We landed in Madrid after roughly nine hours of traveling. We were jet lagged and tired, but the excitement of beginning this next chapter of our lives kept our spirits and energy up. After nearly getting lost on our connecting flight in Ireland and and a very uncomfortable and turbulent ride to Madrid, we were ready for our adventure to begin. We met Ryan and Mikaela outside baggage claim, where we hopped on a bus and were on our way to Segovia.
Proctor Academy's term-long Mountain Classroom program reconnected after Winter Break in El Paso, Texas to kick off 2018 and the final seven weeks of their trip to the American Southwest. As the group camped in El Paso and discussed their upcoming adventures, illness swept through the group in epic fashion. While it was not the start they wanted to 2018, there are lessons in everything, including the flu, and the sickness did not stop them from rock climbing and exploring Gila National Park. Read Anna's '19 and Sam's '18 reflections on week four of Mountain Classroom 2018 below.
I've always been antsy to explore the world beyond my little hometown of Andover so when I heard about European Art Classroom - which, as a 'faculty brat', has been since I was about 9 - I was already looking forward to every aspect of my travels.
Landfall after 14 days at sea… Raising St. Croix from the crosstrees…Snorkeling in crystalline tropical waters…And seeing, first hand, the impacts of Hurricanes Irma and Maria… All of these statements illustrate what our Ocean Classroom 2017 crew has experienced during the last few days. And now it’s on to San Juan and the end of this voyage of discovery.
As I write this, Roseway has finally entered the trade winds and is making way towards St. Croix, with an expected arrival sometime late next week. The passage from Fernandina, Florida to St. Croix represents the longest offshore leg of our Ocean Classroom program (+/- 10 days) and encompasses so much of what voyaging is about.
Proctor Academy's Ocean Classroom program left the calm waters of Savannah Harbor to head north to Charleston, South Carolina for a few days of learning and sail training before preparing for the long passage to the blue waters of the Caribbean. Enjoy the brief window into daily life aboard Roseway from the perspective of the student crew.
The frequency of Ocean Classroom posts will vary throughout the term as port stops and access to wi-fi dictate much of our communication plan. With a few days in Norfolk, we decided it was best to double up on posts this week before Proctor's crew aboard Roseway continues their journey south to Charleston, South Carolina. Enjoy this portal into Ocean Classroom 2017!
Proctor's Ocean Classroom program continues its journey south along the eastern seaboard with stops in New Bedford to New London, and eventually to Norfolk, Virginia. The reality of life at sea - night watches, early mornings, cramped quarters, academic courses, and physically demanding chores - have settled in and our crew of 22 Proctor students is becoming a cohesive unit. Read reflections from the past week below.
