“The objective of this trip was to expose D-E students to a new part of the world with different cultures and perspectives”
This summer, from July 7 to July 17, 2025, D-E 360° organized a trip to the Balkans for Upper School (US) students, in partnership with the US Human Development Department. They explored the history, cultures, landscapes, and more within this region in southeastern Europe. Students also earned service-learning hours by painting a “peace” mural in Mostar, a city in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“The objective of this trip was to expose D-E students to a new part of the world with different cultures and perspectives,” said Dr. Daniel Carragher, US Human Development Chair & Teacher, among the faculty chaperones who plans to incorporate learnings from this activity into his classroom lectures in the fall.
Rising sophomore Eva Louro ’28 remarked that the trip “was a great way to embrace a different culture—whether we were hiking in national parks, going on boat rides, enjoying the coast, or trying local food and traditions.”
Students were immersed in the local community especially during the mural painting component of the trip. They joined the young residents of an orphanage to work on the mural, which included the phrase, “War Is Never the Answer.” Across the bottom, “Shalom,” which translates to “peace,” was written in Hebrew. “I think we were all proud knowing that that mural will stay up long after we go home,” noted Dr. Carragher.
Another rising sophomore, Ayaan Mukherjee ’28, said that volunteering for the project “showed me how small acts can bring so much joy—it was amazing to see how happy the kids were.” He added that these are pursuits he can share with the D-E community because they demonstrate how important it is to engage in service learning and to connect with different parts of the world.
“While the lessons we’ve been learning in class about history around the world gave me a good foundation, traveling abroad allowed me to connect them to real-world experiences”
The trip was also a lesson in recent history, particularly The Yugoslav Wars, a conflict that took place in the 1990s, and how the region has worked to reconcile their differences, explained Dr. Carragher. During a visit to the Museum of War in Mostar, students listened to first-hand accounts of the 1992-1995 war from the group’s own guides, Dino and Maya, who lived through it.
“While the lessons we’ve been learning in class about history around the world gave me a good foundation, traveling abroad allowed me to connect them to real-world experiences,” said Eva. “It was a chance to see how issues such as the impact of war—and how it is used as a way to divide us—happen in real life. It made the lessons feel more relevant and personal.”
Trip highlights for rising senior Tommy Thibodeaux ’26 included the conversation with Dino and Maya, learning about the traditional coffee culture of Bosnia (as well as sampling the product), and the opportunity to volunteer.
“Meeting the kids in the orphanage was a very special moment for me as we got to bond with kids who live an extremely different life from us, overcoming any language barrier,” said Tommy. “I mainly spent my time with a kid named Aman, who talked with me about a mobile game that we both play. I met another kid, named Rea, who came up to me because he said my braids were similar to his sister’s.”
“Each time a group of D-E students travel, they come back with experiences, stories, and knowledge about the world that have tendrils that inevitably change our community for the better”
Our D-E students also found time to bond with one another during the trip, said rising sophomore Araaina Rajesh ’28. “Every night at dinner, we played different logic games to pass the time,” she said. “Through these games, we became a tight-knit group.”
“Each time a group of D-E students travel, they come back with experiences, stories, and knowledge about the world that have tendrils that inevitably change our community for the better,” said Dr. Carragher.
Tommy reflected on the impact traveling abroad had on him: “It has shown me how much of a privilege education and knowledge are for everybody. In America, learning and education can be seen as somewhat of a chore or optional, but in other countries, children yearn for knowledge and fight for education.”
Meanwhile, Araaina said the trip helped her understand the impacts of war and its ensuing violence. “Through these experiences, we can learn how to become an advocate and make a change in our society,” she said.
