Itin: 8:00AM: After breakfast, check out of your hotel.
After checking out of your hotel, meet with your group for a 9:00AM departure for Dublin City. You will travel across central Ireland, to the East Coast, through the towns of Ballinasloe, Athlone and Kinnegad.
Itin: On your way to Dublin you will visit Clonmachnoise, the historic site of an ancient Monastery and University, dating from the 5th century. Included are the ruins of a cathedral, eight churches dating back from the tenth to the thirteenth centuries, two round towers, a large collection of early Christian grave slabs, and three high crosses.
Ali: This was my favorite stop so far, but we had to cut it short to accommodate the 11 bus loads of people that would be coming through the small tourist site. That was disappointing because we rushed through the museum and received a 10-minute talk from a guide that we thought would be a half hour long. At least it wasn’t raining today! The cemetery was great because of the intricate stonework on the grave stones and the fact that everything was so ancient…as a novice traveler, I probably haven’t seen any ruins this old before.
Itin: Continue on from Clonmacnoise to Dublin City, where you will check into the Tara Towers and Montrose Hotels, where you will be staying for the next four nights.
Dinner at the hotel this evening.
Itin: This evening a New Year’s Eve Bash has been organized in the Montrose Hotel for your entire group! Ring in the New Year with new friends in a new country!
Ali: We relaxed in the hotel room watching movies until we went down to the party. One bar with darts, pool tables, and VH1 Classic on the TVs had a dive atmosphere and was mostly attended by students’ parents. We got our first round here because it was less crowded but quickly left because we didn’t really fit in there.
Matt: We met up with some other younger alumni in the main bar where there was a DJ playing a little before 11 and spent the rest of the evening there. We had a lot of fun talking, a tiny bit of dancing, watching the snow that “we never get in Ireland,” etc. We tried to buy a bottle of champagne just before midnight, but the huge crowd made it impossible so we just got some more Guinness.
We stayed down at the party until about 12:30 or 12:45 when we made our way back to the room. This was the earliest we’ve ever celebrated New Year’s as it was 5 hours before the US East Coast hit midnight. Happy New Year!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Galway, Ireland - December 30
Itin: After breakfast in your hotel meet with your group for a tour of Connemara, the area west of Galway City.
Drive from Galway through Moycullen, where you will visit Celtic Crystal. Continue on through Oughterard and Maam Cross, a lovely wooded town land where ancient woods give the place a magical feel. Continue on through Leenane Village, an old world village facing onto Killary Harbor – Ireland’s only fjord and was also featured in the 1990 film The Field, where you can step back in time to the era of Bull McCabe, the anti-hero, and step into Gaynor’s Pub. You will also visit Kylemore Abbey, the oldest of the Irish Benedictine Abbeys, home to a community of nuns since 1920.
Encompassing 2,957 hectares of land, Connemara National Park is mantled by blanket bog and wet heath vegetations with characteristic and varied wildlife. The park lies on the slope of the Twelve Bens Mountain Range providing breathtaking views in every direction.
Continue on to Clifden, a lovely town enhanced with spectacular scenery, it is also the largest town in Connemara. Its striking skyline is dominated by the spires of the Neo-Gothic Catholic Church and the nearby Protestant Church. Clifden has become a new popular destination, with plenty of activities for the whole family and over 5,000 years of living history.
Matt: Due to the continued poor weather of cold temperatures, high winds, and rain, we didn’t do much of what was on the itinerary today. We didn’t really stop at the sights on the list above since you couldn’t get good photos anyway and at the one extended stop (Kylemore Abbey) it was too cold to even explore for more than a few minutes.
Although not on the itinerary, our first stop was at a Connemara Marble workshop. This was a typical People to People style tour stop. We had access to good bathrooms, listened to a brief presentation about a local art/craft, and then had time to spend lots of money on souvenirs.
To be fair, it was pretty interesting to hear about the green, white, and black marble native to this region of western Ireland, but we did not make any purchases in the shop.
Ali: And BING CROSBY went there in 1966!
Oh yeah, and we stopped by a hotel that has two of the train cars from the Orient Express that have been converted for use as a restaurant! They were last used as railroad cars to carry the body of Winston Churchill.
Itin: This evening dinner will be in your hotel.
Ali: We enjoyed Mary Poppins and a nap after getting back from the tour. Then I enjoyed the Leisure Center some more while Matt had a drink in the lounge. Dinner was delayed because people tried to go to an earlier seating than they were assigned and then took longer to be served…so our nightly pre-dinner drink turned into two drinks instead. The food was pretty good but not as good as the first night. We had cream of mushroom soup, then Matt had salmon and dill sauce and I had chicken in Irish bacon and gravy. We both had apple pie for dessert- but not the American version with lots of cinnamon and nutmeg. There were little mincemeat pies too.
We watched some more movies after dinner because it was freezing rain out and there was no bus ride to the city center. Then we went down to the hotel bar for some live music and found that everyone else in our group chose to stay in as well. This made for a nice party atmosphere. I convinced our bus drivers to teach us some traditional dances (or to pretend to teach us any dances because we wanted to have fun and didn’t know how to dance to the music that was being played). Some of our friends we’d been hanging out with came out on the floor with me and before long some other UD students joined in too. It was funny looking as we all fumbled our way through the steps while the bus drivers tried to guide us, but it was a great way to end the evening and I felt like I’d taken advantage of an opportunity for cultural exchange. Hooray for a geeky music teacher moment!
Drive from Galway through Moycullen, where you will visit Celtic Crystal. Continue on through Oughterard and Maam Cross, a lovely wooded town land where ancient woods give the place a magical feel. Continue on through Leenane Village, an old world village facing onto Killary Harbor – Ireland’s only fjord and was also featured in the 1990 film The Field, where you can step back in time to the era of Bull McCabe, the anti-hero, and step into Gaynor’s Pub. You will also visit Kylemore Abbey, the oldest of the Irish Benedictine Abbeys, home to a community of nuns since 1920.
Encompassing 2,957 hectares of land, Connemara National Park is mantled by blanket bog and wet heath vegetations with characteristic and varied wildlife. The park lies on the slope of the Twelve Bens Mountain Range providing breathtaking views in every direction.
Continue on to Clifden, a lovely town enhanced with spectacular scenery, it is also the largest town in Connemara. Its striking skyline is dominated by the spires of the Neo-Gothic Catholic Church and the nearby Protestant Church. Clifden has become a new popular destination, with plenty of activities for the whole family and over 5,000 years of living history.
