European Heritage Itinerary Part 4 of 4

Day 16 - Paris, France
Saturday 04.08.2007

8:00am: Now leave your hotel after having enjoyed your breakfast.

9:30am: Enjoy a guided exploration of one of the most important art collections in the world, the famous Musee du Louvre. You will visit the principal parts of the museum - including a look at Leonardo's masterpiece, Mona Lisa.

1:00pm: Today you will have lunch at the Louvre Food Court where you can choose your meal.

2:30pm: Admire a dazzling view of Paris. There's only one place to go up: take the elevator up to the top of the Eiffel Tower (899 feet) which was built for the 1889 World's Fair to commemorate the French Revolution.

6:00pm: Relax and enjoy your dinner at Flam's Montparnasse.

7:00pm: In the evening get on your coach and return to your hotel.

Overnight: Overnight at the Quality Inn Rosny-sous-Bois.

Day 17 - Overnight ferry to Portsmouth, Great Britain
Sunday 05.08.2007

8:00am: Continue your journey to Omaha Beach.

12:30pm: Pick up your lunch boxes at the Restaurant La Sapiniere.

1:00pm: After a warm welcome from the major of Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, have the unique possibility to meet a witness from the period of WWII. See the beaches where the Americans landed on the morning of June 6, achieving the liberation of France. Omaha Beach was the Allied codename for one of the principal landing points during the Normandy landings on June 6, 1944.

3:00pm: Visit the Normandy American Cemetary wh ich is the last resting place of 9387 young soldiers who were killed in 1944 during the Battle of Normandy.

4:00pm: Hop on the bus and continue to Caen, the capital of Normandy.

5:00pm: Visit the Memorial Museum in Caen, which mission is to remember the operation of the 6th of June 1944, the causes of the 39-45 conflict and its multiple consequences. Furthermore see the exhibition about the Cold War and peace perspectives in the world.

7:30pm: Enjoy your dinner at the REstaurant La Neustrie.

8:30pm: Depart for Ouistreham where you will catch the ferry to Great Britain.

10:00pm: Board your ferry to Portsmouth in England.

11:30pm: Leave Caen for Portsmouth.

Day 18 - London, Great Britain
Monday 06.08.2007

6:00am: Enjoy your breakfast on the overnight ferry before arriving in Great Britain.

7:00am: Leave the ferry in Portsmouth on the British coast.

7:30am: Continue to Stonehenge.

9:30am: Visit Stonehenge, a neolithic and Bronge Age magalithic monument. Stonehenge is one of Britain's most famous UNESCO World Heritage sites.

10:30am: Hop on your bus and head for the Hampton Court Palace.

12:30pm: Now it's time for lunch at Don Pepe on the Green.

1:30pm: Visit Hampton Court Palace, the beautiful and historic home of King Henry VIII.

5:30pm: Enjoy your dinner at the restaurant Il Ponte.

7:00pm: Now it is getting really official. Attend an educational parliamentary briefing with a British (MP) Member of Parliament.

Overnight: Spend your night at the Express by Holiday Inn Croydon.

Day 19 - London, Great Britain
Tuesday 07.08.2007

8:00am: Depart from the hotel.

9:30am: A British guide will join you for a full day orientation tour through London. See the city's most important historic sites.

10:00am: Ride London's premier tourist attraction, the London Eye. Don't forget your cameras for fantastic views.

11:30am: See the colorufl and musical Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace, the residence and office of Britain's monarchs since 1837.

12:00pm: Savor your lunch at the Silver Cross Restaurant.

2:00pm: Visit the Tower of London, home of the stunning Crown Jewels. Just try to take your eyes off those dazzling gems. Since 1988 the Tower is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

5:30pm: Enjoy your traditional fish and chips at the Sugar Reef in Central London.

Overnight: Spend your night at the Express by Holiday Inn Croydon.

Day 20 - Depart from London for the United States
Wednesday 08.08.2007

Continental Flight #0019, London-Newark (10:30am-1:20pm)

European Heritage Itinerary Part 3 of 4

Day 11 - Utrecht, Netherlands
Monday 30.07.2007

9:00am: Depart for Cologne, one of the most famous cities in Germany.

10:30am: Enjoy the wonderful city of Cologne with your delegation manager. See the great cathedral, Cologne's famous landmark and, since 1996, UNESCO World Heritage.

