Over this past summer, many Maggie Walker students experienced the incredible opportunity of exploring the European countries of Germany, England, France, Spain, and Italy. Each trip involved a multitude of adventures around the countries, for both educational and recreational purposes. These trips were once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for many students, and they made memories they will never forget. 

During the 2022-2023 school year, Maggie Walker’s German teacher, Kristen Macklin, set up a German exchange program with students from the Carl-Orff Gymnasium in Munich, Germany, where the German students attended Maggie Walker for a couple weeks. A handful of Maggie Walker students taking varying levels of German returned the favor over the summer, venturing to Munich to live with host families during their trip. This homestay trip, a trip where students live with a partnered exchange student, provided valuable insight into German culture, one that students would be unable to receive anywhere else. Dr. Max Smith, a chaperone on the German exchange trip, extended on this point, saying, “At home, the Germans cook a lot less meat and potatoes than they do in restaurants, where they serve lots of meat, such as bratwurst, and heavier carbs.” This insight into the eating habits of German families helps to emphasize the importance of exchange programs, as along with Dr. Smith, the students were able to learn such about interesting cultural aspects. Kushal Gowda (‘25) took part in this adventure in Germany, living with his host family and even attending school with his host brother. When discussing the schooling, Gowda said, “It wasn’t too different in terms of the material they were learning–compared to ours.” And in addition to continuing their education of the German language, the exchange students were able to explore Munich and visit many historical and beautiful places. One notable destination was the Neuschwanstein Castle, which Gowda claimed to be “arguably the most famous castle of all time,” and which Dr. Smith compared in likeness to a Disney castle. Another Maggie Walker student, Timia Smith (‘25) commented on the adventures she had in Munich, remarking, “I did a lot of shopping, especially for souvenirs. I also visited Mozart’s home and experienced the world’s sixth-largest waterpark.” All of these different activities, from the city-wide explorations to the in-school education opportunities, allowed the students participating in the exchange to grow in their knowledge of German culture and customs and form lifelong friendships and bonds with their host families. 

Along with the trip to Germany, Maggie Walker students also participated in a summer trip to Italy, chaperoned by Latin teacher Steven Ross and math teacher Dickson Benesh. During this trip, students explored Pompeii, Paestum, Rome, Naples, and Bevagna. As they ventured through these different cities, students were taken to many different museums, including the Naples museum and the Galleria Borghese. They also explored many churches, such as St. Peter’s Basilica. Sonia Chornodolsky(‘25) said, “Even with all of the museums, my favorite memory was the picnic we had on the coast of Gaeta, on a cliff. This picnic took place before a hike to a mausoleum. Although it was pouring rain, this memory is one of my favorites–in part due to Mr. Ross’s somewhat comical determination.” Speaking on these small town Italian adventures, Brielle Bugauisan (‘25) commented, “Not only are the people friendlier, but it was an amazing experience for everyone since we didn’t have to feel trapped amongst a ton of other tourists.” In regards to the educational aspects of the trip, Leah Winder (‘24) reflects, “I learned a lot about the ancient Roman Empire, Roman mythology, Italian culture, and some of the Italian languages.” And although this trip was heavily encouraged for Latin and Italian students, those who did not take one of these languages were still able to learn and participate in every activity. 

Another major trip taken by Maggie Walker students was to Madrid, Paris, and London. During this trip through Western Europe, students visited many important and historical landmarks, such as the Palacio Real de Madrid, Versailles, the Eiffel Tower, Le Champs-Elysees, the Louvre, and Big Ben, and they even learned more about Black history in these countries. Reminiscing on this trip, Demari Mitchell (‘26) said, “One of my favorite places to learn about was a town called Brixton.” And even though this summer adventure went through three different countries rapidly, students were still able to learn a tremendous amount about Europe, all while having a fun time exploring. 

Each of these trips allowed for exciting educational and cultural journeys through various unique locales, and for each and every student, Smith puts it best: “This trip was one of the biggest highlights of my summer!”