Matt: Due to the continued poor weather of cold temperatures, high winds, and rain, we didn’t do much of what was on the itinerary today. We didn’t really stop at the sights on the list above since you couldn’t get good photos anyway and at the one extended stop (Kylemore Abbey) it was too cold to even explore for more than a few minutes.
Although not on the itinerary, our first stop was at a Connemara Marble workshop. This was a typical People to People style tour stop. We had access to good bathrooms, listened to a brief presentation about a local art/craft, and then had time to spend lots of money on souvenirs.
To be fair, it was pretty interesting to hear about the green, white, and black marble native to this region of western Ireland, but we did not make any purchases in the shop.
Ali: And BING CROSBY went there in 1966!
Oh yeah, and we stopped by a hotel that has two of the train cars from the Orient Express that have been converted for use as a restaurant! They were last used as railroad cars to carry the body of Winston Churchill.
Itin: This evening dinner will be in your hotel.
Ali: We enjoyed Mary Poppins and a nap after getting back from the tour. Then I enjoyed the Leisure Center some more while Matt had a drink in the lounge. Dinner was delayed because people tried to go to an earlier seating than they were assigned and then took longer to be served…so our nightly pre-dinner drink turned into two drinks instead. The food was pretty good but not as good as the first night. We had cream of mushroom soup, then Matt had salmon and dill sauce and I had chicken in Irish bacon and gravy. We both had apple pie for dessert- but not the American version with lots of cinnamon and nutmeg. There were little mincemeat pies too.
We watched some more movies after dinner because it was freezing rain out and there was no bus ride to the city center. Then we went down to the hotel bar for some live music and found that everyone else in our group chose to stay in as well. This made for a nice party atmosphere. I convinced our bus drivers to teach us some traditional dances (or to pretend to teach us any dances because we wanted to have fun and didn’t know how to dance to the music that was being played). Some of our friends we’d been hanging out with came out on the floor with me and before long some other UD students joined in too. It was funny looking as we all fumbled our way through the steps while the bus drivers tried to guide us, but it was a great way to end the evening and I felt like I’d taken advantage of an opportunity for cultural exchange. Hooray for a geeky music teacher moment!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
UD to Ireland
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Galway, Ireland - December 29
Itin: Enjoy breakfast in your hotel.
Matt: Breakfast was much the same as yesterday although there was also some fresh fruit this time. We got up late (8:00) for the 8:30 breakfast since we had another couple hours after breakfast before the itinerary began for the day.
Ali: I didn’t eat the unwanted pig parts this morning, which was a plus. The late pick-up allowed me to go to the gym after breakfast and sleep in a little more. I like being able to go to the gym here for free and I think it helps with the sitting-and-drinking dominated itinerary…not that I’m complaining about that.
Itin: Bands will assemble in the Spanish Arch Square and march up Quay Street, High Street, Shop Street to Eyre Square where you will perform for approximately 30 minutes.
Matt: We woke up to cold and rainy weather and it didn’t improve before we left for town. We blocked up for a brief rehearsal and run-through of tunes and, like the other night’s rehearsal, things seemed a bit chaotic and thrown together. The color guard didn’t even know what music we were playing. I’m really surprised by how little attention seems to be paid to the performance aspects of our trip. It seems quite unlike Sarv and George Parks.
We also continue to be annoyed by the lack of consistency from the tour company. They post meal and itinerary times on a board in the lobby of the hotel but constantly change them with little to no notice. For example, we had been told that we were leaving for the parade at 11:30am. This morning, nothing was posted, but someone sitting near the sign told us 11:00am. When we got downstairs, it was posted as 11:30 again. This is not the style of traveler I am.
The parade worked out pretty well and the concert in Eyre Square was pretty good. The weather was terrible – cold and wet – so the crowd was small, but those in attendance were appreciative. Marching bands are uncommon in Ireland so something like the combined UD and UMass bands must have been something to behold.
Ali: There seemed to be quite a few local folks enjoying the parade, most of whom didn’t have umbrellas but were smiling and dancing anyway. I hung out with a friend we made last night as her sister was performing with Matt. We had some awesome fresh-made hot chocolate while we watched them practice, and then we fell in behind for the parade. It sounded surprisingly good considering how little they’d rehearsed, and I loved walking around Galway on the cobblestone streets with Christmas decorations and quaint stone architecture. We watched the concert in Eyre Square with some local guys, one of whom lived in Hoboken for six months recently so we had a little to talk about.
Itin: Enjoy your afternoon in Galway City Center. Coaches will return group to hotels.
Matt: Because of the weather, we were given the option of returning to the hotel to get changed. Ali and I decided to stay at the hotel and have lunch at Miso, a Thai/Malaysian restaurant. While at lunch the rain turned to snow and despite our driver telling us that Ireland gets fewer than 2 inches of snow per year, it has been snowing heavily for the past hour plus. He warned us that even a dusting of snow shuts the country down because they do not have the equipment for salting, sanding and snow removal readily available so we may wind up seeing some changes to the itinerary tonight and tomorrow.
Leave it to me to bring such unexpected weather conditions to Ireland.
Ali: Indeed- we also managed to bring unseasonable cold to Florida during Thanksgiving this year. Oh well! I’m happy to relax by the fireplace with a beer watching the snow outside. Matt and I are taking turns with the crossword puzzles and the laptop. Sigh.
Itin: Tonight, dinner and an evening of Irish music and dance has been organized for you at Monroe’s.
Matt: The tour company – Atlantic Group Tours – has been making a lot of annoying little mistakes with scheduling and planning since we arrived. Information and times have been incorrect when posted in the lobby for example.
By the time our bus entered Monroe’s, it was clearly evident that the restaurant was not designed to handle the size of our group. There were seats available for about 300 of the 500 people. Ali and I were fairly lucky when we snagged one stool at a bar in a back room. At least we had a place to lean for the night. There were others who could not even say that.
I refused to get into the ridiculously long line that was winding through the facility to get dinner so it was about two hours before we got our dinner. The food was pretty tasty, but we shouldn’t have been waiting until after 9pm for our share. In addition, we missed most of the traditional Irish entertainment since we did not want to lose our bar spot by heading into the room with the stage before eating.
