IB High Museum & International Farmers Market Field Trip

A Truly International Baccalaureate Day 

On September 19th, 2019, the IB Diploma Program juniors and seniors took a field trip to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. I had never been to the museum before, and was excited to go, for I love to experience different museums. I've been to many museums throughout my life, including the Storm King Art Center, the Museum of Natural History, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, The Museum of Modern Art, and even more art, history, and aviation museums. 

To Atlanta!

That Thursday, we left school early in the morning to get on the bus for Atlanta. When we got there, we all checked in, talked for a bit, and then split up to explore the museum on our own. I broke into a group with Haley, Adrianna, Cirel, Heidi, and McKenna. We walked around, looking at and appreciating all the paintings and sculptures and historical artifacts. 

Eventually, we split up again, Haley and I exploring on our own so we could further our understanding of the cultural exhibits by spending more time on each piece. 

A Piece Of Art Is Only A Vessel For Something More 

There were many beautiful paintings and sculptures with interesting backgrounds. There was stained glass and art that depicted religion and sadness and joy and love. There were pieces for different groups of people that helped us to understand the times and how people were affected. I found the grand pieces of ancient art that depicted Bible stories to be fascinating as they were filled with both violence and peace, competition and cooperation.

We took many pictures with the art and read the descriptions to deepen our analysis of each pieces' complex life and symbolism. 

Exhibit After Exhibit After Exhibit...

I loved the exhibits that had whole walls dedicated to various pieces of art. There were many beautiful, detailed, and colorful oil and acrylic paintings. There were sketches and photographs and more.  

In one part of the museum, there were many mini sculptures. I really liked the miniature golden Statue of Liberty

Imagination & History Through Art

There was also a section of the museum in which the pieces of artwork were accompanied by a quote that had been made into a sticker and stuck to the wall. I loved the quote that read, "I used to look at  the sky & think of story book dragons."

There were also many antique cups and plates and utensils. There were beautiful porcelain tea sets and silver pitchers and platters. I loved the dish set covered in mini porcelain flowers. 

Of Origins and Belonging

Below the museum, we came upon the exhibit known as Of Origins and Belonging. It was filled with pieces depicting the immigration experience from multiple countries to the Atlanta area. 

The exhibit really promoted awareness and understanding of the hardships people face and their struggle to get to America for a better life filled with more opportunity, safety, and joy. 

Spicy Gaga Duck & The International Restaurants Strip

When our time at the High Museum came to an end, we headed to lunch at a strip of very cultural and international restaurants (perfect for us, am I right). We walked around trying to decide where we wanted to eat. Some people ate at a Chinese restaurant, some at a Hispanic restaurant, and some even got the Taiwanese drink known as bubble tea. I ate Chinese with Haley, Cirel, and McKenna at Spicy GaGa Duck. I had some pork dumplings while they ate cold soup, beef, and tofu.

IBDP Students At The BHIFM...

After lunch, we went to the Buford Highway International Farmers Market. It was so cool! It was filled with items from all around the world, such as spices and fruits and vegetables and pastries and candies and drinks. I tried a tropical fruit known as a Rambutan, some spicy plantain chips, and a Japanese sugar paste.

As I walked through the aisles looking for something to bring home, I came upon the international chocolates! I spent a good 30 minutes staring at all the various countries and flavors and brands, trying to decide which would be the best. In the end, I bought a Milka hazelnut chocolate bar from Germany and a raspberry bittersweet-chocolate bar from Russia. I took both home to try with the family, and we loved them, especially the Russian one! 

After the market, we all got on the bus to head back to school so our parents could take us home. On the bus, kids ate their treats, sharing their interesting, international finds; I got to try a fluffy milk-chocolate bar from Ukraine and some caramels from Germany. When we arrived at school, I said my goodbyes, got in my parents' car, and told them of our adventure on the way home.

Expression, Authenticity, & Culture 

Overall, I loved getting to experience the High Museum for the first time, taking in all the meaningful pieces of art that help to spread various forms of knowledge. Getting to eat a fresh and authentic lunch was also really amazing; it was incredibly inspiring to see such a diverse selection of restaurants in one place. I can't wait to experience the Farmers Market again to find even more delicious foods and drinks to try. I loved getting to have a truly International Baccalaureate day as we became one with various cultures, taking our well-rounded and open-minded mindset out in the world, or ya know, Atlanta, but small steps, right?