By Michael Veith
While her fellow Gr. 11 classmates studied inside the walls of TIS, Ally Mac’s education took place on the high seas. Aboard the tall ship, S.S. Sørlandet, Ally saw over 17 countries, from the Mediterranean to Brazil, visited 22 ports, and did all this while completing her Grade 11 year. How is this possible? Two words: Class Afloat.
Class Afloat is a program offered by West Island Colleges, a set of Canadian private high schools, based primarily in Quebec. The program allows those in Grade 11, 12 and first year university to travel around the world while still completing Canadian high school and university curriculum. With the option of attending a semester or an entire school year, students from all over the world can apply for Class Afloat, which describes its goal as “bringing the classroom to the world.”
The trip started in Istanbul, where the Sørlandet set sail with 50 students and about 20 faculty and crew. They sailed to ports in Europe, West and South Africa, Brazil, Central America, and North America. One of Ally’s favourite places was Fernando, Brazil, a small island just off the Brazilian Coast. “While we were anchored there for about 3-4 days, I saw probably around a hundred dolphins jumping out of the water at the same time. It was a beautiful scene!”
Despite the exotic destinations, Class Afloat is not a cruise. Along with their academic work, the students were given daily chores and day/night watches. “It was difficult. There was so much to see and do on deck. We did ship work like scraping the deck, to varnishing wood. You do a lot of work during your night watch too. Cleaning the heads (toilet), cleaning the galley (kitchen), washing down the deck, cleaning the laundry room.”
While Ally’s souvenirs of the trip include calluses (compliments of the physical work) and thousands of photos (thanks to the amazing scenery), it’s her memories that will last a lifetime.
“The time when we were in a gale to the time when we jumped into the 11 degrees Celsius sea, the time when we drove through sand dunes to the time when we went into the Sahara desert with camels. I emphasize the “we” because that is the most memorable experience I had. It was the community that I was in.” The program has also brought personal growth. “It has helped me to step out of my comfort zone and be conscious about how my actions could affect other people.”
After graduating from the program in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Ally is now back in Macau and will be returning to TIS for Grade 12. “I would recommend Class Afloat to students who enjoy traveling and are willing to learn. I truly believe it is a once in a lifetime experience like no other. It introduces students to the open world, teaches them to be responsible and helps them mature.” More information on Class Afloat can be found at: http://www.classafloat.com.