Spring Break History Tour

I survived 62 eight-graders (or so), our kids, 1 grandma and several other parents in what I would call a four day whirlwind that started at 12:00 AM Monday and ended Thursday at 10:00 PM.  Honestly, I am still recovering. 

WHY?

My partner wanted to take the kids to DC.  One thing to know about me, I've traveled more than the average person and not as much as those with so many frequent flyer miles they are upgraded to first class.   But, I don't love tours.  Therefore, I went into this with one foot in and the other dragging, but when January 2022 rolled around I put both of those feet in and decided it was going to be an adventure.  And, it was.

WHAT the ... EF?

Dave's best friend is an eighth-grade history teacher in LA.  He does this tour at least once a year.  Dave heard how amazing it was and is, so we joined the group.

And, then we invited Dave's mom because who does not want to walk 40,000 steps across DC, Maryland, Philadelphia and Virginia?  Marcia did and she did great! 

THE TRIP TRANSLATED

It was good for us, but it was not easy.  The first day like all red-eyes we arrived in the morning and started the tour.  For this trip that started in Philadelphia.  One thing I'll say about Philadelphia is that the people I ran into were exceptionally helpful. 

• It's good for kids to learn the red eye thing early -- because I don't know how many work trips I've been on and I land and have to start ...
• There was no 'modifications' for the individual traveler.  That worked to our advantage because we would have had several requests (not so requesty) to modify.
• Everyone just got to it -- whether they liked it or not.
• And we saw a LOT.
• When the tour guides said 'bus' my heart would skip just a little (the bus was huge and comfortable and meant my feet would get a break)
• The boys are not ready for their sixteens birthday present -- Europe

A TRIP EVERYONE SHOULD MAKE

I have been to DC for work.  I am not sure how many times (and I don't mean like so many I can't keep count).  Maybe 1-4.  There has only been on trip where I was able to visit any monuments and I think that was a side trip with friends.  I saw the White House and the Vietnam Memorial.  I was probably twenty-ish.  And, the Vietnam Memorial always stayed with me, the White House seemed small. 

But, this time around I realized, how different the world is from an adult perspective.   What stood with me this time is how our founding fathers (love them or hate them) built something that had never been built -- with no blueprint.  Was it perfect -- no, but was it a foundation for a better way to live, yes.  The sacrifice for this vision is palpable everywhere we went from the first battle of the civil war to the battles against Britain.  I am not a historian, but one thing I learned on the trip is everyone has a story and their story influences the story they share. 

Did Lincoln set out to end slavery because slavery is wrong, indecent or because he had the vision, his calling to build a more perfect union and that required an end to slavery.

WHAT I LEARNED REALLY

Is that I will never have all the answers.  Even if my 15-year old boy does (HA).  That history is beautiful and amazing ... that Ben Franklin was an ambassador and wore native garb to impress the women, that he loved women (maybe scandalously so), that slavery is never far from the minds of some and maybe should not be, but that slavery did not start in the United States ... it's part of the human history ... and why is that?   Why is it that human feel entitled to enslave another person?  It's heartbreaking ... and I'm hopeful that once we all realize we are part of the problem and have been we can be better in the future. 

That sometimes a trip that requires more than a beach and a Pina colada is the path less taken and often needed.