International Education Programs

This March, Loomis Chaffee students will travel to Savannah, Georgia, where they will engage in deep and meaningful “glocal” learning. In this program, students will examine the preservation of African American history and Gullah-Geechee culture in Savannah and on Georgia’s coastal islands. The Gullah-Geechee people are descendants of formerly enslaved people from the West Coast of Africa, captured because of their agricultural knowledge of rice. Their culture is distinctive and found only in the Lowcountry of the Southeast. Through experiences in the urban environment of Savannah and in the rural setting of Sapelo Island, students will consider the impact of geography, environment, and diaspora on the development of community values and culture. Activities will include sessions on climate justice and environmental activism; hands-on art demonstrations such as basket weaving and indigo dyeing; visits with local experts and community members; and outdoor excursions exploring the beaches, agricultural landscapes, and history of enslaved peoples in Savannah.  

This March, Loomis Chaffee students will travel to Santa María de Dota, a small mountain town with breathtaking views in south central Costa Rica. The Costa Rican government has made sustainable tourism the cornerstone of its long-term economic strategy, with a keen focus on preserving the natural environment and enhancing the quality of education for Costa Rican youth. In Santa María de Dota, a town with a large carbon-neutral coffee cooperative employing many of the local people, Loomis students will consider the role of ecotourism in societies today. They will connect with local experts and partners and engage in a community project, designed in consultation with the needs and desires of the local community. The trip will conclude with a short visit to Dominical, a Pacific beach-front town, where students will be able to take surf lessons and explore the rainforest. Centered on the idea of taking meaningful action, this program will help students to investigate the world through local and global perspectives, develop a greater sense of empathy, communicate and collaborate with others, and ultimately become more engaged global citizens.

This June, Loomis Chaffee students will travel to Italy to investigate Italian food and community health and wellness in Sardinia and Rome. Sardinia is known as one of the world’s five Blue Zones. A Blue Zone is an area with a high concentration of centenarians, or people who are one hundred or more years old. Here students will visit farms, artisans, and historical sites, and they will engage with local researchers to learn how food is grown and produced. Through these activities, the group will consider how the Slow Food Movement — a focus on locally grown food and food traditions — may contribute to health and longevity in the region. In Rome, the group will delve into an examination of Italian history and culture and will visit archaeological sites, museums, and public markets. Students will continue their exploration of regional cuisine as they consider how history and culture shape present day lifestyles. During this program, students will examine what global trends of wellness look like locally, and they will feel empowered to further explore the role of food and wellness in their own lives.

This June, Loomis Chaffee students will travel to Scandinavia to explore why and how this region has become a leader in sustainable urbanism. Denmark is known for its bicycle infrastructure and creative, design-focused culture. Neighboring Sweden is also one of the world’s “greenest” countries, balancing its clean energy system with forward-thinking social policies. Through visits to places including Copenhagen, Samso Island, and Malmo, students will explore the technology, policies, and culture that make Scandinavian cities thrive. By experiencing spaces and projects that integrate community needs with environmental goals, the group will think about what a multi-faceted approach to sustainability can truly look like. From bicycling around Copenhagen, to considering the benefits of public transportation such as ferries and trains, to engaging in discussions with leaders on Samso Island, the world’s first energy island, students will consider how innovation and design can shape culture and ways of life and explore how they may apply these ideas in other cities around the world.