Page 18 - Menlo Magazine: Summer/Fall 2018

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REFLECTIONS FROM
Every summer, Menlo offers students the opportunity to extend their learning with a three-week cultural immersion experience in a foreign country. The program began five years ago with trips to Guatemala and expanded to India three years ago. This year, for the first time, trips also ventured to China and Tanzania.
The program helps students gain a better understanding of themselves and their world. Through facilitated curricula, service learning, and homestays, students are immersed in the country’s culture. They make connections with communities, build relationships with the local people, and use their skills to address common problems.
In their own words, students reflect on their experiences traveling and living in Tanzania and China.
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“It’s
been five days since
we arrived in Lashi Hai and a lot
of adventures have already taken place.
Yesterday morning, we didn’t have any meetings planned so most of us took a walk through the fields
to [explore] this other town...Around 10:00 am, we walked over to the pasture fields by the lake and played a game
of soccer against the locals. The local kids turned out to be really great at soccer and ended up winning the game. We had a really fun time and playing soccer by the lake was absolutely stunning...After dinner with our families, some of us met up at the basketball court and we played a mini game, having a mix of locals and Menlo students on each team. Once again most of us were blown away by the basketball skills of the local kids, and the basketball game proved to be another great bonding experience. We’ve all already had
so many adventures and can’t wait to
have more.” —Alta Knuff ’21
(China)
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