12:00pm: Haev a rockin and rollin good time at the Hard Rock Cafe, amidst its fascinating collection of music memorabilia.

2:00pm: Depart for the charming Flemish town Utrecht.

6:00pm: Dinnertime. Enjoy a delicious meal at the restaurant Le Connaisseur.

Overnight: At the Hotel Mercure in Utrecht Nieuwegein.

Day 12 - Amsterdam, Netherlands
Tuesday 31.07.2007

8:00am: Depart from the hotel.

9:00am: Learn about two Dutch specialities. You will see how the famous Dutch clogs are carved and get a demonstration of cheese making.

11:30am: Savour your lunch with typical Dutch pancakes.

1:30pm: Take part in an educational meeting about Anne Frank and her family who hid from the Nazis during WWII.

3:30pm: Discover the canals and bridges of Amsterdam with your delegation manager.

6:00pm: Explore the lively city of Amsterdam with a canal cruise. The one hour cruise through the canals of Amsterdam is with multilingual explanations.

7:00pm: After a day full of activities, board your coach for your hotel.

8:00pm: Complete your day with dinner at your hotel.

Overnight: At the Hotel Mercure in Utrecht Niewegein.

Day 13 - Bruges, Belgium
Wednesday 01.08.2007

8:30am: Leave your hotel after having enjoyed your breakfast.

10:00am: Have a look at the International Court of Justice, the main judicial body of the United Nations. The Peace Palace houses the International Court of Justice. Join a guided tour and learn about this important UN office.

12:00pm: Continue your journey to Kinderdijk.

1:00pm: View Kinderdijk, a famous 17th century Dutch heritage windmill park. Explore the UNESCO World Heritage park by bike. 19 windmills stand alongside one another in Kinderdijk. The area has remained in its original state.

2:00pm: Refresh yourself with a picnic lunch in the middle of the windmill park.

4:00pm: Continue to Bruges, one of Europe's most delightful cities.

6:30pm: Enjoy your dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: At the hotel Novotel Brugge Zuid.

Day 14 - Paris, France
Thursday 02.08.2007

9:00am: After breakfast continue your journey.

9:30am: Explore the old city of Bruges by horse and carriage. Known as the "Venice of the North" the ornate center of Bruges has changed very little in the last five hundred years. Since 2000 the historic center of Bruges is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

10:30am: See a demonstration of how the famous Belgian chocolate is made. You will also have the possibility to try the delicious sweets. The Irma Lace Shop continues Bruges' tradition selling antique and old handmade laces. See their collection and a demonstration of this old handcraft.

11:30am: Proceed your journey to Ypres, a nice Belgian city.

12:30pm: The Menin Gate is inscribed with the names of 55,000 soldiers in memory of those who fought and died in WWI.

1:00pm: Enjoy your lunch at the Int Klein Stadthuis.

2:00pm: Learn someting about the horrors of WWI in the "In Flanders Fields Museum." Opened in 1998, the museum is as devoted to the promotion of peace as it is to the rememberance of war. The "In Flanders Fields Museum" is an interactive museum which takes you back in time to Ieper in WWI. Learn about the Great War and its horrors.

4:00pm: Today travel to Paris, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and the capital of France.

7:15pm: Make a break and have dinner at Autogril Vemars Ouest.

8:00pm: Continue your trip to Paris.

Overnight: At the Quality Inn Rosny-sous-Bois.

Day 15 - Paris, France
Friday 03.08.2007

7:30am: Hop on your bus and head for Versailles.

9:00am: Explore the magnificent Chateau de Versailles, a UNESCO World Heritage site, on your own. Built during the reign of Louis XIV, the Sun King, it was the seat of the royal court from 1682 to 1789, when the French Revolution put an end to the monarchy.

11:30am: Lunchtime at the Restaurant Au Fou du Roy.

12:30pm: Return to Paris.

2:00pm: A French guide will join you for an orientation of the city Ernest Hemingway called "a moveable feast."

5:00pm: Visit the historic Montmartre area, a haven for artists and writers before WWI. Marvel at the white Basilique du Sacre Coeur, which is the second highest point in Paris. Take some time to discover this area's treasures in small groups.

6:30pm: The restaurant Flunch Caulaincourt will serve your dinner today.

7:30pm: In the evening get on your coach and return to your hotel.

Overnight: At the Quality Inn Rosny-sous-Bois.

