By Robert Aldrich, Director of Operations and Campus Planning, Hackley School
Growing up, I had the privilege of traveling often. My family’s connection to Ireland and my father’s career made that possible. He was a pilot for United Airlines for almost 30 years, and, as his child, I flew for free anywhere in the world until I turned 21. Because of that, I saw much of the United States, but I also became used to visiting my cousins in Ireland as easily as I might visit my grandparents an hour away. Traveling felt ordinary for me — it’s just what we did. Packing a bag and heading out into the world became part of who I was, and it is something I love today. Wanting to share that experience with others has shaped much of my professional life, as well.
Soon after I graduated from college, I returned to my alma mater to assist the college choir, a program I had been part of for four years. My main job was to plan international concert tours for the 80-person ensemble. Over the next 15 years, I organized travel that brought our music to Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Switzerland, Monaco, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Spain, Slovakia and, of course … Ireland.
Whenever we began planning a new trip, I shared a quote attributed to Saint Augustine with the students who were considering traveling with us: “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” Saint Augustine may have written those words more than 1,600 years ago, but they continue to be relevant today. We live in a world that is interconnected in ways Saint Augustine could never have imagined, and experiencing other cultures helps us understand our place in that world. It is enriching, and it is also essential.
This is why when I was approached last year about planning a Casten Trip for Hackley’s Global Education Team, I didn’t have to think twice. And I knew exactly where I wanted to take our students. I wanted them to experience the Ireland that shaped my family’s story and that has always been part of my life. Working with Library Department Chair Jen Swan and Director of Academics Basil Kolani, we created a program that introduces students to the landscape and culture of the Emerald Isle and provides a deep dive into the authors and poets that Ireland has produced.
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Bobby Aldrich and his mom in Ireland in 2024.
Ireland’s history and literature are filled with magic, fairies, sharp wit and sweet song. It is the home of Yeats, Joyce and Heany, and its stories beg to be explored. Immersing students in the rich tradition of Irish literature, history and folklore encourages curiosity that naturally leads to further reading and research. During our planning, Jen noted that even 10 to 15 minutes of independent reading a day can improve academic achievement in every subject, not just English. Students who read recreationally on a regular basis regularly test higher in math, science and other STEM courses. We hope this trip will spark an interest that continues long after we return home, and that this curiosity will support students across all areas of study.
Students will also have opportunities to engage in cultural activities. They will visit Bunratty Castle Folk Park to see the ancient art of thatched roofing. They will learn to play hurling with Gaelic athletes from St. Finbarr’s GAA Club in Cork City. They will spend an evening listening to traditional Irish music and storytelling from one of the original Wolfe Tones in Galway City. These moments bring Ireland to life in ways that reading alone cannot.
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Many adults who traveled internationally as students describe those trips as turning points. It is often the moment when the world feels larger and full of possibility. The most lasting gift of student travel is one that stays with you long after the luggage has been unpacked. It is an invigorated sense of wonder and the desire to keep exploring.
I want our students to return from this trip with more questions than they had when they left. I want them to come home curious about new languages, new writers, new cultures, and new ideas about how the world works and how they fit into it.
The world is a book, and I look forward to helping our students read more than one page.
About the author: Bobby Aldrich currently serves as Hackley’s Director of Operations and Campus Planning, overseeing the physical plant and campus, employee housing, transportation, sustainability initiatives, campus safety and security, food service, the infirmary, and technology. In addition to his work at Hackley, Bobby is the chair-elect of APPA — the national association that represents facilities and operations professionals from educational institutions. As a result of his Irish heritage, Bobby holds dual-citizenship with the United States and Ireland.