We headed back to the hotel just before 11pm on a shuttle. We did have some fun at Monroe’s, but it was a disaster planning wise. Seeing as how we paid good money for this trip, I am really annoyed by how poorly the tour company seems to be handling the admittedly difficult logistics of the large group.
Matt: Breakfast was much the same as yesterday although there was also some fresh fruit this time. We got up late (8:00) for the 8:30 breakfast since we had another couple hours after breakfast before the itinerary began for the day.
Ali: I didn’t eat the unwanted pig parts this morning, which was a plus. The late pick-up allowed me to go to the gym after breakfast and sleep in a little more. I like being able to go to the gym here for free and I think it helps with the sitting-and-drinking dominated itinerary…not that I’m complaining about that.
Itin: Bands will assemble in the Spanish Arch Square and march up Quay Street, High Street, Shop Street to Eyre Square where you will perform for approximately 30 minutes.
Matt: We woke up to cold and rainy weather and it didn’t improve before we left for town. We blocked up for a brief rehearsal and run-through of tunes and, like the other night’s rehearsal, things seemed a bit chaotic and thrown together. The color guard didn’t even know what music we were playing. I’m really surprised by how little attention seems to be paid to the performance aspects of our trip. It seems quite unlike Sarv and George Parks.
We also continue to be annoyed by the lack of consistency from the tour company. They post meal and itinerary times on a board in the lobby of the hotel but constantly change them with little to no notice. For example, we had been told that we were leaving for the parade at 11:30am. This morning, nothing was posted, but someone sitting near the sign told us 11:00am. When we got downstairs, it was posted as 11:30 again. This is not the style of traveler I am.
The parade worked out pretty well and the concert in Eyre Square was pretty good. The weather was terrible – cold and wet – so the crowd was small, but those in attendance were appreciative. Marching bands are uncommon in Ireland so something like the combined UD and UMass bands must have been something to behold.
Ali: There seemed to be quite a few local folks enjoying the parade, most of whom didn’t have umbrellas but were smiling and dancing anyway. I hung out with a friend we made last night as her sister was performing with Matt. We had some awesome fresh-made hot chocolate while we watched them practice, and then we fell in behind for the parade. It sounded surprisingly good considering how little they’d rehearsed, and I loved walking around Galway on the cobblestone streets with Christmas decorations and quaint stone architecture. We watched the concert in Eyre Square with some local guys, one of whom lived in Hoboken for six months recently so we had a little to talk about.
Itin: Enjoy your afternoon in Galway City Center. Coaches will return group to hotels.
Matt: Because of the weather, we were given the option of returning to the hotel to get changed. Ali and I decided to stay at the hotel and have lunch at Miso, a Thai/Malaysian restaurant. While at lunch the rain turned to snow and despite our driver telling us that Ireland gets fewer than 2 inches of snow per year, it has been snowing heavily for the past hour plus. He warned us that even a dusting of snow shuts the country down because they do not have the equipment for salting, sanding and snow removal readily available so we may wind up seeing some changes to the itinerary tonight and tomorrow.
Leave it to me to bring such unexpected weather conditions to Ireland.
Ali: Indeed- we also managed to bring unseasonable cold to Florida during Thanksgiving this year. Oh well! I’m happy to relax by the fireplace with a beer watching the snow outside. Matt and I are taking turns with the crossword puzzles and the laptop. Sigh.
Itin: Tonight, dinner and an evening of Irish music and dance has been organized for you at Monroe’s.
Matt: The tour company – Atlantic Group Tours – has been making a lot of annoying little mistakes with scheduling and planning since we arrived. Information and times have been incorrect when posted in the lobby for example.
By the time our bus entered Monroe’s, it was clearly evident that the restaurant was not designed to handle the size of our group. There were seats available for about 300 of the 500 people. Ali and I were fairly lucky when we snagged one stool at a bar in a back room. At least we had a place to lean for the night. There were others who could not even say that.
I refused to get into the ridiculously long line that was winding through the facility to get dinner so it was about two hours before we got our dinner. The food was pretty tasty, but we shouldn’t have been waiting until after 9pm for our share. In addition, we missed most of the traditional Irish entertainment since we did not want to lose our bar spot by heading into the room with the stage before eating.
We headed back to the hotel just before 11pm on a shuttle. We did have some fun at Monroe’s, but it was a disaster planning wise. Seeing as how we paid good money for this trip, I am really annoyed by how poorly the tour company seems to be handling the admittedly difficult logistics of the large group.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Galway, Ireland - December 28
Itin: After breakfast in your hotel meet with your group for a tour of the Burren District, the area south of Galway City.
Ali: Breakfast was good but the lines were helter skelter and the seating disorganized. Mingles aren’t down with that sort of nonsense. Also, don’t eat bread-ish looking circles- they are made with the leftover pig parts. One of us was particularly dismayed about that after sampling a few at breakfast. The rest was good and Ali was happy to see Wheatabix, first introduced to her by her Aussie family.
Itin: The name Burren comes from the Irish name ‘bhoireann,’ meaning ‘the stony place.’ Its geological unusual formations have laid unspoiled since the ice-age, the largest area of such in Western Europe, occupying an area of approximately 300 sq. kilometers. While in the Burren you can observe the typical limestone landforms like underground rivers, swallow holes, glacial erratic and closed depressions. The area has sufficient glacial soil to grow a wide variety of the most unusual and rarest of plants. The area also has some of the finest tombs in Ireland, if not Western Europe. There are relics of humans living here dating back almost 6,000 years.
Ali: We had a great bus driver named Robbie. We opted to sit in the front of the bus 1) to ward off carsickness 2) to be the first off the bus at each stop 3) to be able to hear and converse with the driver no matter how little everyone else was paying attention. This ended up being fortunate all around as the bus ride was bumpy, the stops short, and the microphone unreliable.
Robbie told us about how the rural, coastal landscape of the Burren has attracted well-off folks looking to retire. As a result, the farmland is dotted with beautiful homes that one would not normally ascribe to farmers, interspersed with more modest homes. The government has forbade future building of homes to preserve the open land, so property values have risen by a factor of 10 in the past decade. Older-style architecture with thatched roofs is only on B&Bs and a few other homes because 1) the old style of building with mud and other such materials did not stand the test of time 2) fighting in the past century destroyed many homes. However, we did notice there was no siding like you see in the States. Rather, most buildings are sheet rock, stone, or stucco on the exterior and many have pretty brick-work detailing the windows and edges.
