Personal Narrative: Fourth Grade Heritage Trip

At the young, inexperienced age of nine, I was chosen by my school, along with 30 other students, to go on a six-day journey of California; this trip was called the Fourth Grade Heritage Trip. The purpose of the trip was to learn about California’s history and to explore new places. I was from a small city where my life followed a predictable plan, so this was very exciting since I was not accustomed to new places or the unexpected. When the day of departure arrived, I waved goodbye to my parents knowing I was about to experience something I would never forget. That was the beginning of a wonderful adventure; every day held something new. We visited many different missions and learned when they were built and how the people lived there. We took a ferry over to Alcatraz Island and faced the all-encompassing darkness of a solitary confinement cell. Other places we visited were the state’s capital buildings, the Sacramento Mint, and the Hershey’s Chocolate Factory. Each new location brought more insight and wonder.
Our trip was a perfect adventure until something unexpected occurred; the bus broke down.
Being a child, I felt scared and unsure, as this was definitely not part of the plan. What if we missed our next stop? Would the remainder of the trip be ruined? Learning that we were going to have to rearrange our schedule was very unsettling to me. I didn’t like the thought of shifting from the plan. However, even though we missed a prearranged landmark, we ended up visiting a beautiful park that had a lake with ducks where we were able to run around and simply enjoy some free time. Everything turned out all right and we were back on the road before we knew
it.
This early life experience of traveling across California instilled in me a love of exploring new places. I learned that there were places and people outside of my small city; creating a curiosity to learn more as well as share that knowledge with others. In turn, my family has gone on many eye-opening adventures. We have traveled to many National Parks, such as Carlsbad Caverns, Death Valley, Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree, Pinnacles, Sequoia, Yosemite, and Zion, as well as many State Parks and National Monuments. Learning how ancient people lived and what they value has made me enjoy more in life. I have an appreciation of the earth and the resources that it provides.
The Heritage Trip also taught me that a vacation is more memorable when things do not go as planned. Throughout my many camping trips, the experiences I remember best are when the tent broke or when the airline lost our luggage for three days while attending a wedding in Greece. I could have allowed these unexpected difficulties to ruin my time, but instead, I let it add to the adventure. Traveling should always bring about something new and exciting to the explorer, especially when it is unexpected. I will always look back at my time on the Fourth Grade Heritage Trip with love and gratitude for generating in me a love of exploration, as well as an appreciation for surprises.