To students, faculty, and parents alike, spring break always seems one of the most exciting times of the school year. After eight weeks of nonstop hard work, a rest from our typical industrious lives arrived. Some Fieldston students, however, spent their first week of spring across the globe learning and experiencing new things.
Organized by Erik Hanson, and chaperones Debora St. Claire, Keeniun Brumskill and Stephanie Behrens, the 2024 RomeSpring Break Rrip included former and current Latin students in grades 8th through 10th. The goal of this trip was to serve as an extension of these students’ current knowledge of Latin through Roman artifacts and history. A month before the trip, in preparation, participants took a field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The students and chaperones saw a variety of Roman artwork with unique stories behind each. The trip to the MET gave students an idea of what type of sights to expect during the actual trip.
After preliminary research, meetings, and numerous packing list reminders, the beginning of Fieldston’s Rome trip finally arrived. Despite the five-hour flight delay from New York to Amsterdam, and then the overnight delay from Amsterdam to Rome, Fieldston’s eagles refused to let anything discourage them. Students distracted themselves with food, card games, and fun discussions with their peers. Thirty hours passed in no time, and the festivities in Rome could commence!
The trip’s tour guide, Megan from the Paideia Institute, greeted the participants the moment they stepped off the plane. Throughout the trip, she played a crucial role by making sure the students were on top of our itinerary (ignoring the fact we were a day behind) and guiding the group from one location to another. Thanks to her and the chaperones on the trip, the group viewed multiple sights such as the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, and Circus Maximus.
In addition to the variety of sights, participants also had the opportunity to eat a variety of traditional Italian food. During lunchtime, students would explore the nearby area and choose where they wanted to eat, while for dinner the chaperones chose the restaurants in advance. Pasta, Pizza, and Gelato were the most popular among the group, and rightfully so. On the fourth day of Rome, students participated in a cooking class where they made strung/stuffed pasta along with tiramisu. After two long hours of preparation, the group sat down together and ate their finished dishes. For myself and others, it was a highlight of the trip.
Through sights, food, and long walks, the group made connections from their past/current Latin classes by translating phrases to conjugating verbs and even reading texts. Elise Naeve (Form III), a participant in this trip cheerfully added, “Overall, I enjoyed seeing Rome in a different light. We all learned so much while having so much fun and I hope I get to experience something like this again!”