Rock walls pervade the countryside because, as in colonial CT, the land needed to be cleared of its rock covering to allow for farming. The cleared rocks pushed aside were built into property and road-lining walls.
The land (again, like in CT except for the riverbeds) was still not ideal for most crops after being cleared, so livestock is everywhere instead. Hooray! Horses, cows, goats, and sheep were all over the place and they were lots of fun (for Ali) to look at. They can keep warm outside this time of year because the rocky landscape retains heat and the gulf-stream wards off snow.
Robbie taught us that the road signs are in Gaelic and English. Most town names are Anglicized versions of their Gaelic names, a pattern which applies to much of the Irish English dialect. I asked if Gaelic was taught in schools, and Robbie said that students are required to take it but only have it for about 45 minutes a day. It hasn’t “stuck” with the younger generation because it is being taught through antiquated poetry and literature instead of pop culture. Luckily, the government has sponsored a television station that dubs popular kids shows into Gaelic, so that should help reinforce it in children today. Everyone in Ireland speaks some English, but not everyone considers themselves fluent in Gaelic.
Itin: After touring the Burren, continue on to the Cliffs of Moher, one of the most spectacular sights in Ireland. At their highest point the Cliffs of Moher reach 214 meters, rising from Hag’s Head, just north of O’Brien’s Tower. From the best vantage point you can see all the way to the Aran Islands, just 5 miles offshore, and Galway Bay.
Ali: The main attraction of the day was the Cliffs of Moher, which is among the most popular tourist attractions. They are majestic sea cliffs. I don’t know what else to say. They are worth seeing.
We also learned that out of the 42 million people in the US who are culturally Irish, only 5 million are Northern Irish (like Ali’s paternal great-grandparents and their descendants). Ali is special.
In preparation for our pub excursions tonight, Robbie gave us some helpful info. It is not customary to tip the barkeep. If a native asks for a pint, they’ll get a Guiness. If the barkeep hears your American accent, they may not assume that’s what you mean. A glass of beer means a half-pint.
Itin: This evening your group will head into Galway City’s famous Latin Quarter for a finger food dinner and live entertainment.
Matt: Our coach was escorted to a pub called The Front Door. We had some appetizers, a beer and listened to music (good guy, terrible girl). Ali made friends with two girls from our coach (Christine and Michelle) when they were being hit on by an older Irish gentleman. It worked out well because we left the pub with them to explore Galway a bit.
Our next stop was The King’s Head. This was a pretty cool pub where we had another drink and talked with Christine and Michelle. Christine graduated from UD in 2009 and Michelle, her sister, is a current student there. Michelle is not in the band so it was good for Ali to make a friend that would also be watching during the parade and concert performance .They grew up in a military family and have lived in a variety of places including Maryland, Texas, and Hawaii.
The shuttles back to the hotels were leaving at 10:00 and Ali and I decided to catch one rather than staying in town and finding our own way back later on.
Back at the hotel, we had another drink while listening to a guy singing. Last call was 11:30 so we headed back to the room for the night at that point.
Ali: Breakfast was good but the lines were helter skelter and the seating disorganized. Mingles aren’t down with that sort of nonsense. Also, don’t eat bread-ish looking circles- they are made with the leftover pig parts. One of us was particularly dismayed about that after sampling a few at breakfast. The rest was good and Ali was happy to see Wheatabix, first introduced to her by her Aussie family.
Itin: The name Burren comes from the Irish name ‘bhoireann,’ meaning ‘the stony place.’ Its geological unusual formations have laid unspoiled since the ice-age, the largest area of such in Western Europe, occupying an area of approximately 300 sq. kilometers. While in the Burren you can observe the typical limestone landforms like underground rivers, swallow holes, glacial erratic and closed depressions. The area has sufficient glacial soil to grow a wide variety of the most unusual and rarest of plants. The area also has some of the finest tombs in Ireland, if not Western Europe. There are relics of humans living here dating back almost 6,000 years.
Ali: We had a great bus driver named Robbie. We opted to sit in the front of the bus 1) to ward off carsickness 2) to be the first off the bus at each stop 3) to be able to hear and converse with the driver no matter how little everyone else was paying attention. This ended up being fortunate all around as the bus ride was bumpy, the stops short, and the microphone unreliable.
Robbie told us about how the rural, coastal landscape of the Burren has attracted well-off folks looking to retire. As a result, the farmland is dotted with beautiful homes that one would not normally ascribe to farmers, interspersed with more modest homes. The government has forbade future building of homes to preserve the open land, so property values have risen by a factor of 10 in the past decade. Older-style architecture with thatched roofs is only on B&Bs and a few other homes because 1) the old style of building with mud and other such materials did not stand the test of time 2) fighting in the past century destroyed many homes. However, we did notice there was no siding like you see in the States. Rather, most buildings are sheet rock, stone, or stucco on the exterior and many have pretty brick-work detailing the windows and edges.
Rock walls pervade the countryside because, as in colonial CT, the land needed to be cleared of its rock covering to allow for farming. The cleared rocks pushed aside were built into property and road-lining walls.
The land (again, like in CT except for the riverbeds) was still not ideal for most crops after being cleared, so livestock is everywhere instead. Hooray! Horses, cows, goats, and sheep were all over the place and they were lots of fun (for Ali) to look at. They can keep warm outside this time of year because the rocky landscape retains heat and the gulf-stream wards off snow.
Robbie taught us that the road signs are in Gaelic and English. Most town names are Anglicized versions of their Gaelic names, a pattern which applies to much of the Irish English dialect. I asked if Gaelic was taught in schools, and Robbie said that students are required to take it but only have it for about 45 minutes a day. It hasn’t “stuck” with the younger generation because it is being taught through antiquated poetry and literature instead of pop culture. Luckily, the government has sponsored a television station that dubs popular kids shows into Gaelic, so that should help reinforce it in children today. Everyone in Ireland speaks some English, but not everyone considers themselves fluent in Gaelic.
Itin: After touring the Burren, continue on to the Cliffs of Moher, one of the most spectacular sights in Ireland. At their highest point the Cliffs of Moher reach 214 meters, rising from Hag’s Head, just north of O’Brien’s Tower. From the best vantage point you can see all the way to the Aran Islands, just 5 miles offshore, and Galway Bay.
