English teacher Lynn Bonakdar is organizing a Westford Academy trip to Japan in the spring of 2026, with the tour set to take place from April 14-24. The trip is currently pending approval from the Westford School Committee, as the committee must vote on all international and out-of-state field trips before they are confirmed.
There will be an informational meeting for the trip on Wednesday, April 9 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center (PAC). Registration will begin on the evening of April 9 and is limited to 37 students. Bonakdar is also looking to find chaperones.
According to Bonakdar, a trip to Japan has been in talks for years within the WA community. This tour is longer than previous international trips, spanning 11 days including travel time.
Bonakdar is working to coordinate this trip with EF Tours, who have been assisting with the development of an itinerary. Some tour sites that the group plans to visit include Hiroshima, Osaka Castle, Kyoto, Mount Fuji, and Tokyo.
“I wanted to pick an itinerary that had a variety of activities that were more hands on, for example: hot pot dinner. I wanted us to be able to see the historical side of Japan [and] the modern parts of Japan […] to try and give students a taste of all of the many things that Japan has to offer,” Bonakdar said.
The total cost of the trip will be close to $6,000 per student, which includes transportation to, from, and within Japan, travel insurance, entrance fees to all the attractions, and food.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Bonakdar and history teacher Stephen Scully had planned a trip to Japan. The trip was scheduled for April 2020, one month after the lockdown began and it was ultimately cancelled. There were plans to go to Japan the year after, but that trip was also cancelled because Japan was still in lockdown in 2021.
“I think travel is so important for students to become global citizens and widen their worldview,” Bonakdar said. “Many students haven’t got the opportunity to travel or [even] get out of Westford, and I feel like having the opportunity to […] immerse themselves in another culture, take some risks, [and] try new things helps our WA students become well rounded, better human beings.”
