PCDS students travelled far and wide this summer, but one thing remained constant: connections. Whether they were visiting a friend in Germany, reconnecting with cross-country friends in Israel, or playing summer baseball with old teammates, cultivating friendships was the focal point of every summer story shared.
For senior Sofia Levine-Bosch, one of the highlights of her summer was visiting Mia Blaes, a beloved PCDS exchange student who spent her junior year with the Class of 2027, at her home in Germany.
After working at summer camp and spending time with family and friends, Sofia traveled to Schweich, Germany, where she spent a week with Mia and her family. They kayaked and sampled German food, notably German sausage and homemade schnitzel prepared by Mia’s grandmother.
However, Sofia’s favorite part of the trip came the moment she walked through the door: “When I got to Mia’s house, her whole house was full of pictures from her exchange year,” Sofia said. “There were so many pictures of me and my family, my dogs, and it was really sweet.”
Senior Michelle Schwartz’s summer took her across several countries, bringing unique experiences and allowing her to explore history and reconnect with a community she has known for years.
Michelle traveled to Poland, where she visited Holocaust memorial and historical sites.
From Poland, Michelle flew to Israel, where she spent over a month travelling throughout the country with 250 other students from her summer camp network. The group traveled from northern Israel to the south, visiting Jerusalem and exploring Jewish, Christian, and Muslim historical and religious sites along the way.
“I’ve always wanted to go, and I’ve never been before,” Michelle said. “The whole thing was pretty meaningful for me.”
Just as important was who she experienced it with. Many of the students on the trip were longtime summer camp friends, while others were people she had met for the first time.
For junior Ronnie Ross, summer looked a little different. Instead of settling down in one place, he spent his summer travelling all across the U.S. for baseball.
He played in showcases and tournaments across the country, including trips to Nevade and California, visiting UNLV and San Diego State. One of the busiest stretches came during a tournament in Georgia, where his team played six games at different colleges and fields.
The tournaments also gave Ronnie the chance to pass time with old friends.
“I got to spend time with a bunch of my friends that I’ve known since I was 5 or six,” Ronnie said. “I feel like friendships in all sports are very important, because it really creates a great team. It builds team chemistry and a good bond between everyone, which can help you push through the hard times in your sport.”
Sophomore Alexandra Rosetti spent 12 days backpacking through Slovenia’s Julian Alps with friends she had met through summer camp. The trip was chock full of adventure: whitewater rafting, rock climbing, ziplining, and long days of hiking through the Alps.
At night, her group stayed in mountain huts, where they stopped for meals before settling in for the evening.
Despite all of the activities she participated in, Alexandra’s favorite part of the trip was simple: “Definitely friends,” she said. “I hadn’t seen them in, like, a year, and so it was fun.”
For Alexandra, the trip was a chance to reconnect with friends across the globe and to create a shared experience together, and she does not plan for this to be her last. Alexandra hopes to continue travelling in future summers, carrying on connections to the future.
The destinations may have been different, but these stories shared by PCDS students point to the same conclusion: Summer travel is often less about where you go and more about who you experience it with.
