What Was in Your Suitcase?
Looking back on the summer holidays
by Brian Radcliffe
Suitable for Whole School (Sec)
Aims
To encourage us to consider the effects of tourism on the places that we visit.
Preparation and materials
- You will need a small suitcase.
Assembly
- Did you know that Jesus encouraged us to go on holiday? Well, not exactly. What he said to his followers was that they were to ‘go into all the world, visit all nations’ (Matthew 28.19).
Many of them did. Following Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension, many of his followers travelled from Palestine into countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. They travelled to Turkey, Greece, Italy and Spain, to North Africa and even as far as the UK. Some turned east, to India and as far as China. How about that for a list of holiday destinations? - Where have you been on holiday during the summer break?
Maybe some of you will have visited one of the destinations mentioned above. Others may have holidayed in the UK or had a staycation, spending time near where you live. - When you were on your travels, you probably took a suitcase with you.
Show the suitcase.
If we were going on holiday next week, what would we take in our suitcase? We’d need some clothes and other gear while we are away. We’d also need to leave space so that we could bring home some souvenirs. The suitcase would be used for both what we take and what we bring back. - Jesus gave instructions for what his followers should pack in their suitcases. They were to take the good news about him, including the stories about his life, and share it with people they met along the way. The intention was to improve the lives of everyone they met by introducing them to the freedom of following Jesus.
- Would we pack anything in our suitcase that would help those who live in our chosen destination?
One item that we might pack is money to be spent locally. Holiday destinations depend on the money that visitors spend; this is their livelihood. Are we generous in our spending? Do we leave a tip as gratitude for what we’ve enjoyed? Do we take an interest in what has happened there, the customs, the history, the events? Are we polite and grateful to those who live there throughout the year, who work to make our holiday enjoyable? Are the lives of those who meet us improved because we visited them?
If the school is in or near a holiday resort, the students will have a greater understanding of what this means. Maybe some of us have a holiday job because of holiday tourism. Tourists can bring their problems, but they bring benefits too. What sort of tourist are we? - And what about things that we bring back with us? Souvenirs remind us of the places that we visited, although many of them will probably end up at the back of a shelf, or at the charity shop! It’s funny how items can seem so much more interesting in the place where they originally came from. The food also often tastes better: a pizza in Italy, a paella in Spain, fish and chips at the seaside. None of them are quite the same at home.
Time for reflection
There’s a travellers’ saying that goes: take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints. The second part obviously refers to litter in particular, but what about the first part? Photos can help the memory of a holiday remain with us into the dark days of autumn and winter.
A spectacular view of a sunset can conjure up the amazement that we felt when we saw it. A group photo or selfie may remind us of friendships, possibly even a romance, with people we’d never have met otherwise. Interesting processions, buildings and events evoke reminders that there are people from cultures other than our own, living their daily lives in ways so different from ours. So, I hope we have loads of photos on our phones. They’re like fuel to warm us during the dark days of winter.
Sadly, the holidays will soon be over, so let’s make the most of them! It’s important to get a break from our routines and experience the world from another perspective. We must take time to relax and refresh, but also to have fresh experiences and enhance our interests.
As we move into a new school year, let’s not leave the holidays behind us entirely. Let’s look at our photos occasionally, and remember the bigger picture of the world.
Song/music
‘I’ve got sand in my shoes’ by the Drifters, available at: https://youtu.be/kWsu37nf5Ps (2.50 minutes long)
Extension activity
‘Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints.’
Invite each of the students to share a photo that encapsulates how they spent the summer holidays.
