While Segovia is the home base for Proctor’s linguistic and cultural program in Spain, students travel on week-long excursions to at least two of Spain’s distinct regions. On the road, classroom learning about history, art history, and culture is made visible. Enjoy these student reflections their recent excursion to País Vasco (The Basque Country).
The week started off with a Monday of recovery from Paris. Because Sunday was Easter, we had class at the house instead of catching the bus into town.
Last week, Proctor en Monteverde director Brooks Bicknell ‘77 visited the six sophomores currently studying abroad, meeting the group on the trail as they emerged from their three day stay at the San Gerardo Field Station deep within the Cloud Forest, guided by renowned naturalist and writer Mark Wainwright.
No two days are alike on Proctor's Mountain Classroom program. Whether it is climbing the tallest peaks, driving the windiest roads, or rafting down the San Juan River, the lessons learned on Mountain occur through the experiences themselves. Take a seat beside Ada '22 and Hays '22 as they raft the San Juan River alongside eight of their best friends and four river guides. The lessons of the river are powerful.
Bravery, like leadership, comes in many forms, with each individual finding their own way to demonstrate their courage when needed. For the seven finalists of the 23rd Annual Hays Speaking Contest, we saw that bravery on display Monday evening as they delivered their speeches in front of a packed Norris Family Theater.
Four weeks in and I can tell you France is nothing like South Dakota. Having the opportunity to travel, experience new foods and take part in a completely different culture has been both eye opening and inspiring.
Last Friday evening, we welcomed Phil Kaye of Project Voice to an all-school assembly where he shared his powerful spoken word poetry. Phil joined English classes on Saturday morning as well, empowering students to share their own voice through poetry. Phil’s visit to campus reminded us of the importance of hearing and seeking out varied voices within our community.
Bonjour! Nous sommes des étudiants et artistes américains, vivant à Vauvenargues, France. This is what we’ve learned this week in French class with Jen! This week was filled with baguettes, crepes, oil painting, exciting excursions, and many Johnnie quotes added to the ongoing list of “Johnnie quotes”.
