The Buzz

This week was an adventure as we traveled to London and Brighton, on the coast, south of London. London was exciting and new for me and I fell in love with the city.

The best things happen when least expected. That has been a phrase tossed around here and there, but I never really thought too much about it and how true it actually is. After the group ventured to our second professional soccer match of the term, Málaga vs. Getafe on Zack’s 18th birthday, we were in search of food. Some of us broke off to get some sushi, but I always stay with Ryan because I always assume he knows the most and will pick the best places to eat. He trusted the loyal app “TripAdvisor” to uncover an Italian restaurant not too far from where we were. “It has good reviews,” he said, but somehow he missed the one that said, “Don’t be scared.” We walked into this restaurant in soccer spectator attire, and I would say that the vibe of the restaurant and the people in it did not match that sense.

After solos Proctor Academy's Mountain Classroom group headed to the Tohono O'odham Reservation on the Arizona/Mexico border. Taking day hikes in the midst of the stunning natural beauty was the perfect way for everyone to process their solo experiences. The reservation also provided an ideal location for jumping into the term's final academic chapter where we are studying Native American history and fire ecology. From the reservation we drove north to Maricopa for the primitive skills gathering Wintercount.

This week’s reflection comes partially from watching Southwest gate A19 turnaround in Chicago, partially from having dinner with Phil McNichols the former head coach of the U.S. Men’s Ski Team, and partially it comes from A Harvard Business Review article by Michael Porter called What is Strategy? Collectively it made me think about who we are, what we do, and what’s in our wheelhouse?

While regular updates continue to flow from Proctor en Segovia, European Art Classroom, and Mountain Classroom, four sophomores are in the midst of a life-changing adventure at the Cloud Forest School in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Unlike Proctor's other four off-campus programs, Proctor in Costa Rica partners with an existing school, and therefore, students are fully immersed in their school work, life with host families, and Costa Rican culture. Program director, Brooks Bicknell '77, and Livia '18 provide reflections for this mid-term update from Costa Rica! 

When I think back to my first week here, a Sunday that looked like today, the feeling was very different. At the end of the first week on European Art Classroom I had a very different mindset.

My absolute favorite part of Proctor en Segovia is our afternoon activities. When I learned how many options there were, I was thrilled! I’ve been taking classical Spanish guitar lessons with a man named Oscar. Using a combination of Spanish and English we have been able to communicate flawlessly. Our most recent lesson was a blast. We used a program on his iPad to set up a drum beat, record a chord progression on his bass, and then switch between playing the chords and playing a solo on the guitar. I don’t even think of my “lessons” as lessons anymore, I feel like I’m just going to go jam out with a friend and learn guitar along the way. 

It’s very ironic that I have the blog this week for Proctor Academy's European Art Classroom because Dave always makes fun of me for not reading them. I click the blog for the pretty pictures like these: