Many of us watched the 2024 Olympics held in Paris, France, over the summer and marveled at the famous Eiffel Tower, but in 2026, some Yutan students will actually get to be there.

At the end of May and early June after the 2025-26 school year, the current sophomores and juniors will have the opportunity to experience Yutan’s second-ever international trip. 

“This trip will travel to London, England; Paris, France; Munich, Germany; and Lucerne, Switzerland; and then there are some little stops we’ll make in between some of those cities to smaller towns,” group leader Ginger Eikmeier said.

Within these cities, students will get to see many famous sights such as Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Lindt Chocolate Factory and the Olympic Stadium in Munich. Junior Mackenzie Govier is looking forward to the sights in France most.

“I’m excited to see the Louvre to see different artists’ paintings and sculptures,” Govier said. “I’m also excited to see the Eiffel Tower and to take a lot of photos while I’m there.”

Junior Madison Wilson is anticipating locations in Germany most.

“I’m super excited to see the Olympic Stadium to see where the best athletes in the world compete and experience what it’s like to be in there,” Wilson said.

Another place both students and leaders are looking forward to visiting is the Dachau concentration camp in Germany.

“We’re actually going to a concentration camp in Germany, and I feel like that’s gonna be really cool to tour and learn about,” Wilson said.

Part of what makes this particular experience so unique is that students learn about this topic in school.

“I taught the Holocaust for many years, so I think that’s really going to pull together all of the things I learned about the Holocaust and all of the things I used to teach with students that I know they’re still learning in the books they read about the Holocaust,” Eikmeier said.

Aside from making connections to topics learned about in school, students on the trip will also gain skills to help them in the real world.

“My main hopes are that the students on the trip expand their world view by getting to see somewhere that they might not have the opportunity to see otherwise and then take the knowledge, the experiences, maybe the confidence they gain from being in a new place and being able to navigate it successfully, and then use that in their future experiences,” Eikmeier said.

Students agree that this trip has multiple benefits.

“I wanted to get out of my comfort zone,” sophomore Lincoln Hoffart said. “I think it would just be a really nice opportunity to go on [the trip].”

Many students’ parents also believe that this trip will be both beneficial and enjoyable for their kids.

“[My parents are] really excited for me going on this trip because my mom went to Europe when she was probably in her 20s, and she said it was…one of her best memories,” Hoffart said.

To make the trip more immersive, some students plan to prepare in different ways, along with chaperone Alyssa Hansen, who already has specific ideas in mind.

“I made a book list with books that are set in the places that we’re gonna visit… so I can read them,” Hansen said. “And then I have…found a love of French bakeries.”

The students are also looking forward to the authentic cuisine.

“I’m really excited for all the museums and monuments we’re gonna visit…but I’m really excited for the food too,” Hoffart said.

Based on her experiences with the first international trip this past summer, Eikmeier has additional activities for the students to do during their downtime on the trip. 

“I do have some different ideas to do with students, like a photo scavenger hunt or photo of the day, or encouraging a little bit more journaling throughout the trip, just to help the students reflect on what they’re doing while we’re there,” Eikmeier said.

Whether it’s the sights they see, the food they eat or the activities they experience, there are many plus sides to brief yet eventful trips like this one.

“The benefit of these trips is how much you get to see in a short amount of time,” Eikmeier said. “You really get a good sample of the culture, and I just think it’s a great way to expand your view of the world, to build confidence and to increase the friendships you have with the other people that are on the trip.”