European Heritage Itinerary Part 2 of 4

Day 6 - Home Stay, Germany
Wednesday 25.07.2007

8:30am: Leave your hotel after having enjoyed your breakfast.

9:30am: Take part in a service project in the form of environmental clean up of a certain part of a river in the area of Freiburg.

1:00pm: Enjoy your lunch at the restaurant Waldsee.

2:30pm: Continue your journey to your home stay.

5:00pm: Today you will meet your home stay family and be welcomed in your new European home.

Day 7 - Home Stay, Germany
Thursday 26.07.2007

8:00am: Today will be spent with your home stay family learning about European life.

Day 8 - Home Stay, Germany
Friday 27.07.2007

8:00am: Today will be the last day you spend with your home stay family. Be sure to write a thank you note and leave it with your home stay family or mail it to them the next day.

Day 9 - Heidelberg, Germany
Saturday 28.07.2007

9:00am: Say goodbye to your home stay family and rejoin your delegation.

10:00am: Have fun and enjoy some free time at the swimming bath.

1:00pm: Lunch will be bought on your own - you will need to find local shops in Heidelberg, decide what to buy and communicate with the local shopkeepers who may not speak any English. This is a unique opportunity for the student ambassadors to get in direct contact with German inhabitants - enjoy this People to People experience.

2:00pm: Discover the beautiful city of Heidelberg with your Delegation Manager.

4:00pm: A guide will lead you through the great Castle of Heidelberg.

6:30pm: Enjoy your dinner, a typical Alsacian specialty: Flammkuchen.

Overnight: At the Hotel Holiday Inn Heidelberg.

Day 10 - Koblenz, Germany
Sunday 29.07.2007

12:00pm: Hop on the bus and continue your journey to Ruedesheim.

1:30pm: Refresh yourself with lunch at the typical German restaurant Drosselhof.

2:30pm: Enjoy a short walk with your delegation manager through the lovely town of Rudesheim.

4:15pm: Proceed your day with a cruise on the Rhine River. The Rhine is one of the most important waterways in Germany and the Upper Middle Rhine Valley is also UNESCO World Heritage. Your cruise will lead past small castles and the famous Loreley.

7:00pm: Admire the beautiful landscape of the Rhine River Valley while enjoying your dinner on the boat.

8:10pm: Leave the river boat in the beautiful town of Koblenz.

Overnight: At the Hotel Scholz.

European Heritage Itinerary Part 1 of 4

Day 1 - Depart for Switzerland
Friday 20.07.2007

Greet your fellow Ambassadors in your departure city before boarding your international, overnight flight to Zurich, Switzerland.

Continental Flight 0078 departing Newark at 6:45pm arriving Zurich at 8:40am (Day 2).

Day 2 - Zurich, Switzerland
Saturday 21.07.2007

9:00am: Welcome to Europe! After arrival at the airport your Delegation Manager and bus driver will greet you!

11:00am: Get an idea of Zurich - your Delegation Manager will take you on an exploration of Switzerland's most popular city. Along the way, see how many of Zurich's 1300 fountains you can spot!

12:30pm: Enjoy your lunch at the Moevenepick Marche Shopville Zurich.

2:00pm: Stroll around on your own! Use your time to buy some souverniers for your family or try some Original Swiss Chocolate.

4:30pm: Check in at the hotel!

6:00pm: Relax and enjoy your dinner at the hotel!

Overnight: Overnight at the Hotel Arte Olten.

Day 3 - Lucerne, Switzerland
Sunday 22.07.2007

8:30am: Leave your hotel in the morning and go to Kriens from where you will ascend the Pilatus Mountain (6,994 feet).

9:30am: In Kriens board a Gondola and go up the Pilatus Mountain. On your way up, enjoy the beautiful view of the Swiss Alps.

10:00am: Have a lot of fun as you race down a mountain on an alpine bobsled in Fraekmuentegg.

11:00am: "Climb" the last section to the top of the mountain by cable car.

11:30am: Pick up your lunch boxes at the Hotel Bellevue at Pilatus Kulm.

12:00pm: Take in a deep breath of fresh air while you hike around on the majestic Mount Pilatus. Watch out for the best place for your picnic.

1:05pm: Step in the world's steepest cogwheel railway and descend to Alpnachstad.

2:00pm: Depart for Lucerne, a very beautiful city in Switzerland.

