Travel Club heads to the Maritimes

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/05/2024 (489 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

École secondaire Neelin High School has taken flight and gone to the Maritimes.

Neelin is home to its very own travel club, which takes its members all over the world. On May 16, the club departed on its first trip since 2020.

Travel Club is run by two of Neelin’s teachers, Mrs. Harrison, and Mrs. Malazdrewicz (Mal). Travel Club is an amazing way for students to see the world, make new memories and try new things.

“The first trip was in 2012 and was called ‘History: Canada and the World Wars.’ We went to Berlin, Amsterdam, Brugges, Vimy, Normandy and Paris,” stated Mrs. Mal.

When asked about how Travel Club started, Mrs. Harrison said: “I am a firm believer in experiential learning. I believe that there are so many lessons to be learned in this life and not all of them need to be learned within the walls of the classroom. Fortunately, I have a like-minded colleague. We wanted to take our teaching beyond the classroom and so, the [Neelin] Travel Club was born.”

When asked where Travel Club has gone in the past, Mrs. Mal said: “We have travelled to Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, England, Scotland, Spain and Italy. We have seen or gone on a Berlin city tour, Sachsenhausen concentration camp, the Anne Frank Museum in Amsterdam, Vimy Ridge, Normandy beaches, Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Menin Gate, Paris city tour, Versailles, London city tour, Oxford, Stratford, York, Edinburgh, Barcelona city tour, Madrid city tour, Rome city tour, Anzio, Monte Cassino, Cassino World War II Cemetery, Ortona, Gradara Cemetery, Rimini Region, San Marino, Bologna city tour, and Florence city tour.”

It’s probably safe to say Travel Club has visited at least one place on your bucket list.

This year’s destination includes the Maritime provinces — Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island — with some amazing destinations, such as the Hopewell Rocks, Peggy’s Cove and the Anne of Green Gables House.

This is one of the best opportunities to see the beautiful landscape and explore the culture of the East Coast.

“I feel that there is so much value in travel. There is so much history to experience and explore.” Mrs. Harrison stated.

When asked what Travel Club meant to her, Mrs. Mal said: “For me, it’s an opportunity for teens to travel, see a new culture, experience new foods and architecture and to learn about themselves. It’s a chance for students, some who are about to embark on their own adult world adventure in a few months, to learn how to navigate a foreign city, metro or area by themselves with the skills that they have. We are there to support and guide them, of course, but we let them take the lead whenever possible. For example, by day three in Barcelona, my chaperone group had a decent handle on the metro. We left our hotel, and I told them to get us to the main tourist street, La Rambla. We had taught them how to navigate a subway/metro prior and had been to La Rambla the day before. I would have intervened if they needed, but between the six of them, they got us there with no issues. They were so proud of their accomplishment!”

If you have never been on a plane before, don’t worry, neither have lots of us.

This club is the time to start your travelling journey with many others just like you who have never had the chance to do much travelling before.

Before leaving for the trip, Mrs. Mal said: “I’m excited to travel with students again in general! I have been to Nova Scotia and Halifax before, but there are still a few new stops for me, including Grand Pré Church. I also haven’t been to P.E.I. or New Brunswick, and being able to check those two provinces off puts me at 10 provinces visited in Canada! Even though I have been to Halifax and area before, I’m so looking forward to sharing random tidbits of knowledge with students and to learn more! We also have two students joining us this year who have never flown before, so that’s always fun!”

You will also make so many memories you will never forget.

Even the teachers still make new and amazing memories on each trip. Mrs. Harrison stated: “My favourite Travel Club memory would have to be when I took a small group of adventurous students to a quaint, locally owned restaurant in Madrid for fresh seafood. They tried everything — many for the very first time — even things they had never even heard of or seen before. We laughed so much. We ate so much. It was the best night.”

When asked what her favourite memory from Travel Club was, Mrs. Mal said: “There are truly so many — travelling with students where everyone is exhausted by the end creates some great stories and one-liners! I would say a cherished moment for me as a Canadian history teacher was when we were at the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery in the Netherlands. We were paired with another group from a different school and division. As we were there, walking around and learning, our students were watching the other students blow off steam, climbing trees, and generally being kids and goofing around. One of our students went up to the kids and quietly and respectfully asked them to stop goofing around and to pay respect to those buried in the cemetery that fought for our freedom. It was a happy teacher moment for me as it was all done without teachers knowing until later, and they seemed to get it.

“Another one was a personal memory of reading my grandfather’s regiment name on a plaque in the Rimini region on a monument dedicated to all the men from Canada who helped break through the Gothic Line, which was the last line of defence for us to break through in Italy. I was so proud of my grandfather and his sacrifice to leave Canada and go fight in Italy during World War II and knowing that he walked in the same area that I was standing in was an overwhelming and powerful moment for me. I also love how, when given free time and a chaperone, students always want to check out the local McDonald’s!”

On these trips, students turn into some of the best versions of themselves, and truly allow themselves to learn and care about the culture and history they are being engrossed in. And you never know — maybe you will learn a bit more about your own history as well.

Neelin travels through EF (Education First) tours. EF makes sure everyone has an amazing and safe time. They give us guided tours while on the trip, they book our flights and plan our breakfasts and suppers for us. This makes it much easier on parents and students worried about planning a trip. And if you’re worried about trying the new food, don’t be! Mrs. Harrison took her group of students to the excellent restaurant in Spain, and Mrs. Mal took her students to McDonald’s on the same trip. So, just know you will always have the opportunity to try new food or not, if that’s what you prefer.

Now that you know so much about this wonderful club, you may be wondering how you can join?

“After our very first trip, we had a student approach us to thank us,” Mrs. Mal said. “He said, ‘I’m not a band or choir student, I’m not in French classes, and I don’t take specialty electives like photography. If it wasn’t for this club, I wouldn’t have been able to experience this trip, a new culture and histories that I have only read about.’

“That struck a chord with me. As a kid who travelled in my own school days, I didn’t think much of it, but I travelled through band, choir and French class. It has been really important to us to keep the criteria open to any student who wishes to travel. Our only big expectation is that students who come with us are respectful to the teachers, guides and expectations set out, which means students with lots of suspensions or insubordination in school may be at risk for not being able to join us (it’s a case-by-case basis, and we have two years to see growth).”

Are you sad you missed out on this trip? Don’t worry: There is a Travel Club trip every two years, so come to École secondaire Neelin High School and join the Travel Club in time for the 2026 trip.

» Sarah Martin is a Grade 11 student at École secondaire Neelin High School.