Suitcases in one hand and passports in another, this spring break two groups of students travelled to South East Asia with Friendship Tours World Travel.
Their goal was to learn about the culture and history of these unique places through first-hand experiences.
The first group was comprised of entirely Laguna students who went for two weeks to Cambodia and Laos.
The second group went for one week to Vietnam and included students other high schools: Dos Pueblos, Santa Barbara High.
Both groups drove to LAX where they parted ways, boarded planes, and prepared for the grueling 16-hour plane ride.
After an uncomfortable night’s sleep they landed safely and began the visa process, which was complex and included several failed attempts.
The first three days of the two-week trip to Cambodia and Laos were spent in the bustling capitol of Cambodia, Phnom Penh where students toured Tuc-Tuc the Royal Palace, the Killing Fields, and Tuol Sleng Prison.
Next, they hopped on a plane to Siem Reap and spent three days trekking ancient temples such as Angkor Wat and Ta Phrom.
“The temples were awesome! The trees had overgrown but some parts were still intact; it felt like I was going back in time when we walked around,” senior Vera Lopez said.
The highlight was the elephant ride through the temples which was a unique experience for all.
Students visited an orphanage and the Cambodian Landmine Museum where they met Akira, a former child soldier of the Khmer Rouge.
Students then packed their bags stuffed with souvenirs and continued onto the next destination, Laos.
In Laos, the focus was COPE (Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise), where they met inspirational UXO victim Peter Kim who had lost both his eyesight and hands when he was only sixteen.
“It was really cool meeting Peter Kim. We learned about all the victims of the bombs but actually meeting one put it in a better perspective,” said senior Lauren Conk.
Next, the group travelled to the Plain of Jars in Xiengkhouang and visited villages of the indigenous Hmong Hill Tribe.
“I really loved seeing the Hmong Village. Although we could not speak with them, it was interesting to interact with the children. The contrast between our society and theirs was stunning. We visited a home where all the meals were cooked on an open fire, but there was a TV in the next room,” said junior Clarissa Coburn.
On the third day they boarded a bus for a 10-hour bus ride through the mountainous regions to Luang Prabang.
The last two days of the trip were spent relaxing and swimming in the Khouang Si Falls, or wandering around the town or going to the night market.
Just across the border, in Vietnam, 15 more Santa Barbara high school students were having a similar adventure.
They started their week in Saigon, where they toured the city and visited the local markets.
The main focus of the trip was to visit Cu Chi Tunnels and Kim Phuc’s home in Trang Bang.
Kim Phuc, The Girl in the Picture, is depicted in a photograph as a young girl running naked down a road, her skin on fire from napalm.
The picture earned a Pulitzer Prize for the photographer, Nick Ut who accompanied and documented the trip along with Chris Wain both of whom were involved with the Vietnam War.
Their next stop was the Mekong Delta where they stayed with a local family, cooking their own food and sleeping under mosquito nets.
Their last days were spent in Hanoi where they visited the historic Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and the Friendship Village, a center for Vietnamese people affected by Agent Orange.
“The Friendship Village was really fun because some of the kids were deaf or blind, but they still found ways to communicate with you by writing things down on paper or using touch. They were so happy, despite being affected by this horrible thing,” said sophomore Mica Zimmerman.
Both trips were coordinated by Alethea Tyner Paradis who is the founder and Director of Friendship Tours World Travel.
Students arrived safely back safely in America, culture shocked, jet lagged with pictures to share and stories to tell.