At BASIS Independent McLean, not all classrooms have walls! Exploring other countries and cultures first hand is an amazing opportunity for our students, and world travel is an incredible experience for any student looking to take their education outside their textbooks and standard lessons.
International trips also provide a unique bonding experience for students in different grades. Most trips are open to all middle and high school students, regardless of which foreign language they are studying. Currently the French and Spanish departments alternate years hosting international trips. In future years, other departments hope to also organize international trips.
Past Trips
Galapagos Islands – Spanish and Science Subject Expert Teacher Dr. Isquith led students to the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador to explore the diverse habitats, exotic animals, and South American culture. Students ranging from grades 4–10 spent 10 days over spring break trekking through a volcano, swimming with sea turtles, viewing lava tunnels, and learning about endangered plants and animals. They came back with an appreciation for plant and animal conservation, Ecuadorian culture, and the Spanish language. Read more about the trip on our blog!
Senegal – Mme Seye led a group of students on our inaugural international trip to Senegal, Africa. Senegal not only gave these students an immersive chance to practice and finesse the French language in real-time, but also allowed them to experience an entirely new cultural and societal viewpoint. These students have struck up pen-pal relationships with students they met in Senegal, and they also worked as a group to deliver reading glasses, clothes, and six scholarships to those they met on their travels.