Samuel Grant Robinson: Looking forward to an exciting trip

With only two weeks left before we leave, the reality of the trip to China is finally settling in. What an incredible experience this is going to be. I'm so excited that our students will get to have this wonderful opportunity. Not only to travel abroad, many of them for the first time, but also to get to see a part of the world that many here don't get a chance to see. In our final meeting, we went over the itinerary, and it's incredible! We'll get the chance to see the Great Wall, the Forbidden Palace, Tian An Men Square, the Terra Cotta Tomb Warriors and all the other amazing sights. And to have the chance to perform not only in Beijing, but also the new concert hall in Xi'an! It's really amazing. I'm so looking forward to seeing how our students will interact with the students there; this opportunity to see the similarities and differences between them will give them a chance to grow in very significant ways.

It is going to be a challenge as well. The logistics of moving this many students this far away are daunting. And it stands to be a cold trip, as well, just adding to the sense of adventure. But I know in the end that it will be well worth it. It has been my experience that these kinds of trips can be transformative. Past tours that I have been part of have helped to widen my world view, helped me to understand others in ways I didn't before, and made my life richer by far. I can only hope that our students have this same experience, as I'm sure that they will. As an administrator, I am so proud of the work that our students and faculty have put into preparing for this trip. I know that they will represent themselves, the School of Music, and Kennesaw State University in the best way possible.