Bartlesville Students Delayed By Weather During Return From China

Bartlesville Students Delayed By Weather During Return From China

A group of Bartlesville Middle School Students is excited to be home after their flight home from their China Spring Break Trip was delayed several times causing them to spend more than 30 hours in an airport.

The group says their plane in Dallas was delayed because of the hail storm on Sunday then eventually canceled, causing the school district to send a bus to pick them up.

But they say despite spending several hours waiting in the airport, the trip made it all worth it.

“I don’t have words to describe everything we did,” said 8th Grader, Isabella Cavaceci. “It was awesome."

Awesome. Amazing. Unforgettable. Some of the words Bartlesville students used to describe their trip to China.

"We saw all sorts of historical sites in China. We saw the great wall,” said 10th Grader, Eli Winters. “Overall it was just a great trip to Beijing, but we saw a whole lot, we did a whole lot, it was fun."

Bartlesville Geography Teacher, Brian Davis, says they started planning the trip a year and a half ago and one of his goals was for students to experience a different culture.

"Being away from mom and dad and having that opportunity to grow, we were with another tour group so they could intermingle and get different perspectives on the world and as a geography teacher it doesn't get much better than that," said Eastern Hemisphere Geography Teacher Brian Davis.

Whether they were taking pictures at the Great Wall, exploring an Asian market or even tasting some of the different types of food, they were just excited to embrace it all.

"All the food was awesome, and our tour guide took us to see things that I don’t think I’d ever get to see," said Cavaceci.

The group made it to Dallas on Sunday, but then their flight home was delayed several times before being canceled at 3:30 on Monday morning because of weather.

The Bartlesville School district eventually sent a bus to get them.

"I'm glad it happened on the way back and not the way there because we would've missed the great wall, but I am just happy we got to see everything," said Cavaceci.

“I actually think it ended up being a good bonding experience for them,” said Davis. “Kids not sitting together at the beginning of the week were together at the end of the week. especially in the last 24 hours."

Now that they're back, some students say they can't wait to go to sleep, but for others, it's back to reality.

“I have to finish a paper, so I have to do that, but I think what I am most excited for is to get to tell people about Chinese culture,” said Winters.

17 students and 9 adults went on the trip to Beijing. Davis says he hopes their next school trip will be to Peru.