9th Grade Trip to Ecuador
In this third plane of development, adolescents are seeking to find their place in society and understand the world at large and how they may, ultimately, be world contributors. The 9th graders are developmentally, physically, and emotionally prepared to embark on an international trip. Some are leaving the country for the first time. Most are traveling without their parents for two weeks for the first time. The opportunity to design their own trip and travel to a foreign land becomes their work and is an experience that changes them. They spend two years raising the money for the trip and do all the leg work from booking tickets, booking lodging, planning the itinerary, and organizing packing lists.
This year, the 9th graders chose to go to Ecuador for their international trip. The travel went well and our first day was spent in Quito, the capital city of Ecuador. We enjoyed a magnificent visit to the Botanical Gardens, just around the corner from our home. We also took some time for a little grocery shopping and a great adventure into the old historic center of this wonderful city. It was a fun first day!
