Winter break is a time for many students to sit back and relax, but for 19 Wareham High School students, it was a time to pack up and go - to Greece.

Students and faculty members took the trip to the birth place of philosophy, democracy, and culture from February 20 to February 28.

"The world of a high school student is small," said Deborah Freitas, Wareham High School assistant principal and trip chaperone. "Many of them don't think outside the walls of Wareham, so when you can go, it broadens their opinions and opens their eyes to opportunity."

The group traveled to Athens, Olympia, and Delphi, the site where ancient Greek military leaders sought the advice of the famous Oracle in hopes of good fortune in battle.

"To see the things I only saw in history books was amazing," said junior Jimmy Zine. "My favorite part was Delphi, the view was incredible."

The destinations, chosen with help of tour guide Fourtuna Gallo, reflected the curriculum the students are taught back home. “It builds a connection to history and literature,” explained Freitas, who said the students read The Odyssey and study Ancient Greek culture before they depart.

"We learned a lot more about what we studied," explained junior Bryan Vroom. "More background information."

Not only did the trip allow the students to foster connections with their studies, it also gave them the opportunity to build connections with people. While in Greece, Wareham students spent some of their free time with other visiting high school students from Paris. When both tours returned to the hotel, the students used Google Translate (http://translate.google.com) to communicate, Freitas said. They exchanged information and are still in touch with each other.

"I met two French girls, and now we're friends on Facebook," explained Rebecca Holmes, a junior.

As it turns out, the trip could have been a lesson in current events. While the students were in Greece, protesters took to the streets in Athens. "The riots are scheduled in Greece," explained Freitas. "We were well aware of the situation and took extra precautions."

Gallo planned sight seeing trips accordingly to keep the group a safe distance from the demonstrations. "We had to rearrange a few things, but it didn't impact us day-to-day," Freitas continued.

This is the fourth time the school has offered such a program. The trips are usually two years in the making, giving participants time to save money to pay their own way. There is no word yet on where the next destination will be.