SPRING TOUR 2025

“The Beasts of England”

This was the name of our group chat in WhatsApp, which was used for effective communication during the tour. The title is inspired by Old Major’s song in the famous classic Animal Farm.

Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland

Beasts of every land and clime

Hearken to my joyful tidings

Of the golden future time

~George Orwell in Animal Farm~

It is called an educational trip for a reason. Students and chaperones are always busy from tour to tour, experiencing the riches of another culture’s wisdom. By the end of the day, we were all exhausted, but let us not forget to set the alarm for the next day at 6am.

These were 8 days of pure literature, for all tours were connected to British writers. The first and last days were traveling days, and we spent almost 24 hours in an airport or on a plane. The first day, since we arrived to Manchester at 8am, we had the chance to visit Old Trafford Stadium, the home of Manchester United. My dream plan was to watch a game, but the game was sold out and did not fit the tour’s original itinerary.

Two days in Manchester, in a seaside resort called Blackpool, marked the grand opening. Some people considered this region to be sketchy and isolated, while others embraced it as an opportunity to talk to new people and walk near the beach. The second day, we went to Lake District, home of the Transcendentalist poet William Wordsworth. And so, let the magic begins…

After touring William Wordsworth’s house and beautiful gardens, we went on a 30-minute hike that felt more like an hour. Inhaling and exhaling to control the heart rate, we were all able to reach the apex and enjoy the view. At the top of the mountain, some students felt the need to call their parents and loved ones, others wanted to feel the cold river waters surrounding the area, and many took some time to pause and reflect. The group participated in prayer, mainly focusing on gratitude.

And hark! how blithe the throstle sings!

He, too, is no mean preacher:

Come forth into the light of things,

Let Nature be your teacher.

~William Wordsworth in “The Tables Turned”~

This was our third day, and I already have 2 pages so I shall be quick but never superficial. Yorkshire, the home of the Brontë sisters, was a place full of history and enchantment,

where antagonism was romanticized by rejecting societal standards since the Brontë sisters used pseudo men names so their literature could be published. Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre are two of their famous novels.

"I am no bird; and no net ensnares me:

I am a free human being with an independent will."

~Charlotte Brontë in Jane Eyre~

Better known as the GOAT -and I’m not talking about Lionel Messi, Lebron James, or Humberto Ramírez- William Shakespeare carries the weight of this title with pride, joy, and wealth. 154 sonnets and 38 plays written by Shakespeare served as my inspiration to plan this trip in the first place. On day 4, we visited Anne Hathaway’s house and Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stradford-upon-Avon. Shakespeare embodies the Renaissance or Elizabethan period.

To be, or not to be, that is the question:

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles

And by opposing end them.

~William Shakespeare in Hamlet~

Day 5 belonged to the ancient city of Bath, which was bombed during WWII to dishearten the morale of English citizens. Jane Austen, another British writer from the Romantic era, lived in Bath and wrote her famous novel Pride and Prejudice. Mary Shelley, born in London, wrote most of her novel Frankenstein in Bath. Furthermore, history junkies in our group of travelers were satisfied when we visited the Roman Baths, an archeological gem from the 1st century. Who drank the hot spring water at the end of the tour?

“What are we doing next? When are we eating? Are we having free time?” These questions overwhelmed me -no doubt- but eventually I learned to deviate from answers by promoting delayed gratification. Free time suddenly became a popular interest of the crew, and I don’t lie when I say this “free time” also became a personal, desired attraction. Walking around, talking to people, enjoying street performances, and visiting local stores are essential components of an educational tour. Culture is Education.

Oh, but Oxford… the oldest educational institution… “Ay, me.” Gothic architecture made us journey through The Chronicles of Narnia. Pure fantasy! 39 colleges, and J. R. R. Tolkien -writer of The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings (1954)- studied at Oxford University’s Exeter College. Romantics believe in pure emotion without inhibitions, Transcendentalist believe we find God in Nature, and I believe wizards study at Oxford.

"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies,

but just as much to stand up to our friends."

~J. K. Rowling in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone~

Finally, we headed to London (and I already lost track of time). Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth II Memorial, Trafalgar Square, and the Tower of London are all considered tourist traps worthy of our time. We had so many walking tours that made students and chaperones plot my demise, but in my defense, I had warned everyone in departure meetings to bring comfortable shoes and an open mind. In the end, good memories will prevail.

I apologize for the length of this narrative. However, the closing of this trip is inevitable to dismiss. The fifth and last hotel was the best one, and room allocations were purposely planned. During our first night in London, the most acclaimed “free time” became a reality, and I was able to walk around the streets of Soho while enjoying the company of my beloved students. On April 23, students participated in an acting workshop at the Theater District, and we visited the Globe Theater while rehearsals of a modern, western version of Romeo and Juliet took place. Then, we walked towards the Borough Market to have lunch; we rode the London Eye; and finally, we enjoyed the play Wicked at the Apolo Victoria Theater. Simply Amazing!

TO ALL STUDENTS, if you have the chance to go on an educational tour -in high school or in college- do it! Education is not only measured in test scores. Travel and read to know more about the world. Education transcends a transcript.

“A veces uno sueña cosas que nunca van a suceder.

Soñarlas! Busca horizontes.

Abrirte, abrirte a cosas grandes.

Abrirte y soñar.

Soñar que el mundo con vos puede ser distinto…

Hablen de las cosas grandes que deseen

porque cuanto más grande es la capacidad de soñar

y la vida te deja a mitad de camino,

más camino has recorrido.

Así que primero, soñar”.

REST IN PEACE Pope Francis (December 17, 1936 – April 21, 2025)