Over the two  week spring break period there are lots of things to do and places to see.  Many Berkeley students and families take this opportunity to travel somewhere amazing. This spring break, students anticipate embarking on cruises, traveling to Europe, and even participating in Berkeley trips including those to China and Cuba.  

Berkeley has partnered with  Tsinghua University High School in Beijing to create a exchange program. Students from China visited Tampa and stayed with Berkeley host families earlier this year, and over spring break, Berkeley students will visit their exchange students in China. One of the students attending the trip, Anna Cordell ’19, says that she is “extremely excited because it is a different culture that [I have]  not experienced before.” She has kept  in touch with her exchange student and looks forward to seeing her again. While in Beijing, Berkeley students will attend classes, stay with host families and explore destinations, including the Great Wall of China, all while learning more about Chinese language and culture.   

This year, Berkeley students also have the exciting opportunity to travel to Cuba as part of a new Berkeley service trip. Students will stay in Cuba, primarily Havana, for a week while partnering with the Cuban Institute For Friendship With the People, an organization that works with volunteers to provide relief and service work throughout the country. Colton Karpman ‘16 is most “excited to talk to the people and get their thoughts on the new US-Cuba relations.”

Other Berkeley students interviewed opted for trips with their families abroad or exploring closer to home on cruises. Stephanie Corn ’19 says that “Vacations with my family are really fun and [are]  a great way to bond and create new experiences.”

However, one does not have to travel outside of the country to have an exciting spring break experience.  Emma Righter ’19 is going to San Francisco and she notes that “usually traveling in the northeast, I can say I am ecstatic to see the west coast, and especially see such a treasured part of California.”

Regardless of their plans, Berkeley students look forward to two weeks of relaxation and exploration, and the Berkeley community looks forward to hearing about their experiences.