Ali: The main attraction of the day was the Cliffs of Moher, which is among the most popular tourist attractions. They are majestic sea cliffs. I don’t know what else to say. They are worth seeing.
We also learned that out of the 42 million people in the US who are culturally Irish, only 5 million are Northern Irish (like Ali’s paternal great-grandparents and their descendants). Ali is special.
In preparation for our pub excursions tonight, Robbie gave us some helpful info. It is not customary to tip the barkeep. If a native asks for a pint, they’ll get a Guiness. If the barkeep hears your American accent, they may not assume that’s what you mean. A glass of beer means a half-pint.
Itin: This evening your group will head into Galway City’s famous Latin Quarter for a finger food dinner and live entertainment.
Matt: Our coach was escorted to a pub called The Front Door. We had some appetizers, a beer and listened to music (good guy, terrible girl). Ali made friends with two girls from our coach (Christine and Michelle) when they were being hit on by an older Irish gentleman. It worked out well because we left the pub with them to explore Galway a bit.
Our next stop was The King’s Head. This was a pretty cool pub where we had another drink and talked with Christine and Michelle. Christine graduated from UD in 2009 and Michelle, her sister, is a current student there. Michelle is not in the band so it was good for Ali to make a friend that would also be watching during the parade and concert performance .They grew up in a military family and have lived in a variety of places including Maryland, Texas, and Hawaii.
The shuttles back to the hotels were leaving at 10:00 and Ali and I decided to catch one rather than staying in town and finding our own way back later on.
Back at the hotel, we had another drink while listening to a guy singing. Last call was 11:30 so we headed back to the room for the night at that point.
Galway, Ireland - December 27
Itin: Arriving at Shannon Airport, you will be met by your driver/guide. After collecting your baggage, board your coach and transfer to Galway City.
Matt: Our flight arrived about an hour late due to a mechanical issue back in Newark. Baggage pick-up and customs were a breeze, though, and we were on our way to the hotel without much delay. The hotels are organized mostly according to university affiliation so most of the University of Delaware contingent is located at the Carlton Hotel.
Itin: Arriving in Galway, the group will check into the Carlton Hotel, one of Galway’s finest hotels, just off Galway City Centre, for the next four nights.
Matt: The hotel accommodations are functional. The rooms themselves are a bit lackluster with extreme heat that is difficult to reign in without opening the windows and weak water pressure in the shower. There are heated towel racks though.
The hotel features an extensive leisure center with a gym, pool, tanning bed, massage center, etc. Ali might comment on those facilities at a later time since she actually used them.
Bar Solo is located off the lobby so we were able to enjoy our first Guinness and some sandwiches since there was no lunch provided upon arrival. We walked the area a bit to find an ATM but were pretty unsuccessful. We did pass at least one pub and some convenience-type shops that might come in handy in the future.
Itin: After checking into your hotel and some time to freshen up, meet your group in the hotel lobby for a short presentation on Galway with a local historian, to give you some insight into the city and orientate you for the next few days.
Matt: The historian’s 20-minute summary of 6,000 years of Irish history was fairly interesting and informative but since we were at least 2.5 times the capacity of the room we were in, it was stifling and difficult to concentrate.
Itin: Galway is the liveliest, most populated city on Ireland’s west coast and the capital of Gaelic Ireland. The city streets are narrow and lined with old stone façade shops. Pubs are swarming with adventurers, musicians, artists and intellectuals and the main shopping area, Eyre Square, is the heart of the city. There are many intriguing stone buildings to see, including the Spanish Arch, the last remainders of the stone walls used to protect the quays in the 16th century, and Lynch’s Castle on Market Street, a part of which dates back to the fourteenth century.
Matt: We took the buses to the hotel where the University of Massachusetts contingent is staying (Clayton Hotel) for an hour-long rehearsal in an underground parking garage. It was an extremely frustrating rehearsal as the UMass director (George Parks) ran things with little useful information. Much of the music we played through is UMass music so the students there are well-prepared for it. The current and alumni UD students, on the other hand, were having trouble keeping up with the unmarked changes and cuts. The gigantic group did put out a ridiculous amount of sound. I am not sure how good that sound was since it was so difficult to hear anything, but I am sure we will be impressive during our performances in Galway and Dublin.
Itin: This evening dinner will be in your hotel.
Matt: Dinner was pretty far behind schedule as there are three shifts in the restaurants and we are in the third shift. It was well worth the wait though.
We sat with Chris and Amy Bryan, two UD alumni, in the Bar while waiting for dinner and then shared a table for dinner itself. Although there were choice on the menu, the four of all ate the same meal: cream of vegetable soup, Irish beef stew, mixed vegetables, and Bailey’s cheesecake. The servings were huge and tasty – a great first full meal in Ireland fo’ shizzle. (Final two words courtesy of Ali)
Matt: Our flight arrived about an hour late due to a mechanical issue back in Newark. Baggage pick-up and customs were a breeze, though, and we were on our way to the hotel without much delay. The hotels are organized mostly according to university affiliation so most of the University of Delaware contingent is located at the Carlton Hotel.
Itin: Arriving in Galway, the group will check into the Carlton Hotel, one of Galway’s finest hotels, just off Galway City Centre, for the next four nights.
Matt: The hotel accommodations are functional. The rooms themselves are a bit lackluster with extreme heat that is difficult to reign in without opening the windows and weak water pressure in the shower. There are heated towel racks though.
The hotel features an extensive leisure center with a gym, pool, tanning bed, massage center, etc. Ali might comment on those facilities at a later time since she actually used them.
Bar Solo is located off the lobby so we were able to enjoy our first Guinness and some sandwiches since there was no lunch provided upon arrival. We walked the area a bit to find an ATM but were pretty unsuccessful. We did pass at least one pub and some convenience-type shops that might come in handy in the future.
Itin: After checking into your hotel and some time to freshen up, meet your group in the hotel lobby for a short presentation on Galway with a local historian, to give you some insight into the city and orientate you for the next few days.
Matt: The historian’s 20-minute summary of 6,000 years of Irish history was fairly interesting and informative but since we were at least 2.5 times the capacity of the room we were in, it was stifling and difficult to concentrate.
