Day 1: From Boston to Budapest

The group at dinner!

Well, it is 7:30 pm in Budapest.

I woke up on Wednesday, around 5am, and left for work.  It was a busy day at Saugus High as grades were due...and because I was leaving later that night for our trip.  The day seemingly dragged, but eventually, the last bell sounded and I headed off to the two meetings scheduled for teachers.  I left the school and headed home.  I checked my bags for a final time and departed for Logan Airport.  I got there just after 3pm.  I like to make sure that I am there early in case of any issues.  It was only a few minutes later when people started showing up too.  Their excitement was noticeable.  Our numbers slowly grew and each traveler checked in.  At just about 5, we were all checked in and ticketed.  We met for a group photo before heading into security.

Some of the kids were pre-selected for the TSA pre-check program.  They quickly made their way into the terminal while the rest of us waited our turn in the queue.  Terminal E, the international terminal, has changed significantly since I've started traveling regularly.  We found ourselves walking to gate E10.  It is in a newer section.  Some of us grabbed a quick bite to eat, others sat around playing Uno, and others tried to sit patiently awaiting our plane.  We were delayed a bit.  The plane was late, but it finally did show up.

Our transatlantic plane.

The last four to board!!!! 

We all got settled in an awaited our flight.

Lufthansa is a pretty good airline.  The seats were bigger than expected, the plane was new than expected, and the comfort level was much better than expected.  As we took off, I noticed that most of the kids were playing around with the "seat back" monitors.  There was an option that allowed you to watch exterior cameras on the plane.  It was pretty neat.

An hour into the flight, or so, the crew started serving dinner.  I chose the Pasta.  It was a little spicier than I thought it might be, but it was pretty tasty.  The reports I got from the Chicken option were pretty positive too.  After dinner, most of the kids settled in to sleep or to watch a movie.  I tried to sleep as well, but don't think I got much shut eye.  The total flight time was just over 6 hours.  You can understand why it seemed like the flight ended quickly with our arrival in Munich.  The transfer between planes was simple. Munich is a large airport, but it is well designed and organized.  Before we knew it, we were waiting our flight to Hungary.

Brian trying to catch up on some rest and social media?

Some nappers and others waiting for the second flight.

In line to board our Hungarian flight.

I think everyone slept on this flight.  I know I nodded off for a bit, but I was awake when the passed out a light snack.  Honestly, I don't exactly know what it was.  It was a sandwich with a ton of mayonnaise, but it wasn't real mayonnaise. I thought it was spicy, but it might have been sweet...it might have been tartar sauce.  The only other thing in the sandwich was a super thin slice of salmon.  I took a couple of bites, but realized it wasn't for me.

That flight was only an hour and before we knew it, the naps were over.  We assembled at the baggage claim, retrieved our luggage and proceeded through security.  Awaiting us, on the other side, was Gina.  She is our Tour Director.  She welcomed us, called our bus driver, and arranged for our departure.  The plan was to head towards downtown Budapest and take a walking tour of the city.  The weather was nice, but it was windy as we walked along the Danube and the Parliament building.

Gina giving a quick explanation about the history of Budapest.

This building was the second-place winning design in a contest for their Parliament building.  It was liked so much, they built it too.

A remembrance pool for those who perished while try to overthrow Soviet rule in 1956.

The two images above are directly across from each other. One is Ronald Reagan, the other is the final monument standing from Soviet occupation.

Our walk took us to an Easter market near the city center. There were a ton of shops and food stands.  We didn't have a lot of time, but some people grabbed a quick bite.

Our adventure took us onto the Hungarian Metro next.  We rode four stops down on the blue line (I cannot even pretend to tell you stop names) and walked a little bit to our dinner spot.  For most of us, the first course was a soup with beans, carrots, and paprika.  It was followed by Chicken and Potatoes covered in a cream sauce.  I ate quickly.  I was more than a little hungry in Hungary.

Now, I am sitting in the little cafe on the first floor of the Hotel Arena.  It is right next to a soccer stadium.

 
We are meeting soon to cover additional rules, emergency procedures, and tomorrow's schedule.  On the agenda will be a good night's rest.  The first real post of my blogs are almost always quick recaps.  I am usually too exhausted to think critically and tonight is not exception, lol.  This hotel has a pool, and so, some kids might take a quick dip, but for the most part, it will be an early curfew tonight.

