Tag: travel
Spring Break Service Trip 2019: Tanzania
Grade 10 student Devon Mills reflects on the Spring Break service trip to Tanzania
Spring Break Trip 2019: Europe
Grade 10 students McKenna Williams and Amalia Mairet write about the Spring Break trip to Europe.
Spring Break Service Trip 2019: Costa Rica
Grade 11 student Linden Girardeaux writes about the Spring Break service trip to Costa Rica
Spring Break Trip 2018: Singapore/Cambodia (Part 2)
Grade 11 student Matthew Owen-Flood writes about the Spring Break trip to Singapore and Cambodia.
Spring Break Exchange: Ecuador
Two Senior School students write about their exciting exchange trip to Quito, Ecuador during Spring Break.
Spring Break Service Trip 2018: India
Grade 12 student Atheer Al Hinai writes about the Spring Break service trip to India
Spring Break Rugby Trip: Australia
Grade 12 student Ranon Ng writes about the timeless memories made on the SMUS rugby trip to Australia.
Spring Break Trip 2018: Singapore/Cambodia (Part 1)
Grade 11 student Nathan Yang writes about his memorable Spring Break trip to Singapore and Cambodia with the school
Spring Break Service Trip 2018: Nicaragua
15 students traveled to rural Nicaragua over Spring Break and experienced an amazing blend of nature, community involvement, warm people, and unique experiences.
SMUS Rugby Tour: March 20-23
The SMUS Rugby Tour continues, as the athletes head to Wollongong and return to Sydney for their final games
SMUS Rugby Tour: March 18-19
The 2018 SMUS Rugby Tour continues on through Australia with their arrival in Canberra and games against St Edmund's College
2018 Rugby Tour: March 15-17
The 2018 SMUS Rugby Tour continues on through Australia with games against All Saints' College in Bathurst
2018 Rugby Tour: March 10-13
The 2018 SMUS Rugby Tour hits the road and heads to Australia – by way of Vancouver and a quick stop to watch the World Rugby 7s tournament
Spring Break Service Trip 2017: Mexico
Grade 12 student Fo Wu writes about the Senior School Spring Break service trip to Mexico
Spring Break Culture and Service Trip 2017: South Africa
Grade 11 student Samantha Cuell writes about the cultural and service trip to Cape Town, South Africa at Spring Break
Spring Break Service Trip 2017: Tanzania
Grade 11 student Sara Perelmuter writes about her experience travelling to Tanzania over Spring Break as part of a school service trip
Cultural and Service Trip: Volleyball Tour to Cuba
Right before school started, I traveled to Havana, Cuba along with 12 of my classmates – and volleyball teammates – led by coaches Bendfeld and...
SMUS Goes Greek
Earlier this summer, a group of Grade 8 (soon-to-be Grade 9) students headed around the world to visit Greece. The students were all members of...
Grade 9 Outdoor Trips are a “Challenging” Way to Push Yourself
Last week, all of our Grade 9 students headed out to various corners of the province to participate in outdoor trips that pushed them out...
Spring Break Service Trip 2016: Argentina
Argentina was better and worse than I expected, but it was undeniably memorable. Travelling with a group of 30 to a Latin American country where few...
Spring Break Trip 2016: Japan
I suppose our Spring Break cultural trip began the day we left, which, since we were on our way to the other side of the Pacific...
Spring Break Trip 2016: Europe
Before I went to Europe on a Spring Break music tour, I had never left North America. Being able to see just how similar...
My Week as a Gene Researcher
My interest in science began at a hospital when my grandmother was diagnosed with diabetes. I was intrigued by the thought that there were...
Spring Break Service Trip 2016: Nicaragua
This Spring Break a group of about 20 students travelled to the small rural town of Jiquilillo, Nicaragua on a service trip. A service trip...
Montreal Model UN Symposium Leaves a Lasting Impression
by Tayte Gossling, Grade 10
Last week, 16 SMUS students travelled to Ottawa and Montreal, under the supervision of Mr. Goodman and Ms. Knight, for the...
