Thank You...two little words that have tremendous meaning.

This world is a very strange place.  At one point, all can seem well and then things radically fall apart.  We experienced a little bit of that while we were overseas.  The world seemed normal for us until word from the Marathon reached Killarney.  In the chaos being reported vie the news, and on twitter, uncertainty set it.  It wasn't until a few hours later that we started to hear about all of the people who rushed to those in need.  Good people putting their safety aside to help others.

We felt a little bit of that while in Wales.  The choir that dedicated their performance to us impacted many of us in ways we cannot communicate.  Being atop that mountain may have given you a different perspective.  Not of a world of chaos or disorder, but one of beauty.  We have to remember that the good in all of us outweighs the bad.  It is not even close.  The little things we do can have have a tremendous impact on others...even if they are total strangers.

When I checked my email on Wednesday, I was surprised to see a message from a newspaper reporter.  He had some questions for me about a package of "Thank You" notes that I had sent to Saugus High School in California.  He wanted to know who sent them, what else was in the care package, and what our motivation for sending the letters may have been.  I had nearly forgotten that at one of our trip meetings, I had asked you guys to write letters to the teachers, staff, and administrators of our sister school in California.  It's funny because I kept looking over at you all as you wrote your notes wondering if you were taking it seriously.  Your little words of caring, your jokes, and your gratitude were felt by those on the west coast.

There was, however, one problem.  This reporter was not from California.  He was from Spartanburg, South Carolina.  It seems that our care package, and your "Thank You" notes inspired the students of Saugus High School in California to pay it forward.  They chose Broome High School because their two schools shared the Centurions as a mascot.  Today, in Spartanburg, the newspaper is running a story about you...and the little bit of good you helped bring to those in California and how they spread that good to others...and how it will be spread to at least one other school.

I am always impressed with how kids respond to the chance to be good.  I thank you for your behavior on our trip.  I thank you for the respect you showed myself, the other chaperons, and Chris.  I thank you for taking in the wonders of another part of the world and for being engaged.  When I found out that someone had stolen money out of my suitcase, I was naturally upset, but I wasn't worried.  I knew that the worst that would come of it would be that I'd spend a little more money that I had expected too.  I, furthermore, knew that others would respond.  At Logan, many people shared their concern and offered to help...someone even gave me some money to send to Chris that night.  EF Tours has told me not to worry about it.  They are sending Chris the money he would have been paid and reimbursing me for the money I spent trying to help Chris out.  Good people respond to bad things with goodness.

Today, I spoke with Bill Bolde, the principal of Saugus High School in California.  He explained that your letters had a huge impact on his school.  He is thinking of making our message of thanks part of his graduation ceremonies...and he even invited me out for the celebration.

It's funny.  I only found out that he received our package on Wednesday because of a reporter from South Carolina, but on Thursday, I received a package from California.  It contained knicknacks, hats, shirts, and stickers from the Centurions.  Mr. Bolde explained to me that our stuff is on display at their school, when you walk in their main office area.  He told me their chief rival is a school from the other side of town.  Their mascot is the Indian.  Their colors are Red, White, and Black.  He didn't care that our Sachem Head and our color scheme might be confusing to some because the message of unity between our schools is more important than crosstown rivalries.  (I didn't have the heart to tell him that their colors are basically the same as the Peabody Tanners)

Shakespeare once alluded to the fact that we harp on the negative things in life when he wrote the famous monologue in Julius Caesar.  With all that we've experienced this past week, I thought this little story might be a nice way to wrap up things for our trip.  I've included some links below for those who'd like to read on.

Mr. Lavoie, currently in A09 with a box full of Blue and White Saugus things...come on by and take a peek.

Saugus High School's Parent and Community Newsletter (California)
http://www.hartdistrict.org/saugus/legend.pdf


Spartanburg Newspaper Article: http://www.goupstate.com/article/20130425/ARTICLES/304251027/1083/ARTICLES?p=1&tc=pg 

WSPA - Spartanburg TV Channel - with video
http://www.wspa.com/story/22091630/broome-hs-plans-to-pass-along-kindness

Return to Reality

This morning while I started to get ready for work, I turned on the radio.  It is an everyday ritual for me, but today, the first song that was on was from the band U2.  When I first started writing this blog for Eurotrip13, I wrote about preparing a mixed tape from back in the day.  I explained that there are moments in my life that have been accompanied by song and those memories are the ones that stick out the most.  Today, the radio was playing "Where the Streets Have No Name."  I smiled fondly as I remembered my first trip to Paris and I also reflected quickly upon this past trip.

We landed safely at Logan last night around 6:45.  The kids, their parents, friends, family, and our chaperons were happy to be home.  This trip was an unbelievable experience for me...and I hope for the students as well.  There were moments that cannot be replicated by any other tour group at any other time.  These moments belong to us and throughout our lives, sometimes randomly, we will look back upon them and smile fondly.  Whether it is taking over the stage in Killarney, getting "lost" on the grounds at Blarney Castle, walking the streets of Dublin at night, Climbing a mountain in Wales, singing with Welsh Singers in a wonderful moment of unity, or seeing your first play in London's West End; this trip has changed us, for the better.

One of my favorite Disney movies is "The Lion King."  As I travel, I try to exhibit a 'Hakuna Matata' kind of attitude.  I try to roll with the flow and enjoy the moment, but I also love the movie's connection to the repetitive nature of our world.  The Circle of Life.  While #Eurotrip13 is in the books, it is time to start to looking towards the future.

#Eurotrip14 Preview

#Eurotrip14: The Holocaust in Europe Trip Website
Click here to sign up or get more information.  Any Saugus High School student is eligible for this student as long as they are in good academic standing without a significant disciplinary history.  You do not need to see Mr. Lavoie or Ms. Alongi to sign up; it can happen online.

We will be holding meetings soon...so look for signs and listen to the announcements!!!

Always look on the bright side

It can be tough to look on the bright side sometimes, especially when things keep piling up, but it is important to try...

I've thought about not telling people about this, but I decided that I've blogged about the entire trip and I should probably let folks know.  Last night, when preparing for today's departure, I noticed that I was missing roughly $1400.00 USD from my suitcase.  We are supposed to tip our Tour Director at the conclusion of a trip and this money was for that purpose.

Chris has been absolutely wonderful and I will have to explain to him that most of the money collected for him has been taken.  I am appalled by the actions of whomever stole this money and will find a way to compensate Chris in a way that he truly deserves.

I've all ready met with police officials here in London and they've taken my statement.  They will be contacting me later in the week with a bit of a report as to what happens next.  I will also be contacting EF Tours to explain to them too.  I am besides myself writing this, but my faith in humanity is not shaken at all.

