On Friday, we went to a winery up in the foothills of the Alpilles, or the “Little Alps”. It was a warm sunny day, with a little bit of a breeze, and the trees are just beginning to leaf out again.

Proctor’s spring Mountain Classroom program is underway with a recent trip down the Black Canyon just below the Hoover Dam. The group’s nine week adventure throughout the American Southwest, and eventually back to Andover, NH will be life changing for all involved. Read more from Cass ‘23 and Lily ‘23 in their first post of the term. 

Day began on the Schooner Harvey Gamage at 5:00 AM with the loud clanking of the windlass above my clammy bunk in the forward most compartment of the ship called the fo'c's'le or forecastle. As the crew pumped the arms up and down in a seesaw fashion to retrieve the anchor chain, it made its characteristic deep rumbling sound as they fed the heavy links into its wooden housing box above my cramped quarters where I bunked with Gabe and Madoc who were gracious enough to share their space with me for my leg of the Ocean Classroom adventure from Key West up to the Gulf Coast.

As they have for decades, Proctor en Segovia students closed out their winter 2022-2023 term abroad by traveling south to Andalucía and the city of Granada. There they explored its UNESCO World Heritage sites and monuments and immersed themselves in the region's rich history and culture that has absorbed the influences of many groups, primarily from North Africa, over the centuries.

For our six sophomores studying abroad in Costa Rica this winter, their eight weeks living and learning with a host family have changed the trajectory of their lives. Read some final reflections from Emma '25 and Bella '25 as they wrap up their time on Proctor en Monteverde! 

Proctor Academy's winter 2023 Mountain Classroom program has come to an end after ten weeks of exploring, adventuring, learning, and bonding as a group. The off-campus experience is like none other, pushing students so far outside their comfort zone that individuals learn to rely on each other, and to fully understand the impact of their individual actions on the well-being of the group. 

There is nothing like coming home after a week of exploring. This time, however, we returned to our house in Aix, after a vivacious week in Madrid, realizing it was our last week at home.