About this fundraiser:

Thank you for your support!

On Monday, March 25th, 2024 Journey Away students from Leland & Gray Union High School, in Townshend, Vermont will begin the adventure of a lifetime, exploring food and culture as we travel the world.

Our first stop is Birmingham, Alabama where we will spend a few days with T Marie King and student interns from the Jones Valley Teaching Farm, exploring how food and agriculture practices are embedded into Birmingham Public Schools.

From there we will spend a few days in Greenville, MS soaking up life and culture in the Mississippi Delta followed by 10 days in New Orleans getting familiar with food culture, the natural history of the Bayou, how Vietnam has influenced culture in New Orleans and more!

In early April we will depart for Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam by way of Taipei. We will spend 7 days on a rural farm near the town of Tra Vinh in the MeKong Delta. From there a few days in Saigon/HCMC learning about Thich Nhat Hanh and the reconciliation of the American (Vietnam) War while exploring the influence of food and cuisine on the quickly developing city. We will travel by train to Hanoi where we will meet with the newly established US Peace Corps and will explore landscape of northern Vietnam, including the karst limestone of Ha Long Bay.

From Vietnam we will fly to Paris, France for a few days of sightseeing before heading to the French countryside of Auvergne, where we will explore dairy farms and meet cheesemakers and bakers and hike through the ancient volcanic landscape near le Puy de Sancy. Our journey will end with a few days in Lyon, France, the 'gastronomique capital of the world', on a quest for the perfect french meal.

By comparing food systems in four different locations, students will discover innovative and creative ways to adapt Vermont food systems to our warming planet. We will explore the matrix of food systems, from local food movements and culinary arts to global commodities and world hunger and observe and reflect on the composition of identity and culture and the importance of customs and rituals as they relate to food.

Stay tuned for local events (Townshend and Brattleboro, Vermont) upon our return in May!

Thank you for your support :)