These past four years have been one of discovering my blessing in the vast universe and seeing His plan for the coming years. None more so has helped me on this path of self-discovery than Ms. Wilson. The drama community was one of the first to embrace me; it has become a place to call a second home.

I traveled to London and Edinburgh this spring break with Ms. Wilson and the drama club, or misfits as I affectionately call them, for their whimsical and nonconformist spirit here at CCHS. However, as a graduating senior at CCHS, I have only noticed recently, since 2023, that CCHS has provided more opportunities for overseas travel. Hopefully, by sharing my experiences with these people who have meant so much in my development as a man of faith, I could advocate for the school to invest in more overseas travel for arts students in the years to come once I graduate. 

The whole purpose of the trip, sponsored by Ms. Wilson and supported by the ever-helpful and affable Ms. Webb and Mr. Matt Nguyen, is to expose theater-adjacent kids to different theatrical styles of performing arts through various shows and events. There was a time when we saw five shows at London’s most premier theater sights: Piccadilly Circus, the National Theatre, and the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

The five shows we saw, all eighteen students, two parents (including my mother), and the three teachers, were varied. From the great musicals of “Hadestown” with an entertaining Orpheus (who knew the best Orpheus would be one with a Scottish accent), to the Shakespeare play of “Cymbeline,” which predated relevant themes by almost five hundred years. Every night, I was a little boy at a candy store, laughing hysterically at my favorite play, “Dear England,” at the National Theater due to its humor and critique of British soccer culture.

But then there were the most enjoyable aspects of the trip (besides the night in Edinburgh, which was fun going on a pretzel run with new friends): spending time with my mother in Oxford and doing a Shakespeare workshop. The workshop was a two-hour seminar on rehearsing lines and directing Shakespeare sonnets from “Romeo and Juliet,” led by a real Shakespearean actor. Having a chance to direct a monologue scene of my own was living out my dream of what I do today, becoming a director of film and TV as well as a writer.

Then there is the day at Oxford. My mom was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to graduate from this university. Most kids don’t get a chance to imagine themselves in their parents’ shoes. The funny thing is seeing my mother visiting her college in Hertford at Oxford; there was an almost youthful twinkle in her eyes as she recollected her days at the King’s Tavern, where we spent a lovely lunch with Ms. Wilson and Ms. Webb.

If I had decided to be like every other senior and spend my spring breaks down on the sunny shores of Miami or Cabo San Lucas, perhaps I would’ve had a good time. But then, I wouldn’t trade anything in the world for watching with a smile, seeing my mom so happy, remembering the best years of her life through cheerful smiles and wonderful anecdotes. 

We all know as a community that the benefits of traveling overseas can provide students with a broader outlook on life and the world itself. “It can foster a student’s desire to travel or be more globally connected,” according to travelforteens.com.

Yet, though CCHS has championed overseas travel in the past, when it came to athletics and immersion trips recently taken to Mexico City, the artisans of the Dons community have only recently joined the table. “We were the first big trip in 2023 to London and Paris for the arts,” according to Ms. Wilson. After we wrapped up our time together at lunch, she told me that the next trip on the table awaiting school approval is a return to the sights of London and Paris once again. 

Right now, there is an even keel between each organization of athletics, service, and the arts. Yet, sometimes I fear that when I leave a school that has been so influential in growing into a more confident human being, that Cathedral might not keep up its mandate of giving equal time to the global outreach of the Dons community.

Especially in the wake of stricter American immigration laws and anti-globalization sentiment worldwide from the UK to Italy, future Dons’ leadership might not see the benefit of overseas travel for the arts. Yet, traveling doesn’t just benefit those who are already confident human beings locked into their identities and futures, but allows them to grow out of their shells.

“Main thing I advocate about these travels is that it helps CCHS students grow out of their shell… it helped them a lot in forming new friendships,” according to Hispanic/Latino Student Union club leader Bella Aguilera reflecting on her expedition to Mexico City (a place she has gone for the first time to be closer to her roots). So, if we know from the experts the benefits of travel, we also see its impact on students, from service trips to art trips.

We must continue to fund overseas travel for the arts, not just for more traditional mediums of Don’s glory of service and athletics. When I asked Ms. Wilson what she would say in a hypothetical letter advocating for at least one drama trip a year out of state or overseas, she said: “We saw the impact the arts have on the students and community on campus. We can only continue such meaningful work if we allow our view of the theater to expand out of the bubble of our community.”