Saturday evening, Proctor celebrated one of its most unique facilities: The Proctor Ski Area. For decades, Proctor's love of skiing has fueled the development of one of the finest privately-owned and operated ski areas by an independent school in the nation. As hundreds of local community members drove down Blackwater Lane Saturday afternoon, we were reminded just how special this place is!
As our time continues here in Aix-en-Provence, we all begin to feel less like tourists and more like locals. When we first arrived to Aix some 5 weeks ago, the city felt quite large and confusing. Jen and Dave reassured us that after a few weeks we would have the city memorized, and it would start to feel smaller and smaller.
After a rainy adjunct weekend with Ross in Tucson, Arizona, we left the enormous cacti behind and headed back to New Mexico for a three night backpacking trip in the Gila National Forest. After a day’s drive, we were welcomed by a much chillier camp ground in Silver City, NM.
Proctor’s ski programs have a storied past, inextricably linked to the Andover Outing Club and the Proctor Ski Area. For decades, Proctor has worked hand in hand with the local Andover Outing Club to support the endeavors of its athletes.
Friendships. They blossom in these years, emerge at different rates, and play different roles in our lives. I am not talking about the Facebook friends, the six or seven hundred “friends” that somehow have been collected, stored, and are managed through a digital platform. I am talking about something more rare. More precious. The kinds of friendships that I see find footing at Proctor.
We may be preparing for another 2-4 inches of snow today, giving us well over two feet of the white stuff since last Tuesday, but let us briefly allow our minds to wander to warmer thoughts. Thoughts that involve summer vacation and Proctor’s Summer Service Trips!
More than 70% of all Proctor students spend at least one term studying abroad in one of Proctor's five off-campus programs. For students who attend Proctor for at least three years, that percentage jumps to nearly 85%. We offer off-campus programs because we know they broaden our students' horizons. They change lives by allowing students to see how life works in other cultures. They create learning opportunities simply irreplicable on our campus in Andover, New Hampshire.
When we started this 8 week journey Dave gave us an analysis of the feelings we might encounter throughout our weeks here in France.
