Dangerous Journeys

So I came across these photos of the 25 Most Dangerous and Unusual Journeys to School

One question (I say that more but I will likely have a few).

Surely the people who built these schools knew that it would be a dangerous trek for the students to get to the school... surely the parents also know this... so would you choose to A) build a school there and endanger the lives of your students and B) send your children there!?!

To be honest they all look terrifying but the ones that stick out to me are...

1)  The school children climbing on unsecured wooden ladders.  Wouldn't they rot?  Even if they don't rot they aren't secured to the mountain which is straight up.  Gah... I would be crying somewhere near (okay, I would only be on the first rung) the bottom.

2) Pupils crossing a damaged suspension bridge.  You surely can't ignore the fact that it is more than just damaged... it is basically not able to be used.  It is more like a suspension rope in these photos.  But everyone is crossing it like it is no big deal "oh this bridge, it's a piece of cake, I'll cross it while holding this grocery bag, with a backpack on my pack, one handed while doing a summersault".  Thank goodness it is apparently in much better condition now!  I would be on the non school side of that bridge... crying.

3) School children walking across a plank on a wall.  So unlike some of the other previously mentioned treks to school I probably would do this one... but I would be crying and telling the girl behind me to get her hands off of me for fear of being pushed off.

4) 125 mile journey to boarding school.  Do these kids walk the whole way?  Is this a test?  Get through the long, long walk and then you will learn from the greatest masters ever and become wildly rich but if you decide you cannot make the journey... well then you will be destined to work in McDonalds or as a sumo wrestler (because it's China). Anyways, I don't mind a long walk but 125 miles is a bit long.  I'm assuming they are sleeping in tents inbetween home and boarding school... which I don't care for.  I also don't think I would care for the way they are walking along the side of that mountain...it seems a little dangerous.  Guess I would be one of the children heading back home to study the fine art of sumo wrestling *sigh*

5)  Pupils walking on a tightrope.  Why?  Just... I don't understand?  If this is a way of incorporating phys-ed into their walk to school surely they could find a tad safer way to do it other than above a river.


I'm assuming we all had a relatively safe journey to school in comparison to these... makes me thankful to have grown up in Canada!

I think I might show these pictures to my students sometime as a writing activity.  They could tell me what they think is happening in the photo or why they think the children choose to still go to school in those conditions.


Okay, you can't deny that the ziplining route to school would be a cool one... I just hope those ziplines go the other way too!