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Sep 02, 2023

Young jet

Aug 31, 2023 Students from East Juniata Travel club pose with an exchange student while in Barcelona. Pictured above (from left) are Paige Smith, exchange student Celia, Carlee Barrick, and Bella

Aug 31, 2023

Students from East Juniata Travel club pose with an exchange student while in Barcelona. Pictured above (from left) are Paige Smith, exchange student Celia, Carlee Barrick, and Bella Hund. Pictured below (from left) are Brady Roe, exchange student Roger, and Jack Hoffman.

McALISTERVILLE — Area students had a “once in a lifetime” opportunity over the summer to see how people in other parts of the world live.

The East Juniata High School travel club took a 10-day trip in June 2023 to the notable European cities of Rome, Florence, Vatican City, Monaco, Nice, Nimes and Barcelona.

The club traveled to Paris, London, Rome and Pompeii in 2019. They also visited Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii in 2017. Members visited Ireland in 2014 and took their first trip as a club to London in 2011.

Club advisor and East Juniata High School teacher Jenn Hund led 26 travelers between June 20 and June 29 during the travel club’s fifth overall trip.

“We had a chance to see many sights and learn a lot about the history of each place,” Hund said.

Eleventh grader Reagan Croissette said she enjoyed eating gelato on the trip. Croissette was excited to share the experience with her parents.

“I learned about the cultural differences, and I liked getting to see the different ways Europeans live, that seems much more relaxed,” Croissette said.

Students held several fundraisers to offset the cost of the trip. The students paid for any remaining funds they could not raise.

The educational travel companies students use have a payment plan, so travelers choose how they want to pay. Students may make monthly payments from a savings or checking account or bill payments to a credit card.

East Juniata High School travel club originally scheduled the trip for 2021, but it was pushed back due to the pandemic. Many travelers paid the trip cost well before they went abroad.

Carlee Barrick, a 2021 graduate, said, “It was a once in a lifetime experience. I will definitely try to go back again someday, but who knows if I will be able to.”

Barrick added “I even got to visit one of my friends that I haven’t seen for five years who lived in Barcelona. It was an amazing experience. From watching fireworks in Florence to swimming in the Mediterranean Sea… It was perfect.”

Hund said, “While I do feel that we see a lot in a very short amount of time, it is beneficial for us to experience so much from other countries. It is educational and forces some of us to get out of our comfort zones and examine other perspectives. It’s not just the history and the sites we visit that are important; I’ve found that trips like these make us more aware of other people’s cultures and values.”

Jack Hoffman, a 2023 graduate, said that the trip was a once in a lifetime experience that offered views of the world’s oldest mountains, a look into other cultures, Italian architecture, and various food options.

Carlee Becker, a 2020 graduate, said, “My favorite place was either Florence or the French riviera. I was also along on the 2019 trip where we went to Paris and the southern part of France. [It] is so much different than the city!”

The club will journey to California in 2024. Dates will be set closer to February, but the plan is to to leave for California during the second week in June.

Sixth grader Sylvianna Hund, grade 6 said “I love the travel club trips; they get me interested in different cultures! … I’m also looking forward to going to California next year if I can raise enough money for it!”

The 2024 itinerary contains a cable car ride through San Francisco, a choice between a tour of Alcatraz or enjoying a cruise on the bay, and a guided sightseeing tour (Chinatown, Lombard Street, Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman’s Wharf.)

Members will travel to Los Angeles on the third day of the trip and see the city from above at SkySpace. Their explorations include seeing the Hollywood sign, the “walk of fame,” Sunset Boulevard, Rodeo Drive and Santa Monica beach.

They will visit Universal Studios on their fifth day before traveling to San Diego on day six. San Diego offers sites like Balboa Park, Coronado Island, La Jolla, Gaslamp Quarter and the Pacific beach area that students can explore before and during allotted free time.

Travelers will visit the USS Midway Museum and explore Old Town San Diego on their seventh day before departing on their eighth day.

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