THE JAG: Environmental Service Outtrip Review
by Delphine Ji
At the beginning of October, I was given the chance to lead the very first Environmental Service Outtrip to Salt Spring Island. No one knew...
U15 Soccer an Opportunity for Fun and Travel
by Makayla Lintott
A soccer trip to Montreal with a bunch of my friends? Yes please! We are throwing it back two weeks ago to...
Student Travellers Return from Service and Culture Trip to Greece
Learning about Greece from a classroom is interesting; learning about the Mediterranean country and its rich history by actually travelling there is unforgettable.
Last school year, Middle...
Senior Students Sharpen Leadership Skills at Montreal CAIS Conference
With an outrageously early wake-up call of 3:45am, four intrepid students and a chaperone embarked on a cross-country journey to the Canadian Accredited Independent...
Spring Break Service Trip: China/Vietnam – Part II
by Lucas Simpson, Grade 10
After a ferry ride, several bus rides, a 13.5-hour flight, another two-hour flight, and hours of layovers, we finally arrived...
Spring Break Service Trip: China/Vietnam – Part I
This week, Sara Owen-Flood and Derry Li each wrote about their Spring Break trip for a Model UN Conference in China; and for a week-long service opportunity at...
Spring Break Service Trip: Mexico
by Christian Okiring, Grade 10
A service trip is an opportunity to discover something about the world and about yourself. My service trip to San...
Spring Break Service Trip: Kenya
by Amy Bodine, Grade 12
Author Pat Conroy wrote: “Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again...
2015 Rugby Tour: The Home Stretch
With happy memories of Seville still fresh in the mind, the tour party heads west into the Algarve in southern Portugal for a day...
2015 Rugby Tour: Lisbon
We have finally found some consistent sun and, as I type, happy sunburnt faces are filing in for breakfast on a blue sky day...
2015 Rugby Tour: A Dose of Sun!
As we gear up to leave the sun and pool of gorgeous Abufeira, here are a few shots of our time in Sevilla and...
2015 Rugby Tour: Chasing the sun
March 23, mid day, and the tour party, after a three hour bus transfer from Granada, arrives in Seville. First impressions of the city...
2015 Rugby Tour: A Few Pictures
Without consistent wifi in Marbella, we were unable to load pictures. Here are a few from our days at La Alhambra and Marbella. Stay...
2015 Rugby Tour: Dos Victorias!!
The spectacular La Fallas "cremata" complete, the tour party, after just few hours shut eye, boarded the bus for the six hour bus ride...
2015 Rugby Tour: Carnival
It was an early morning departure from Barcelona, with the tour group still buzzing from the previous day's visit to La Sagrada Familia. The...
2015 Rugby Tour: Off and Running!
We have enjoyed a fantastic start to the tour! Sunday morning opened with blue skies and cool temperatures and the group started with a...
2015 Rugby Tour: A Long Haul
After almost 25 hours in transit the tour group has finally touched down to clear skies in Barcelona!. A long layover in Calgary afforded...
2015 Rugby Tour: Ten Days To Go!
Departure day is nearing as the SMUS Senior Boys Rugby squad gets set for its March 14-31 tour to Spain and Portugal. The excitement...
2015 Rugby Tour: Four Weeks Out
We are officially 6 weeks away from our departure on March 14th. The boys are excited and have been impressing the coaching staff with...
Spreading the Word About the Life-Changing Value of Service Trips
Every week, students attend Chapel for an opportunity to talk about leadership, character and belief. It's also a venue for students to report back...
Bonjour, Montréal! Middle School Soccer Competes in Quebec
Words and photos by Xavier Abrioux
A few weeks ago, 15 of our Middle School boys travelled to Montreal to compete in the CAIS U13...
Student Exchanges Offer Cultural Immersion
“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have...
A Different Perspective: Nicaragua
By Siri Knudsen and Megan Harrison, Grade 12
Over the past two school years, two service trips have gone to Nicaragua. We participated in the...