This week has reaffirmed a belief that I have.  While there are bad people out there who do bad things, there are many more people who chose to do the right thing.  While two people ran away from the Marathon explosions, hundreds ran towards them to see if they could help.  While a city mourned, a group of Welsh singers tooks 37 high school students under their wings and comforted them with song.  Bad things happen, but good people always prevail.  I hope this post finds you well.

Mr. Lavoie currently in London.

One more day...

One more day until we will be home.

This trip has been very fun.  I am excited however to get back to the real world.  As is customary, I will explain how this blog will be short because I am tired and then I will type for a while.  It's only midnight here and I hope to be asleep soon.  We've got to wake relatively early to make it across town for our flight to Washington DC and then on to Boston.

Tonight, we ended our evening with a performance of the show "Wicked."  It was an interesting show. The performers did an outstanding job and a bunch of our kids were wicked impressed.  The show was entertaining and stuff and I heard more than one student explain that it was a great way to end the trip.  As I type this, I am pretty sure most of them are running around packing so we can speed things up tomorrow.

Before the show, we had dinner at an Indian restaurant.  The kids were great about trying some new foods.  We had Curry Chicken, white rice, flan, a Mango Chutney sauce, and some spinach concoction.  I enjoyed it all.  Chris, our tour guide, explained why Indian food is so popular in Britain.  The true test of a good restaurant is when kids say they'll try the same food back at home and I heard a few kids saying they would.

Dinner was a great time for the whole group, but before that we had split into several groups to enjoy our free day in London.  Ms. Larsen had lived in London for a few months while studying and she led a large group of students out to the Camden Market.  After that some of the kids stayed with her and visited the Tate Modern Art museum.  The other students went with Ms. Topham, Ms. Dinan, Ms. Alongi, and Ms. Mottola to visit some key shopping areas like Soho and Picadilly Circus.  From what I understand, they all had a blast.

My group, along with Mr. Bemis and Ms. Payne, also had a great day.  We finished it off with a quick visit to the National Art Museum.  Some of the work was inspirational, but the sleeping David Beckham video was not a favorite.  Before the art museum, we had gone to the British Museum.  As had been explained to us, this is the place where the Brits saved everything they stole from other people and wouldn't give back.  It was really neat to the ancient artifacts and mummified corpses.

Speaking of relics, my group also took in a musical heritage sight on our excursion.  We embarked on a journey that took us to the world's most famous crosswalk (statement not verified by any facts) at Abbey Road.  We tried and tried to reproduce the iconic steps of the Beatles, but the road traffic was very thick.

Before our groups split, we took in the changing of the guard at Horse Guard Palace.  It was impressive and a few of the soldiers actually broke character to speak with us...even if it was just to ask how many people we had there to pose for photos with him.

We barely made it to the changing of the guard because we had to walk from the London Eye to the Horse Guard.  Standing in our way, were Ms. Morando and Ms. Golan finishing up their eurotrip.  We saw them as we were disembarking the Ferris Wheel and exchanged a few quick hugs and hellos.  It was so great to see them, even if only briefly, while we were all across the pond.  The eye was a highlight of the day, even though I don't like heights, because of how cool it was to see all of London.  We could also see half of our group in the other car.  There is nothing quite like floating across a major city, but we did it in stride.  I only freaked out a little bit.

Well, it is bed time.  I hope you enjoyed this blog. I'll probably write a summation at some point and there may be some quick travel updates posted here as we come home. I thought I'd leave you all with a little song and hope you have a great day.  For our parents, please note that pick-up time is around 6:35pm Boston time.  Our flight number is 1136 on United and we are arriving from Dulles International Airport.  We should be landing at Gate C.

See you tomorrow.

Mr. Lavoie currently packing up his laptop and his suitcase.  Eurotrip13 is nearly in the books.

Bonus Blog: A musical journey through Ireland and Wales...

This trip has been an emotional roller coaster.  There have been tremendous highs and terrible lows.  Through it all, we've stuck together and sometimes even sung together.  Tomorrow night, we will head to Wicked and end our trip with a final musical experiences, but over the past eight days, it is fair to say that music has helped define this trip.  I am sharing with you now some video of the experiences our kids had.  Mr. Bemis did an excellent job of capturing these moments and although you may never know how they impacted us...I think his cinematography made every attempt of telling our story whenever possible.  We've got a few more videos to figure out, but I wanted some to be sent out tonight.


The Hand Hotel Llongallen, Wales

At this very peculiar little hotel, on every Friday night, the Cor Meibion Llongallen rehearses their upcoming performances.  While it is a men's choir, during our visit many of the men had brought their wives.  As the night began to wind down, their conductor asked our kids to come in for a song or two.

He had found out we were from Boston and wanted to dedicate a song for us.  He said he was appalled by the attacks on our city and reassured us that things would be okay and that our government would find the cowards who attacked the marathon.  I never got the man's name, but he began what was one of the most inspiration moments of my life and I think the kids as well.

Here the choir, and our kids, begin singing Take me out to the Ball Game.

The song immediately switched into a medley of common American songs and Welsh music:

The evening kind of turned into a free for all with both sides singing songs that might make the other group smile.  Here, our kids try to remember the lyrics and notes to Sweet Caroline.

We also asked if he knew the Star Spangled Banner...and he did.  This rendition left many a folk with tears in their eyes and a warm feeling of friendship in their hearts.

Finally, to end the evening, the choir began to sing a song for us.  We believe the name of the song was Invitation.  From what we understand, the song was a joint effort between an American and a Welshman.  This was the perfect way to end the night.  It also solidified to our students that Americans are still loved in many places across this world.  The outpouring of support these folks showed the city of Boston and our kids was tremendous.  While I do not know their names, I extend to them the same invitation they extended to my students...one into my heart forever. 

I thank you all for reading along and watching these videos.  We've come to terms with the fact that we don't really take vacations on these trips, instead, we change lives.  I know mine has changed.

Mr. Lavoie currently typing quietly as to not awake a sleeping Mr. Bemis and over looking the 2012 Olympic Village.

Jack the Ripper and other tales from London

I've got a feeling that this blog may be relatively short.

It's not that we didn't do much today, in fact, it is the opposite.  We had another packed day.  This entry may be short because the long days, late nights, and early mornings are starting to catch up with me.  I may not be as young as I think I am, but in all honesty, the exhaustion is worth it.  We've seen so much in such a short amount of time and I really think that it has been the trip of a lifetime for many of the students.  Everytime I hear one say that they are having a blast, or that they'd move here, or that they can't wait to come back...it makes the sleepless nights worth it.