2:30pm: Discover Lucerne, a city in the heart of Switzerland situated on a lake and surrounded by high moutains! Have a look at Lion Monument, dedicated to the Swiss soldiers who died in the French Revolutino (1792).

5:00pm: Take some time on your own to breathe in the flair of the city!

6:30pm: Complete your day with dinner at the restaurant Ochsen.

Overnight: Overnight at the Hotel Arte Olten.

Day 4 - Freiburg, Germany
Monday 23.07.2007

9:00am: Head off to Brienz where you will learn about the old Swiss tradition of Woodcarving.

10:30am: Today visit a woodcarver museum. The museum shows the world's largest collection of antique Swiss woodcarvings and an impressive display of antique music boxes and music machines from the last two centuries. You will be guided through the LIVING MUSEUM. Get an insight into the old tradition of Swiss woodcarving.

12:00pm: Continue to Berne the capital of Switzerland!

1:00pm: Enjoy your lunch at the restaurant Daehlhoelzli in Berne.

2:00pm: Your Delegation Manager will take you for a walk through Berne. The city centre is largely medieval and has been recognized by UNESCO as a Cultural World Heritage Site.

4:30pm: Continue your journey to Freiburg.

7:00pm: Enjoy your dinner at the hotel.

8:00pm: Sit together and speak about the expectations and answer the questions concerning the days at the home stay families.

Overnight: Stay overnight at the hotel Maria von Marschall.

Day 5 - Freiburg, Germany
Tuesday 24.07.2007

9:00am: Start out to Breitnau in the East of Freiburg.

10:00am: Take part in an official meeting at the townhall of Breitnau. A member of the city council will welcome you in the region of Freiburg and the Black Forest.

11:00am: Visit a traditional German farm.

12:30pm: Refresh yourself at lunch. In the Restaurant at the Hofgut Sternen you can choose your own meal.

1:30pm: Join an educational meeting and learn how the famous German Cuckoo Clocks are made. Afterwards visit a glass factory.

2:30pm: To make your visit to a traditional German farm unforgettable, you will be competing in Farm Olympics! Test your skills against your fellow delegates. The students will compete in different disciplines, like milking, farm bowling and grass skiing.

6:00pm: Complete your day with a BBQ dinner at the Best Western Hofgut Sternen.

Overnight: Stay overnight at the hotel Maria von Marschall.

One Last Tiki Party Update

So Roger gives a prize to the person who travels furthest to his party every year. This year, he presented bottles of Kahlua to Rachel (Houston, Texas) and Karen (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania).

I double-checked on Google Maps.

Hawthorne, Florida to Hillsborough, NJ = 979 miles
Hawthorne, FL to Bethlehem, PA = 976 miles
Hawthorne, FL to Houston, TX = 875 miles

I got screwed! This is a sexist plot.

Rachel/Karen -- Don't open those bottles. I think we're going to have to get together so I can share in the proceeds from this unbelieveable oversight.

Tiki Party Fun

So back in November, while in Japan, Roger (Music Teacher - Florida) invited our small group that hung out together every day and night to come to his annual Tiki Party in June. I don't know if he really expected us to come, but Karen (8th Grade English - Pennsylvania), Rachel (Elementary Reading Specialist - Texas), and I arrived at Jacksonville Airport last Thursday ready for a huge weekend.

After the 90 minute drive from the airport to his house near Gainsville, we were off. Roger lives on a pretty good sized piece of property down a few dirt roads in the middle of nowhere north central Florida. None of us even knew his address before he picked us up. The back of his property is on Gillis Pond, a pretty good sized lake with few houses and beautiful views.

We did some catching up Thursday night and met Roger's wife Donna who so graciously allowed the three kids (as Roger refers to us) to invade their home for the weekend. On Friday morning, I spent 3 hours sitting out on the dock drinking coffee and reading an amazing book (another blog to follow on that). It was so peaceful and quiet. For most of the time it was just me and their two dogs (Calie and Niko).

Roger and Donna introduced us to Backwoods BBQ (that's really the name of the place) on Friday afternoon. We did as much as we could to help them prepare for Saturday's party and we did more catching up. That catching up kept us out on the dock through dinner, the sunset and more than a couple pitchers of margaritas. It was probably close to 2am by the time the kids got to bed.

Saturday was mostly a party prep day. I helped Roger out in his tiki lounges and in the yard while Karen and Rachel worked in the kitchen with Donna.

