An independent, college preparatory, co-ed, Episcopal Day School serves a community of students in grades 6-12.
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T his past February, thirteen Palmer Trinity students and I went to the Galapagos Islands and Quito, Ecuador on a Round Square collaboration where we met up with students from Sunshine Montessori School in Ontario and Park City Day School in Utah. The travel experience was eye opening as we explored a variety of places, immersed ourselves in new cultures, and grew as individuals. Being a part of this travel experience required us to step out of our comfort zones as we immediately began to develop relationships with new people all without the security blanket of our cell phones. Interacting with people without our phones was unfamiliar for all of us. I want to share about how that experience changed me. Danji, our tour guide in Ecuador, challenged us to voice our observations after the 10-day trip in the Galapagos and Quito. Among the responses, one that struck me was the idea that "the U.S. is so much more advanced than Ecuador." I suppose it depends on how you define advanced. From a technological standpoint, the U.S. dominates. Come to think of it, even my 1-year-old cousin has a baby iPad that he sits in front of while eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I used to wake up and instantly grab my phone and, before I realized it, three hours were lost and I hadn't even said good morning to my family. These devices have replaced one- on-one relationships. Smart phones have taught us how to encapsulate detail and use as few words as possible. Lost is the art of communication. Today, we are so consumed with the need to constantly keep up with the pulse of technology that we don't even realize the beauty that lives all around us. I bet that most people cannot even tell me whether it's cloudy or sunny outside or about one natural thing that they've seen today. In Quito, the connections I made with people that I didn't know existed two days prior were amazing. Not having my iPhone allowed me to exist in the moment and to be 100% present. Nothing was on my mind except what I was living. There were no interruptions or disappointments. The choices I made no longer revolved around a device. I realized how much I'm missing out on. Pay attention to each little drop of morning dew and the way it glistens at the tip of each shrub leaf. Look up and see if you can spot one of the red-shouldered hawks, we have here on campus. In the future, my peers and I will search for the perfect job or amount of money that we think will bring us happiness. We often forget that the little things in life are what truly make us happy. Those little things are what help us through the hard times. Sure, a luxurious boat may make us feel good temporarily, but what about the next day, or the day after that? Not only is it important to recognize and appreciate every moment that brings us joy, it's also important to remember those moments. To me, an advanced country is not one that relies on technology for everything. An advanced country is one that fosters relationships and compassion for one another regardless of ethnicity, skin color, sexual orientation, or wealth. I know I can speak for everyone who was part of this experience when I say that we feel very lucky to have been a part of something this special. We are fortunate to be part of PTS – a traveling school – that knows the value of stepping outside of one's comfort zone. As we go off for the summer, take some time to disconnect and cherish the beauty in the little moments of life. ...we feel very lucky to have been a part of something this special. Finding Beauty in the Little Things By Luca Martinez '23 S U MME R 2 0 1 9 9