Today, we had a bus tour of London.  Our guide Justin took us all over and we got an extra special tour because the marathon route blocked off some typical sights.  We visited a few sights related to Harry Potter.  I am in the middle of the first book, but I don't know the things as well as the kids...sorry.  I have some pictures, but they'll probably go up sometime tomorrow (See second paragraph).

We also visited St. Paul's Cathedral today.  It was very beautiful.  London has so much to offer.  There are tours to the city that last seven days total and we are trying to get it all done in two days.  By midday, we had made our way over to Harrads.  This store has everything.  I personally decided that I'd start saving for the autographed Jaws poster they had in their millionaires collection.  It was just under 2000 British Pounds.  If I save too much, I might buy the autographs of the every single American president...even William Henry Harrison who only served for a month and a few days.  This collection would only cost me about 200,000 pounds.  The real gem at Harrads was an alarm clock that wakes you up with a personalized song.  I bet it is still waking Evan up.

After exploring Harrads, we descended upon one of three museums.  One museum was an art museum that focused on things that beautified their surroundings.  This includes tapestries, fashion, and other pieces.  I didn't go to that one so it is tough to comment.  Another museum the kids visited was the Science museum.  Mr. Bemis tells me that this one was very hands on and they kids only got through about 1/2 of it because they were so busy.  I ended up at the Natural History museum.  I'm a sucker for dinosaurs. This museum also included exhibits on rocks, primates, and aquatic mammals. It was stuffed full of taxidermy master pieces.

The three groups met back up and after a quick trip to the hotel, we went to dinner at Mr. Fish and Chips.  Earlier, I vented about an oily fish and chips that I sampled in Wales, but Mr. Fish and Chips is the real deal.  His fish was crispy and tasted really good...note that I don't like fish and I am admitting that I liked it....my family will be so excited they will want to take me out for seafood.  At the restaurant, we celebrated our second birthday of the trip.  Melissa seemed more than a little embarrassed when the group broke out into song on her behalf.

The meal ended with a trip to King's Cross station for another Harry Potter stop.  Ms. Payne led the kids as they tried to push their shopping cart in to Platform 9 and 3/4s.  No one made it to Hogwarts.

We then met a very interesting character who led us through the streets of London and explained the horrific murders committed by Jack the Ripper.  Our macabre tour guide expertly mixed humor and history into an exciting and engaging tale that took us to the actual sights of the Ripper's blade.  Our students were more than a little scared at times, but they also laughed and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. I hope they impressed them when I beat Ben, our guide, in a staring contest...but more than likely I just freaked them out a bit.

When our tour concluded we journeyed back to the hotel.  It's been a long night and an exhausting one.  I am about to go to bed, but if I can muster the energy, you may have another quick post with an exciting surprise.

Mr. Lavoie, currently in the hotel lobby because I thought the internet might be better down here...and because I am a little scared by the Jack the Ripper guide.

Wow!!! We all got into Oxford, aren't you proud?

Another incredible day in the British Isles for our group!

We awoke from the Hand Hotel safe and relatively unscathed from the different spirits that reportedly haunt its hallways and bedrooms.  Some of the students truly believe that they experienced some paranormal activity, but I can say with all honesty that I don't think I did.

The drive from Wales to London is a pretty long one, so we decided to break it up with a few important stops along the way.  Our first destination is a little town of about 100,000 people.  The name of this town is Stratford apon Avon.  This is the land of William Shakespeare.  Wouldn't you know...today was the day they were celebrating Shakespeare's Birthday.  We were so fortunate.  The whole town was celebrating.  We not only toured Billy's house, but we also saw a parade in his honor.  Some of us may have even signed his birthday card and had some cake.  There were tons of people dressed in fancy clothing and costume.  Even a few of us recited some important lines from Shakespearean plays.  The weather was also great.

After touring Shakespeare's house, Mr. Bemis and I found ourselves in a little market and bought some rope candy.  We sat for a coffee and to people watch when I happened to notice that the cafe had muffin sandwiches.  I thought to myself, "Self, because that's what I call myself, you must have an English Muffin while in England."  So, I ordered an English Muffin sandwich.  It was great.  I'm not the type of person who typically photographs my meals, but I had to share this sandwich with the world.

It was scrummy...which I found out today was a good thing.

We gathered on our coach and took off a mile down the road to tour Anne Hathaway's house.  She is not the famous actress.  She was the wife of William Shakespeare.  The house was nice.  It also reminded me a little bit of some of the structures at the Iron Works.  Actually, it dawned on me that the whole Shakespearean era was about the same time as colonial settlement of Salem, and subsequently Saugus.  This made it all the more interesting.

After Anne's house, we had a bit of lunch and then began our trek to Oxford.  Along the way, Chris gave a wonderful summary of the life and history of the English Kings and Queens.  Our kids were very interested and some of them even passed his quiz when put to the test.  It is a good thing they did too, because we ended up at Oxford University and we all were accepted!!!  The photo at the top of this day's post was near the end of the tour.  I'm not particularly happy with the photo, but I had to run into the middle of a busy intersection to take it...so I'll get over it.

Oxford was really cool.  Because of the weather, and the fact that we visited on Saturday, the university was a buzz.  There were all sorts of costumed dancers performing strange dances with clubs.  There were also fire jugglers and knife throwers.  We visited the covered market and I scampered off for a quick bit to find the history faculty building.  It felt like home.

The tour of this city and university was great, but we were only there for about two hours before heading to London.

Because of everything in Boston, we've decided to change up our itinerary a bit.  The London Marathon is tomorrow, and while we are confident that the incident back home was isolated, we thought it best not to tour the sights along the marathon route.  We couldn't, however, visit London without seeing the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and everything in between.  So, after dinner at the biggest mall I've ever been too, we took off in the Tube to see these great sights.  Chris was great in explaining the Tube and which spots we needed to remember.  On this tour, my camera battery died, but I did get some great shots.  You can see all of my pictures from this tour here: https://sites.google.com/a/saugus.k12.ma.us/lavoietravel/photo-gallery

Tomorrow, we will be taking a bus tour, but we will be avoiding all of the sights along the marathon route.  We will be visiting some museums and a shopping district near Harrod's department store.

 Westminster Abbey

Buckingham Palace

Big Ben...my camera died after this shot, so I had not chance to take another one :(

This is me, 385 yards away from the London Marathon finish line.  You can take the kid out of Boston, but you can't take the Boston out of the Kid.  B-Strong Boston!!!  I'll see ya soon.

I took a ferry across the Irish Sea and it wasn't until we reached land that I saw some Wales.

