Spring Break
Last fall, my oldest daughter's school announced a trip to Europe over spring break open to honors students who were interested. There were a limited number of openings and we scrambled to sign up for the first come/first serve trip which required a credit card based ATM card only to secure a spot. I had only a credit card and an ATM only card on me, neither of which would work. So we made a made a mad dash back home where I could obtain other means of securing a spot and was successful. There was only two spots left when we successfully signed up. As it turned out, I needn't have worried as the trip never completely filled up. I guess the cost and already planned spring breaks were factors for others.
Anyway, the plan was for a ten day tour of Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland, four countries I have never been in. I tried initially to sign up as a chaperone but with the low numbers, especially of young males in need of chaperoning, my services weren't needed. So I planned to just live vicariously through the pictures my daughter would send home along her journey.
The first day, I got a picture of rain on her motel window and a bowl of soup she didn't like. The next day I got a picture of some ducks swimming in a mostly unseen body of water. Finally I got the above picture of a headless accordion player. I'm hoping that she is taking pictures and just not sending them to me though she keeps telling me she just forgets to take pictures. As I write this, she just crossed into Austria from several days in Germany on her way to Venice, Italy. There she will spend several days before heading back to Frankfurt, Germany via Switzerland for her ride home.
Thus far, I can only live vicariously through satellite images. None of the places she has been too has "Streetview" images though I can pull up pictures of some of the sites. It hasn't gone as I had imagined for me but my daughter seems to be enjoying it other than the food and drink situation. Her complaint there is that in Germany, all they serve is meat and potatoes with no rice and all they get to drink is sparkling water. She is looking forward to Italy and the pasta and pizza possibilities.
i hope she gets some good photos. Tastes vary. I had a Flickr friend who travelled to Russia a few years ago. There must be so much of interest there, but his first photo was a drive-by of a wedding as they exited the church. The second was of a subway map. Now, he posts pictures of book covers etc. He edits than, and they look good, but his tastes and interests baffle me.
ReplyDeleteWifi has been spotty so I'm hoping she has a lot more on her phone that she just hasn't sent. In real time, she is starting day seven and is on her way from Venice to Switzerland. She sent us a few beautiful pictures of the canals of Venice, the first really nice photos of the trip which only has three more days left!
DeleteThis will be a wonderful experience for her Ed. I benefitted greatly from traveling overseas when I was younger to Japan and Norway (my maternal uncle was in the Navy, so we had a place to stay - but it was still a stretch for my parents) and our children seem to have benefitted as well.
ReplyDeleteWhile I am a homebody and believe a great deal in the importance of being grounded in a place, traveling certainly helps expand your mind.
Next year, they are considering going to Japan or Korea. I've already thrown my hat in the ring to be a chaperone if needed.
DeleteSounds like she has a good sense of humor. I agree, next year try to go with.
ReplyDeleteShe sometimes laughs at one of my dad jokes.
DeleteWhat a great trip for a youngster to take! She will remember the trip forever.
ReplyDeleteI think so. She never seems to enjoy our vacations but said it was because America is full of the same old thing.
DeleteWhat a great experience for her!! Though I seldom go anywhere anymore, I traveled a lot when I was young and treasure my memories!
ReplyDeleteWe traveled a lot too when we were younger but due to kids and a MIL, we've had to stay closer to home for the most part the last ten years.
DeleteWhat a lucky girl! I do hope you get to be a chaperone on the next one.
ReplyDeleteMe too!
DeleteWhat a great trip! There is nothing like travel and for a young person, it is eye opening. I am lucky to have visited several of these places. Sorry you did not get to go. Hope you'll make the next one!
ReplyDeleteI plan on making it there at some point!
DeleteThat's too funny about the photos she's sent so far. I'm just impressed that this was offered as a school trip! Such a fantastic opportunity.
ReplyDeleteIt was the first year for it. I'm guessing after this group comes home and starts talking, it will be more popular in the years to come.
DeleteWhat a great experience for her! The pictures are hilarious, though.
ReplyDeleteIt is just a reminder that we all don't look at things the same way.
DeleteKay of Musings: I can imagine all the memories she will be able to treasure forever. Traveling is really awesome for kids. I know my kids still treasure our taking them to England and then Rome. In high school, they only went to Washington, D.C. with their classmates. They loved it.
ReplyDeleteMy first big trip was to Washington DC too but I was in 8th grade and didn't appreciate it as much as I would now.
DeleteI hope she continues to enjoy the sights. Different foods can be difficult to adjust to. I'm not a meat and potatoes type so in cultures that rely heavily on that diet, I end up buying cheese, crackers and fruit to snack on .:) Love Italian food!
ReplyDeleteShe is getting enough food to survive but I don't think she has been in love with the food anywhere. I think the major reason is that her school and two others were combined to fit on a regulation sized tour bus. They can't just pull up to anyplace and so have to pick and choose and unfortunately, those places with room for a bus load of kids aren't probably the best food around.
DeleteIt seems you should have told your daughter that the whole point of her going on the trip was so that you could live it through her pictures. A great experience for her and I applaud her school for organising such an adventure - it's a big responsibility for all the staff involved.
ReplyDeleteI did tell her that but her idea of living vicariously through pictures is evidently different than mine!
DeleteI typed a comment. It seems to have disappeared. Spam?
ReplyDeleteComment moderation to keep out the riff raff.
DeleteWow what a great experience for her!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad she went. She will be better for it.
DeleteThat headless accordion player is super bizarre! When I was in high school my teacher tried to organize a trip to Europe but my mom wouldn't let me go, and ultimately it never filled up and was cancelled. A shame -- for all of us!
ReplyDelete