On July 7, 2014, seniors Richard Rivera and Julian Parra went on 21-day exploration of Italy, France, and England as Student Ambassadors with the People to People organization, which sponsors this annual program designed to help students grow in world awareness, culture and traveling experience. The requirements to participate in this program include qualities such as: a drive to succeed, the curiosity to explore new countries, respect for others and the willingness to expand on their knowledge.
As the trip began, all of the students were eager to explore countries that many of their friends and family had never had the opportunity to visit. Rivera and Parra spent time in famous museums such as the Louvre in Paris and saw historical pieces of European artwork, for example Michealangelo’s statue of David and Leonoardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. They visited some of the most significant sights in Europe such as the Coliseum in Rome and the magnificent Vatican in Vatican City. Other magnificent sights were St. Peter’s Basilica, the Eiffel Tower, Buckingham Palace, and Omaha Beach in Normandy. Rivera and Parra experienced both ends of the spectrum—from city life in Paris, Milan and London, to farm life in Vincenza, Italy.
Rivera noted that his favorite part of the trip was his “home stay.” His home stay included living with an Italian family for three days in the small town of Polo. “It was amazing,” he said, “getting to experience what it’s like living in a traditional Italian family. And the food I ate was just as amazing as the experience!”
Another great experience the ambassadors participated in was rappeling off a 100-foot castle wall in Assisi. Although Parra admitted that he was terrified, the adventure taught him about facing fears. This activity bonded the students and helped them grow by learning to overcome obstacles and become proud of their accomplishments.
Once the trip started, both boys admit that they did not miss home. Rivera claims that although he missed his family, whom he talked to every few days, he was too busy and having too much fun traveling Europe to worry about being away from home. Parra had a similar experience, saying, “Of course part of me missed home, but overall it was hard to miss home when I was experiencing the most beautiful countries in the world.”
The trip was memorable for the cultural exposure it offered and also for the opportunity to make new friends. Rivera explained that he still communicates daily with many of the people he went with on the People to People trip. “I feel like we all had our own positive qualities,” he said, “that we brought to the group. One overwhelming thing I noticed about everyone is that we all genuinely cared about each other and all wanted to have fun together.”
Both Rivera and Parra had a great time, and both say they would recommend this trip to other students. For more information about the Student Ambassador People to People program see the website at http://www.peopletopeople.com/.
