July 16th Travel Journal

Montecatini, Italy

Montectani must translate into top of a mountain after lots of scary, winding roads. We kept going up and up this narrow roadway that had 180 degree turn after 180 degree turn. We missed a sign and had to make a number of u-turns with our bus too. I was getting al ittle scared; I didn't like being out of control in dangerous driving conditions like that. Today was mostly a driving day for us - about 4 hours. In the middle we stopped at the Fossoli di Campi transit camp. Any Italians, mostly Jews, that were sent to Polish or German concentration camps first passed through a transit camp like Fossoli. Unfortunately our guide was extremely long-winded and it was very hot so a lot of the students tuned out. I can't really blame them though because I was tuning out at times too and I found the content of what he was saying very interesting. We read their journals for the first time today. It helped give us a better glimpse into how the kids are feeling about things. A few of them wrote things that aren't really true or fully accurate, which means that's what they're telling their parents and so that's what the parents are probably e-mailing to one another. For example one girl wrote that her ATM card was eaten by a machine in Venice and none of the leaders would help her. I hadn't even heard of the problem until I read in it her journal. Another wrote that the delegation leaders have it easy because we don't have to do anything. Even still I think I'd like to do this more in the future. While there is a great deal of responsibility I still think it gives me an opportunity to see and do things I might not otherwise be able to do. Next year's trip is scheduled to Australia and New Zealand though and I'm not totally sure if that's where I really want to go. China or Europe provide a lot more useful firsthand knowledge for me to use in the classroom. We check rooms in a few minutes and then hopefully we'll get a bottle of wine to share overlooking the city down at the bottom of the mountain.

July 15th Travel Journal

Venice, Italy

Today was a very full day. We got to Venice on the train without anything extraordinary. The kids were late to curfew on the train so we had a little behavior chat while we waited for our hotel rooms to be ready. It turns out our hotel is actually a working monastery. There's a nice courtyard with 3 levels of archways, crosses on all of our walls and everything. We spent a very hot day in Italy - Venice is a beautiful place though, even in the heat. Our gondola ride was less than spectacular because our gondolier was rude and didn't even do any singing. The most interesting part came on the walk to dinner. Four of the five leaders didn't make it to the restaurant. Here's where being calm and laid back comes in handy because most of the kids had no idea until dinner was nearly finished. Christine, our delegation manager, was a little frantic but we got it all worked out. It turns out they stopped to take a couple pictures and lost the group as we continued on our way. There seemed to be more Americans today than when we were in Paris. Also, nearly all of the Italians I interacted with spoke some English. The only exception came in the restaurant when I had to talk to the waiter about our situation. He only spoke Italian, but because of the little Spanish I do know I was able to understand most of what he was saying. This again make me really want to develop fluency in a language. I think I might prefer Italian to Spanish because there are more places in Italy I'd like to visit again than in Spain. At the same time, Spanish is useful in South America as well. I'm not sure I have the time or discipline to really apply myself to it anyway.

July 15 Travel Journal

On a train, Italy

We've been on the train from Paris to Venice for about 11 hours now, 2 more to go. Sometime during the night we passed through Switzerland and the Alps, but I couldn't see anything. We spent a good chunk of Bastille Day yesterday at Versailles. I took my time going through the Chateau, but there wasn't a whole lot of information; perhaps I should have purchased the audio tour. Most of the students reported positive homestays. Only 2 groups had negative reactions overall. After dinner while standing outside our restaurant in Paris, a group of young boys threw firecrackers into our group and at other people in the street. One of them hit one of our girls in the leg burning her. I think we're actually pretty lucky that we got everyone else out of the situation with further incident.

July 13 Travel Journal

Coullomes la Montagne, France

We spent the afternoon exploring Reims. I purchased a book taht covers this entire champagne region rather well. We even ran into a People to People group from Maryland while in the cathedral. I bought a 256mb memory card for my camera hoping to avoid the problems I've been having. So far so good but we'll see. The Bastille Day celebration tonight was interesting but a bit less than I was expecting. We met near the village administration buildings. There the children and some adults like me lit lanterns. This symbolized the people in the streets of Paris, looking to guillotine those that didn't support the revolution. Then we walked to a field where 3 villages meet for a shared fireworks display. Some of the more energetic (ie. drunk) revelers sang republican songs along the way. The fireworks were surely amateur by American standards, but we were in a small village and the fireworks in Reims seemed a bit more elaborate. After a walk through some trails, we made it back to the house hot and sweaty for our final night here. Oh! I forgot one important thing. Unlike the 4th of July when Americans drink lots of beer, after tonight's fireworks we all enjoyed a nice flute of champagne. It's been a great stay here. Not only have I learned a great deal about winemaking and French culture, I've learned about Mexico from Raphael and Britain from Deirdre, a family friend who spent some time with us. I can only hope I get as much out of the remaining 13 days as I have these firxt 6.

July 13 Travel Journal

Coullomes la Montagne, France

This morning the father of the family took us to explore the process of winemaking. We went to the cooperative that he runs and he walked us through each step of the process. We tasted 3 varieties in variuos stages and saw the cave where 1 million bottles were sitting for 2-7 years before they'll be sold. This family's vineyards produced more than 60,000 kilograms of grapes last year, which works out to over 3 million dollars! We're going to see a more touristy cave area in Reims this afternoon, the cathedral, and then tonight to see fireworks for Bastille Day.

July 12th Travel Journal

Coullomes la Montagne, France

I can't believe I'm writing my fourth entry for today. First - a general cultural observation: people throughout the world tune into American music and movies. The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ads on busses and the middle girl listening to American rock music prove this point. Second - Americans watch way too much tv. No one in my host family has even turned on a tv in my presence. In fact, I haven't even seen a tv. Instead, they eat extended meals together, ride their horses or read 1 of the books stacked along their staircase. They eat a ton of food including anti-Atkins bread & cheese and are very slim. TV makes Americans obese. Off my soapbox...after dinner I was outside playing with the family's two dogs. One is very old and can't move much and the other is very young and full of energy. We (the mother and I) got into their SUV with the dog and drove a km or so away so we were on gravel roads between lettuce, wheat, and other fields. Then we drove about 30 km/h and the dog ran and ran. I was getting tired in the car yet he kept on running. It was unreal. Finally we tired the poor guy out and brought him home with a huge smile on his face. I also got to make a phone call home tonight to Kara and it was nice to share at least a little info in the time we had with someone who cared to know how things were going. I sent an e-mail to my Mom and Dad today too and will follow up with that before I leave the homestay on Thursday if I get a chance.

July 12th Travel Journal

Coullomes la Montagne, France

I can't believe I'm writing my fourth entry for today. First - a general cultural observation: people throughout the world tune into American music and movies. The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ads on busses and the middle girl listening to American rock music prove this point. Second - Americans watch way too much tv. No one in my host family has even turned on a tv in my presence. In fact, I haven't even seen a tv. Instead, they eat extended meals together, ride their horses or read 1 of the books stacked along their staircase. They eat a ton of food including anti-Atkins break & cheese and are very slim. TV makes Americans obese. Off my soapbox...after dinner I was outside playing with the family's two dogs. One is very old and can't move much and the other is very young and full of energy. We (the mother and I) got into their SUV with the dog and drove a km or so away so we were on gravel roads between lettuce, wheat, and other fields. Then we drove about 30 km/h and the dog ran and ran. I was getting tired in the car yet he kept on running. It was unreal. Finally we tired the poor guy out and brought him home with a huge smile on his face. I also got to make a phone call home tonight to Kara and it was nice to share at least a little info in the time we had with someone who cared to know how things were going. I sent an e-mail to my Mom and Dad today too and will follow up with that before I leave the homestay on Thursday if I get a chance.

July 12th Travel Journal

Coullomes la Montagne, France

Cherry picking was a new experience. We also visited with a few family friends who had a beautiful home and garden.

Tonight we were supposed to go to a piano concert at an estate similar to Duke's, but when we got there it wasn't there. So instead we went to the Basilica in Reims. This was fascinating because it was built on the remains of a Roman temple dating back to the 1st century AD. The inside had been damaged many times so there was Romanesque and Gothic architecture. Most of the roof was destroyed during WWI so there have been pretty recent renovations as well. I took a ton of pictures and am going to try to find a book about it in town tomorrow too. I think I could use this basilica a great deal when I teach about medieval architecture.

July 12th Travel Journal

Coullomes la Montagne, France

This morning Pam and I walked around the village with the oldest daughter. We saw a new house they are having built, their three horses, vineyards, and a number of gardens.

Unfortunately I'm having some trouble with my camera so I'm losing quite a few pictures. I'm just hoping they mostly turn out when I get home. I might have to purchase a new memory card to be safe. The entire family came together for lunch. We had a carrot salad and another vegetable noodle salad, chicken, potatoes, green beans, cheese and a baked apricot dessert. What a wonderful meal once again! We're leaving in a few minutes to go cherry picking and to see some other gardens.

July 12th Travel Journal

Coullomes la Montagne, France

To continue from last night let me describe the children of the family. There is a 14 year old daughter, but she is away visiting her grandparents. Next is a 19 year old daughter. She just completed high school and is considering studying cinema, but it seems like her parents don't really like that idea a whole lot. Then there is a 21 year old daughter. She just finished her bachelor's degree in Mexico for engineering. Her boyfriend, Rafael, is from Mexico and is staying here working in the vineyards for a few months. This oldest daughter studied in Mexico for two years so she speaks French, English, and Spanish fluently. The mother does not work outside the home, but she does a great deal in the home. She cooks all of the meals, which the entire family shares together. She grows fruits, vegetables, and flowers in her garden. She makes her own marmalades and jams, cleans the house, etc. The father goes off to work the vineyards, but I think he hires others for the manual labor. He picked us up in a Jaguar yesterday and I think he does very well. This family has hosted a number of People to People delegates and leaders in the past as well as students from England. They've also traveled a number of times to the United States, Asia, and Africa. They are truly an amazing family - all extremely intelligent and very warm and welcoming. We did begin talking a little about the war in Iraw and terrorism last night. Pam (the other delegation leader I'm staying with) did get upset when the father suggested 40 people being killed in London or 40 US soldiers dying wasn't that big a deal in the grand scheme of things. It's an interesting perspective, different mostly because France is not actively involved in the war. I'm sure we'll get into some more discussion like this soon. For now I'm going to get back to the family so we can start our day.

July 11th Travel Journal

Coulommes la Montagne, France

I'm really tired so I don't want to write a whole lot tonight, but I've got to at least mention my homestay family. First, we began the day shopping at Montmartre, then we visited the Louvre. Unfortunately we raced through our visit due to time constraints. Also I tried to take a lot of pictures of ancient sculptures to replace the stock slides I use in world history, but there was some kind of memory card error. Interestingly Tom Hanks and co. are taping the DaVinci Code eahc night after the museum closes this week. Okay - homestay. My homestay family (with Mrs. Probst, another delegation leader) is absolutely amazing. The father is a vinter - he owns 10 acres of vineyards over a 100 kilometer area. This is quite a lot for France. They live in a very small town of approximately 200 people up on a hill in the countryside. Most of the homes were destroyed first during WWI and then again during WWII. We arrived and enjoyed his own champagne before sitting down for dinner. We began with a cucumber soup, then dough filled with ham and cheese or salmon. There was also salad with greens and tomatoes the mother picked from her garden. Next came cheese - 3 varieties eaten with French braed. Finally we ate strawberries and raspeberries in a yogurt for dessert. All the hile there was also wine on the table. I have a lot more to write about the family, their home and this homestay experience, but that will all have to wait until tomorrow.

July 10th Travel Journal

Paris, France

After a brief scare this morning, the day progressed very well. The scare came during our walk near and in the Notre Dame Cathedral. Four of our delegates got mixed up while we were exiting the cathedral and it took us about 20 minutes to locate them once we discovered they were missing. I remembered someone telling me about a small Holocaust memorial located near Notre Dame so I asked our walking guide about it. During a 10 minute break Tony, another delegation leader, and I found the memorial. It was very interesting. It recognized the 150,000+ French who were deported for concentration camps during WWII. The memorial itself was located in a park along the Seine. I walked down steps into a beige, concrete structure. On one end was a small opening blocked by black gates representing th exit to waiting boats on the river. On the other side was a very narrow walkway into a tomblike area. There I found a candle of an unknown French deportee. Behind cell doors were empty holding chambers. Throughout were quotes inscribed on the walls and the names of the camps - Auschwitz, Buchenwald, etc. - and there was also a deep chamber with white rocks along the walls, presumably to represent the deportees.

Once back with the group we went to Montmartere, an area that has long held th artists of Paris. We climbed the stairs to the highest point in Paris to take a look at the art and the views. Both were impressive. It was too bad we didn't have time to really do shopping here because I'd like to have picked up a piece of art. Next we headed to Planet Hollywood for burgers and fries, also rushed for our next itinerary item, a cruise along the Seine. This was a great way to see the city, learn about the history through headphones and relax. Some of the girls took this opportunity to yell "bonjour" and other phrases to the young men walking or sunbathing along the banks. Later in the day these girls found a major difference in behavioral norms and mores between American and French men. As one of the girls told me tonight at room check, American men might whistle or call after attractive women, but that's hwere it stops. French (and Italian too we've been warned) men, however, take eye contact to mean invitation and then begin to harass the women. Following the cruise, we all had about 90 minutes of free time to shop along the Champs-Elysees. Most shops in France (80% Roman Catholic) are closed on Sundays. About 2/3 on this avenue were open, but going even one block away meant all the shops were shut down. I walked quite a bit hoping to do some shopping but couldn't find anywhere to spend my Euros. I did finally stop at McDonald's for a vanilla milk shake. I attempted to order in French (un milk shake sil vous plait), but the counterperson saw right through me and so she spoke to me in English. In the United States we generally expect everyone to speak English or at least to try their very best to do so. In our case we seem to expect th local to attempt to speak English when really we should be the ones attempting to speak French. After shopping we ate at another American chain theme restaurant, the Hard Rock Cafe. After more burgers we came back to the hotel and the kids had almost 3 hours of free time. I fell asleep for most of it and now have some time to get organized to depart for our homestays tomorrow. I hope I have a young couple or family with an older child as my host family. I also hope they speak English pretty well. All in all I'm sure I'll learn a lot once we get going.