Service Day: Fundraising for Nicaragua
Throughout the year, Service Days offer students a chance to shed their uniform in exchange for a small donation to a good cause. Next...
SMUS Ecuador and the Galapagos Trip
by Caryn Cooper, Grade 10
The 2014 SMUS Ecuador/Galapagos trip! Where to begin even writing about it? Begin at the beginning, you say? Very well...
In...
Szechuan Cuisine
I have always enjoyed Chinese food. In recent years, travelling to a few cities in China, I have been fortunate to taste more authentic...
The Value of Student Travel
This Spring Break, some SMUS students will be taking part in an annual tradition of Spring Break trips. These international trips will take students...
Why Go On An Exchange?
by Jasper Johnston, Grade 10
This March break, I get the amazing opportunity to travel with two other Senior School students, Oria James and Emily...
Students on Ice in Antarctica
by Tessa Owens, Grade 11
This winter, I was lucky enough to participate in a two-week international scientific expedition to Antarctica called Students on Ice....
Service Trip? India?
If you have ever considered going on a service trip, this video (created by SMUS student Olivia Sorley) may motivate you to sign up! She...
Student Short Film Tops VFF Contest
http://vimeo.com/81909195
Grade 12 student Olivia Sorley took first place in the Senior student category for the Victoria Film Festival, which officially begins on February 7,...
Bamfield Trip Fuels Environmental Science Experience
Way back in 2013, our AP Environmental Science students travelled to Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre. Soon after they returned, we received this great report...
Squash: Ivy League Scrimmages
Four members of our squash team - Janel Gaube, Grace Thomas, Gavin Maxwell and Jason Yoo - spent the Remembrance Day long weekend in...
Reflections on India
by Darin Steinkey
Each member of this group has spent time in India and wanted to share their impressions in Chapel. Whether it was a...
India: A Festival of Colours
by David Boroto, Grade 11
India. Just a few weeks ago the word was a mystery to me and nine other SMUS students and staff....
Nicaragua: Changes
by Claudia Wheler, Grade 10
Going to Jiquilillo, Nicaragua was a whole new experience for me. I had never been on a service trip -...
Mexico: My First Service Trip
by Flora Feng, Grade 9
I once saw a man on TV, who spent a year doing service in Africa. His mind and values, and...
Paris and Amsterdam: Music & Culture
by Danny Park
Although it is difficult to express how spectacular this trip was, I will try.
On March 13th, 36 students and four wonderful music...
Travel – in their own words
As it happens, I have had an unusual number of conversations about travel in the last couple of weeks, mainly with staff and students...
SMUS in the News: Canadese gasten op Griftland
De Weekkrant
March 27, 2013
Canadese gasten op Griftland (in Dutch)
Translation
On the 21st of March, Griftland College had a visit from Canadian school St. Michaels University...
An Educational Exchange
Grade 11 student Kalkidan Amare didn't know quite what to expect when she signed up for our student exchange program and spent a term...
Heading Outdoors: to Hope and Beyond
Photos by Kali Salmas
by Kali Salmas, Grade 11 boarder
Waking up to a beeping noise near my head, I stretched and immediately contracted into a...
SMUS Sailors Ahoy!
Photos by Richard DeMerchant
by Sena, Grade 8
The SALTS trip was an extraordinary experience! During the Spring Break, a group of approximately 25 Grade 7...
Spring Break Stories: Buenos Aires
Photos by Shayla Baumeler, Grade 11
by Ethel Kiggundu, Grade 11 boarder
On March 15, twelve students and three chaperones embarked on a trip that would...
Athletics Review: Rugby and Regattas and Provincials, Oh My!
2012 Rugby Tour
by Ian Hyde-Lay
On March 16, 38 boys, comprising the bulk of the Senior and Junior rugby squads, along with four staff, departed...
Rugby Tour Wrapping Up
As the SMUS rugby tour winds down this weekend, catch up on their adventures by visiting the blog at blogs.smus.bc.ca/rugby.
