I was back in Sinai a few weeks later under different conditions. My companions were a dozen teachers and 150 middle school kids studying reef ecology.

We’d loaded school busses at 4 AM for the drive to the Cairo airport. When our chartered plane landed in Sharm el Sheikh, the kids piled onto different busses for the hour drive to Dahab, a funky resort town up the coast. What our hotel lacked in quality it made up in charm and location – right on the beach with lots of outdoor space for seventh graders to roam around.

The reef snorkeling was challenging. Each small group of a dozen kids swam with a marine biologist, snorkel master, and faculty member. It was cool to watch kids in my group overcome fears, gain confidence, and enjoy the water.

Besides time in the water, kids studied marine life and causes of reef destruction, tested water quality, made art, and participated in drama simulations. In the evening, they performed skits and had a bonfire.

Each group visited Nabq, a protected area where desert and ocean environments meet and the coast supports a mangrove forest. Small groups sipped Bedouin tea and learned a little about traditional Bedouin life.

Kids had a great time but it was definitely exhausting for faculty to be on duty and constantly vigilant with 150 daffy middle school kids. Below are kids in my group.

Cheers, Beth Phillips