ARCH ACADEMY GLOBAL TRIP 2016 - FINAL POSTS STUDENT EPILOGUE

WESLEY: DAY 14

Thank you Plum Village! You guys helped me set my dream job into a goal. I want to be a herpetologist, and I started that by looking at the frogs and holding a lizard. Thank you. Mom and dad, thank you for letting me go on this trip! Dad, thank you for helping me get a lot of bottle caps for money.

NOAH: DAY 14

Thank you to everyone who helped me get to Plum Village! It really helped me because I think meditating can help me very much. I will remember to be mindful to myself. I'll see you soon in New York and remember to use my passport and the envelope to the security in the airport.

CJ: DAY 14

Well, here I am: sitting in an airport and awaiting what I can presume are many travel complications. I want to thank Plum Village for the experience. It has already been a little chaotic on our way back and I don't know how I would have acted before. I now have new tools to use, and a new outlook on older tools. This has already been very helpful to me. I can't thank you enough. And thanks to my parents. I know this hasn't been the easiest trip, but it means a lot to me. 

MATT: DAY 14

Hey everyone! I just wanted to take time to say thank you to all the people on the trip and everyone in Plum Village. I want to thank all the monks and all of the long-terms, short-terms, and one-weekers. You guys helped me figure out how to deal with my emotions in a much more effective way and how to get joy out of the simpler things in life. Also, thanks to all the staff who took me on this transformative trip!

DIANA: DAY 14

Hello everyone, I wanted to say thanks to a few people. First I would like to say thank you to Plum Village for letting us come and be part of their culture. It was great being  peaceful and being able to slow down from our normally fast-paced life. I would also like to thank the chaperones for helping on the trip. Thank you to Taylor, Cooper, Drew, Eric, Cheryl, John, Beth, and Heather. Thank you to everyone back home commenting on the blogs. And thank you Cheryl for doing all you do!!!!

CHIP: DAY 14

I would like to say thanks to all the monks at Plum village for taking us all in and letting us experience their way of life for a week. They were all super chill and likable and being there taught me that sometimes I have to slow down and get myself and my mind organized. I would also like to thank all the chaperones: Taylor, Cooper, Eric, Drew, Beth, John, Heather, and Cheryl. I know we can be a handful sometimes and I thank you for your patience. I also want to thank everyone back home. All of your support and blog responses keep us going.

CJ: DAY 13

Today was actually bittersweet. We left Plum Village. I didn't sleep the night before. Then I slept in and skipped breakfast (aside for some apples because, I swear, if I have to eat oatmeal again I'm going to be sick). Then I packed and read most of the day, enjoying the rain while reading "A Farewell to Arms." Which I finished. Good book. Then we left Plum Village. Part of me wanted to stay. It was like an oasis that I was a bit sad to leave. The other part of me wanted actual food. So after a long train ride we arrived at Bordeaux. There was a relativity Americanized pizza shop conveniently located across from the train station. I had a pizza and, oh my god -- after a week of vegan food did I need actual food. As far as I could tell everyone else was one the same page as there seemed to be every member of the animal kingdom on the table. Then we took a very long bus ride and I dragged mine and Eric's heavy bags 200 meters and up a flight of stairs to a Best Western that has been styled to look like an American movie studio. So now I bid you all good night.