Instead of a carefree jaunt in the Mexican sun, participants in a university-organized program have an opportunity to partake in a more wholesome, service-oriented trip to an equally exotic locale.
The Wisconsin Union Travel Center, which offers several pre-packaged spring break trips to students, is offering a volunteer trip to Petersfield, Jamaica, for the first time, according to Katie Kincaid Wisconsin Union Travel Center spring break coordinator.
'We've been doing spring break for over 15 years now, and always wanted to go along with the University's mission of doing service and educational trips, and we were looking to do something internationally,' Kincaid said.
UW-Madison senior Alison Zeldon said she is interested in the trip because of the opportunity to teach Jamaican children before she graduates.
'I want to be a teacher,' she said. 'I want to go to grad school for my education degree after, so when I saw that you could help out in a school there, I was very interested.'
Students will pitch in at a community center in the rural mountain town of Petersfield, where they will work with children and seniors, as well as paint and landscape the center, Kincaid said.
'Jamaica, in general, is a pretty impoverished nation, and people don't really realize that because of all the tourism and huge resorts,' she said.
One of the main points of interest to participants is that students will live with Jamaican families in the community during their stay.
Zeldon said this important feature is part of what encouraged her to take the trip.
'That's one of the reasons I wanted to do it too, because otherwise you don't really learn the culture as much,' she said.
Natsuko Tohyama, a UW-Madison senior, said she stayed with a family in Spain during a high school trip, and stressed the importance of cultural flexibility.
'I hope to be flexible and to accept the different culture as much as I can,' she said. 'I also want to establish good relationships with the family, my peers and everybody on this trip.'
Kincaid said the trip costs $1,069, which includes airfare, and that five of the participants will receive $500 scholarships through the UW-Madison Morgridge Center for Public Service, to be put toward the cost of the trip.
With a pending sign-up deadline of Feb. 6, nine students had signed up as of last week, and the trip's capacity is 25, Kincaid said.
