One of our incredible college students, Nephthalie, who currently attends Bridgewater State University had the opportunity to visit Cape Verde on a community service trip. Here is what she had to say about her experience:
“Attending Bridgewater State University is an opportunity that School on Wheels helped make possible for my education career. When an opportunity came to me, I felt it was important to get involved, explore and benefit the best I could. I was thinking this way when I decided to step into the Office of International Affairs at BSU for more information about traveling abroad. The 2013 winter study tour in Cape Verde was the only country which still had an available spot left. Being accepted in to a study tour is usually very competitive, however I was happy to be one of the selected candidates. My study tour was a two week experience in a school in Cape Verde. As a group of seven students from different majors, we observed students and teachers in the Cape Verde classroom at both elementary and secondary level. We attended after school meetings and discussion groups about improvement of the education system for the Cape Verdean Scholars. We also visited historical and off-sites cultural activities including Cidade Vhela (old city, Fort, and Ruins), the Tarrafal concentration Camp and Casa di Memoria Museum. My most scary, yet, most impactful experience was to climb for 4 hours up the volcanic mountain of Pico de Fogo which dominates the island countryside rising up to 2,829 metres. It was an amazing experience visiting another country beside the United States. I think it is important to experience life in another part of the world; we see the difference of culture that exists within our social order. I carry many good memories of Cape Verde. I am glad that I made the decision to go!”