Itin: Galway is the liveliest, most populated city on Ireland’s west coast and the capital of Gaelic Ireland. The city streets are narrow and lined with old stone façade shops. Pubs are swarming with adventurers, musicians, artists and intellectuals and the main shopping area, Eyre Square, is the heart of the city. There are many intriguing stone buildings to see, including the Spanish Arch, the last remainders of the stone walls used to protect the quays in the 16th century, and Lynch’s Castle on Market Street, a part of which dates back to the fourteenth century.
Matt: We took the buses to the hotel where the University of Massachusetts contingent is staying (Clayton Hotel) for an hour-long rehearsal in an underground parking garage. It was an extremely frustrating rehearsal as the UMass director (George Parks) ran things with little useful information. Much of the music we played through is UMass music so the students there are well-prepared for it. The current and alumni UD students, on the other hand, were having trouble keeping up with the unmarked changes and cuts. The gigantic group did put out a ridiculous amount of sound. I am not sure how good that sound was since it was so difficult to hear anything, but I am sure we will be impressive during our performances in Galway and Dublin.
Itin: This evening dinner will be in your hotel.
Matt: Dinner was pretty far behind schedule as there are three shifts in the restaurants and we are in the third shift. It was well worth the wait though.
We sat with Chris and Amy Bryan, two UD alumni, in the Bar while waiting for dinner and then shared a table for dinner itself. Although there were choice on the menu, the four of all ate the same meal: cream of vegetable soup, Irish beef stew, mixed vegetables, and Bailey’s cheesecake. The servings were huge and tasty – a great first full meal in Ireland fo’ shizzle. (Final two words courtesy of Ali)
Newark, New Jersey - Galway, Ireland - December 26
Blog Key
Matt = Matt was the author
Ali = Ali was the author
Itin = Notes come from the itinerary
Matt: We arrived at the airport 4+ hours ahead of time. By the time we checked in (to our exit row seats thanks to calling Continental ahead of time) and made it through security we were down to about 3 hours. We browsed the wide variety of food and drink choices in Terminal C and settled in to the Heineken Lounge for a drink. While there we observed a gentleman complaining about the cost of his gin and tonics after having consumed six.
When it was time to have a bite to eat, we ended up at a steakhouse where Ali had a huge turkey sandwich and I had a nice burger.
Our flight boarded on time and, after a mechanical delay, we were on our way to Ireland. Take off was quite bumpy due to rain and wind conditions and the last hour or so of the flight was also marked by turbulence. I was able to sleep in spurts, but Ali spent most of the flight watching movies, unable to get much sleep.
Matt = Matt was the author
Ali = Ali was the author
Itin = Notes come from the itinerary
Matt: We arrived at the airport 4+ hours ahead of time. By the time we checked in (to our exit row seats thanks to calling Continental ahead of time) and made it through security we were down to about 3 hours. We browsed the wide variety of food and drink choices in Terminal C and settled in to the Heineken Lounge for a drink. While there we observed a gentleman complaining about the cost of his gin and tonics after having consumed six.
When it was time to have a bite to eat, we ended up at a steakhouse where Ali had a huge turkey sandwich and I had a nice burger.
Our flight boarded on time and, after a mechanical delay, we were on our way to Ireland. Take off was quite bumpy due to rain and wind conditions and the last hour or so of the flight was also marked by turbulence. I was able to sleep in spurts, but Ali spent most of the flight watching movies, unable to get much sleep.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Updated/Changed Ireland Flight Information
December 26
Newark to Shannon
Continental #24
7:25pm-6:45am (on 12/27)
January 4
Dublin to Newark
Continental #23
9:00am-11:45am
Newark to Shannon
Continental #24
7:25pm-6:45am (on 12/27)
January 4
Dublin to Newark
Continental #23
9:00am-11:45am
Sarv's Ireland Blog
For those that want to stay up to date...I should be updating here as well with photos going to Facebook.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Schedule - 12/21-1/4
Monday, December 21 - AM Commons Duty, School, Get Ali's tire fixed
Tuesday, December 22 - AM Commons Duty, School, Extra Help/Screen Veteran's Day Assembly, Boys Basketball vs. Warren Hills (6:00)
Wednesday, December 23 - AM Commons Duty, School
Thursday, December 24 - Travel to Ali's family in CT with a coffee stop to see Aunt Joan and Uncle Frank
Friday, December 25 - Christmas in CT, Travel back to NJ
Saturday, December 26 - Depart for Ireland
Sunday, December 27 - In Ireland
Monday, December 28 - In Ireland
Tuesday, December 29 - In Ireland
Wednesday, December 30 - In Ireland
Thursday, December 31 - In Ireland
Friday, January 1 - In Ireland
Saturday, January 2 - In Ireland
Sunday, January 3 - In Ireland
Monday, January 4 - Travel back to US
Tuesday, December 22 - AM Commons Duty, School, Extra Help/Screen Veteran's Day Assembly, Boys Basketball vs. Warren Hills (6:00)
Wednesday, December 23 - AM Commons Duty, School
Thursday, December 24 - Travel to Ali's family in CT with a coffee stop to see Aunt Joan and Uncle Frank
Friday, December 25 - Christmas in CT, Travel back to NJ
Saturday, December 26 - Depart for Ireland
Sunday, December 27 - In Ireland
Monday, December 28 - In Ireland
Tuesday, December 29 - In Ireland
Wednesday, December 30 - In Ireland
Thursday, December 31 - In Ireland
Friday, January 1 - In Ireland
Saturday, January 2 - In Ireland
Sunday, January 3 - In Ireland
Monday, January 4 - Travel back to US
Friday, December 18, 2009
Ireland Itinerary
Download a copy of our full Ireland itinerary including emergency contact numbers here.
We are in Carlton and Montrose for hotels.
We are in Carlton and Montrose for hotels.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Montgomery Final Update
Okay I've put off writing a detailed summary of how things went at Montgomery for almost a week so I should finally take care of it.
I met with the new principal for about 30 minutes to talk through some things and get feedback. This was all very positive and promising. The main differences between the successful candidate and me were his longer experience in the district and current position as an administrator. I think there was consensus that I was the stronger academic candidate, but despite Montgomery being a school district celebrated for academic success this was apparently not a priority.
All 4 interview panels selected the other candidate. Some were by slim margins, but all groups preferred the other guy. I was a little surprised by this actually, but that's the way it works I guess.
The principal and superintendent both recognize that I will probably be offered an administrative position in the near future and think it would be good to find leadership opportunities for me in the district so I don't leave. I don't really know what that means because I'm not going to run a committee or something for no extra pay just to "feel" important. Unless they are going to create a new positition, this is empty talk.
