A group of teenaged students from a private all-girls school is back on Canadian soil after they took a trip to Honduras to do some humanitarian work, and found themselves in the middle of a military coup.
Twenty-one students, all aged 16 and 17, and three teachers from Saint-Nom-de-Marie School arrived at Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport on Thursday shortly after noon.
They had gone to Honduras last Thursday as part of a trip to introduce the girls to the culture, people and socio-economic status of the country. Just as the girls were getting over their jet lag and meeting with some families, on Sunday president Manuel Zelaya was ousted in a military coup. He had seven months left in his term.
The trip
The trip was in conjunction with a non-profit humanitarian group, Mer et Monde. The students were to meet families, be exposed to poverty, and help build a home. Half of the girls stayed in the capital Tegucigalpa, and half stayed in a town a few hours away, San Mateas.
The group was scheduled to return on July 9.
Upon arriving at the airport in Canada, the young women told CTV Montreal they were disappointed to be returning because they did not get to fulfill their itinerary. The trip had been in the works for a year and a half; it was the second time the school has arranged such a trip, and it only happens once every two years.
Most of the girls are nearing graduation age and won't get the chance to go on a second trip.
