Transformative Travel in Your Teens

Contributed by Nicolas Catania, Principal of Blyth Academy Mississauga 

Each year, Blyth Academy takes flight on our March Break Abroad and International Summers programs that are built and exclusively tailored for our students and staff. The transformative element of waking up in a new destination gives students the power to seize each day as a new adventure with new sites to see and experiences to have.  

International travel for teens has proven benefits from academic learning potential to being immersed in entirely new cultures and places. We would know – we’ve done it for decades! See below for our top reasons to travel with us next summer and over the March Break. 

 

Experiential Education at its Finest 

“Live life with no excuses, travel with no regret.”
– Oscar Wilde 

It’s about the “ah-ha!” moment. Imagine glaring up at Picasso’s Guernica in the Reina Sofia, receiving a lesson on gladiators at the Colosseum, or exploring the old port of Nice as you pursue culinary endeavours and light afternoon shopping. These moments consume you and envelop you in awe only to open a textbook on the French Revolution back at school - but wait! You’ve already learned about it during your visit to the Château de Versailles as you strolled the Hall of Mirrors and enchanting gardens.  

Where history is involved, it’s all about culture. Imagine participating in a flamenco show in Seville after a delicious tapas meal or walking to the top of San Gimignano for some of the world’s best gelato in Italy. Participating in a cultural exchange does wonders as students are introduced to new perspectives while picking up on fragments of language and arts, learning from locals and guides alike.  

 

Gained Confidence, New Independence While Traveling as a Teen 

Travelling abroad provides students with a new-found sense of independence as they navigate foreign streets and cities to explore and see during their structured free time. Students learn the realities of having to properly budget for their time away as they balance their lunch and shopping budgets. A newfound sense of independence is created where students make decisions and friends, while becoming aware of cultural distinctions and norms. Being away from home brings students fully into the world as a place to explore, learn more about their surroundings, and ultimately, learn more about themselves.  

 

Structured, Supervised, and Safe Travel 

“Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.”
– Dalai Lama

As a leader in travel education programs for close to fifty years, we specialize in student travel and working with our partners to create exceptional itineraries. Each day is packed with an hourly breakdown of what’s to come, including various walking tours, museum visits, day trips, and other fun excursions.  

Nothing is more important than knowing your child is safely travelling abroad with new experiences curated daily for the school. Students have opportunities to explore local sites in groups during structured free time in the afternoons and after dinner before gathering to return to the hotel. Prior to bed, students are checked into their rooms and its lights out until our next adventure. Students have an added code of conduct and are continually reminded of expectations while abroad.

 

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Travel With Us This Coming March Break

Blyth Academy will be taking flight once again in 2024 on March Break Abroad to Spain and Portugal with travel operated by Georgia Hardy Tours. Registration and participation for March Break Abroad is exclusive to Blyth Academy students studying full-time (Grades 11 & 12) at a Blyth Academy campus. For students outside of Blyth Academy, we are offering two experiential March Break trips, one to Peru and another to Hawaii.

Learn More