Costa Rica

During February break, Boston Latin School freshmen and sophomores visited Costa Rica in an experience dedicated to exploring the country’s unique environment, rich biodiversity and culture.

Led by BLS Science Department Head Ms. Kathleen Bateman, students expanded on their interests of biology-related topics through a week-long, hands-on experience. The group was able to participate in several tours across the country, learning about service projects and their objectives.

Their tour first started in the small town of La Fortuna, which included a horseback ride to visit the Maleku village, home to one of the four remaining indigenous groups in the region. Students then went kayaking in Lake Arenal, the largest lake located in the northern highlands of Costa Rica and a source of hydroelectric power, where they learned about its impact on the tourism industry.

The students and faculty headed off to the Pacific region of Costa Rica, where they identified animals in their natural habitat. There, they then discussed the balance between tourism and the protection of the country’s ecosystems, concluding with a farewell dinner.

Ethan Cox (IV), a trip participant, notes, “Much of Costa Rica’s GDP comes from tourism, so during the pandemic many people were out of a job and they struggled to make enough money, even to get food for their families.”

France

This past February break, BLS French teacher Madame Carole Lapointe-Prospere led roughly 30 students to France, where they immersed themselves in the culture and learned more about the country’s history.

The trip was made possible through an exchange program with seniors from the French high school Lycée André Argouges of Grenoble, all of whom had been hosted by a BLS student that attended the trip. The first few days of the trip were spent with the exchange students, who joined in on many of the activities.

“The goal was to understand more about French culture and to immerse [ourselves] into that environment,” comments Jennifer Nguyen (I), a participant of the trip.

Over the next few days, students departed Grenoble to visit a variety of Romanesque architectural landmarks in Lyon, a kind of architecture marked by a fusion of several European styles. Students also had the opportunity to explore the downtown area, enriching their experience.

The group ended the trip in the vibrant capital city, Paris. There, they many visited famous sites, including the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum, where they viewed the Mona Lisa.

Nguyen concludes, “A big thank you to [the chaperones], Madame Lapointe and Ms. Gonzales, specifically, for organizing everything and updating the itinerary to let us have a good time.”

Greece and Turkey

A group of students from Classes I, II and III embarked on a trip to Greece and Turkey, setting foot in the very places where many of the most prominent ancient myths originated.

The group, led by BLS Classics teacher Ms. Catherine Foley, visited numerous cities and ancient sites throughout the trip. The students spent the first few days in Athens and Mycenae, where they roamed and took in the wonders of the world-famous Parthenon and the legendary home of Agamemnon.

Gregory Ware (II), an AP Latin student who went on the trip, remarks, “[We] could really immerse ourselves in the sites and imagine what life may have been like.”

Afterwards, the group went to Turkey, marking the first time that BLS had traveled there on a school-sponsored trip. They visited the remains of Ephesus, Pergamon, Troy and other sites relevant to the Classics curriculum.

All of the archaeological sites on the trip have deteriorated due to time, erosion and, in some cases, theft throughout the millennia. Many of the remaining artifacts are currently preserved in museums such as the Acropolis Museum and the Museum of Troy.

From the Acropolis of Athens to the legendary site of Troy, the historical sites have considerably broadened students’ perspectives and paved the road for further exploration of these ancient civilizations.