Oh, Winter Break! How we teachers love it when you arrive! This is the time of year when many educators are eager to get away, sometimes to visit family for the holidays, and sometimes to take a tour of exotic places in warmer climates that are most appreciated when escaping colder climates.

I remember the time I toured Egypt during my Winter Break, way back in 1988. I had scrimped and saved and worked a second job for four years to save the money for this sojourn. I loved gazing at the pyramids, staring into the face of the sphinx, and cruising down the Nile River with daily stops at ancient archeological sites, including those found in the Valley of the Kings, Abu Simbel, Karnak, and Luxor.

Teacher and students the author met when she visited an elementary school on Christmas Eve in 1988. Photo Credit: Terry Lee Marzell

While in Luxor, I had the good fortune to visit a local elementary school. It was 6:00 at night and Christmas Eve, but the school was open and the children were still there. Remember, Egypt is a Muslim country, so there were no Christmas celebrations in progress. Those were simpler days: I simply walked in, introduced myself, and asked for a tour. No need to worry about security.

This was a small school, only three classrooms, furnished with dilapidated, mismatched tables and benches. There were no globes or maps, no computers, no projectors, no video players—none of the modern equipment one finds in the typical American classroom, even back then. I was led to an enclosed area in the back, where I was shown a dirt-packed playground. Nothing more. No balls, no swings, no slides, no ladders. Beyond, a shack with two small rooms that served as the outhouse.

Teacher Terry Lee Marzell observed that classroom and playground facilities available for these Egyptian students in an elementary school in Luxor, Egypt, were minimal and basic. Photo Credit: Terry Lee Marzell

Bare bones facilities, to be sure.

I was busy snapping pics of everything in sight with my film camera—no digital cameras in those days—when I suddenly discovered I was out of film. My driver kindly offered to escort me to a place where I could buy more, so I leapt into his “taxi”—which was actually a horse-drawn carriage—and he drove me to a jewelry store, of all places. It was after dark, but as I alighted from the carriage, I saw a young student about ten years old, sitting on the curb under a street lamp, working on his homework.

Just about everyone in Egypt speaks English, so I asked the young man, “How is it that you are here, on the street, in the dark, doing your homework?”

This young student in Luxor, Egypt, was forced to complete his homework assignments on the curb, under city street lights, because it was after dark and he had no electricity in his home. Photo Credit: Terry Lee Marzell

“There is no electricity in my house,” the boy explained, “so if I’m going to complete my assignment, I must do it here.”

Wow. What fortitude.

Once I returned from my tour and classes resumed, I would sometimes think of this youngster, especially when my own students were offering what I deemed to be feeble excuses for their own incomplete assignments.

Sometimes I would dig up my photo of this little Egyptian boy and tell my students his story. In “talk-to-the-hand” style, I would stop them in their tracks and say, “I don’t even want to hear your excuse unless your obstacle is greater than this young man’s.” Rarely was my student able to top the story of the little Egyptian boy.

We’re fortunate in this country, I attempted to convince my students, to have access to resources and facilities not available in schools in many other countries. We all need to remember this, I would tell them, when we’re tempted to complain or to take these benefits and resources for granted.

Like many educators, both currently working and retired, I have always enjoyed travel to intriguing and historic points of interest, both here at home and abroad. Because I was a child from an impoverished family, I thought traveling was something only rich people could do. I never thought I would ever be able to afford to go to any of the phenomenal places I was learning about in school. How frustrated I have been these past two years when, even though I finally have the time and the money, I was stuck at home because of the global pandemic. I know that many educators all over the world have shared this frustration. Now that travel opportunities have finally opened up, I feel very fortunate to have been able—at last—to take that long-postponed tour of Israel and Jordan.

Author and retired teacher Terry Lee Marzell and her husband Hal Marzell enjoyed two visits to the Dead Sea on a recent tour of Israel and Jordan. The story she wrote about her experiences there has been published on the popular website for travelers We Said Go Travel. Feel free to check it out! Photo Credit: Terry Lee Marzell.

I’ve already published a couple of posts about my travels to the Middle East here on this website, but I have also written an essay called “Second Chances: Two Visits to the Dead Sea” which not only describes my experiences there, but also reveals an important life lesson. I’m very excited to announce that this piece has just been published on the very popular website for travelers We Said Go Travel.

The website was established by science educator Lisa Ellen Niver, a talented and passionate writer, social media ninja, teacher, public speaker, and global citizen who has traveled to over 100 countries and six continents. You might find her underwater, traveling to an exotic location, teaching in the classroom, or in print, as she shares her insights about social media, science education, lifelong learning, books, and travel.

Check out my newly-published article and the other resources available on Lisa Niver’s website at this link: We Said Go Travel. Enjoy!

Author and retired teacher Terry Lee Marzell and her husband, Hal Marzell, experience a camel ride at the foot of Petra’s spectacular multi-story Treasury building. The structure features Hellenistic architecture, including Corinthian capitals, friezes, and figures. Photo Credit: Terry Lee Marzell

Summer has finally arrived, and this is traditionally the time of year when many educators are eager to incorporate travel into their vacation plans. Teachers know that travel, in addition to being fun and intellectually stimulating, is one of the most meaningful learning opportunities available for both themselves and for their students.

I recently returned from a trip to Israel and Jordan, and while I was there I could see many opportunities for incorporating travel experiences into classroom curriculum. I’ve already written about my visit to Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Museum, and the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament. Today I’d like to share with you my experience of Jordan’s Petra, truly a place of wonders.

Petra is an archeological site which served as the center of the caravan trade since Biblical times. The Nabataeans, a nomadic Arabic tribe, designated the location as their capital city. The Nabataeans were skilled at stone carving, and capturing and storing rainwater, and agriculture, which was no easy feat in the middle of a desert.

Visiting the site required a lengthy hike from the hotel, which I happily circumvented by renting a seat on an electric-powered golf cart. While zooming through the Siq, a narrow passageway through which we could see glimpses of the structure known as the Treasury, I observed the water conduits constructed to capture and convey rainwater for use by residents of the city. The Siq opens into a large plaza over which towers the stunning Treasury building. The structure features Hellenistic architecture, including Corinthian capitals, friezes, and figures, all carved into the beautiful red stone native to the area. There we were treated to a short camel ride, which was tons of fun. (Tell your students they must ride a camel at least once in their lives!) Then we hiked back into the site to explore a small amphitheater, the royal tombs, and the Great Temple. Of course, by the time we had done all that hiking we were both quite worn out, so a golf cart ride back to our starting point was a must. If you ever visit the place and intend to hike the entire length, be prepared to hike five or six miles, minimum.

Petra, which is also known as the Rose Red City, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. The location is Jordan’s most visited tourist attraction; in 2019 alone, 1.1 million tourists made a pilgrimage to the place. For these reasons, it is well-worth a tour, and worthy of incorporation into classroom lesson plans. I can easily envision a discussion of Petra in a World History class, or even as part of a course on environmental strategies for managing resources.

To learn more about this extraordinary archeological site, click on this link to the official Petra website.