By Jeffrey Zuckerman
“My heart just started beating—I haven’t been that scared since I was a kid… I turned around and I heard all of this screaming… they were almost upon me, but at the last second, I stepped into a doorway, which was probably a stupid idea because if they had turned, there was nowhere else for me to go…”
Is this an excerpt from a war story? A narrative from an Indiana Jones movie? No—this was just some of the excitement that Spanish teacher John Summers described of his near encounter with three rampaging bulls at the “Running of the Bulls” in Pamplona, Spain way back in July of 1989.
Many BHS students and staff have had fascinating travel experiences from which they have gained valuable lessons.
Two students have shared their fascinating travel stories with the Beachcomber as well. Over winter break, sophomore Tanner Eitman traveled to Costa Rica, where she had the opportunity to zip line through the rainforest canopy—a daredevil experience that most of us have not had. On this trip, Eitman had the pleasure of standing at the edge of the Poas Volcano that was shrouded in fog. She also encountered a group of Howler monkeys—known to be the loudest animals on land. Not only that, but Tanner also went on a wild rafting trip.
On separate trips over the past three years, senior Amelia Wester had the time of her life in Ecuador, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. She especially enjoyed Ecuador. In addition to the touring, she was able to practice her already well-developed Spanish skills. Wester liked the fact that this was not a typical resort vacation, but an adventure to explore wildlife and the natural world. Furthermore, she had the opportunity to visit the Inca Ruins, to go tubing in Ecuador, and to experience a harrowing, late night ride in the back of a pickup truck through the mountains…definitely not a trip in a luxury motor coach.
While tubing in Ecuador, Wester learned about the challenges of inter-cultural communication. “The tubing instructor only spoke Spanish. I happened to be with my dad, who only spoke English. So I was trying to translate as best I could—even though my Spanish skills then weren’t as good as they are now. Anyway, the instructor was explaining safety procedures, and he was saying in Spanish ‘if there are branches [ramas], then wear helmets.’ However, I thought that he was saying, “if there are frogs [ranas], then wear helmets.”
Summers summarized important lessons he has learned from his travels, which have included visits to Spain, Portugal, Israel, Egypt, Latin America, and most recently Hawaii. Summers recommended that American travelers respect the country that they are traveling in and always remember that we are guests in foreign countries. After seeing the impoverished communities in Paraguay, Summers learned to appreciate his good fortunes here in the United States. He would always try to gain an understanding of other cultures. Summers, who is a highly experienced language teacher, advises, “Don’t be afraid to use the language there. Even if it’s difficult, the native people will definitely appreciate your attempt to use their language.”
For Wester, “The trips are a lot of fun to talk about–I guess just experiencing other cultures was the thing that most prepared me for college.”
Eitman urged travelers to, “Enjoy life to its fullest, and take risks, because it makes life more interesting.”
As Summers said, “You learn something about yourself, too, when you travel. Like I always say, there’s a whole other world out there besides Beachwood, Ohio. I’m glad I traveled and I hope to get my kids doing the same thing shortly—I’ve definitely enjoyed the places I’ve been. ‘Oh, the places I’ve been.’” Dr. Seuss would agree.