July 9th Travel Journal

Now that I've talked about what we've seen, done and ate, let me talk a little about what I'm observing, mostly from the sociological perspective for now. On the initial flight from NY to Frankfurt I sat in front of a few middle school boys en route to Rome for a European tour, presumably with chaperones. They ordered and were served beer, but I won't even get into the alcohol discussion right now. Instead I'll focus on the fact that whenever announcements were made in German, they'd mock the language and accent. This is a great example of ethnocentrism (this is not what I'm used to) and cultural relativism (since this is not my culture it is not as good). Even some of the PTP students have, perhaps unknowingly, fallen into this trap as well. For example they dismissed directional signs in the Paris airport as stupid because they were somewhat different than in US airports (but still easily followed). While lined up to board the flight from Frankfurt to Paris a few others near us began speaking English. Students commented that hearing people speaking English made them feel more relaxed and at ease. And more from a personal manners standpoint: I've noticed few students attempting to use basic French phrases like bonjour (hello), merci (thakn you) and sil vous plait (please). They do usually say the English counterparts, but I think even a faulty attempt at the local culture would ease any tension being felt by the workers trying accomodate the wants of 47 American teenagers. I think that's all for now. I'm listening to the soundtrack from The French Revolution and thinking about all I want to learn at Versailles next week! Au revoir!

July 9th Travel Journal

Paris, France

I'm now into my 31st hour without more than 5 minutes sleep at any one time. All in all, I'm really not feeling too bad considering. I just got settled into my room at the Ibis Hotel Porte d'Italie where we'll be staying for 2 nights. Because of the arrangement of our delegation leaders - 1 married couple, 2 women, and me - I'll be getting my own private room at every hotel. That's great news! Okay - today.

Upon arriving in Paris after our 45 minute flight from Frankfurt we met with our delegation manager Christine while we waited for the rest of the delegation to arrive. Christine is 22 and studying for her bachelor's degree in sports management from the University of Vienna. She studied in Boston for a year at Pierre and Harvard and has traveled extensively in Europe and the United States. Once everyone arrived we headed for lunch. Our lunch consisted of a thin oven-baked dough with cheese and ham or mushrooms on top. For dessert we had the same crust with apple or chocolate chips on top. After lunch we spent 90 minutes crossing the city by bus to go to the Eiffel Tower. I climbed the elevators to the very top and took some pictures of the great views of Paris. After the Eiffel Tower we headed to dinner. We had a tuna salad appetizer followed by a main course of pork and vegetables and a dessert of creme brulet. From dinner we came to the hotel where I'm sitting right now. We have a delegation meeting at 9pm to review some rules and procedures and then relaxation time until 11pm when we do room check.

July 9th Travel Journal

Frankfurt, Germany

The flight from NY was relatively uneventful. I didn't get any sleep at all, which will probably begin to hurt quite a bit in a few hours. I'm feeling okay right now though. Upon arrival in Germany, it was immediately clear that English is the international language. All of the signs and announcements are dual English/German. Another cultural difference - shock really for Americans - is the fact that smoking is allowed inside the terminal. It's been a pretty long time since I've smelled cigarette smoke inside a public building. Now we're waiting a bit for our connecting flight to Paris.

July 8th Travel Journal

New York, New York, USA

As we near the end of our second hour sitting at the gate for our flight to Paris via Frankfurt I thought it'd be appropriate to reflect on my pre-travel thoughts on the upcoming trip to France, Italy, and Greece. I've been to all these as a student ambassador so I have some idea of what being a delegation leader will be like. I'm really excited about experiencing things that I'll be able to bring to my world history and sociology classes in the fall. I know I'll have a much greater appreciation for the history and culture on our itinerary than I did when in high school. At the same time I do feel some nervousness and anxiety about being responsible for 47 students in Europe. I don't speak any of the local languages, which especially worries me for the homestay in France. There is, of course, also more concern due to the terrorist attacks that took place yesterday in London. All in all I'm confident I'll have a wonderful, enriching experience I'll be able to carry with me for years to come.