I was assured that I shouldn't have done anything differently. The principal indicated that if he had given me the questions ahead of time to prepare answers, I still couldn't have answered any better. This is supposed to make me feel better, but it doesn't really because that still wasn't good enough to get the position.
I was also assured that if another opening popped up later this year for next year, there would be no hesitation for me to fill it. This is a real possibility, but I don't buy the explanation. They would have to go through the same process as usual to accept applications, interview, etc. before offering the position and right now I don't have any desire to go through it all again at Montgomery. If there really was some kind of fast track that avoided all of that, then fine, but that seems sort of unlikely.
I'm sure we talked about a lot of other stuff, but I'm going to leave it there. That gets the main ideas out there.
I met with the new principal for about 30 minutes to talk through some things and get feedback. This was all very positive and promising. The main differences between the successful candidate and me were his longer experience in the district and current position as an administrator. I think there was consensus that I was the stronger academic candidate, but despite Montgomery being a school district celebrated for academic success this was apparently not a priority.
All 4 interview panels selected the other candidate. Some were by slim margins, but all groups preferred the other guy. I was a little surprised by this actually, but that's the way it works I guess.
The principal and superintendent both recognize that I will probably be offered an administrative position in the near future and think it would be good to find leadership opportunities for me in the district so I don't leave. I don't really know what that means because I'm not going to run a committee or something for no extra pay just to "feel" important. Unless they are going to create a new positition, this is empty talk.
I was assured that I shouldn't have done anything differently. The principal indicated that if he had given me the questions ahead of time to prepare answers, I still couldn't have answered any better. This is supposed to make me feel better, but it doesn't really because that still wasn't good enough to get the position.
I was also assured that if another opening popped up later this year for next year, there would be no hesitation for me to fill it. This is a real possibility, but I don't buy the explanation. They would have to go through the same process as usual to accept applications, interview, etc. before offering the position and right now I don't have any desire to go through it all again at Montgomery. If there really was some kind of fast track that avoided all of that, then fine, but that seems sort of unlikely.
I'm sure we talked about a lot of other stuff, but I'm going to leave it there. That gets the main ideas out there.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Schedule - 12/14-12/20
Monday, 12/14 - AM Commons Duty, School, MTEA meeting (3:55-4:55)
Tuesday, 12/15 - AM Commons Duty, School, Extra Help
Wednesday, 12/16 - AM Commons Duty, School
Thursday, 12/17 - AM Commons Duty, School, Dentist (3:30)
Friday, 12/18 - AM Commons Duty, School, Basketball Band (6:00-9:00)
Saturday, 12/19 - Light Fixture Installation (morning), Dad's Birthday
Sunday, 12/20 -
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Monty Update
I e-mailed the new principal to request a meeting to get an update on things. He replied; we are meeting at 1:30 tomorrow afternoon...
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Monday, December 07, 2009
Hillsborough Interview Report
My interview today lasted about 30 minutes and was led by a current Vice Principal and included teachers, a parent, guidance counselor and a district supervisor. The Principal was not part of this round so I assume that there must be another round with him down the road.
I think I did pretty well; I had the connection of the University of Delaware with one guy and People to People with another. Hillsborough's love of its marching band also came in handy. I don't have great things to say about the unique challenges of teaching/administrating middle school students so their read on my ability to adapt there is important.
They seemed really impressed with my travel experience and the ideas I shared about what I could bring from my current and prior districts regarding professional development and growth, making connections, etc.
We shall see - should hear something about the Montgomery job tomorrow.
I think I did pretty well; I had the connection of the University of Delaware with one guy and People to People with another. Hillsborough's love of its marching band also came in handy. I don't have great things to say about the unique challenges of teaching/administrating middle school students so their read on my ability to adapt there is important.
They seemed really impressed with my travel experience and the ideas I shared about what I could bring from my current and prior districts regarding professional development and growth, making connections, etc.
We shall see - should hear something about the Montgomery job tomorrow.
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Weekly Schedule - 12/7-13
Monday, December 7 - AM Commons Duty, School, Hillsborough Middle School Vice Principal Interview (2:00), Fern's Wake (3:00-7:00)
Tuesday, December 8 - AM Commons Duty, School
Wednesday, December 9 - AM Commons Duty, School, Basketball Band (2:30-4:00)
Thursday, December 10 - AM Commons Duty, School, Extra Help (2:20-3:20)
Friday, December 11 - AM Commons Duty, School, Basketball Band (4:30-9:30)/Midnight Madness
Saturday, December 12 - Possibly UD Ireland Band Rehearsal (3-6)
Sunday, December 13 - People to People Social (1:30-3:30)
Tuesday, December 8 - AM Commons Duty, School
Wednesday, December 9 - AM Commons Duty, School, Basketball Band (2:30-4:00)
Thursday, December 10 - AM Commons Duty, School, Extra Help (2:20-3:20)
Friday, December 11 - AM Commons Duty, School, Basketball Band (4:30-9:30)/Midnight Madness
Saturday, December 12 - Possibly UD Ireland Band Rehearsal (3-6)
Sunday, December 13 - People to People Social (1:30-3:30)
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Montgomery Update
So today I had the second (and final, I believe) round of interviews for the Monty VP position. There were 3 finalists - a current administrator, a history teacher from South Brunswick High School, and me.
This morning we had conferences, then the school day, and then straight to the interview carousel.
I met the other two candidates and we made small talk in the office before beginning. The format was round-robin with each of us going through four different rooms for 30 minutes at a time.
My first room was the teachers - representatives from social studies, English, guidance, technology, math, and physical education. I think I really nailed this room. They asked really great questions and I guided the conversation in a direction I felt comfortable with. One person in the room is a lead negotiator for the MTEA (teachers' union) and she struggled to remain neutral about some feelings regarding administration in the central office. I think I offered great, original ideas about increasing teacher morale through bonding activities, my role as an instructional leader, etc. We went over time with our conversation until someone pulled me out of the room.
Next up was a group of students. This was facilitated by one of the current Vice Principals and included one of my current students, one of my former students, a member of the marching band, and two students I have no connection with. I think I nailed this group, too. They seemed into my vision for things and reassured by my position on the role of discipline and other pertinent issues. I suggested that school spirit was an issue for us to address and they seemed to agree. I asked them to tell me what they perceive as the biggest problem in the school and their answers regarding things like drugs were pretty severe. If their perceptions are reality, then we do have a lot of work to do immediately.