We woke early this morning to catch our ferry.  This means an early wake up call and a quick ride to the docks.   At the port, we said good bye to our driver Danny.  We had a blast with him and it was sad to see him go.

The ferry was really nice.  We were able to relax for a couple hours and some of us even took a nap.

We've had a pretty exhausting day the night before and this was a much needed respite from the realities we've been facing.  Not all of use slept, however, some of us made new friends in the form of a rugby team from north of Dublin that was made up of 13-14 year olds. These young men were very friendly and not afraid to walk right up to out kids to introduce themselves to us.  I even heard them call Evan "legendary."  I had a really nice moment when one of them asked if my friends and family were safe and he wished them all well.

When we landed in Wales, we met our new driver Delboy.  He quickly put our luggage into the bus and we began our journey into Northern Wales.  I didn't know at the time, but my life was about to change in a way that I could only dream about...I was about to visit a place that I thought only existed in fiction:

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch

This Welch city contains the longest city name on record with the folks at Guinness.  I've seen signs and websites, but I had no idea that I was actually going to go there.

There was a neat little shop there and the kids were able to stamp their own passports with the stamp of the city.  I commemorated the event by ordering my first plate of fish and chips...ever.  I am not a seafood eater, but I felt it necessary to try it.  The women who served it to me was the most gracious person I've ever met...she said, "Thank you," after every sentence.  The meal wasn't as good as I hoped, but I ate it anyways.

Our next stop was the Beaumaris Castle.  It was great.  The kids loved it.  They had full reign of the place and were able to explore the castle from top to bottom.  I heard more than one student say it was the highlight of their trip and one even put it in the same group as visiting the Eiffel Tower.  It was wonderful to see them running around and loving the day.  We needed it.

This castle is nestled along the entry point of Snowdownia National park.  The national park had some really great photo-ops.

After a nearly three hour drive, we made our way into Llongallen and the Hand Hotel.  This is a wonderful little town.  Our hotel was supposed to be haunted...and perhaps it is, but in all honesty the spirits weren't of the supernatural kind.  After dinner, our kids climbed a really large hill/mountain.  I tried to keep up with them, but it was a little too much for my aging knees.  The kids held a moment of silence for the loss of Nan and for the people back home.  When we returned, the dining hall was filled with a traveling troupe of Welch singers.  They inquired as to who we were and why were in Wales.  This group of elderly entertainers, upon finding out we were from Boston, began to dedicate a series of songs to our kids and our town.  I am working on getting some video together of this moment, but I can tell you that there was hardly a dry eye in the house.  It was a trans-formative movement for all involved.


Hoping for an early night...It's just past midnight and I am in a haunted hotel.

Mr. Lavoie, currently spending the night in a room with the spirit of a young boy who died of Tuberculous.

More sad news from home.

I've tried to make this blog one that will inform and entertain, but the harsh reality of life sometimes finds us at the least expected times.  I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Nancy Lemoine, one of our teachers at Saugus High School.  While she fought as bravely as anyone could against her terrible disease, her pain is now over and may she ever rest in peace.  It is nearly impossible to put into words the collective grieve we are all feeling for her family, her friends, and her students...and for each other, but I came across this common Irish prayer that I think sums up how she would like us to remember her.

Death is nothing at all.

It does not count.I have only slipped away into the next room.Everything remains as it was.The old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged.Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.Call me by the old familiar name.Speak of me in the easy way which you always used.Put no sorrow in your tone.Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together.Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.Let it be spoken without  effortLife means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was.There is unbroken continuity.Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just around the corner.All is well. Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost.One brief moment and all will be as it was before.How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting,  when we meet again.

To the parents of the children in my care with a special connection to our dearly departed colleague:

Please know that we are going to do all in our power to look after your children and make sure that they are safe and cared for through the next few days.  There will be some tough times, I am sure, but we will get through it together.  For those whose children may not have known Nan as well as others, please know that your kids have been there for their peers in every way possible.  I continue to be impressed with the maturity and compassion displayed by these 37 remarkable students.

Mr. Lavoie, currently in Dublin, but my heart is in C09...

A Tale of Two Cities...

Last night, I made a quick comparison between Dublin and Boston.  Today, I am ready to confirm that these two great cities have a lot more in common than I had ever thought.  We woke, broke our evening fast, and boarded our bus to have a quick tour of this fair city.

Our guide, Martin O'Reilly is one of those characters that you will remember forever.  Our driver commented that most people kiss the blarney stone, but Martin had eaten the whole thing...and it was true.  Martin is one of those guys that knows everything about his city.  He is the epitome of a Duck Boat driver or even an old school Boston cabbie.  You trust a guy like Martin when he's telling you a story.  It's tough to recall exactly what Martin said about all of the sights we visited, but some of them stick out.

Down the road from our hotel is the National Post office and a statue to Daniel O'Connor.  These two monuments are right in the heart of the city, but they represent a very difficult time for Dublin and Ireland too.  The Easter Uprising occurred where almost 100 years ago.  The evidence exists in the form of bullet holes.  As much as this story is difficult to hear, it is equally uplifting.  This city has faced tremendous violence in its past, and yet, it's people are among the friendliest I've ever met.  There is a resiliency in Dublin.  The older folks remember tougher times and younger folks have been taught some valuable lessons.  While I am nearly 3,000 miles from my favorite city...I feel at home with these people.  They are genuine.  They work hard.  They are immensely proud of their history...the good and the bad, because it made them who they are.

It's funny that I feel this way, I think.  I've been to quite a few European cities and I am always comparing them to home.  As much as I love travelling, I equally love flying over Boston struggling to find my house in Saugus from the air.  This city, however, seems to have that same charm.  I talked to a bunch of kids today about Dublin.  I asked them what they thought about the city and almost all of them told me that they love it, that it reminds them of Boston, and that they'd move here in an instant.  The kids see it too.  Maybe they walked along Grafton Street today and thought, this is just like Newbury Street.  Maybe Dublin's Henry Street reminded them of Faneuil Hall.  They might have noticed how connected Dubliners are to their sports teams (albeit in Gaelic Football and Rugby) and felt that same connection to the Sox, B's, Pats, and (dare I say) the Celts.  The visit to Trinity College might have reminded them of visiting Harvard or attending a game at BC...or BU.  My guess is that while they missed their Dunkin' Donuts, they felt at home walking past a ton of "Insomnia" coffee shops.

I was sitting with some kids earlier today and I asked them to tell me how to get back to the hotel.  It's a routine I practice often with the kids, to build their practical geography skills.  One student said, you walk past the Spire until you see Cheers and then you turn right.  I was confused for a bit, but on the trip home, it all made sense to me...