My Experience at the Montreal International Congress
by Sena Lee, Grade 11
Collège Sainte-Anne de Lachine just had its 150-year anniversary. So in order to celebrate, students and the faculty invited people...
SMUS Student Shining on Japan Exchange
by Dawn Wilson, Director of Education Extension
Keenan Manhas has been studying at Fukuoka Daiichi High School in Fukuoka, Japan since September of last year....
Last post from Italy and photo links
I have posted a few more photos to the Picasa site:
https://picasaweb.google.com/mhjackson123/20110327Europemusic?authkey=Gv1sRgCJj2zveO-9ajOA#
This is probably the last post while on the trip as we are off...
March 27 Rome
Part of the group set off early to fly back home while the rest of us had a bit of a sleep in before...
March 26 – Rome
We began the day by driving into Rome and making our way to the Vatican. We toured the amazing galleries and spent time admiring...
Rome – March 25
We had another early start and made our way to Mary Mount International School where we had two performances. Though short, they were lots...
Florence
We had a great day exploring Florence. After our usual early start we began by exploring the market of San Lorenzo. After an hour...
Venice – March 23
After an early start, we drove to Venice where we were able to travel the entire length of the Grand Canal to St Mark's...
Verona
After a relaxed morning, we made our way to Heathrow for our flight to Italy. Flying over the Alps was spectacular. We arrived in...
Some more photos
A few photos form the 21st posted here: https://picasaweb.google.com/mhjackson123/20110321Europemusic?authkey=Gv1sRgCNbp0vrfv7ucEQ#
Some more from abbey road and Stonehenge and Winchester here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/mhjackson123/20110320Europemusic?authkey=Gv1sRgCMDw9fy50Me4KQ#
March 22nd
We had another busy day! Some toured London by bus, others went to the Imperial War Museum, and others went to the Science museum...
London
After finishing our session at Abbey Road, we made our way to the hotel in central London. After dropping our bags we went to...
Abbey Road Studios
The entire group is currently at Abbey Road Studios! Here we are in the hallowed halls of music history! The students have been recording...
Our location in Winchester
In the google map shot below, you can see where we have been based in Winchester. We are right beside the Cathedral and just...
First photos posted
I have managed to get the first batch of photos posted - from the journey and the first day in Winchester.
You can find the...
Stonehenge and Salisbury
Our day at Stonehenge was more than we could have ever hoped for. After telling everyone how cold it would be on the open...
A great day in Winchester
The group had a magnificent English Breakfast to start the day and then went for a short walking tour of historic Winchester - the...
Winchester arrival
We all arrived safely at the Wessex Hotel this afternoon. The flight was uneventful, though long! We are based very close to the magnificent...
Plans for the blog
I hope to be able to update the blog regularly while we are on tour - whenever we have Internet access. I will be...
Reflections and Action – International Service Trips
"Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'"
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
On the heels of a motivating chapel...
Girls on Ice!
Girls on Ice is a unique, FREE, wilderness science education program for
high school girls. Each year a team of 9 teenage girls and 3...
QLEAD: Students Learn About Business Leadership
by Mckenzie Scott, Grade 12
The annual Queen’s University Leadership, Excellence, and Development Conference (QLEAD) has evolved into one of the most influential university/student-run business...
England: Lincoln – What Happens Next? The Cathedral, The Conference, The Cup, The Contrasts
The heat: the first confirmation that the next four days will present in most ways a stark contrast to the past four. Unlike Inverness,...
Inverness, Scotland: what’s in a name?
Inverness, Scotland:
After 26 hours of travel (taxi to Victoria bus depot, Pacific Coach Lines bus to ferry, PCL to Vancouver airport, 9 hours over the...
Postscript
I thought I'd said what needed to be said, but the homecoming was too sweet not to mention. The trip was fabulous and the...
Nicole Chan on What it was like Overall
Most Memorable Moments
by Nicole Chan
When asked to write about my most memorable moment on the trip I found it a struggle to choose one...
