From Central Europe to the Mediterranean

Thanks to funds raised by Northwest Corner: Students Without Borders, and with additional assistance from the 21st Century Fund and the HVRHS Alumni Association, 31 Housatonic Valley Regional High School students and seven teachers spent seven days during April break traveling in Italy and Germany.

We started right out of the gates in Munich, Germany’s welcoming environment. Under the lead of our lively tour director, Artin, we explored Munich, seeing culture reflected in its people and beauty.

We then moved on to Dachau, a solemn but enlightening and historical place. For me and the other students, the camp wasn’t just something to mourn but something to learn from.

Travelling south, we expected to wake up from naps in Austria but were surprised to still be in Germany. Our bus pulled up to Neuschwanstein Castle, a 19th-century palace that served as inspiration for Disneyland. This was an unexpected addition to our itinerary, courtesy of our chaperones, who helped us scratch off this bucket list destination.

We then visited Innsbruck, an Austrian city nestled in the Alps, to see the famous Bergisel Olympic ski jump.

Above the vineyards of San Gimignano, Italy.Provided

Next, we found ourselves in Verona and then Florence. In Florence, we stood in awe at the immense size of the Duomo, the Uffizi and the many statues scattered throughout the city, truly understanding that Florence is an artistic and architectural wonder in Italy.

We then journeyed to my highlight of the trip, San Gimignano, a hill town among the vineyards of outer Tuscany. Not many tours hit this city, making it void of tourist traps and crowding — just historical architecture, amazing views, and great food.

Ending off the week with the leaning tower of Pisa and then landing in Rome, seeing where Julius Caesar died and the Colosseum, was surreal to me and many others. We were all so grateful to the sponsors and fundraisers who put us on the planes, making it possible to experience these amazing opportunities.

Ayden Wheeler is a junior at HVRHS. His parents got engaged 30 years ago in Germany, and he was excited to visit the region where they had traveled. Ayden hopes to travel to France and England with the HVRHS International Travel Club next year.