The kids, and I know it is early, have been wonderful.  They haven't complained about the lines, long day of travel, or airline food.  They've been smiling and chatting away.  Their laughter is omnipresent (although I hope it isn't tonight).  The chaperons and I were commenting on how great of a group this is.  We've got a long couple of days ahead of us, but it is sure shaping up to be a great and memorable trip.

Thanks for your time!!!

Mr. Lavoie, currently in Budapest pestering his students with puns.

Eurotrip17: The Countdown is Almost Over

It is April 9th.

I just finished correcting a batch of tests and watching the Red Sox win against the Detroit Tigers.  Throughout the course of this weekend, I have slowly been putting things together for another school trip.  This one is Eurotrip17.  We leave on Wednesday evening.  Flying on Lufthansa, we depart for a total of 12 days (including travel days) into Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Hungary.  I've been fortunate enough to visit all of these countries before, but this doesn't make the trip any less exciting...in fact, I am more excited for it because I've been to so many of these places.  For some of you, this blog is nothing new.

For many, this will be your first time reading "Where in the World is Mr. Lavoie?" I've been writing it since April of 2013.  It has traveled with me on all of my student adventures and has made an appearance on a couple of my non-student tours.  It is a glimpse into what we have seen and into my thoughts.  My name is Richard Lavoie and I am a history teacher at Saugus High School.  Our students have been pretty lucky over the dozen years or so.  They've traveled to four continents, well over twenty countries, and have struggled with nearly as many languages.  They've eaten the strangest foods you can imagine, danced along with native music, and walked among ruins that are thousands of years old.  I haven't been on all of these trips, but I've learned from them all.  That is one of the reasons why I put this blog together...so that others can learn from our travels.  Mark Twain once said, "One Must Travel to Learn."  He traveled all over the US and he wrote about his experiences...sometimes he told his tales in fiction, but amidst it all, the audience could learn from his words even if they were sitting comfortably on their couch with one of his books.  When that quote was presented to me, it stuck.  It not only has become a motto for the trips I take, but it has become a constant reminder of why I go.

I try to start every student trip with a fresh post.  In some regards, it is a test run to make sure the program hasn't changed too drastically.  In others, it is a way for me to mentally prepare.  I will be attempting to write every night we are on tour.  The typical pattern has me sitting in a hotel lobby as the students attempt to go to bed.  I sit and reflect upon the day's adventure and try to piece together a narrative that not only recaps our exploits, but also examines a lesson that we can take with us.  My first hotel lobby was at the Glena House.  It was a small B&B-type hotel in the city of Killarney.  We had just learned about the Boston Marathon bombing.  The hotel staff locked the door and politely asked me to turn off the lights when I finished.  A few years later, in Belize, I sat in a darkened hotel lobby that had no windows and was infested with insects.  Typing away on the staff computer because the wifi was so weak, I struggled to fight off the many creepy-crawlies to meet my deadline.  Sometimes, the lobby doesn't work, like last year, when we were on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean, or on our last visit to Prague, when there was no lobby, but every night, I sit, and think, and type.

I use this first blog to make sure that some features work the way they have in the past and to remind/inform my readers that although I've never missed a deadline, it is bound to happen sometime.  With that said, I want to try a couple of things tonight...before I hop back into the mound of tests that need correcting before we leave.  The first is a YouTube clip.  I'm hoping to take a few videos this year...and then to post them to YouTube.  If you don't know...our first stop is Budapest.  A popular song came our a couple years, click play and read along to the music.

Another feature is the Facebook Album.  When I first started the Blog, I tried using a different online photo album, but Facebook has become so popular and user friendly, that I can now create a public photo album.  Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10156023851350760&type=1&l=83a2ab00ef.  There is only one picture now, but there will be more soon!!!  In addition to this album, I am going to try and go "Live" on Facebook a few times...depending on bandwidth.  If I can figure out when, then I will post times in advance.

As I try to wrap up tonight's post, I wanted to take a quick minute to explain a little bit about how I see the world.  For the past couple of years while on these trips, taking some time every night to write has really sharpened my perspective.  I try to see the world with purpose.  I try to take a deep breath and enjoy the moment.  I try to find connections that remind me that our world isn't really that big,,,that scary...or that foreign.  I've made a lot of friends (travel acquaintances, really) while traveling.  From all over the world, these people have shown me that we are all more alike than different.  It is a message that we share at Saugus High School, among our student body, but it resonates into the rest of the world too.  I think that our purpose, while abroad, isn't that different than our purpose at home.  We should explore new places and meet new people, but we should do so with a smile on our faces and an open hand extended to the stranger.  We are about to head to places that many of our students no very little about, but when we return, even if the kids can't remember the name of a particular cathedral, they will remember the people they have met.  Even though the language will be difficult to understand, the people (and their culture) will not be...they will be more like us than we had considered.

