Poly GIP Argentina 2023

As a Poly GIP Trip leader, you have to be ready to wear many hats. You go from being a travel agent to an activity guide, a photographer to a money dealer, or even from an emergency medic to a lively jokester at a table of hungry adolescents. The role is dynamic and rich. Having had the opportunity to work cross-divisionally in the World Language Department this past year at Poly– shuffling from the Middle School to the Upper School between periods– I have gotten used to shifting from one context to another. Also, working in boarding schools– my past teaching experience, as well as my upcoming teaching experience– where one often serves as a teacher, coach, and dorm advisor (the famous, ‘Triple Threat’ approach to education), I am well acquainted with shifting between roles. However, one thing that struck me during our time in Córdoba was the number of hats a typical Argentinian teacher wears– not just in their respective schools, or even across the divisions in their schools, but rath...

Our "Atlas," holding up the sky for everyone! You know the exhaustion that can be accompanied by a sense of joy, well-being, and gratitude? That's how I felt every day of the Argentina trip. From the moment we arrived at LAX on June 9th after graduation to the moment we hugged and shared goodbye smiles this past Wednesday afternoon, I felt part of a very special experience. Were there challenging moments along the way? Absolutely! I am grateful for the physical and emotional experiences we navigated, absorbed, and let flow through us. We grew as individuals and as a group, bouncing along and back from moments that demanded our intense presence and best selves to emerge. I write this post with profound appreciation and respect for Patricia Levin, our brilliant leader, and want to dedicate my words to her. Her elegant, humorous, decisive, and competent leadership made every student and chaperon feel safe, cared for, seen and heard, and aware that we were on a well-plan...

After we left our hosts in Córdoba in a bone-crushing goodbye, we flew to Buenos Aires. The next day, after a division-sowing, friendship-breaking scavenger hunt/tour, we visited the colorful neighborhood of Palermo. We managed to recover from the walking in time to go to a tango class (…it’s possible some of us will not become tango experts…) The following day, we toured the Recoleta necropolis and attended an empanada-making class. (It’s possible we will not become empanada masters either…). On our final day, we visited the memorial park monuments to the desaparecidos and then toured the urban art of the area. As our final meal, we finally surrendered to the esteemed Profe Levin and ate at a (surprisingly good) vegan restaurant. I’m really going to miss this trip but I’m so grateful for everything we got to experience!  -Katie On Thursday we began the morning by learning about the terror of the Argentinian dictatorship while at the concentration camp “La Perla.” We then enjoyed f...

Just like in many captivating movies and shows, we're employing the storytelling technique of a "flashback" to share a precious account from your children's perspective. Why the flashback? The last few days have been an absolute whirlwind of joy, excitement, learning experiences, and general enjoyment of Buenos Aires. Our time together has been so wonderfully busy that finding a moment to have the kids write an entry proved to be quite challenging.  Imagine a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors, laughter that echoes through the hallways (the other hotel guests can act as witnesses!) and the constant hum of enthusiastic conversations.  The bonds formed and the memories created are an integral part of your sons and daughters educational journey. The flashback allows us to pause for a moment and delve into the rich tapestry of those days gone by, to relive those magical moments and share them with you. Your children’s words (and images!) are a testament to the love and dedica...

 Cena de bienvenida en “nuestro” barrio, San Telmo, uno de los más antiguos de la ciudad.  Camino a “La Boca” en transporte público (más eficiente que en el pasado) Ya en La Boca, vemos a los muchachos en “La Bombonera”, el icónico estadio de Boca Juniors (donde Maradona empezó a fascinar al mundo con su talento futbolero, sus opiniones controvertidas, y su vida privada escandalosa) Estallido de color y muchas sonrisas en este barrio de origen humilde, que hoy es un innegable polo turístico. A estos dos los vamos a ver jugando pronto en Boca ⚽️ Con Julia, nuestra extraordinaria guía, una afroargentina judía, digna representante de la interesante (y complicada) historia de esta ciudad tan fascinante como difícil de entender. 🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷 Aparentemente Jorge/George ya abrió su boutique en la zona más exclusiva de Buenos Aires 😊 Aprendiendo a repulgar/cerrar empanadas con Rodrigo, un psicólogo y antropólogo devenido a chef, ahora dueño del muy socialmente comprometido restaurant...

 Missing you all from Buenos Aires! And celebrating you with dulce de leche ice cream 🍦

  Overheard at Córdoba’s airport… From the Poly kids: “I’m not gonna lie, I’m sad now…” “I’ll work all summer so I can come back soon!” “They gave me so much candy to bring on the plane!” “My mom gave me all kind of alfajores to bring home, and also a mate!” “XXX and their host even have a special handshake now” ”I scored the winning <gol> today!” “I invited the whole family to visit us in California” “We should start an <Argentina Club> at Poly” From the hosting families: “Thank you for  giving us  the best kid” (said by 15 different families  😊 ) From the San Martín kids: “We hope we can visit you soon” “Are you going to drink mate back at school?” “Have a great time in Buenos Aires, but don’t forget us!” “This was the best week ever!”

 Los chicos siendo chicos… 😊 Hola a los padres!  The picture 📸 above was taken at a mall that my host and Kate's host took us to. At the mall, I was introduced to lomitos. They were so big, 2 were bought to share between 4 people. The lomitos had cheese, meat, eggs, mayo, lettuce, and tomatoes. There was also a side order of fries. The fries were an interesting combination of scrambled eggs, but it was delicious. Between my host, Carolina, and Kate's host, Cata, all of us enjoyed the meal. We pleasantly chatted as we savored the lomito, and it will definitely be missed. Beyonce Yesterday we went on a breathtaking hike to Casa Bamba. Even though Lilie and Beckett may have gotten a little wet, everyone had a blast and we left with no injuries. After hiking back down the mountain, we began walking along the train tracks back to the buses. Kiki, Evelyn, and Katie played a riveting game of 20 questions as they walked. We encountered animals like horses and chickens scampering alo...