Day Five of Travel Week!

Students woke up well rested after a relaxing night at their hotel in San Francisco. The group had a busy day with a guided tour at Stanford University, a trip to the Golden Gate Bridge, an evening at the famous Fisherman’s Wharf, and ending the night by saying goodbye to the west coast students and preparing for more learning and travel as they head east.

Stanford University

Located between San Francisco and San Jose, Stanford University is in the heart of California’s Silicon Valley and is one of the world’s leading teaching and research universities. Since its opening in 1891, Stanford has been known as a highly-esteemed research institution, dedicated to finding solutions to big challenges and to preparing students for leadership in a complex world. The school is also known for its entrepreneurial character and its relationship to Silicon Valley. Areas of excellence range from the humanities to social sciences to engineering to technology and business. Stanford is located in one of the most intellectually dynamic and culturally diverse areas of the United States. The school currently houses 16,914 undergraduate and graduate students. Additionally, their acceptance rate is the lowest in the United States among prominent colleges and universities, coming in at 4.29 percent this year. International students from more than 60 countries currently attend Stanford University. SEI students enjoyed an RTA-led campus tour, complete with Stanford trivia. No matter their age or academic level, students enjoyed learning about one of the most prestigious universities in the United States.

Golden Gate Bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge is an iconic, must-see, landmark in San Francisco. The famous suspension bridge spans over 1,280 meters across the 4.8 kilometer Golden Gate strait, between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. SEI students had a chance to walk out onto the bridge, take many pictures, enjoy the ocean breeze and soak in the beautiful California views.

Fisherman’s Wharf

Fisherman’s Wharf is a neighborhood and popular tourist attraction in San Francisco, California. It roughly encompasses the northern waterfront area of San Francisco and is one of the busiest and most well-known tourist attractions in the western United States. Fisherman’s Wharf is best known for being the location of Pier 39, the Cannery Shopping Center, Ghirardelli Square, a Ripley’s Believe it or Not museum and the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park. The area also offers a variety of seafood restaurants right on the water. SEI students enjoyed watching sea lions bathing in the sun and exploring the seafarer-themed shops.

SEI Farewell Party

Emotions filled the room at the SEI farewell party as many students prepared to say goodbye to their friends who are not joining the East Coast Travel. As a way to wrap up the West Coast Travel, the staff hosted an SEI open-mic session to give students a chance to share about their SEI experience. Many students shared funny stories and favorite memories from SEI, while others commended RTAs and staff members for the impact they had on their lives. This was a beautiful time for staff and students to encourage one another and reflect on these last few amazing weeks. Most students and staff members will leave early in the morning to embark on their East Coast Travel Week to Boston and NYC.