Another international LEAP offering was the school’s trip to St. Lucia. An Eastern Caribbean island nation and home of the Nelsons, gracious Northwood parents who hosted our students and accompanying faculty.
The following updates were provided daily by Assistant Head of School for Student Life, John Spear and Humanities Dept. Chair, Heather Odell:
Day One "Our first day was mostly spent traveling to our gracious hosts’ home. Upon arrival we were welcomed by a lovely dinner, complete with local juice. We finished the evening around the dinner table on the patio playing the card game, Spoons. Congratulations to our winner, Christie-Ann! One of the photos attached here is of the gorgeous view from the patio overlooking Castries Harbor. You can see a luminous cruise ship in near distance. We look forward to a new adventure tomorrow! Day Two Today was a great day. After letting everyone sleep in to recover from our day of travel, we headed to an enormous zip line adventure in the rainforest. We saw Ficus trees, frankincense, an African slug, and a variety of birds. Next, we headed to Rodney Bay for a few hours of beach time. Yosef, and Nate rented a jet ski, Maya, Jenny and Chrissy walked the length of the beach, and everyone swam. Some of the kids went to the beach restaurant and enjoyed fancy, tropical “mocktails.” One of today's highlights was Laura reuniting with her lost luggage! We came home to a delicious dinner of curry rotis and a pumpkin casserole. After dinner, Mrs. Nelson shared a tasty fruit cake that is traditionally served during the holidays in St. Lucia. The group is bonding nicely. We played spoons again (Maya won) and ended the night with karaoke. Day Three It was another fantastic day on the island. We began the day with fresh passion fruit for breakfast. After a delicious spread, we headed out to Marigot Bay for sea kayaking and snorkeling. Our guides were incredibly hospitable, and even remembered Northwood students visiting last spring. We kayaked on the ocean making our way to a calm river where we saw beautiful Mangroves. One of our guide's uncles is a subsistence farmer, and we were able to visit his homestead. We drank fresh coconut milk and tasted an abundance of fruits such as guava and starfruit. After regrouping at the Nelsons, we ventured out once more. This time we took advantage of the Gros Islet block party which occurs every Friday. Students tasted fresh fish and kebabs. We stopped into a Nelson family member's restaurant for mocktails. The streets were filled as the crew took in the festive sights and sounds. Tomorrow is our hike up the Gros Piton (Gros Piton mountain stands a remarkable 2,619 feet above sea level, and coupled with Petit Piton, it is the hallmark of St Lucia’s western coast.) Another great day awaits!
Day Four After a tiring day hiking the Gros Piton, we spent our day enjoying views of St. Lucia from the water. We departed Castries Harbor on a 50-foot luxury catamaran and headed south. The Pitons are in the south, so we were able to view yesterday's hike from the catamaran. We stopped to swim, snorkel, and have lunch at a quaint restaurant on the beach. The food was delicious! Snorkeling was also fabulous, as the water was much clearer than the other day. We saw coral and tropical fish of all colors. The highlight of the day was when we spotted several dolphins. At first a few came close to the catamaran, speeding along just in front of us. Then, we noticed many more, jumping in the distance. We spent from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on the catamaran. It was a full day! Once again, the Nelsons prepared a wonderful dinner, complete with desert and a traditional hibiscus drink. We are so thankful for their generosity. The group continued to spend time together at the dinner table playing cards and chatting about all we've done so far. Tomorrow, we visit a local market and spend some more time soaking in the sun. Day Five This morning was a pleasant one beginning with a traditional creole breakfast. There were hard-boiled eggs, fresh fruit, bakes (similar to a donut, but lighter), and fish fritters. We took our time heading out the door to enjoy the view of Castries Harbor from the Nelson's home. We then walked to the open-air marketplace downtown. We were able to be a part of the morning's hustle and bustle, took in the sights and sounds, and shopped for souvenirs. After lunch back at the Nelson's, we departed for Rodney Bay, where we spent a bit of time on our first full day. The group took advantage of just about every activity on the beach: tubing, jet skiing, waterskiing, and even getting a massage! We wrapped up the evening with a delicious taco night back home, sharing the favorite parts of our day, and playing a game of cards. Tomorrow's adventure includes a waterfall hike towards eastern part of the island. We're rested and ready to go! Day Six Today was dedicated to a waterfall adventure. We drove about 90 minutes southeast to the Belle Vue Waterfall in Belle-Vue, Vieux-Fort on the east coast. The trail started on a farm, and we got up close and personal with some cows, bulls, and calves; each one tethered to a stake in the ground. The trail got muddy and messy, but eventually we made our way to the river, and hiked beside, through, and in the river for about thirty minutes before arriving at the waterfall. The water was cool and refreshing and everyone jumped in and swam. Some of us climbed the rocks and jumped in and others climbed the vines hanging from the canopy of trees above the pool. We had the trail and waterfall to ourselves. It was such a special day. We got back to the Nelson's as the sun was setting on Castries Harbor. We had a delicious dinner featuring steaks, mashed potatoes, and rice, and then celebrated Auntie Vera's birthday with some pineapple upside down cake. We played our nightly round of cards, and the students watched some Netflix. It's nearly 10 pm now and all seven are together in the kitchen making brownies. Our Final Day Today was our last full day on the island. After a slow morning, taking time to enjoy another delicious breakfast and magnificent view, we began the day shopping in Rodney Bay. Although we had already swum in this bay, we had yet to stop and browse. This afforded us both a chance to grab some last-minute souvenirs and for some students to satisfy their KFC craving. Kentucky Fried Chicken is a popular chain on the island, so we've driven by them quite frequently. We then headed to Pigeon Island, a historic site and lovely beach. The sun was shining, making for the perfect end to an amazing LEAP experience. Our group stuck together the entire time; a testament to the bonds that have been made throughout our time here. After swimming and having lunch on the beach, we walked up to Fort Rodney. This is at the northern tip of the island and offers a view as stunning as that from the Gros Piton. We could even see Martinique, the neighboring island. We returned to the Nelson's for a celebratory barbecue. After our final dinner on the patio, it was time to hand out "paper plate" awards. This was a fun way to conclude the week, while recognizing the contributions of each student. Seated at the large round dinner table overlooking the harbor, we shared what we will miss most about St. Lucia. We also shared what we are looking forward to once the second semester begins. And yes, we played cards, too. We are happy with how this group of students came together. Over these last couple of days, they did everything together and genuinely enjoyed each other's company. They shared something special in St. Lucia. Finally, we want to thank the Nelson family - Petra, Lambert, Amanda, and Chrissy - for their hospitality. Their warmth, generosity, and love represented all that we experienced in St. Lucia. We're also grateful for Miss Barbi and Chef Dudley who did so much every day to make this experience a success."