Jenny MacNichol ’78

“I love the pace of LC trips - there is a good mix of learning, adventuring and just plain having fun! I also really enjoy the fact that all the details of travel are so well planned and executed that I could just be present in the moment in a new exciting place without having to stress about timetables, accommodations or how to find the best place to eat. The trips are well thought out and high quality in all aspects. I also particularly like the fact that LC seeks out experiences with locals so the trip becomes immersive in the local culture.”
- Jenny MacNichol

What was a highlight from one of your trips?

There were so many highlights of both trips that it is hard to pick just one. But, I must say seeing the Northern Lights in Iceland was a peak experience - it was just breathtaking! There was also swimming in the Aegean, going into the interior of a glacier, soaking in geothermal pools, and meeting with the first female captain of a fishing boat out of Santorini and I could go on and on…..

Can you talk about the interactions you had with your LC faculty member?

The LC faculty was in touch with me prior to the trip even starting - a reading list was mailed out 4-6 weeks before the trip. And they were always prepared to talk about what the group was seeing that day. And most importantly, they were always accessible and excited to share their knowledge. The enthusiasm of the LC faculty is infectious.

What was it like to travel solo to Greece? 

I must say I had some serious trepidation about traveling alone, but I needn’t have worried. I always felt included in the larger group and actually came to enjoy the freedom of being able to explore at my own pace. The leaders did a masterful job of making me feel included and I was never left awkwardly alone during evenings free for dinner.

How do you feel more connected to the LC community after your trips?

It was wonderful to travel with folks with whom I had a shared common experience. We did lots of reminiscing about our own LC experiences and faculty from the past - all things that had substantially played a role in shaping our adult lives. In Iceland, we had a wonderful luncheon with 5 Icelandic alumni which was a terrific experience. The Icelandic alums chronicled for us how they happened to end up at LC and then how their lives had been shaped by that common LC experience. They also gave us great tips on how to authentically see Iceland. We have some very accomplished alumni in Iceland - an ambassador, a journalist, a professor, and a local news anchor!

Anything else you’d like to share? 

When I was an undergraduate at LC I was fortunate enough to be able to go on two overseas trips - Scotland in ’75 and Baja California in ’77. Both those trips were formative for me - those trips built self-reliance, courage, and respect for the multiplicity of human experience around the world. I have found that traveling as an LC alum allows one to relive that old sense of adventure that all LC Overseas alumni have experienced in the past and to keep expanding one’s worldview.