Adventure, Learning, and All the In-betweens
Alternative Learning Experience (A.L.E.) gives every DLSZ student a chance to learn new things beyond the four corners of the classroom. It’s that annual day of the year where we get to bond with our classmates through hours spent in a cramped bus, touring around historical landmarks.
Last April 2018, DLSZ took what was commonly known as “A.L.E.” to a whole new level by sending about 40 student leaders to the first ever Global Alternative Learning Experience (GALE) in New York and Washington D.C. They were accompanied by Mr. Jess Sulit, Ms. Emie Baylon, Ms. Joymee Siatela, Mr. Mark Mendoza, and Mr. Daniel Encinas.
As I was a member of M.O.V.E, a leadership organization in DLSZ, I was fortunate enough to be one of the delegates for GALE. It was a very surreal experience filled with learning and discovering, visiting places I used to only dream of. As the A.L.E.’s over the years have always encouraged us to reflect on and share what we have learned, I believe that I should share mine to complete the whole “GALE experience.”
Learning outside
New York City — most likely one of the busiest cities in the world — was surprisingly enough, a very close match to Philippine’s EDSA as vehicles swarm every street. Although every corner of the city is surrounded by shops of all kinds, it is also a place of historical significance.
Our group had a tour guide, who was very generous in sharing facts and trivia as we walked the streets of NYC. We were able to pass by different significant places which included the 9/11 Memorial, Rockwell Center, Ellis Island, Empire State Building, and the Statue of Liberty. Given the fact that DLSZ is a distinguished Microsoft showcase school, we were also given the opportunity to visit their headquarters in NYC. We were able to learn more about the technological advancements that are happening in the world today and its effects to our daily lives. We were also exposed to the working environment of Microsoft employees through the mini-tour given to us.
As a HUMSS student, our trip to Washington D.C. excited me the most. This was because we visited different museums including the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, World Bank Group Visitor Center, and the Library of Congress.
My favorite would be our visit to the Library of Congress. The walk we had to take to get there was absolutely worth it. The 218-year-old structure erects as if it has not aged a bit. The architecture, itself is unimaginable. There are countless sculptures on display and the walls and floors are covered with marvelous paintings. To think that one single building shelters thousands of books, archives, and some distinct artifacts would be hard to grasp. If I had the chance, I would want to visit again and hopefully get to look through the books.
Diversity in Education
Our GALE experience also included visiting schools. We were able to visit Abraham Lincoln High School, La Salle University, and Princeton University.
Abraham Lincoln High School is a fellow Microsoft showcase school based in Brooklyn. They were kind enough to show us the different classes that heavily involve technology, including Computer Science, Media Production, and Entrepreneurship. One thing that we have noticed is the difference in the classroom setting. Instead of the 1:40 teacher-to-student ratio, a teacher handles between 10–20 students only. Each class is a mix of students from different grade levels. For example, in Media Production class, we were able to talk to two 9th graders and two 12th graders as well. Visiting this school gave us a glimpse into an education so similar yet so new to us. This opportunity allowed both schools to learn and converse with each other, allowing us to open our minds to new ideas.
Before going to Princeton, we stopped by La Salle University based in Philadelphia. Physically, they seem very different from the De La Salle institutions we know in the Philippines. Instead of green and white, their colors are blue and yellow. While we are known as Archers, they are called Explorers. However, the students in the university shared with us that they also practice the three most common core values known by every Lasallian: faith, service, and communion. The heart for service is also for sure a La Salle trademark across the globe, as one of the students shared her experience flying to another country to volunteer.
Seeing the familiar in the unfamiliar
Traveling in a continent merely 18 hours away from home, you would expect to experience a massive culture shock. However, I was surprised by the common practices and experiences of the people we had encountered. One of them would be visiting two churches: St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. On the first official day of touring NYC, we visited the St. Patrick’s Cathedral in the afternoon. Though we were not able to attend mass, we still got to pray and look around the massive church. Amazingly, we were able to see a statue of St. John Baptist de La Salle and even other saints we have learned in our Christian Living classes in the past. The group was able to attend mass in Washington on our last day in America. The flow of the mass was very similar to the one practiced in the Philippines, but there are still things that make their practice different and distinct from ours. I believe one unique difference would be how formal the churchgoers looked with their suits and ties compared to most of us who opted to wear a hoodie due to the chilly weather.
We were also able to go around the church and were surprised to see a statue of Our Lady of Antipolo (Birhen ng Antipolo) displayed on the lower grounds of the church. If it were not for the tour guide, I am sure I would have not been aware of its existence. Before we left, some of us passed by the gift shop and got to encounter the Filipina cashier. Seeing kababayans in a church truly completed my American church experience. I really think that being religious is something very Filipino. It was also nice to finally, though very limited at it, to speak Filipino to someone else. Even if it was as simple as “Magkano po ito?”
GALE had given me the opportunity I never thought I would have during my stay in DLSZ. Not only was I able to go to a new continent for the first time, but I also learned a lot in the span of two weeks. 18-hour flights back and forth, 3-hour coach rides, and the preparations to make all of this happen did not amount the memories, friends, and experiences gained. Given the chance, I would want to relive it all over again.
About the author: Rain Hizon is the Editor-in-Chief of Counterpoint. She is currently a Grade 12 student in De La Salle Zobel taking up the Humanities and Social Sciences strand. She has been a member of the publication since A.Y. 2015–2016.
