In A Remote (Dis)Location

This story reminds me of an incident we had during a school trip

It’s common for Dutch schools to have a cultural trip abroad in the pre-exam year. It’s partly educational, but also a nice way to have a few fun days with the class.

During our trip, there was also a day of white-water rafting in the French Alps. Though white doesn’t do justice to the brilliant blue of that river due to its mineral content. The water flows quickly, but it’s safe enough to also jump in at many parts, and there are frequent small islands where you can stop and have a break. The rafting is organized by a local company.

This part of the trip is optional; if a student does not want to join, they are free not to, and we explain the risks clearly and have them sign a waiver.

Once on the water, what you’d expect to happen when you put over forty sixteen-to-seventeen-year-olds on rafts happens, and there is lots of trying to pull people from the rafts, splashing, and general fun, but it all seems okay. 

Until halfway through the experience, one of the instructors on the other raft flags down the one I am on and calls out to me.

Instructor: “Monsieur! Monsieur! Your student. He has broken his shoulder!”

I immediately panic and have flashes of helicopters having to fly in to lift the student from the river, as I’m being taken to them on the island, a raft has stopped. As I arrive, I run towards the student.

Me: “What happened?! Are you alright?”

He looks at me and says:

Student: “Oh yeah. No biggie. I just dislocated my shoulder. That has happened like five times already this year. I’m going to the hospital to have that surgically corrected during the summer. I’ll just need a sling and some aspirin.”

Me: “What possessed you to go wild water rafting if that’s the case?”

Student: “Well, it seemed like fun!”

Once we got back safely and he was in his sling, I, of course, had to contact his parents, who were obviously a tad upset that he’d gone rafting against, as it turned out, his doctor’s advice, but basically chalked it up as an important lesson for him to listen to doctors next time.