In Conclusion...

AMANDA HIGGINS - HICKORY, NC - The fact that this is our final blog post has become somewhat bittersweet to me. Although there were nights when all I wanted was to forget about it, the blog became another one of our traveling companions. At times, it stayed in better touch than we did. Claudia Eller told me on the trip that when she hadn't had cell phone service, her kids looked at the blog and knew she, and husband Richard, were okay. When I stepped off the van, a few people told me that it was nice to keep up with their loved one, and the blog had become part of their daily routine, too. I like to think maybe all our hard work put a few less miles between people who love one another. I know that thousands of miles in a van created a whole new world for those of us who had the privilege to participate in this year's Southwest Adventure.



JOSH BOONE - This trip was a giant step in the right direction for CVCC. It is priceless to be able to experience such beauty and culture through a class. To me this trip was a life-changing experience in that I was able to see first hand what it was like for the Natives of the area and to hear their stories of life in the southwest. The transition for me was hiking through Canyon de Chelly. It was so peaceful, it was a paradise in the middle of the desert. Through this trip I have new respect for the Earth we live on, my family, and the Natives I met along the way. This was an awesome group of people and the food was delectable. Watching the sunset in the Grand Canyon allowed me to see what a beautiful place in which we live and what a wonderful work of art the southwest is.


NICOLE WHITENER - When people of past trips have said that this trip is life-altering, they weren't lying. After seeing the now dilapidated structures that were once thriving cities with hundreds , sometimes thousands of people in them, living and surviving off the land, realize that some of the Native Americans still partially live this way. Some still don't have running water. I will never forget this trip. Lessons I have learned on this trip can't be learned in a classroom. This was an amazing opportunity and I thank all of the instructors that helped us on this journey, all the people back home that supported us, and all the amazing friends I have made along the way.



JOHN SETZLER - What an amazing experience this has been... A group of fourteen people, ten students and four instructors, piled into a van and took off across the country into an existence of which few were familiar. The objective of this trip was to put places and faces with concepts we had studied in class. The lecture portions of "Native American History" and "Race and Ethnic Relations" were just a drop in the bucket compared with the learning experience of traveling to the southwestern United States to visit the places on our agenda. My original impression was that the learning experience would end when we arrived back in Hickory, but I was wrong. For me, the learning experience is just beginning on these subjects. I'm looking forward to pursuing a few goals I have set for myself based on these experiences I had with this group.




CHRIS REIDEL - To talk about my experiences on this trip would take a page and five lines (trust me!) if I were to talk in detail. All I can really say, though, is that my perception has changed. I greater appreciate the Native Americans, and believe that I have lost at least some of my very wrong assumptions of them. So this trip has done exactly what it was intended to do. I have learned, and changed, and would do it again in a heartbeat.



CHRISTY PEREZ - I am incredibly grateful to have been a part of this experience. I have learned a great deal about a part of history that is largely ignored by most people today, and I have seen first-hand the effects this forgotten period have had on the Native American way of life. Most importantly, this trip has allowed all of us to strip away the concerns of modern society and focus on the things that truly matter: family, community, the environment, and finding peace in everything we do. To be able to experience all of this in some of the most beautiful places on earth was a gift I would not trade for anything. When I return home, I plan to follow the advice of Mr. Chee, a history teacher at the Navajo Prep School we visited. He urged us all to live for a purpose greater than ourselves. The Southwest Adventure was the first step in a new direction for me; from now on I will strive to fill my life with beauty in my surroundings, respect for everyone I encounter, and harmony in every day that passes.


MARK HUFFMAN - Right now we are riding through the long state of Tennessee and we have been asked to make a personal statement about this trip for the blog. With 14 people and our bags in a 15 passenger fan at this point being crammed in like sardines, it's funny to me the thoughts that are in my head. I admit that I am a home body. This has been the longest time away from my family and friends. Then it dawned on me that we had formed our own special family on this trip. We have laughed, cut up, had a great time, and yes, I will admit we even got on each other's nerves like a real family. As a group, we have experienced a once in a lifetime trip. I was truly overwhelmed by all that I saw, but if I had to choose one place as my favorite site it would have to be the Loretto Chapel. Being in the beautiful chapel, for me, was truly a spiritual moment in my life. I can honestly say that I made friends for life.


AMANDA HIGGINS - Well, karma and the cosmos aligned on this one. The classroom portion of this experience has been the most educational and open that I have ever had in a formal setting. We all felt encouraged to be very respectful, but also honest with ourselves and others. We took all of that with us into the desert, and I think we were better for it. Then there's the trip itself. What a bold master of disguise. Hidden behind tales of visiting other places, is the secret that everyone finds part of themselves on this adventure.



DALE HAMILTON - Taking this course was my first step in learning a little about a nation of people I had only heard of. As it turned out, I learned a lot. Learning about the history and culture of the Southwest was fascinating, but what was even more fascinating was to experience it... the food, the culture's traditions, and most of all, the people. Listening to the guides continue their oral tradition of telling the story of their ancestors' journey, their fight for survival, and other stories of their perspective of the world, showed me how proud they are as a people; the deep respect they have for the earth, life and each other; and finally how much I, as a Jamaican, have in common with them. From interacting with the children at the Navajo Prep School, to touring Sky City at Acoma, to hiking 4 hours through Canyon de Chelly, I have come to the realization that there is much more to these Native Americans that I actually knew. This has been a wonderful learning experience that I will forever cherish.


GARY "BEAR" EKLUND - 11 days in a 15 passenger van with 14 people and 20 people's worth of luggage... Throwing into the mix is a racing towards 70 senior... could I survive? This was the most magical part of the traveling scholarship. Everyone who has been total strangers a few weeks before became kind, considerate friends. For me, this was the highlight of the adventure.


JESSICA CHILDERS - This trip has been on of the best experiences of my life. I learned so much about myself, and everything I discovered will help me through the rest of my life. I was able to share this (epic) journey with some amazing people, and I think we will all be able to learn something about the world around us.




Thanks to everyone who contributed to this blog and made it worthwhile by reading it.
Good luck to next year's Southwest Adventure!