The bright days of summer are right around the corner which means planning vacations to get away and take advantage of the time off. Many choose to travel within the United States, but some prefer a more ambitious trip that includes going across the Atlantic into the beautiful continent of Europe. In 2024, it’s estimated that 750 million tourists visited Europe with the most popular cities being Paris, London, Budapest, and Barcelona. The idea of traveling this far can be an overwhelming task which is where planned travel groups become a popular option. With this, people can still get the experience with less stress.
At Steinbrenner, Ms. Schmidt has organized a trip through the company Education First. Education First is a travel company that believes “…travel is for everyone,” according to the EF tours website. They have many tour opportunities led by world travelers and experts who want to expose guests to the diverse locations on our planet.
“I have been doing EF Educational Tours for 4 years now…,” said Schmidt. She was first leading trips as a substitute guide for the first time to Italy back in 2022 and since then she has started to lead her own tours.
The trip, not sponsored by Steinbrenner, is set to take place in the summer of 2025, specifically July 9 through July 15. The three major cities included in this trip are Budapest, Vienna, and Prague. In the past, Ms. Schmidt has organized excursions like these before to places like Italy, Greece, and the Galapagos.
“My favorite trip…would be to the Galapagos Islands. I loved being able to see so many species that I frequently taught about in Biology…,” said Schmidt. While in the Galapagos, there were many opportunities for sightseeing as well as new activities to participate in. “My favorite part would be specifically when we snorkeled with penguins and sharks,” said Ms. Schmidt.
Participating in adventurous vacations like these allows for the expansion of personal knowledge and experiences. Traveling in unfamiliar parts of the world introduces the guests to new cultures.
“I love seeing students immersed into new cultures and trying things they typically wouldn’t,” Schmidt exclaimed.
Family, friends, and students from other schools are welcome on this trip, however the students get added benefits. The attending students are able to write about this trip for their college essay and can also earn up to three college credits after the tour.
“…students can gain either high school or college credit if they sign up…,” Schmidt explained. Not only are there academic benefits to joining this trip, but there are also personal benefits. Many introverts take these trips as a way to branch out and in turn they meet new people who can become a new friend.
The seven-day trip is packed with different activities for each day. Over the course of the trip, guests will have two days in each city where they will complete walking tours and see some of the city’s most popular destinations. The end of each day is wrapped up with a traditional meal in the city, furthering the educational experience about the cultures.
“Those benefits include experiencing new cultures, learning new history, trying new foods…,” said Schmidt.
This opportunity is a monumental experience that can significantly strengthen student’s resumes as well as introduce them to new traditional customs. There are numerous added benefits to participating and it would become an experience to never forget.
