The 2027 Braves Abroad trip has officially been launched! Come next summer, current freshman and sophomore students will have the opportunity to travel for about two weeks to the beautiful countries of Spain and Portugal. This is the first repeat trip that the program will be running, with the first trip to Portugal and Spain taking place about ten years ago in 2017. The Braves Abroad program pairs with EF Educational Tours to provide a well-rounded experience of the cities and culture students will be able to see.
The program is run by Mrs. Smalley, who started running the trips in 2013 after an EF Tour of her own. Her travel experience with the company inspired her to give students this opportunity to venture outside the states and has helped to connect students to new places and cultures. Over the span of 14 years, she has run 11 successful tours with the first one being to Ecuador. Since then the trips have been annual aside from the 2020 and 2021 trips which were cancelled due to Covid. Other than those, every single trip has gone off without a hitch, giving parents reassurance when sending their children abroad. The tour company is also extremely dedicated to making sure their program is enjoyable but also safe. The company closely monitors local events and conditions and is able to easily transition the trip into a better alternative in the event circumstances change. One of these alternatives ended up being a fan favorite on the first Portugal and Spain trip. The group ended up going to the British territory of Gibraltar which is still talked of fondly today. Mrs. Smalley explained that the group will now be going to Gibraltar as part of the upcoming trip back due to how much students enjoyed it.
Next summer, students traveling to Portugal and Spain will visit around eight cities, as well as a British territory. After an overnight flight into Europe, the group will land in Portugal and start off with a walking tour of the capital city of Lisbon. On day three of travel, the students will then take a guided tour of the city, visiting the Tower of Belém and Monument of Discoveries along the way. Following the night’s sleep in Lisbon, the group will then travel to the Algarve region of Portugal. There, the students will have the opportunity to visit the Chapel of Bones located in Évora. The Chapel offers much history and time for reflection as you stand within the walls of bone. Day five will be spent in Algarve taking trips to Cape St. Vincent and the Fortaleza de Sagres and ending with time to relax at the beach. When asked about the last trip to Spain and Portugal, Mrs. Smalley explained that this mix of actively seeing the cities while also having time to relax and bond with others was what made the trip so enjoyable. Continuing the itinerary, day six will be spent with a mix of travel into the Costa de Sol region of Spain. The group will stay overnight in this region and spend a second day in the Costa de Sol area. Day eight will be spent traveling to and in Granada, exploring the Gardens of Generalife, the Alcazaba Fortless, and the Medina Arab baths. As we transition into the larger cities, on day nine students will travel to Valencia and take a walking tour of the city. On day ten the group will reach the Spanish city of Barcelona. Travelers will spend a total of two days in Barcelona visiting Park Güell and taking a guided tour of the city making it their last stop before heading back home.
Traveling to these countries offers a number of benefits and experiences that one is not able to have from home. When asked why these trips are so engaging and important, Mrs. Smalley explains how being able to see what you teach and learn about helps you connect it to yourself personally. For example, on the trip to France, while being able to learn about the Palace of Versailles and understand its sheer significance, the act of seeing it and exploring it adds so much depth to travel and learning. Traveling abroad at a young age also helps to develop many life skills that students can use in the future. Mrs. Smalley explains, “You’re learning life skills when you come as a student because for example, we’ll show you how to get through the airport. And we’ve had students who, on the way home, have been the ones leading me.”
Overall, traveling as a student is a wonderful experience and opportunity that allows them to grow as a person and become more accustomed to other cultures and places. The Hills student community is especially excited about this trip. Freshman Sofia Medina even shared, “I’m really excited to be able to go on this trip with some of my closest friends and experience Europe together.” The Braves Abroad tour to Spain and Portugal in 2027 is such a special opportunity to have, so if you are interested, there are a few spots remaining and Mrs. Smalley would be happy to answer any questions regarding the trip.
