Most years Deming students get a very interesting chance to see the world. Offered to the people of Deming is a 10-day trip to another country, to places Americans may see often in movies or a place one may only have dreamed of seeing.

Last year the class of 2017 and others, took a 9-hour flight to see the highlights of Europe. Paris was the first of many stops for the group. The culture was very different, and the way of life took time to adjust to. For some who love food, they would be sad to see the small portions that were served in Paris. For those who love the beach, they would fall for the rocky beaches of Nice. Europe is a very different place from the United States, depending on the person, they may be intrigued.

Day: 1/2 – The group left El Paso Airport at 4 pm and arrived at Paris International Airport at 1:30 pm the next day, it was a 9-hour flight from Atlanta to Paris. The first place we saw while on the ground in Paris was the famous gothic architecture of the Notre Dame Cathedral, which if you have takn world history was in your text books. Since we landed so late in the day we were only able to look around the city near Notre Dame and then eat dinner.  It was something I could not describe if I wanted to, but it was good! The hotels that you may know in the US with two queen size beds, a closet and desk, are a luxury in Paris. In Paris the hotel rooms had 2 twin beds and a cot, with just enough space around them to walk.

Day: 3 – The morning was spent seeing the sights of Paris, taking pictures in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, and visiting the round-about that circled the Arch de Triumph. This was one of the days where you get to decide what you wanted to do for the evening. The tour offered evenings alone in the city where you are responsible for yourself and can go see what you would like, however there is also another option. If you decide to take an afternoon tour, you were taken to another location. The people that signed up for the extra location were taken to the Palace of Versailles that was built by Louis XVI. Built on the top of a hill over looking a small city outside Paris, the view was breath taking. The Palace dwarfs most buildings in the US and the grounds are a sight to see as they are easily a hundred acres or greenery and ornate fountains. The group finished the day on a river cruise that went under 23 bridges that spanned the Seine River that runs through the heart of Paris.

Day: 4 – The final stop for us, before leaving Paris, was a trip to the Louvre.  It has a lot of art you may have heard of, like the Mona Lisa. The Louvre is one of the most premier art museum’s in the world and is massive. Spending 4 hours there was not enough time to see all that there was. Most people spent their time finding pieces of art they liked, my personal favorite was the statue of Victory that is presented in a large stairwell as you move from one hall of statues to another. The awe of such art was inspiring. The group was then taken away to a train station to board the fastest wheeled train in France. The train traveled at speeds up to 200 mph, even at this speed, it took us 6 hours to arrive in Nice, which is along the coast of France.

Day: 5 – The most amazing day of the trip in my opinion started at 6:45 am with a bus trip to Monaco, which is a small 4-mile square, City/State. The drive along the Atlantic to the city was picturesque with the deepest blue water possible. In Monaco there was time to tour on your own. We were lucky enough to go down to the water’s edge where you could see at least 10 feet into a very different water from that of the California Coast. From the Mouth of the bay looking into the city of Monaco, it looked like a map from a futuristic video game with endless buildings blending into one another with tunnels throughout the hills that the city was built on. However, as our time there came to a close, the group headed back to Nice for an afternoon on the Beach. This was  also very different from the ones of California. The beach was not nice sand but rock. Millions of skipping stone-sized rocks made up the beach, which didn’t make it easy to walk.  However, the pain was worth the chance to Paraglide over the ocean, for 40€. A few of us were strapped into a harness and sent out over the beautiful blue waters off the shore of Nice, 100 ft. in the air behind a boat. There are no pictures to remember the view of the city from the experience but by memory alone the view will not be forgotten.

Day: 6 –The day started early again as we headed to Piza, Italy.  Yes that Piza, which lies in the middle of another city, walled in and keep immaculate. The grounds were amazing and the city streets that led away from the leaning tower offered the chance to eat while admiring the spectacular construction. The grounds not only housed the Leaning Tower, but a Cathedral and Baptistery, which were built with the same perfectly white marble that the Leaning Tower was constructed with, after the photos where it looked like we were holding up the tower were taken, the group headed off onto the next destination, Florence.

Day: 7 -  This historic was the most packed of the tourist attractions we went to as the city was not made to be a spectacle, rather it was a small kingdom that was the heart of the Renaissance. This city has the most ornate churches made of multi-colored Marble, and the Uffizi Art Museum, that house the majority of Art that was created in Florence during the time of Michael Angelo and Leonardo De Vinci. The Uffizi is another premiere Art museum that we were able to view. The City also has the original sculpture of ‘David,’ and countless other historical measures and places on its winding streets.

Day: 8 – This was another long but amazing day, with a little touch of New Mexico’s 103-degree weather!  We toured the Roman forum that is the location of the Colosseum and the bones of every civilization since the Roman Empire piled up in the dirt waiting to be discovered. The forum was scattered with 1000-year-old pillars and parts of buildings that hadn’t stood since before the 1800’s. The idea of being among the bones of ancient civilizations was insane, however the touring of the Colosseum was the most exciting. Though it was built more than 2000 years ago, it could be compared to modern day football stadiums. The Trevi Fountain was another ornate decoration of the city, a water fountain that takes up a city block made completely of white Marble with Poseidon riding out of the water is something you would not see in the United States.

Day: 9 – The tour took us to the Vatican.  It was the most ornate and popular location we visited, with almost everything in the halls decorated with Gold and pristine marble, then painted over to depict Biblical events the whole City was a piece of Art. There is almost nothing I can say to describe what it was like to be there, jus that the Sistine chapel and St. Peters Basilica are marvels of Art and Design. The Roman Parthenon and Spanish Steps are also locations we stumbled upon. The Parthenon still bore the marks of WWII with pockmarks on its face from the weapons of the day, however it has since become a church which is not batter use for the space.  The Spanish steps may not sound familiar, but if you’ve ever seen a movie set in Rome, you’ve probably seen them.  “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” is one of the newer movies. 

Day: 10 – We spent 12 hours on the plane home as we departed from Rome’s Da Vinci International Airport.

The events above are a recap of what you get to experience on one of these trips. However, there is another impact a trip like this may have on anyone wanting to experience a new place.  It gives you perspective. If you limit your perspective to what you know, and spend your time comparing it to home, you will grow to despise the differences because everything from the way you eat, to the way you sleep, is different.  Rather, when you open your eyes to someone else’s perspective and embrace the differences, you can learn about why they are different and look at the reason things are different. By being broad-minded, you may even appreciate another person’s perspective.

            A Global Citizen is a term you may have heard recently, it is defined as “someone who identifies with being part of an emerging world community and whose actions contribute to building this community’s values and practices”. The best way to become a citizen of the world is to learn about the differences in the world, because that is what informs the world’s practices. The reasons are often hidden to the individual because we each live in our own little world that is different from one another.  This is caused by the lack of experience. Experience in a world that is only a day’s travel to every corner of the globe.

Though it is you who has to want to learn and expand your outlook, trips like the annual EF Tour, opens up an opportunity to help grow that perspective.