...this wasn't the only connection that I saw, but it resonated the most.  This student may have never even watched the show, but he knows what Cheers is...and he used it as a reference point to get back to the hotel.  I think that is wicked cool.

One of the more poignant moments of this day occurred nearer the end of our bus tour.  We entered into Phoenix park.  It's their version of Boston Common, but its much larger.  We saw a bunch of fields, some deer sleeping under some trees, and a huge obelisk that looked just like the Bunker Hill Monument.  There are only two houses in this park; one belongs to the President of Ireland.  The other belongs to the United States Government.  Our embassy is literally across the street from their White House. (It is actually White and was the inspiration for ours)  As we slowed down for a closer look, the reality of life back home sprung forth.

There is nothing like seeing your country's flag at half staff and knowing it's because of something happening at home.  But here...just like 3,000 miles away in Boston...the flag still waves, with a resiliency that has, and will, stand the test of time.  These tragic times will make us stronger.  We will band together as we've always done...and we will continue to move forward; never forgetting our past and using it to guide us into the future.

It is possible for a people to recover from tragedy...I saw it first in New York and I'm reminded of it Dublin. I hope I am not the only one who cannot wait until the next Boston Marathon.  I may not be able to stand at the finish line, but my guess is that the good people of Boston will be there in my place.

Mr. Lavoie, from a McDonalds on O'Conner Street which the kids have renamed McDublin.  

Now that I've kissed the Blarney stone, my words are filled with eloquence and awe.

What an exhausting day!!!

Today, we departed the lovely city of Killarney in a blistering Irish rain storm.  While the rain may have dampened our rain coats, it could not dampen our spirits.  Our jaunt to the city of Blarney was a relatively quiet one with Chris giving us a chance to catch up on some much needed sleep.  I had the opportunity to sit with the kids for a bit and discuss the benefits of travel.  My central message is always that you make your own adventures in life and that the littlest things can form the greatest memories...I really feel that is true and it guides me while I travel.

Blarney Castle, actually the whole area, is really cool.  We walked along the path and up the stone spiral staircase.  It was still raining and the steps were a little slick.  The kids handled it fine, but I was more than just a little unnerved.  It is worth noting at this point that I am more than a little afraid of heights.  After climbing the stairs for near an eternity, we made it to the top of the parapet and began our approach to the stone.  The process is as follows:

1. You approach the stone and sit on a mat that is soaked because it is pouring.  From this vantage point you can see straight down the side of the castle.
2. Two Irish gentlemen explain that you need to take off your hat and glasses because the drop is so steep.  Then they say to lean back and grab two iron bars, which are soaked because it is raining.  
3. You then shimmy yourself towards the iron bars knowing full well that a 200 ft drop awaits you...it doesn't matter that there are iron bars preventing a fall, because it is raining and I am sure you could slip through them
4. After shimmying the correct distance, or more accurately slipping the correct distance on the rain soaked mat, you then have to bend backwards (Yes, he said bend backwards) and lean towards the ground (which is 250 ft away) and pucker up.
5. This is where is it most confusing.  Every stone looks special.  You start to make your move and you hear the Irish guys yelling colors at you..."It's the White one!!!"  or "It's the grey one!!!"  Now, remember that it is a stone and pretty much every stone looks the same, plus you are upside down leaning over a 300 ft drop and it is raining out!!!  
6. They finally tell you it is the last stone...which means it is time to lean over even further and kiss the final stone.  

After barely escaping the 500 ft drop, I made it safely up from kissing the stone...and so did all of us.  It was quite apparent that the magical stone still has some power in it as the students quickly entered into a Shakespearean quote-a-thon.  I was very impressed.  [Some portions of the preceding blog post may have been a bit exaggerated]

Kissing the stone was not the only thing worthwhile in Blarney.  A small group of us made our way to the wishing stairs.  Here, you walk down a stone staircase backwards and with your eyes closed.  If you concentrate on one wish it is said that that wish will come true.  It actually worked.  I went first and as the kids helped me navigate the treacherous steps I kept on saying to myself, "Please don't fall...please don't fall."  I made it down safely and did not fall.  I am not sure what the kids wished for, but it was a great team building exercise and everyone had a blast.

The bottom of the stairs took you behind a waterfall.  It was an excellent bit of touring and helped me get past my harrowing experience atop the castle.

There is a really nice restaurant and shop near the Blarney Castle where we had lunch and relaxed before taking off for Dublin.  We made a brief stop at Cashel to see St. Patrick's Castle and drove the rest of the way to Dublin.  Dinner was held just outside of the city and included some vegetable soup, some chicken and veggies, and jello with pineapple.  The food was some of the more flavorful food we've had, but the whipped topping on the Jello was not that good.

Finally, we reached Dublin.  I forgot my camera in the hotel room (a rookie mistake, I know) but Chris took us on an orientation tour of the city.  It reminded me a lot of Boston.  It is full of history, has tons of cool looking buildings, and is totally walk-able.  I was wearing my Red Sox pullover and a Sox cap...and I couldn't help but think of how things are at home.  I thought it really cool that the Yankees held a moment of silence and played Sweet Caroline.  We've run into a few people who seemed genuinely concerned for us and our city...It is the humanity in this world that resonates most strongly with me, not the violence or terror.  I truly hope that is something the kids get out of touring too.  

We also ran into another EF tour group at our hotel.  They are from Ft. Kent, Maine.  For those who don't know, that is really far up north...basically, the end of Route 1 kind of north.  We had a teacher in Saugus from that area years ago.  I dropped his name and they knew him.  I also asked if they knew Joe Terrio from Fort Kent. This fellow is a legend in my household.  He is supposed to be the most famous man from Maine.  My mother is from Hodgdon, Maine (not quite as far as Ft. Kent, but pretty close) and she, and my Dad, always told me about this guy. At one point, they told me that he was on a balcony with the Pope and someone below said, "Hey, whose that guy up there?"  Someone else responded, "You mean the guy with the funny hat standing with Joe Terrio."   I thought he was made up...so I had to test it out.  Sure enough, one of their teachers knew Joe Terrio.  The legend lives on for me.  

This isn't really me rambling on.  In fact, there is a lesson in the Joe Terrio story.  The world is much smaller than we think.  Facebook, Twitter, and "Where in the World is Mr. Lavoie" all make is smaller, but long before social media there was something called being social.  I remember walking through the Louvre and seeing a guy wearing a "DeMolay" shirt.  (It's a youth group that I belonged to)  I asked him about it and found out we knew a lot of the same people.  A similar event happened in Eastern France, when my brother Phil began a conversation with a random couple from Ohio.  They knew the same people too.  You have to talk to people, be friendly, and hope that they do the same.  It makes your adventure more meaningful.

