Day 1/2: Returning To Where This Blog Began!

What an amazing day we've had so far...but before we get into that, I have to share some quick thoughts.

I've been going on Educational tours with students for over a decade now.  I haven't been the group leader on every trip, but it doesn't really matter.  Each experience has left a pretty indelible mark on me and every time I am asked about a particular trip, I light up.  These trips have shaped me as much as I believe they've shaped the kids who are on them.  Five years ago, I started to document my experiences on these trips in a different manner.  Sure, I had taken (and posted) pictures of every previous trip, but I never tried to provide a comprehensive examination of all of our activities.  I sat in a small Killarney hotel late one night, typing away, and I was hooked.  That first "Where in the World is Mr. Lavoie?" blog led to a succession of over 100 posts and an all time access count of over 65,000 hits.  Along the way, we've visited dozens of countries and capital cities.  We've been to huge cities like Paris and London and smaller hamlets such as Xunantunich  and Saugus, California.  I've had the same laptop with me the whole time and although I've dropped her a couple times over, she still works.

Hundreds of students have traveled along side this blog to foreign nations.  They have shared these adventures with their best friends, kids from Saskatoon, and a collection of some of Saugus' best teachers.  The road to international travel in Saugus has been a bumpy one for me the past few years, but the great kids (and their parents) who have made these trips so memorable have made up for all of those roadblocks. 

It is now 8pm.  I am sitting two doors down Muckmoss Rd from the Glena House.  (Our current hotel is actually owned by the same folks).  The memories of that first blogged trip have already flooded me with emotions and we've just got started....actually, let me go back a few hours to really get us started.

Our meeting times at Logan was 5pm.  Everyone was on time and we checked our bags, hugged loved ones goodbye, and made our way through security....with half of our groups getting stopped by TSA for liquids in their carry-ons, lol.  We've got a small group this year, but they are really nice kids and they all seem to be great friends.  It is nice to have small group for a change.

After getting a quick bite to eat and walking around Terminal B. We found a place to wait until our plane was ready to board.

It was then our time.  We anxiously walked down the gateway to board our flight to Newark. The plane door closed and we were off...well, we were almost off.  We were delayed for about 20 minutes.  The problem is that our connection time was only one hour.  With each additional minute of delay, we grew more worried that we wouldn't make our flight to Shannon.  Eventually, however, we did land.  We quick-stepped our way to our new gate hoping to see the plane waiting for us.  A United Representative was actually waving at our group as we approached. He told us not to rush, that we had made it.  We were holding the plane up, lol, but we were on.  It was the closest I've been to missing a connection with a student group. 

I traded seats with Alycia so she could sit with some of the other Saugus kids...and then I traded seats with another student (from a different group) so she could sit with her friend.  I found myself in the middle seat between two strangers, lol.  The price you pay as a responsible group leader.  I didn't sleep much on the flight.  I did see our kids napping a bit.  I had buttered chicken on the plane. I think it was Chicken, Curry, and Rice. It was good.  Not great, though.  I watched a couple of movies and tried to catch some Zs.  It didn't really happen, but before I knew it, we were touching down in Shannon.

We proceeded through security and immigration without a hitch and collected our bags.  As we left the baggage claim area, we met Joseph our Tour Director.  He asked us to wait for the other two school groups and luckily there were no issues with baggage for any of us.  We are sharing this trip with a school from Newcastle, Maine and another school from West Haven, Connecticut.  While we've had a whole day with both groups, we are all exhausted and we really haven't gotten to know each other yet.  They seem like good people and I am sure the kids will all hit it off.

All together, we met Sean, our bus driver.  We departed from the airport and stopped at Bunratty Castle.

The Throne

 In the castle, the girls all took time to peek into the great room.

After Bunratty, we had lunch.  I forgot to take a picture of the place or my food, but it was a nice meal.  We all ate together and marveled at all of the police department patches adorning the walls. We didn't see Saugus, but there were a ton of local communities represented.

After lunch, the bus took us to Adare. This small town has well known thatched roofs on many of its houses.  We walked the grounds of a beautiful park and did some light shopping.  The weather, the whole day, had been very pleasant.  We were very lucky. 

 We then took to the road again. Our next stop was Killarney.  Sean's home town.  He took us to a great spot for a photo near where his mother grew up.  I couldn't resist a selfie.

Down the hill, we found the city and our hotel.  We met for dinner and began to prepare for a good night's sleep.  I find myself in a hotel lobby nearly five years later to the day.  Even though I know where we are headed, I find myself even more excited than most trips.  The sense of familiarity with Ireland, this group of kids, and the notion that one who travels, learns has primed this trip to be an exciting one.  For frequent readers of this blog, you will notice some similar places and themes to previous posts.  For new readers, I certainly hope I don't disappoint.  The memories shared on these pages aren't just for me, they are for everyone who has ever traveled with me...regardless of the destination.  I am always amazed at how far some kids from Saugus have been able to go.

Thanks for your time...I am hoping for more pictures tomorrow as we explore the Ring of Kerry!!!