As Roger's guests starting arriving, it was amazing how much they all knew about us. Roger must have told them all kinds of stories about our Japan escapades and most of the Tiki party-goers seemed genuinely excited to meet us and put names to the stories. A couple even mentioned to me privately that Roger was beside himself with excitement that we actually came down to see him and attend the party.

The party was fun. I had the honor of being the flag-raiser of the Tiki Law flag that Roger and I rigged to the tree earlier. I met lots of new people, many teachers at Roger's school. I spent some time talking to Roger's son, currently serving in the Marine Corps. I spent even more time hanging out with Roger's son's stepson, Hiro, who just turned 3, but acts like he's 23. Seriously, I don't know if I can possibly capture the style with which Hiro spoke and acted on here, but I'll try.

We were sitting on the dock around a table, having a drink and relaxing. Hiro plopped his cup of orange juice onto the table, pulled up a chair and sat down. Then he looked around and said, "So how's everyone's day?" He stayed up and active almost the entire party from when he arrived around 3pm through til 11 or so I think. He fell in love with Rachel especially, but he was a lot of fun to hang out with (yes, I know he was only 3).

We all stayed up late into the night talking. I didn't get into bed until 3:30am and our wake-up call was 5:45am for the trip back to the airport and then back to the real world. It was great to see everyone again and just get away for a weekend. Roger and my birthdays are only 3 days apart so maybe we'll have another reunion some February down the road.

My other pictures are here for anyone interested.

New Developments at Ridge

I met with a school administrator and a district administrator, separately, to discuss some issues surrounding extracurricular activities, most notably whether I would have the opportunity to return to my positions as assistant director of the marching band, director of the pep band, advisor of the newspaper and Saturday detention supervisor.

The resounding answer is no.

I have kept quiet about this since my return on March 1 because I wanted to exhaust all options before speaking my mind. While next year's extracurricular appointments will not become official until the June 18 Board of Education meeting, it was made clear to me in no uncertain terms that the Board of Education will absolutely not approve me to return to any extra position.

I appreciate all the support that has been shown to me by students and parents. The most frustrating thing about this is that the people who are actually affected by this, students that actually have me as an advisor/instructor and their parents, want me back. The people who make the decisions, with 1 key exception, don't want me to return to those duties.

To take a teaching position in another district feels like giving in to me...like letting them beat me. At the same time, staying at Ridge is obviously not the best professional move. I have an interview on Monday at another district, slightly closer to home and much closer to Hopewell Valley where I will be assistant marching band director next year. The school is quite similar to Ridge, but I'll refrain from posting any more for now. To the students that read this....my decision to consider leaving Ridge High School has nothing to do with you.

One year ago I wrote the following in an e-mail to the newspaper staff: "I could not look you all in the eye and tell you I was leaving. We've all worked too hard and there's so much more for us to accomplish together." I still believe that to be true, for the marching band as well. There is unrealized potential there and I share in the feeling I know many of the seniors have that this past year was stolen from all of us. Please know that I have done everything I can do on my end to stay at Ridge, but the majority of the Board of Education remains steadfast in its opposition to me.

I will continue to update here honestly and regularly. If I accept a position elsewhere, you will know as soon as possible. I am tenured in my current position. They can't get rid of me without my consent (they sure did try though) so I'm not going to leave for just any teaching position. My sights are set on a select few places.

People to People 2008

I received my tentative P2P assignment for the summer of 2008.

JAPAN

This is great news. There are only two trips next year that I really wanted - Japan and a new one that is going to Eastern Europe (Russia, Germany, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) - and now I'm assigned to one of them.

I know I won't be able to recreate the amazing experience I had in November, but it'll be great to share what I know about Japan with high school students as we plan to spend 2-3 weeks there.

On other travel news - I'll be spending a long weekend in Florida from June 7-10 reuniting with a few of my closest friends from the November Japan trip for Roger's (the music teacher for those that were following my Japan blog) annual tiki party. I'm flying down Thursday after school and coming back Sunday.

I am leaving on July 20 for my 3 week trip to Europe - England, France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and The Netherlands.

I am going to try to squeeze another Florida trip in after that before band camp gets into full swing (at Hopewell Valley...not at Ridge).

I am in the application stage for another travel opportunity that would take me out of the country in November 2008. I haven't received approval for it from the district yet and it would require me to miss a few days of school so I'll hold off on talking to much about that one.