For those who are new to the blog, don't worry, it's not all deep rooted posts about my world vision.  I try to include some jokes, great pictures, and a detailed recap of the places we've seen, the foods we've eaten, and the experiences we've enjoyed.  I hope that you will, through this blog, learn while we travel even if you are sitting comfortably on your couch.  Feel free to leave a comment as the trip progresses...it pleases me to know that the blog is working and that you are enjoying it (I hope you enjoy it).

Mr. Lavoie, Currently in Saugus...for the next few days. 

Restless nights are a welcomed prelude to adventure!

Good morning,

It is currently 6:00 am in Johannesburg.  Oddly enough, it is the third day of my tour.  It is a strange thing for me to be here, right now, writing this blog.  I typically only write when I am on tour, but a few people asked me to try to put some thoughts together about this trip and I am going to try to accommodate.

The excitement for this trip began over a year ago.  I was in the high school library chatting with Kate Payne, the librarian, and Angela Morando, one of our World Language teachers.  Angela, as many of you know, is a veteran group leader for our international trips and she was telling Kate and I about this trip.  Kate had been on safari before and was building the excitement level of the conversation.  After just a little twist of my arm, I decided to enroll.  It seems strange when I look back upon my year since then, but here I am...sitting in another hotel lobby. This time, however, it is the swank Protea Hotel Fire and Ice.  (There is a photo shoot going on here, btw, 6am and everyone is dressed up and professional photographers are snapping shots).

This adventure didn't start here, though. It started in Boston, on Monday, at noon.  Angela and I met up and were lucky enough to have day passes to the Delta Sky Club.  We were treated to complimentary drinks and a small plate of food.  Shortly after meeting up, I received a notification from another one of our travelers that she was at the gate and Angela and I decided to head there.  Our flight to Atlanta was fine, not a lot of turbulence, and only about 2.5 hours long.  We had a layover in Atlanta of about 2-3 hours, but the time, like us, flew.

The night before, Sunday night, was one filled with little sleep for me.  I was too excited, I guess.  I had a ton of thoughts jumping around in my head and I think I only got about three hours of sleep.  I was worried that this might impact me on the fifteen hour flight that was ahead of us.  In anticipation of that flight, I had visited my local doctor for some advice and a prescription, lol.  On the flight, I opted for the fine chicken dinner.  It was accompanied by couscous (I think).  I watched a movie.  I tried to sleep.  It is amazing how medicine can help and, for the first time, on a flight, I slept.  It wasn't the whole flight, but it was enough to get me by.

We landed in Johannesburg around 6pm.  It was now the second day of our travels.  We had a tough time getting through security as many of the customs people decided to take a break as our flight arrived, lol, but it wasn't too bad.  Actually, Angela and I made it through quickly while the rest of our tour participants had to wait over 90 minutes to get through.  We eventually met our tour director and got onto our bus.

The Protea Hotel is located at the Melrose Arch.  I traveled 7,000 miles only to end up in Melrose, lol.  Our dinner was served buffet style, but it was higher level foods.  There were many different types of food available including a plethora of desserts. I will try to take some pictures tonight.  After dinner, a couple of us decided to have a drink and get to know each other a bit.

It was really nice to unwind a little and get to know some of the people I will be sharing this experience with.  There are teachers from across America here.  The number of accents is astounding.  I've already picked up some strategies that I can employ that will improve travel for kids later on, but more importantly, I am making friendships with people that I can bounce ideas off of for the foreseeable future.  There is a tremendous value in that idea that I hadn't really thought about before.

And now, I find myself preparing for my first breakfast.  Last night, I got only a few hours worth of sleep.  My mind was once again racing.  I thought about taking a pill to help me sleep, but I really don't like doing that type of stuff. Instead, I put on some ambient music and some headphones.  The sleep didn't come, not because I'm nervous, but because I am excited.  In a couple of hours, we tour the city of Johannesburg.  We will see an Apartheid museum and we will see a neighborhood that will be drastically different than the posh hotel lobby I am currently sitting in.  I may not have had enough sleep over the past few days, but that's okay.  I will sleep when I get back.