Well, I've recently found out that some of our students wait up each night for these blogs to be posted before turning in...So, I am going to wrap this one up.  It's bed time guys!!!

Mr. Lavoie currently in Dublin, Ireland:  Tired and sleepy but excited for what tomorrow may bring...

The Ring of Kerry and other adventures from SHS Eurotrip#13

Phew, what a day we had today!!!

Before I forget, please visit the photo gallery on the website to see pictures from our trip:
https://sites.google.com/a/saugus.k12.ma.us/lavoietravel/photo-gallery

Today started at 9am.  We boarded our coach (Irish slang for Bus) and headed off to the Ring of Kerry.  The plan was to be on the road for most of the day and to stop at some photogenic spots.  We left Killarney and headed south.  As we gradually inclined, we came to a rest stop for pictures.  It was unreal.  Straight out of a movie.  As we all posed for pictures, and the wind whipped through our hair, we noticed some kayakers preparing to tackle some of the white water below.  [The river did not even compare to the ones in Maine, but, hey...you gotta do what you gotta do]  Right before we left, a horse approached the fence.  A couple of students posed for pictures and Annalise found out that Irish horses have a hankering for scarves.  A brief struggle ensued, but Annalise got her scarf back.  When I asked the horse for a comment, he replied, "Neigh."

Our next stop was the Bog Village.  This was a really cool spot along the highway.  It showcased the typical dwelling of an Irish country farmer from around 1800 through the potato famine.  The folks in these houses would use peat harvested from the nearby bogs to help build their homes and as a replacement for non-existent firewood.  The aroma of the burning peat was pleasant to some of us, but turned others away.  I couldn't help but notice how eerily similar their blacksmith house was to something we might see at the Iron Works.  There were musicians and animals galore at the village.  Irish Wolfhounds, Ponies, and goats lived in pens and were very willing to pose for some pictures.

After the Bog Village, and a few more photo-ops, we arrived at the Thatch Restaurant.  It was a nice little place that accommodates tourist groups.  Many of us ordered the Shepard's Pie and found it to be delicious.  We were unsure if it was made of beef or lamb, but regardless, it was tasty.  Others ordered a cheese sandwich!!! How very Irish of you; Ms. Topham, lol.

Shortly after lunch we entered Waterville.  This is a really nice coastal city.  We pulled over for a bit and walked along the Atlantic Ocean.  Some peered over the horizon looking for a glimpse of home, but alas, it was too far.  There was also a statue of Charlie Chaplin on the beach,  Apparently, the silent film star loved visiting Waterville and so they honor him still today.  Speaking of honoring people, we also drove by the birthplace of Daniel O'Connor.  His efforts led to suffrage rights for Irish Catholics but his house has fallen into disrepair.

After climbing back up a mountain, we came to another rest stop and photo-op.  There was an ice cream van there, but we graciously passed on frozen treats so we wouldn't spill anything inside our coach.  We did, however, come across a old Irish man with three unique pets: a baby deer, a lamb, and a puppy.  Some of our kids played frisbee with another dog, but the younglings were the hit of the day.  Don't worry...everybody used Purell afterwards.

We began our trip back to Killarney, but we also passed some famine houses.  These were the old stone structures of farmers' homes from 1845-1851.  The houses were mostly falling apart or overgrown, but it gave us a sense of how tough life was.  We were shocked to hear that over 1 million Irish died in the famine while another million fled to the US and other nations.  We were appalled to hear how Queen Victoria dealth with the issue as well.

Upon returning to the Glena Hotel, we were treated with a beef dinner.  The highlight, however, was the ice cream.  It's a good thing we passed on the ice cream earlier, otherwise it might have spoiled the dessert.  For our evening activity, Chris took most of us to a place called McSorelys.  It says it was a nightclub, but there were two septuagenarians playing traditional Irish music.  After a while, some of our travelers began singing and playing instruments.  It really felt like we owned that place.  What made it most special for me was when the gentlemen started playing Sweet Caroline.  Our whole group formed as one and belted out those tunes.  We've got a video and I will try to find a way to upload it when our wifi situation improves.

We'll, it's off to the Blarney Stone and Dublin tomorrow.  It is 1am here and it seems like the kids are all asleep.  I can hear an occasional car drive by, but not much else...even when I did my last room check it was all quiet on the Killarney front.

Honestly, I count myself lucky...the kids have been punctual and respectful to all they meet.  They have listened to Chris' historic discussions and to the directions of their chaperons.  I am constantly reminded of the good things we've got going for us because of their actions and attitudes.  For any parents reading this blog...Thank you for raising wonderful kids.  It is making this trip so enjoyable.

Mr. Lavoie currently in the hotel lobby finishing the blog post and hoping to remember where the hotel employee said the light switch was so I can turn them off when I am done...Good Night, all.

Our first day in Ireland was a tremendous success

It is roughly 1045 in Killarney.

We have been traveling all day, but I seem to finally have consistent internet access, and I wanted to tell you all about the wonderful time we've been having so far.  This post may be somewhat long, so I apologize in advance.

When we crossed through security at Logan Airport, we gathered near our gate.  The plane rolled up and we got a good look at her propeller engine.  Some of us are not huge fans of flying so seeing such a little plane was not the highlight of our morning.  With a group of 45, we actually occupied a slight majority of the seats on the plane.  We took off on time and began making our way to Newark.  It was quite simply the roughest flight I can remember being on, but out kids did real well with it.  I was proud of them...they even gave the pilot an ovation after we touched down in New Jersey.

With our stomachs still unsettled, we made our way to the next terminal which was located near a food court. Some of us grabbed McDonalds and others got Pizza, but we were all able to relax a little before hopping on our flight.  When we boarded we casually took our seats, but many of us were able to relocate and sit next to a fellow #eurotrip13-er.  I was fortunate enough to switch seats with Jenny.  She sat with friends and I received extra leg room and a seat next to Liam.  Liam was an elderly gentleman from Cork.  He was everything you would imagine in an ole Irish man: pleasant, welcoming, and complete with a thick accent.  He started the flight off with a firm hand shake and some small talk about Ireland.  The woman on the other side of me was not as pleasant, but was also from Cork.  This flight was smooth.  The food was edible.  I ordered chicken and rice.  I recognized the chicken, but the rice was a little different than what I was used too.  Overall, I think the flight went well.  I even managed to catch a few Zzzs.