Chris Bjola on Sporting in Lisbon
A Favourite Memory from this Trip
By Chris Bjola
If I had to choose a favourite thing that we did on this trip, it would definitely...
Chrystine Beaumont on People Watching in Portugal
Beats
by Chrystine Beaumont
Portugal’s people definitely had a quick beat. It was like running while attempting to dance or dancing until you ran, feet kicking...
Kelsey Bjola on Seeing Henry IV, Part One at the Globe Theatre
Beers, Cheers, and Big Battles Too
by Kelsey Bjola
To go or not to go, that was the question. Heading towards Shakespeare’s astounding Globe Theatre, excitement...
The Final Word on the Trip
I asked each of the students to write a brief blog about this trip and they graciously agreed. Kelsey (English 12) and Chrystine (English...
Last Morning in Lagos
I wrote the following blog yesterday morning in the bright yellow sunshine of southern Portugal. After writing, I took a walk for a last...
Heat
In the Algarve, it’s all about the heat. We arrived in Lagos one week ago yesterday to slightly cooler temperatures, somewhere in the high...
Thinking about Lisbon
We´re already in the Algarve, having travelled here from Lisbon yesterday. The week in Lisbon sped by as we reached the midterm point in...
The End of our Week in London
We just returned from an evening at Stonehenge-- four and a half hours on a bus in order to spend a fantastic long hour...
Buses, Teachers and Making our Way to London
As predicted, the unexpected occurred. We piled on the bus just after breakfast last Sunday morning to leave behind the quiet of Wales for...
Coleg yr Iwerydd
We arrived at Atlantic College (Coleg yr Iwerydd in Welsh) just after noon on Thursday. Passing over the Bristol Strait we followed signs in...
Our Adventure Begins
Today we set out for our study-travel to the UK and Portugal. I'm so glad this day has arrived! The last days of packing...
Introduction to Summer School 2010
Experience the World is a travelling summer school programme operated by Georgia Hardy Tours from Toronto. The B.C. tours began several years ago when...
SMUS Student Tours with National Band
by Victor Ma, Grade 11 student
About six months ago, I was simply checking my email in the library when I noticed a new email...
Spring Break Stories: French Culture Trip
by Sarah Fellows, Grade 7
This Spring Break, 31 Middle School students and three teachers got the opportunity to travel to Montreal, Quebec City and...
Spring Break Stories: Galapagos Islands
by Lyn Li Che, Grade 12
Heads bowed and necks white with sunblock, the group of intrepid explorers trudged up the beach diligently, their feet...
SMUS Students Experience Exchanges
by Erin Anderson, editor
Every year, SMUS students have the opportunity to experience education in other provinces and countries, including Australia, Japan and India. Students...
Spring Break Stories: Ghana Service Trip
by Kaylynn Purdy, Grade 12
They say that once you go to Africa, you are changed forever. I completely agree.
This spring break I had the...
Students Return from Dominican Republic
by Samantha Green and Giuliana Bianco
Over the winter break, eight students travelled to the Dominican Republic, taking part in the annual service trip to...
Exchange Students Return Home
Last month, two groups of exchange students, one from Quebec and one from Australia, returned home after a month-long exchange at our school. Four...
Spring Break Adventures
This week, several school groups returned to campus after Spring Break from points all over the world. Five groups embarked on trips to the...
Earn Credit, Study Abroad
Imagine studying Shakespeare in the Bard’s home town of Stratford-upon-Avon or learning about classical art amidst the ruins of Rome or Athens.
SMUS is offering...
Sharing and Caring in the Dominican Republic
Over winter break, 14 Senior School students and three staff members participated in Orphanage Outreach, a programme dedicated to providing support to orphaned, abandoned...
Students Return Triumphant From Thailand
This week, the 13 SMUS delegates returned from their travels and came back to class. Our students performed very well in the conference. In...
SMUS Soccer Supplies Travel to East Africa
While many students spent their summers at recreational camps or hanging out at home, Liam Maclure spent most of his on a charity mission...