The End.
We made it there and back again.
Before we left, I was in heavy facebook contact with the batch of kids I took on AHSTF 10 years ago. Some have finished grad school, some have established themselves in careers (some are even in the arts), some are married, one has a child. All of them look back on their days in Scotland with incredible fondness. In the best cases, time washes away the things that are difficult, the things that don't go as expected, the stomach bugs, the petty hurts and indignities. What's left is the amazement and the acomplishment:
we did that.
The world changed a lot in those 10 years, but I imagine that the fundamentals are the same. My hope is that with time, the EHS kids will be able to reflect on their trip with the added benefit of perspective. Most will be amazed at the strengthened friendships that were formed on the trip, the impressive accomplishment of getting their show promoted, performing at a high level, and their willingness to immerse themselves in a culture that is tantalizingly familiar, yet different from home. Some of them are already there.
It's always a rollercoaster to travel with teenagers. It's exhilarating and heartbreaking, and yes, frustrating at times (my particular mania to get them NOT to spread out and take over whole sidewalks or block entranceways was met with constant eye rolls and snarky comments aimed my way from half the group). But in the end, the gift is this: I got to see the world reflected back through 18 unique perspectives; got to walk through streets where thousands of people took theater seriously and were actively engaged in the conversation of "what does it mean to make art in the 21st century." To be able to do that accompanied by bright, caring, and inquisitive young people made the experience more special.
What's next for us? Well, some have already left for college, for adventures yet unwritten. The rest will return for another year of school, where all but one of us will jump head first into preparation for the Virginia Theatre Association conference... which is its own type of adventure.
Perhaps we'll blog about it.