When we landed in Shannon and proceeded to the security check-point, the agents there welcomed us with excellent hospitality.  Everyone got their suitcases and we met Chris, our Tour Director, and Danny, our Bus Driver.  After a small rest period we embarked on our journey to Killarney.  We stopped in a small town called Adare.  The streets had a few homes with thatched roofs and others painted in bright colors and soft pastels.  It was picturesque.  (I'd upload some photos, but I am afraid I'll lose my internet connection)  Finally, we made it to Killarney.  We were told it is the second largest Tourist spot in the Republic of Ireland after Dublin and it was easy to see why...

The streets were adorned with Jaunting Cars.  These horse and buggy rides took us through an Irish National Park.  We visited Ross Castle which was burned out by Cromwell around the time Saugus was being founded.  Our colorful guides and their equine friends made the voyage extra special with a collection of puns  and jokes that amused us all.  After our rides, we went into town and grabbed lunch.  Some of us reached way outside of our comfort zone and tried a place called Burger King...I had Shepard's Pie at a traditional Irish restaurant.  I think all were happy with their choices!!!

We finally made it to our hotel and began resting up for tomorrow's adventure, but not before the hotel served us dinner.  Our meal started with a potato or corn chowder.  Everyone seemed to enjoy it although a few people used way too much pepper.  Our next course was Turkey with some strange fried potato thing.  Once again, people liked it.  We finished up with ice cream.  Overall, it was a pleasant evening meal and provided just enough energy for one more trip into town.  We got to experience real Irish weather on this walk as the skies opened up.  The weather seems to be better for tomorrow as we explore the ring of Kerry, but even now, it is raining fairly strong.

It was when we returned that we heard what had happened in Boston.  It is a little shocking to see something so close to us, but knowing it is so far away.  As news continues to unfold, we will make sure that the kids are comfortable and safe.  If anyone needs me to deliver any specific news please email me at rlavoie@saugus.k12.ma.us or lavoie76@gmail.com.

We played a couple of rounds of catch phrase before the kids shuffled off to bed.  They are all in good spirits and hopefully fast asleep.  They've had an extraordinary long day and they all held up very well.  You should all be proud of them.

I am hoping to add pictures tomorrow and also give another report.  Thanks for reading.

Mr. Lavoie, currently in Killarney, Island at the Glena House Hotel.

When the world gives you lemons, you gotta make lemonade!

We just heard about the news in Boston and after a brief period of just trying to catch up with the news, we thought it best to divert our attentions and play a little catch phrase.

Of course, the seriousness of what is happening back home is with us, but we are all well and trying to have a good time.  Our collective thoughts and prayers are with all those effected.

Mr. Lavoie, currently in the Hotel Lobby playing Catchphrase with nearly 20 people.

What do you think happens when 45 people sign on to Wifi at once?

Lol...I can answer that question for you.  It becomes very difficult for anyone to sign on and do anything.  I managed to get connected and I wanted to let everyone know that things are still going well.  We made it to Killarney and we even managed to ride on a horse drawn buggy through one of Ireland's national parks.  There was a castle there that we toured.  After grabbing some lunch we made it to the hotel.  We are eating dinner soon.

When web traffic dies down a bit, I will post some pictures.

Top o the morning to ya!

Waiting for everyone to get off the plane. Welcome to Ireland!

We made it...to Jersey.

We have landed at Newark's airport after a relatively bumpy flight.  We are now waiting for our flight to Ireland...everything looks to be going well.

Bon voyage'

We are all checked through security and the kids are getting to know each other, getting fast food, and getting even more excited than I could imagine.

We depart for New Jersey around 325 and some kids are already debating what they're going to eat during that lay-over. 

United Airlines Terminal A

Just saw an update on my United Airlines app that has us departing from Gate A5. I'll see you'll at 1245.

Please share with others.

A quick note about tomorrow's flight to New Jersey

I just Google'd our flight.  It is reporting that we will be departing from Terminal A.  That means we will meet at Terminal A at 12:45.  I am not sure if this will change in the morning, but I wanted to get this out as quickly as possible.

The first flight is #4881 on United.  We are departing Logan at 3:25 and arriving in Newark at 5:13.  We will be landing at Newark's terminal C.  According to the similar Google search, today's flight to Shannon, Ireland (United #24) departed out of Terminal C as well...this will be very convenient if these are consistent on a day to day basis.  Time will tell.

I will email, blog, tweet, and update Facebook if there are any other changes...but for now, I will see you all at Terminal A at 12:45.

Mr. Lavoie, currently sitting in his office waiting for flight updates and for YouTube's processing to be completed. 

The mix tape. It's a lost art in this digital age.

When I was a day away from my first #eurotrip, the summer of my Junior year, I remember staying up late and putting together the perfect mix tape.  You needed a dual deck cassette player and super human-like dexterity.  The ability to press play and record, simultaneously, on different decks would make any present day gamer jealous.

The mix tape had many purposes.  You could make one to show someone special how much you cared for them...or to let them know it was time to part.  A mix tape could be made in preparation for a big game, to psyche you up...or to help you relax for that huge AP test coming up around the corner.  For me, the mix tape I made before my first trip to France was in prep for a long flight and the uncertainty of whether or not I would like French music.

My bright yellow walk-man was packed onto my carry on and got plenty of use while en route to Paris.  It was also prevalent in one of the most memorable travel moments of my life.  I remember walking through the Louvre and entering a giant chamber filled with massive wall-sized paintings.  I was the only one in the room. As I walked into the room, this song began playing:

This song quickly began a mental collection that I consider the soundtrack of my life.  Music had never had as much of an impact on me as it did that day in the Ile de Cite.  Whenever I hear Bono belting out those lyrics, I am instantly transplanted into that moment in time.  That was the thing about a mix tape.  It took time to organize and even more time to make.  You listened to each song as it was copied from the master to the mix.  As technology progressed, we could burn a CD, but it wasn't the same.  It was instantaneous.  The mix tape is a lost art.

I was thinking about this today and remembering my EuroTrip mix tape from 1994.  I wondered if I could attempt to make a new one...and then it hit me, I can make one on this blog.  So, I am going to add some songs to this thread and explain why I've included it.  I hope some of you will comment with your own suggestions for my digital mix tape.  Even if you don't perhaps you'll find a new song to add to your playlist.

Leaving on a Jet Plane Me first and the Gimme Gimmes.
This is a non-traditional cover of the classic tune from the movie Armageddon.  I love the irreverent nature of this version and most of their songs.  Whenever I am departing for some faraway place, the "leaving on a jet plane" lyrics seem to find their way into my head.  It's not the best cover in the world, but it serves a purpose.

