Traveling leaves people with memories that will last a lifetime.
For senior Max Decker one moment of his 9 day trip stands out more than the rest
“My favorite memory was Greek night. Coming together under such hospitality felt unmatched; the ability to connect both Greek and American identities under food, dance, and celebration felt amazing,” said Decker
For Decker and other students, what made the trip special was experiencing new places and things with other people.
“ I couldn’t find anyone who wasn’t having a good time that night.” Said Max Decker.
In July 2025, 35 students and teachers from Tosa West got the opportunity to spend 9 days traveling and touring Italy and Greece.
The first few days were spent in the Italian cities of Rome and Florence and then several days in Greece ,
“Exploring each smaller city after dinner was a way to explore without feeling like a tourist. It gave us the chance to experience the area like a local. The difference in social culture in Italy and Greece helped open my eyes to how we interact with others and how that is different depending on where you live,” said senior Peyton Geoden.
The World Travelers Club, run by Tosa West High social studies teacher Padi Kong, is responsible for the organization of this trip and others to come.
“I love world travel. One of my goals as a teacher is that to make sure my students become good citizens, and that was the really great part of being able to do this, is we talk about these places and now we get to see them,” said Padi Kong.
Although the idea of traveling to a different country with different customs and culture may be intimidating at first, this will be an opportunity you don’t want to miss.
“I definitely recommend this for any student who is interested in world travel and wants to kinda be able to go and do a very unique experience that can be very difficult to do on your own. Everything is pre-led for you, but you also get time for yourself to just explore the city, which I really love because you get both aspects of it.” commented Padi Kong.
Trip chaperone English teacher Martin Grosse reflects on one of his favorite memories from Italy.
“I think the beach day was a lot of fun. I think we were all starting to get to know each other because it was only day two, so I think that was a big bonding day for all of us, and I had such a good time,” said Martin Grosse
The students who were a part of the travel group this summer. Gained new memories and experiences that they will remember for a lifetime.
The main purpose of traveling is to get outside of your comfort zone and do things you may have never done back home.
“ I think growth wise, kids grow a lot too, I heard a lot of that from students after the trip. They told me that they felt like they grew a lot as individuals just through all the different experiences that they got to go on”
If this sounds like something you would be interested in, the World Travelers club is starting to plan for their next trip during the summer of 2027 to Switzerland, Italy, France, Monaco, and Spain.
“Switzerland is one of my favorite countries I’ve ever gone to. I’ve done the Switzerland part of this trip, and it is so memorable. I can’t wait to go on this part of the trip again. I’m so excited,” said Padi Kong.
This Friday, October 17th, is the last day to enroll for the trip. The total price of the trip is $4,679, with flexible payment plans for monthly payments ($240) and bi-weekly payments ($120), which pays for a full time tour director, all forms of transportation, daily breakfast and dinner, hotel stays, expert led sightseeing tours, and tickets for all planned excursions.
“Be outgoing. Try new things, talk to your fellow travelers, make new connections. Putting yourself out there, especially in an unfamiliar environment like this, will make your trip the most enjoyable it can be. Trying different foods, attempting to speak other languages, seeing the rich histories of these two countries firsthand; all of it broadened my horizons regarding life experiences,” said senior Max Decker