Three Continents, One Spring Break

Sea lions on the streets. Temple incense and floating villages. Tries scored under the Australian sun. This past Spring Break, groups of St. Michaels University School Senior School students traded the familiar for the extraordinary and came home with stories that will last far longer than three weeks.

While much of the SMUS community enjoyed a well-earned rest, small groups of students and the faculty who led them were busy seeing the world. Across three continents, opt-in trips to the Galápagos Islands, Southeast Asia, and Australia gave students experiences that simply would not have been possible without the kind of shared commitment that defines this community.

For many of the travelling boarding students, including several in their first year at SMUS, these journeys offered something more: the chance to spend their break exploring the world alongside new friends. Rather than returning home immediately, these students opted to stay connected, a quiet testament to the sense of belonging they have found in Victoria.

The result was three unforgettable trips that brought the world a little closer.

Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

Thirteen students, alongside teachers Krista Jones and Tiffany Webber, traded the familiar rhythms of Victoria for the extraordinary ecosystems of the Galápagos Islands.Their first stop was Quito, where they walked the equatorial line, balanced eggs on nails, and watched water drain in opposite directions depending on which hemisphere they stood in. From there, the group island-hopped through Santa Cruz, Isabela, and San Cristóbal, encountering wildlife that seemed almost indifferent to human presence: sea lions sprawled across piers, iguanas blocking pathways, tortoises moving at their own unhurried pace. Students snorkelled alongside penguins, marine iguanas, rays, sea turtles, and sharks, and visited the Charles Darwin Research Station, where they learned the story of Lonesome George, the last of his tortoise species, who died in 2012. The trip closed with a visit to the Otavalo textile market and a traditional meal featuring guinea pig, which, by most accounts, more than a few students were brave enough to try.

Southeast Asia: Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand

Three countries. Three distinct histories, cultures, and landscapes and for 15 students, their perspectives were quietly but meaningfully shifted by what they saw. In Vietnam, students moved through bustling markets and visited sites that brought the country's history into sharp, sobering relief. In Cambodia, a visit to a floating village proved the most affecting stop of the journey. In Thailand, students rounded out the trip with new experiences that will not soon be forgotten.

"We were impressed by the conditions in which they lived. It had a powerful impact on the way we see ourselves and the world we live in, learning how to appreciate the privileges of living in Canada," reflected students Valentina Elizalde Olea and Daniel Hop Hendy of the floating village visit.

Australia: Rugby and Soccer Tour

The Senior Boys Rugby team and Senior Girls Soccer team took their pre-season to the other side of the world, competing against competitive Australian clubs across Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and Sydney. Between matches, students visited Australia Zoo, explored Aboriginal culture through an immersive walkabout at Jellurgal, and took in the Blue Mountains before finishing with a jet boat ride around Sydney Harbour. On the pitch, the rugby side earned two wins from four matches, with coach Clayton Daum noting the team's significant gains in "confidence, skill, and tactical understanding."

The soccer squad faced some of Australia's strongest youth programs, including a side featuring multiple Junior Matildas (the Australian women's national under-17 football team), and competed with resilience throughout. Coach Jackie Cunningham said the tour "challenged the girls to step outside their comfort zones, deepen their bonds as teammates, and grow through shared adversity." Both teams returned to league play in the first week back to school.