Whether watching the sunrise from the mountains of Minca at 4 a.m. or listening to music on the beach in Palomino at 9:30 at night, members of the Upper School’s (US) Round Square club immersed themselves in local cultures while attending a conference in Colombia from Sept. 14 to 28. Round Square, an organization composed of schools from around the globe, holds an annual conference in a different country each year, giving students the opportunity to travel to Kenya, Tanzania, and London in recent years.
At the conference this year, keynote speakers spoke to the attendees about Colombia and their experiences with regard to the Round Square IDEALS: Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism, Adventure, Leadership, and Service. Students from 28 countries took part in the conference and participated in activities, such as speaking with indigenous people, participating in environmental efforts, and learning about Colombian society.
DEIG Officer and trip chaperone Leila Bailey- Stewart said that one of the most memorable experiences of the trip was watching the students use natural resources to create art.
“One of the special moments of the trip was watching students paint a mural in Tibasosa using paint that they made from the earth,” she said. “Using elements from the earth like sand, stones, clay, and cactus allowed students to be connected to the land they were visiting, learn a skill from locals, and practice the skills that they can use in the future. It was also really fun.”
Cultural exchange is prioritized at the school through various programs, such as Round Square, Ms. Bailey-Stewart said.
“One of the amazing things about cultural exchange is it requires each person to learn about their own identity and culture better,” she said. “Sharing one’s culture is a beautiful and unique experience. Each person is the expert on their own lives. If we approach the world with curiosity, we make space to broaden our perspectives, clarify misunderstandings, and develop appreciation for all that we are yet to discover. For me, there is a freedom in sharing. It makes the load lighter and more enjoyable, and it also comes with the responsibility to care for what others are trusting me with.”
Parker Willett ’25 has wanted to attend the trip the past two years but couldn’t because of her busy schedule.
“I wanted to go last year, but I was away last fall, so I couldn’t,” she said. “This year, it’s during senior fall, so I don’t have the time to leave for two weeks because I have applications and other work to get done.”
Despite being unable to go on the trip, Parker still participates in the Round Square club at the school because she thinks its mission is important.
“Round Square promotes sustainability, global education, environmentalism, diversity, and leadership, which I think are all really important objectives.”
Luciana Castano ’25, who attended the trip this September, said that her decision to go was based on her Colombian identity.
“This trip was important to me because of my Colombian heritage,” she said. “I decided to go because I wanted to discover new things about my country that I didn’t know before and because I wanted to show other people how beautiful and how special Colombia is in order to change any preconceived notions that they might have about this amazing country.”
Although the group had many unique experiences, Luciana enjoyed immersing herself in local Colombian culture.
“I think one of my favorite memories of this trip was when we were in Cartagena and we danced with strangers in the middle of a very busy street,” she said. “I felt like everyone I was traveling with was finally experiencing my culture the way I know and love it.”
Luciana also thought that talking to people of different cultures was an insightful but somewhat difficult experience.
“At the cultural night at the end of the conference, we all shared our culture and felt connected through each performance,” she said. “I think something I found challenging was allowing myself to be fully comfortable with the people around me and with the environment I was in. It definitely took a lot of flexibility.”
Round Square Co-President Hale McGivern ’25, who went to Colombia this year and Kenya and Tanzania last year, also said that making unlikely friends was challenging but rewarding.
“I went to this conference last September too, and one of the best parts is making friends from around the world that I know I would just never meet without an opportunity and experience like this,” she said. “One of the biggest challenges is walking up to people and starting a conversation, especially when you don’t have something in common with them. A lot of people’s first language isn’t English, so that can be tricky, but remembering that everyone there wants to talk to each other helps.”
Hale enjoys being a part of the Round Square and going on the trips because it builds community, and she knows that it is a special experience.
“I’ve always found the club interesting, whether it’s in the club discussing the world and its issues or getting to know the people inside the club,” she said. “I think it’s a great community. When presented with the chance to go on a trip like this, I think it’s really important to grab the bull by the horns and take hold of this wonderful opportunity.”
