SKYLER CHUN
STAFF WRITER
Every year, photography teachers, Chela Sheets, Cher Takemoto, and spanish language teacher, Heather Paulino travel to new places around the world in hopes of sharing their love of traveling with their students. They created the International Explorers Club together after realizing that they shared the same wanderlust interests and wanted to offer the opportunity for students to share the same experiences with them as they travel around the world. This past summer, they took students to Europe, visiting Germany, Italy, Austria, France, and Switzerland, marking their sixth year traveling with each other and their students.
Seniors Faith-Joy Okubo and Jaymie Bilog-Mina found out about the club and this trip through teachers and friends and were able to take part in this opportunity during the summer.
“I always wanted to travel to Europe so I thought it would be a good experience. I’m really grateful that I had the opportunity to travel because there are so many cultures, languages, history, and new foods that you’re open to,” Okubo said.
Every day the group had the experience to try new things and they were constantly being immersed in a whole new way of life. Members of the club were able to experience a gondola ride in the Swiss Alps in Switzerland, a boat ride to Lucerne in Switzerland, and even see the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.
“I don’t think I have a favorite part of the trip because I loved everything and every place we went to, but if I had to pick...I really enjoyed walking in the Swiss alps and seeing the Eiffel Tower the most,” Okubo said. “My favorite country was Switzerland because I liked the cold and everything was so beautiful,” Bilog-Mina said.
Sheets also shared that her favorite memory was also in Switzerland. Sheets explained that in Switzerland, the group stayed in a hotel by a glacier lake. The lake was deep, cold, and high up in the alps but the group all jumped into the lake and started swimming. “It was after dark and it was the most peaceful place ever and I just couldn’t believe what I was looking at. It was just beautiful,” Sheets explained.
“I learn so much every time I travel. I think the students are just learning more about traveling and how to be smart while doing so. This was my first time in Germany and I really want to go again!” Sheets said.
Bilog-Mina also explained that this trip not only gave her the opportunity to see different areas of the world, but also to get to know other students she traveled with. “At the beginning of the trip, I barely knew anyone, but I was able to make a group of friends and we stuck together throughout the whole trip. We also made some friends from Texas and Georgia!” Bilog-Mina said.
Sheets, Takemoto, Paulino, along with all the other students who had the experience to travel with this club come back each year with new memories, experiences, and tons of stories to tell.
Next year, in June 2019 the club has planned to travel to Rome, Vatican City, Capri & Sorrento, Pompeii & Mount Vesuvius, Night Ferry to Greece - Patras and Delphi, Athens - the Acropolis, Olympic Stadium and the temple of Zeus, Mykonos Island and 3 day Greek Island cruise, shore excursions to Samos, Patmos, Crete, and Santorini. For more information, ask Mrs. Takemoto in F303 or Ms. Paulino in M207.