My third session was with a group of parents facilitated by the Director of Human Resources. One parent was a band parent and then there was the president of the Special Education Parent Teacher Association, and two active parents from the PTSA. I had the daughter of one of the latter women last year. I successfully emphasized my talking point that we have to do a better job of getting students THROUGH college and not just TO it, need to pay more attention to the students not taking AP courses, and find ways to support students who need it. One parent asked a very pointed question that took a shot at the union. I think I successfully deflected the question and offered a decent and appropriate response. I think I did well with this group, too.
My final group was the administrators. This was the only group where I had mixed reactions. It was comprised of the superintendent (who spent the entire session texting on his phone), assistant superintendent, high school principal, high school vice principal, supervisor of social studies, supervisor of science, supervisor of math, director of humanities, and director of language arts. I believe I had two strong allies in the room in my supervisor and director. I think I answered questions satisfactorily, but the administrators were much harder to read than the other groups. They laughed at my sarcastic jokes, but kept straight faces during the more serious responses. They did not open things up for me to ask questions at the end so I added in a final statement about pushing the envelope and meeting our vision statement of being at the forefront of education anyway. I don't think anything was answered poorly, but I think they were just worn out from the process.
At the end, the principal told me that he'd come to talk to me personally next Monday or Tuesday. I think that means the final decision will come at that time (if he has his way). A week later, the Board of Ed will officially appoint the new person and then it's off to the races.
So that's that. I think I did as well as I could have. I feel good about everything I said and can't think of anything I forgot about or messed up on so now we just need to see how things fall.
This morning we had conferences, then the school day, and then straight to the interview carousel.
I met the other two candidates and we made small talk in the office before beginning. The format was round-robin with each of us going through four different rooms for 30 minutes at a time.
My first room was the teachers - representatives from social studies, English, guidance, technology, math, and physical education. I think I really nailed this room. They asked really great questions and I guided the conversation in a direction I felt comfortable with. One person in the room is a lead negotiator for the MTEA (teachers' union) and she struggled to remain neutral about some feelings regarding administration in the central office. I think I offered great, original ideas about increasing teacher morale through bonding activities, my role as an instructional leader, etc. We went over time with our conversation until someone pulled me out of the room.
Next up was a group of students. This was facilitated by one of the current Vice Principals and included one of my current students, one of my former students, a member of the marching band, and two students I have no connection with. I think I nailed this group, too. They seemed into my vision for things and reassured by my position on the role of discipline and other pertinent issues. I suggested that school spirit was an issue for us to address and they seemed to agree. I asked them to tell me what they perceive as the biggest problem in the school and their answers regarding things like drugs were pretty severe. If their perceptions are reality, then we do have a lot of work to do immediately.
My third session was with a group of parents facilitated by the Director of Human Resources. One parent was a band parent and then there was the president of the Special Education Parent Teacher Association, and two active parents from the PTSA. I had the daughter of one of the latter women last year. I successfully emphasized my talking point that we have to do a better job of getting students THROUGH college and not just TO it, need to pay more attention to the students not taking AP courses, and find ways to support students who need it. One parent asked a very pointed question that took a shot at the union. I think I successfully deflected the question and offered a decent and appropriate response. I think I did well with this group, too.
My final group was the administrators. This was the only group where I had mixed reactions. It was comprised of the superintendent (who spent the entire session texting on his phone), assistant superintendent, high school principal, high school vice principal, supervisor of social studies, supervisor of science, supervisor of math, director of humanities, and director of language arts. I believe I had two strong allies in the room in my supervisor and director. I think I answered questions satisfactorily, but the administrators were much harder to read than the other groups. They laughed at my sarcastic jokes, but kept straight faces during the more serious responses. They did not open things up for me to ask questions at the end so I added in a final statement about pushing the envelope and meeting our vision statement of being at the forefront of education anyway. I don't think anything was answered poorly, but I think they were just worn out from the process.
At the end, the principal told me that he'd come to talk to me personally next Monday or Tuesday. I think that means the final decision will come at that time (if he has his way). A week later, the Board of Ed will officially appoint the new person and then it's off to the races.
So that's that. I think I did as well as I could have. I feel good about everything I said and can't think of anything I forgot about or messed up on so now we just need to see how things fall.
Interview Update
It turns out there are three candidates left at Montgomery: a current administrator, me, and an unknown external candidate. Although I've though all along that the current administrator has the edge, reports coming my way today suggest the new principal thinks that I am an extremely strong candidate.
I think today could be the final round, but there could also be one more hoop to jump through.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Interesting New Job Opportunity
I got an unexpected call today from Hillsborough Middle School inviting me to come in for an interview for a Vice Principal position.
I did not apply for this job.
Last spring, I interviewed for an opening at Hillsborough High School so I'm assuming they liked me enough then to keep my resume around just in case. I did some background on the Hillsborough website and this position was originally posted on November 16 with a start date of January 1. The fact that they called me to come in suggests that they didn't like the candidates they got very much.
Hillsborough Middle School is about a 10-minute walk from my condo. All the problems a VP deals with there are on a smaller (literally) level than the high school and there are fewer evening responsibilities. It looks like they have 2 VPs for 1200 students, roughly equivilant to the ratio at Montgomery High School. The key difference, though, is that the Hillsborough position does not include being the supervisor of a department like MHS does.
In addition, school starts at 9am!
I did not apply for this job.
Last spring, I interviewed for an opening at Hillsborough High School so I'm assuming they liked me enough then to keep my resume around just in case. I did some background on the Hillsborough website and this position was originally posted on November 16 with a start date of January 1. The fact that they called me to come in suggests that they didn't like the candidates they got very much.
Hillsborough Middle School is about a 10-minute walk from my condo. All the problems a VP deals with there are on a smaller (literally) level than the high school and there are fewer evening responsibilities. It looks like they have 2 VPs for 1200 students, roughly equivilant to the ratio at Montgomery High School. The key difference, though, is that the Hillsborough position does not include being the supervisor of a department like MHS does.
In addition, school starts at 9am!
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Next Round of Interviews
I have been invited to Thursday's interviews. I will do four simultaneous 30-minute interviews with: parents, teachers, administrators, students. This is the key round I think...
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