They say a picture says a thousand words…but what do a thousand words themselves capture? Ah…that’s up to the imagination, the senses and the richness of an Explorica educational tour! For teachers, travel journaling may not be top of mind curriculum. And for students, remembering to pack a digital camera over a journal may be more urgent. But we’re here to remind our groups of some wise words Oscar Wilde once said, “I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read on the train.”
Tools
So add to that packing list a few simple tools—something to write on…and with. Luckily, most journals tuck away easily in a carry-on bag. But the journal should fit the writer. Encourage students to decide, are they the spiral-bound drug store notebook type? Or artisan leather-bound volume type, modeled after DaVinci’s sketchbooks in Florence? Lines or no lines? Blank pages are great for writing, sketching and attaching odds and ends. Having journals with front and back cover pockets can be useful as well. Squeeze in a mini glue stick or some tape (especially if you’re packing a carry-on since glue may not pass airport security.)
The next decision is a bit easier. Never underestimate the importance of simple writing utensils—as basic as a number 2 lead pencil. (It doesn’t leak and won’t run out of ink in mid-sentence.) In Washington D.C., George Washington used a graphite pencil to survey the Ohio Territory in 1762, (so, see, they’ve always been perfect for traveling.) And Thomas Edison? He kept a three-inch-long pencil in his vest pocket to jot down notes. Mini pencils and scrap paper are always good to have around—like during lunch or on a short walk without bags.
Thought starters
Travel journal? Check. Writing utensil? Check. So now what? See if you can get students excited about documenting their trip. Things to do might be: collect ticket stubs from important theatres like the Globe Theater in London, for example. Or save museum catalogues, train tickets or even natural items like rocks and leaves. And then, have students take time out of each day to capture their Explorica experiences…
- Ask them to use these mementos to describe moments on the tour.
- Structure a short story assignment around these objects. Agatha Christie sometimes started out with an inspirational object around which she crafted her tales.
- Use Beat poet methods: Get students to write stream of consciousness about what they’ve chosen to keep. Jack Kerouac is a perfect example of writing “On the Road.”
- Have students practice creating a sense of place. What did they see, smell, hear, taste and touch surrounding the object?
To quote Rudyard Kipling, “the first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it.” Embrace journaling as a way for students to process the immediate experiences of cultural immersion. Years later, the dim sum card they saved from a favorite restaurant in China, and their words about the incredible dumplings, will remind them of a whole day in Shanghai.
Write now for later
There’s so much to see and do on a trip, where is the time for writing? Get students to think about journaling as artistic and valuable as taking photos. To get the daily habits going, assign list writing, haiku or poetry composition when visiting a stunning location. (Think the Acropolis or Mexico’s Teotihuacan.) In the presence of world landmarks, like the Berlin Wall or Machu Picchu, have students reflect on their individual experience in addition to the historical facts they’re learning—what is the quality of light like at Machu Picchu? Is that light what inspired the Inka’s Temple of the Sun?
Journals are great friends on planes, trains and automobiles, too. While in transit, have students write about their immediate surroundings. And if it looks like a small line at the local restaurant or gift store, perfect time to break out the golf pencils! Some quick exercises for short breaks might be:
- Describe the language, even if you don’t understand a word. What does it sound like?
- Describe the details of the people around your group. Notice gestures, fashion or even how they might be looking at you as a visitor.
- Log the day’s details. Things like time, weather and day of the week are often helpful in re-capturing the feeling of a moment.
Ultimately, Gloria Steinem had it right. “I do not like to write – I like to have written.” No matter what, both students and parents will be happy to have a full journal after the tour ends. While students will return with countless images on their camera phone anyway, having a journal means the detailed stories behind some of those images will be recorded as well. And just like Oscar Wilde, students will have something fabulous to read on their returning flight!