Every year Stockholm International School organises week long trips for its MYP students. From the west coast to Åland, students camp, hike, bike, swim, fish, raft and live with their classmates. The trips give students a chance to strengthen bonds and make new friends, which is especially important in an international school where new students come and go every year. Above all however, the trips are a chance for students to unwind, fill up their batteries and get ready for the long year ahead.

7th grade, Gotland. By Krešimir.

A group of little more than 50 brave 7th graders, like the vikings 1000 years before them, embarked on a journey by boat and set out east, following the sunrise. After facing the merciless waves of the Baltic sea or ‘Östersjön’ for hours, they came to an island, known as Gotland. What was this place? What secrets could it hold? Only time would tell.

They set up camp for the next 3 nights, in conditions that could only be described as inhuman. The water was undrinkable, and the children were forced to drink nothing but orange and apple juice for four days. They desperately tried to keep clean.  Emma said, “The water tasted like seaweed.” Why did you taste it then? To make matters worse, one poor child found a spider in their bathroom! Who knew what the spider might have done to them if it were not for one brave girl who picked it up and threw it outside.

They cycled around the island as if on an eternal migration, until they came to a fossil bed. What creatures roamed these shores millions of years ago? What monsters existed long before we did? Liam said it best, “I found a rock with two lines.”

The children were cursed with a day of rain, that was so intense, they needed to wear jackets. Despite the trials the 7th graders had to endure, some still found the courage and strength to swim in the Baltic sea and earn the prestigious membership of the Polar Bear Club. Some were lucky to come back at all; Liam tripped and broke his arm. This trip can be described as nothing less than a life changing experience for the students.

8th grade, Smögen. By Stine.

This year’s 8th graders travelled early on Tuesday morning to Smögen. Here they spent four days and three nights, with rather unfortunate weather consisting of rain. The trip was packed with adventurous and exciting activities such as museum visits, crab fishing, swimming, and a visit to the Universeum. According to the 8th graders themselves, the best parts of the trip were either the sketches performed on the last evening, or the time people joined together to perform their version of the “Nae nae.” Wilma’s words of wisdom for next year’s student going on the trip would be to “bring extra towels and extra of everything basically, because you never know what weather it will be: it is still Sweden.”

9th grade, Lassekrog. By Angela

On the 25th of August, the students from 9th grade and some of the teachers set out for the awaited class trip to Lassekrog. Everyone was rather excited to have fun and bond with their classmates. They did a lot of fun and adventurous activities and most of them did not want to leave the place. They went fishing, mountain hiking and rafting. Rafting was the best activity of them all, according to one anonymous student, but the most exciting part was that people fell in the water as they fished. They also got the opportunity to walk on swamps, which was rather scary and exciting at the same time. The students’ words of wisdom for next year’s students is to be careful in every activity they do, and they wish them a nice time and great weather.

10th grade, Åland. By Aaron.

Like last year the 10th graders travelled to Åland. Åland is located between Finland and Sweden and is part of an archipelago that belongs to Finland. Going to Åland was a very special trip for both the students and the teachers. With different activities such as mini golf, swimming, segwaying, and a disco on the last day, the students were pleased with the trip. They were happy with the free time that was given to them and overall they really enjoyed their time there. Finding out that they had a night club all for themselves took them by surprise and, of course, the 10th grade students used it to its full potential, dancing all night long with each other and even the teachers! With a trip comes memorable parts and unforgettable times. The students weren’t too happy about the hostel that they slept at; as the hostel only had outdoor bathrooms and unisex showers. As much as that was a pain, going to a chips factory and eating chips straight off the line seems to have made up for the problems at the hostel. The most memorable time for some of the students was enjoying a nice soothing music quiz at the bay organised by Mr. Smith. This trip made the students happy and will prepare them for the pressure of academic work.

The trips are certainly an integral part of student life at Stockholm International School. Sure, sometimes we complain about the weather, we sometimes wish that we could remove a museum or two from the programme; but in the end, the trips are often the most memorable week of the years. As IB students writing this, the trips are long behind us, but the memories are here to stay.

Special thanks to Ahmed, Camilla, Emma, Fabio, Hallie, Katarina, Liam, Marko, Mille, Sofia, and Wilma.