not perspective of the Spanish speaking world – and what a
not be cheap, and not just in terms of the fee we would know how to dance! Both of the schools that we visited beautiful language it is.
each have to pay. We were going to Cuba with a view performed salsa dances for us which were nothing short Hearing Spanish from the native speakers has
to giving some presents to local schools, including of excellent. inspired me to practice until I can become fluent.
stationery. This would not come cheap, due to the large The movements were fluent and in time to the There were also a lot of physical activities on
amount that was required. music, which was a real privilege to watch. Again, the trip, which ranged from a trek up the Viñales
In order to raise funds, we organised a salsa ceilidh in Scotland there is nothing of the sort. Our tradition mountains, to playing baseball and basketball with the
– the main attraction of which was a salsa dance that is a combination of small dances that are performed students and teachers from the Julio Pino Machado
we had put together. The group was split into two, at a ceilidh, consisting of many people, and you are School. Again, being able to interact with the locals and
and each group was taught a separate dance which we permitted to make mistakes – your steps do not really play their national sport was surreal, and everyone fully
performed tremendously well and was greatly enjoyed have to be in time as no-one really notices. enjoyed themselves. Richard Pia and Lewis Renton,
by the audience. One small similarity between the two countries two more of our students, thought the day was “really
By this point the Cuban trip had developed rapidly is that each is extremely proud of its history, and the fun” and “extremely memorable”.
from simply being a class trip to the most anticipated events of their pasts are well known around the world. Throughout the trip everyone acted in a manner that
event of the year. It was almost like Cuba had become When you think of Cuban history, a few names spring the school would be proud of. We were responsible
a significant part of our lives, and we had not even to mind: Che Guevara, Fidel Castro, and Batista. When citizens. Each person on the trip acted as a confident
been yet. you think of Scottish history, many famous names like individual, whether it was being brave enough to
Mr Montenegro was able to appreciate that many William Wallace and Robert the Bruce come to mind, try and make conversation with the local people and
of our parents, as well as the pupils, would be anxious, along with the famous poet Robert Burns. order food and drinks in Spanish at the restaurants, or
as it was the first time many of us had been abroad As for the architecture and schools, the majority simply joining in the local activities and traditions and
without them. He created a blog, on which all our of buildings in Scotland are either old Victorian or generally having a good time.
daily activities were posted by the students themselves, expensive new modern ones. However in Cuba, We all prepared PowerPoint presentations to present
and they were able to express how much they were particularly in Havana, the majority of the buildings to the pupils at the schools, and everyone looked after
enjoying the trip. – with the exception of a few modern museums, hotels each other in order to ensure that we had the best time
Our parents were also able to leave comments and foreign embassies – are somewhat below the we possibly could.
which, for many, enabled them to relax and not worry standard that we were used to. Finally, we all learned smething, and each and every
about their children’s welfare all the time, as the blog It was all these differences, plus a few more person on the trip came away knowing something about
was regularly updated. – like the language used – that created an unusual themselves that they did not know before, whether it
After all the hype and preparation, along with environment that was totally new to us. However for is that they can hold a conversation in Spanish longer
the end of exams for most of the pupils, came the me, that was the whole enjoyment of the trip. The than they thought, or that they are able to bond with
day everyone had been waiting for. Friday, June 12. ability to interact with people who are less fortunate, individuals they never thought they could.
Departure day. and experience their day-to-day life, was something In some way or another, everyone learned something
A sense of excitement (mixed with nerves) occupied I never expected to do. Looking back now, I can from this trip, and apart from that we all now love
the atmosphere as we awaited our call for departure at honestly say that I am glad that I did. The trip was truly Cuba!
Edinburgh airport. We were quite nervous, as we knew life changing. To conclude, through acting as responsible citizens,
we were about to be taken right out of our comfort zone Although the trip was leisurely, there was also an confident individuals, effective contributors and
and thrown into an environment that was totally new to educational aspect to it. Those who studied geography successful learners, every single person on the trip
us, and to do this without your family around is pretty appreciated that, on the Viñales valley trek, we were gained a lot from the experience and has come away a
nerve-racking to say the least. taken through a limestone cave which was home to better person. We are glad to say that we did our best in
However, everyone was pleasantly surprised as many features that are covered in the geography course, everything we took part in and we know we represented
wherever we travelled in Cuba we received a warm such as potholes, pillars and stalactites. the school positively and made not only the teachers on
welcome from all the locals, and immediately everyone Those who studied history were grateful for the trip, but the school also extremely proud.
let go and started to enjoy themselves. the opportunity to learn more about Cuban history,
I can honestly say that every person on the trip particularly with the visit to the Che Guevara
Further information
was taken aback by the stark differences that exist memorial museum, which was described as having a Read the blog: http://cubanisimo.edublogs.org
SecEd • August 27 2009 13
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