Dreams The Cranberries.
An Irish band, the Cranberries sang about political issues of their nation, but this song hit me a different way. It seems to remind me that every day is filled with new experiences and adventures.  These are the dreams they sing about.  Along with U2, the Cranberries also gave me a musical connection to my Irish heritage.  I don't know if there are even any Cranberry bogs in Ireland, but I can dream that there are.

I'm Henry the VIII, I am. Herman's Hermits.
I love the accents on this song.  It is probably one of the more influential songs of my life.  I based my early version of a British accent on this song.  That accent, slightly Cockney, garnered me a part in the SHSDC production of Oliver and also kickstarted my love of musical theater.  This catchy tune is easy to remember and makes me remember being driven around by my parents while they listened to Oldies 103.  For some reason, it makes me think of England, but I can figure out why.

Thriller. Michael Jackson.
The King of Pop...say what you will about the controversy that became Michael Jackson, but it is hard to deny his influence on pop culture.  I used to think that Neil Armstrong "moon walked" like Michael did, only to be disappointed when I saw the video of the actual moon landing.  I am including the full length feature version of Thriller on this blog mix tape for two reasons.  1.  I wanted high school students to see what a music video actually looked like (They don't exist on MTV anymore).  2. We are going to be staying in a Haunted Hotel while we are in Wales, and short of showing a Culture Club video, I wanted something that might freak out our students.  As you watch, you might recognize some Zombie dance steps from Ferris Bueller's Day Off.  That's the impact MJ had!!!

Well, it's after midnight...and I've got to get some sleep before prepping for our trip.  I think it is time to turn in for the evening.  Please suggest other songs for my #eurotrip13 mix tape.

Mr. Lavoie, from an empty hall in the Lourve listening to U2...

Another list...oh no.

I'm getting addicted to this blogging thing.  We had 80 hits today and we've even had hits from Germany and Canada, not too bad, eh?

So...I am a huge Gleek...I know, who isn't right?  A few episodes ago, they sang about songs that were their guilty pleasures.  Some sang Spice Girls while others crooned to Mr. Manilow.  While I probably will not get in to how I like to listen to Les Mis while mowing my lawn, I did think it appropriate to list a few of my travel guilty pleasures.  So...here is another list of things you might think a little odd, but are totally worth it:

1. Buying new socks.  I love to purchase new socks for a trip to Europe.  Think of how comfortable a new pair of socks can feel and then combine that with miles and miles of European Cobblestone.  New socks are totally worth it.
2. Wiki-surfing.  Another pre-trip ritual is signing onto Wikipedia and clicking on link after link to see where I end up.  I will go to Ireland (on Wikipedia) and as I read, I will click on a link that I find interesting.  On that link, I will find something else interesting.  It is the easiest way to kill a half-hour or more for the anxious traveler.  You never know what you'll find...I'm not sure if I've ever hit a dead end while surfing Wikipedia.
3. Practicing accents.  I am a pretty good actor.  I always wanted to be a comedian.  It seems only natural that I'd become a master of accents.  While I never practice my accents on the natives, I am pretty sure that I have a mean Welsh accent...which will help us out at the Haunted Hand Hotel.

Well, that's aboot it, Cheers!

Mr. Lavoie, currently sitting in the School Committee room after speaking about State Student Government Day among other things.

What to do when your trip is less than five days away...

This post is really just a test.  I'll explain in a bit, but overall, the idea is to remind everyone who is traveling that there are important things that need to happen...here is a short list:

1. SIGN YOUR PASSPORTS - I was reviewing the photocopied versions of your passports today and nearly half of you haven't signed your passports.  Open to the picture page.  You will see a line to sign on the non-picture page.  Sign it.  You might face a little scrutiny when crossing international borders if it is not signed.  It also becomes a form of ID if someone at a store or bank needs to see something with your signature.
2. Check your electrical devices and make sure you've got everything together.  If you've purchased something new, check out all of its features.  If something runs on batteries, make sure you've got new ones.  I won't be taking all of these with me, but I wanted to be positive that my camera would function during the entire trip.
3. Make sure you get the other necessities in order, for me that means good ole fashion books and stuff. I usually have a tour book for each place I am visiting and I always find some light reading too.  Typically, I like to bring a couple copies of the Constitution when traveling overseas in case an indigenous person wants to learn a little bit about American government.  
4. This post was really just a test to make sure that I could take pictures with my camera and then upload them to this blog.  I follow my own advice. 

See you at the airport!!!

-Mr. Lavoie currently at home after leaving the Sox game in the fifth inning rain delay...Good call too, because they blew it in the ninth.

Some thoughts on our trip Itinerary

I was hoping to have my notes in front of me when I wrote this post, but I forgot them at school again.  Basically, I wanted to inform everyone of the different optional excursions and what Chris, our Tour Director, felt about each one.  I'll attempt this noble task from memory...but I may make a slight error or two.

Killarney: Horse drawn carriage ride.  Cost roughly 15 Euro=20 USD

Chris seemed to think that the kids would really enjoy this.  Killarney is a small town that includes a national park.  There is no driving through the park, except on a horse drawn carriage.  The carriages hold about 8 people, so I think we'd need at least that many to hire a carriage.  I may also be way off on the price here.  The drivers of these buggies tell stories and banter back and forth with their passengers.  I've done similar rides in Montreal and New Orleans and think that it might be enjoyable.  Of course, we will wait for the weather forecast to decide.

Dublin: Irish folklore and dance night. Cost roughly 25 euro-32 USD

Chris explained this night as one that would be very fun for the kids, but I honestly think the price is a little too high,  Basically, the night goes on as explained in the title of the activity.  We'd travel to place, hear some song, see some dance, and probably hear a tale or two.  The rationale is that we may not be doing too much at night time at the beginning of the trip and this would be a great way to break the monotony and experience Irish culture.  While I think it might be costly, I can definitely see our students enjoying the event.

Wakes: A walk up a hill. Cost is free

Seriously, this is what Chris said we could do...walk up a hill.  Well, there is a little more to it than that,  apparently, there is an old castle at the top of the hill and we can visit through it.  He also mentioned that the town is tiny but that it is really beautiful on the way there.

London: Theater night. Cost roughly 35 British pounds - 52 USD

Chris mentioned several shows.  We would have to choose one.  The most likely candidates are Wicked or We Will Rock You (A Queen Rock-Opera).  I'd love to see either one.  It is expensive and would be near the end of the trip, but I think it would be something to remember,  I'd recommend a nicer outfit if you plan on going to the show.

More to follow...
Mr. Lavoie from roughly 30,000 feet in the air.