While many Whitman students will be traveling home for the summer months to work a summer job or simply relax with friends, others will be setting off in search of an unconventional summer experience. Whitties will be participating in internships, study abroad programs and community service projects that take them far from home. Why did they decide to spend their summers in such a daring way?

Sophomore Lizzy Schiller will be studying in Costa Rica in the cloud forests of Monteverde from June to August. For Schiller, a summer trip offers a study abroad experience without the time commitment away from Whitman.

“I decided to study abroad in Costa Rica for the summer because I knew that I wanted to do some type of study abroad experience but I also knew that I didn’t want to study abroad in the school year and miss out on one of the eight semesters at Whitman,” said Schiller.

Schiller discovered this program during Thanksgiving break when she was looking through study abroad pamphlets and instantly fell in love.

“While it is a summer abroad program for biology majors, and I am not a biology major, I mainly wanted to do it because it sounded like an amazing way to spend most of my summer: studying bio, backpacking and experiencing the Costa Rican culture,” said Schiller.

Schiller will be completing an independent study that is focused on either biology or ecology, taking additional courses, living with a Costa Rican family for a few weeks and backpacking through the rainforests of Costa Rica.

Schiller stresses that although studying abroad has appealed to her, she doesn’t believe that this sort of opportunity is perfect for everyone.

“I feel like there’s this strong push at Whitman centered around studying abroad, and if you don’t study abroad during your college career then you’re missing out on something . . . But really, it’s up to the individual,” said Schiller.

First-year Emma Newton will also be starting an independent study program in Kenya this summer. She will be in Kenya for 20 days working at the Humble Heart School for the Deaf.

For Newton, choosing Kenya as a destination was a no-brainer.

“I love it and I have the opportunity to go so I took it,” she said.

Newton heard of the trip through a family friend who had an extra spot. She will be participating in the program alongside graduate students.

“I’m going to be doing things like working in the classroom, building things, painting, doing construction work but also working with the kids and playing with them,” said Newton.

Last of all, Newton will be going to the Amboseli nature reserve to go on a safari under the shadow of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Sophomore Alethea Buchal will also be helping out at a school, but she will be in Mexico City.

“I have been given an amazing opportunity to live in Mexico City for six weeks this summer teaching English to 6-16 year olds and volunteering for World Vision, Amextra and Armonia,” said Buchal.

Buchal will be staying with a family in a poverty-stricken neighborhood in Mexico City. She is not certain that she will have electricity, but this doesn’t dampen her enthusiasm. According to Buchal, World Vision believes in allowing volunteers to experience poverty and grow from it.

“I know that this experience will open my eyes to see the world and my place in it completely differently,” said Buchal.

Buchal has been feeling a strong connection to Mexico and Latin America because Latin American subculture is such an important part of American culture.

“I have been feeling called to Mexico specifically for several years now and it’s amazing that this opportunity presented itself this summer,” said Buchal.

Buchal came across this opportunity through Whitman Christian Fellowship. She is currently in the process of raising funds for her journey.

“If anyone has piles of cash lying around . . . give it to Alethea,” she said.