Every place that I visited this year was my favourite in some way, whether it was the culture, the architecture, the people, or just the general beauty. I loved every new place in a new way. | Going to Thailand, Serbia Montenegro, and Romania have been the biggest eye openers for me. I have never experienced so much poverty; for the first time I was in the middle of it. There was no glass screen between us, only the thick smog billowing from the smoke stacks. Until you actually have the experience of a young, shoeless child running at you, begging for money, ripping at your limbs, you will never understand.

Educational Travel Program

At Neuchâtel Junior College, we believe the best way to complement what students are learning in the classroom is to expose them to what is outside it. And there is no better way to gain exposure to the world than by living in, and traveling throughout, Europe.

School-Organized Travel

By organizing educational and structured day trips and extended excursions, we ensure that our students learn and understand, rather than just memorize and recite. We expose students to a variety of cultural and historical sites across Europe and, whenever possible, these trips are integrated into the curriculum, enriching both the academic program and the learning process. Community service is also a key component of some of out annual trips.

The school year begins in September with all faculty and students participating in an orientation trip, traveling to the various regions of Switzerland. During this important week, students ease into their new life in a relaxed way, allowing them time with each other and the faculty, and the chance to experience the various regions of their adopted country. In between hikes in the Alps and guided tours, we test each student’s French ability to ensure accurate course placement, finalize timetables during guidance appointments, match students with pensions, and have a lot of fun! At the end of the orientation week, students arrive in Neuchâtel as a group that have already become friends, and they meet their pension family for the first time at the school. By mid-September the students have settled into the routines of the school day, and into their new homes.

Students who attend the College for second semester have their own orientation trip prior to joining the larger group.

Throughout the school year, students have a wide selection of educational weekend and holiday trips to choose from. Mandatory trips for all students include orientation and a mid-semester trip in each semester.

During the break between first and second semester taking place at the end of January each year, the students’ families are invited to join everyone in Zermatt for a family ski holiday.

Independent Travel

Once students have a taste for travel, they are keen to explore independently of the College. Independent travel is a privilege that is earned. It inspires confidence, personal discovery, strong friendships, and maturity. When students have proven themselves academically and exhibit readiness and maturity, they are permitted to embark on independent weekend trips. These are limited to 3 weekends per semester. In small groups, they visit many of the world’s most interesting places, all within a few hours by train from Neuchâtel, including Vienna, Munich, Paris, Milan, St. Moritz, Brussels, and many more. The bonds that students make on these trips never fade. Likewise, exposure to different cultures, people, and locations gives NJC students a new respect for, and an advantage in, today’s growing global community.

Want to see some of our destinations with students this year?

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