For now, I am wide awake with enthusiasm.  It is cool for me to be as excited about this trip as most of our kids our for their trips.  I find myself in their shoes.  As a group leader, I am constantly checking up on the kids, the itinerary, the weather, the meals, the tour director's instructions, etc...here, I am able to rest, relax, and take it all in.  It is a nice change of pace.

I am not sure how frequent my posts will be, but I will certainly try to write daily.

Thanks for reading!!!

2016 Belmonte Middle School DC Trip - Day 3: The Full Circle

What another amazing day in DC!!!

As per usual, we started the day with breakfast.  Today, in addition to bacon, home fries, and eggs, we were treated with French Toast and Sausages.  It was all quite good and gave us the fuel needed to continue on this whirlwind adventure.

Our first stop was the White House.

A continual protest in front of the White House reminds us about our right to Free Speech

A function prevented us from getting any closer, but the view certainly didn't disappoint.

The statue of Lafayette stands across from the President's house

Standing in front of the White House is one of my favorite parts of this trip.  I really love hearing the kids talk about how cool it is and how they want to go inside...some even talk about being President.  There is a lot of negatives surrounding politics today and it is refreshing to hear kids talk about some of the positives.  I've been fortunate enough to have a West Wing tour and I was able to chat with a couple of the boys about it.  They were interested and asked me a ton of questions about what the inside looks like.  I felt bad telling them that much of it looks a little old, lol. (understatement of the week)

After a few minutes at the Executive Mansion, our four buses took off for the Capital Building.  Here, we posed for pictures as a whole school.  I've written about the process before, but to sum it up quickly, the photographers have it down to a science.  I recently looked at last year's picture with some of my 9th grade students and they all had fun pointing themselves out.  It is amazing how much the kids change in one year.

It is very difficult on this trip to snap a picture of every single student.  The group size is so large that these staged portraits can be the only way it is possible.  I saw an opportunity as we lined up and did my best.

Just as I wrapped up, it looked like another bus pulled up.  If I missed your child in all of my pictures, I am so sorry.  I make a strong effort, while on a European tour, to make sure I get everyone, but I am fearful it is not possible on this trip.

We divided our groups by buses and took off for some cool sites around the Capital building.  Bus 1 walked along side the building and up to the Supreme Court building.  Afterwards, we made our way into the Library of Congress.  I hadn't been to either site before and I was as excited as the kids.

The Capital is being restored, but it is still impressive.

I'm just a Bill...

Inside the Library of Congress
For National Treasure 2 fans, this should look familiar.  

I made a pun on Instagram...but the jury is still out on whether it was funny or not.
The Supreme Court Building

This Bible was handwritten.  It is within the Library of Congress

When we finished with Capital Hill, we began to walk towards the Smithsonian Museums.  Our first stop was the Air and Space Museum.  Inside of this impressive building is one of the world's largest McDonalds.  This is where we were going to go to lunch.  We passed out the vouchers for all of the kids on Bus 1, but we were one shy.  I bit the bullet and decided to forego lunch (at McDonalds).  I had heard from our tour guide that there were a lot of food trucks just outside the museum's back entrance.  I ran over quickly and grabbed a bite to eat from the Smoking Kow BBQ.

The line of Food Trucks was about 20 trucks long.

The Smoking Kow BBQ truck was one of the coolest on the road.

Brisket Sandwich with slaw and a side of Mac n' Cheese...very delicious

  After eating my surprise lunch, I rejoined the group inside the museum.  I had decided to try something different today.  I am always running around the stops on this trip trying to catch pictures.  I thought why not have the kids help me.  I told them to tag my school Instagram account (mrlavoieshs) when they took cool pictures.  I thought that this would help with the blog and assure that they were looking at things, lol.  It kind of worked.  I got a few pictures, but because the kids' accounts are mostly private, they couldn't send me images.  They said that they would open their accounts on the bus ride home, but it will be a little too late for tonight's blog.  Regardless, they took more pictures than the ones I am providing...please check them out.

After Air and Space, we walked over to Natural History, but before we got there I had an idea.  We've really lucked out.  There hasn't been much foot traffic in the city and lines have been much smaller than before.  I thought, why not check out the National Archives.  We arrived to find no lines whatsoever.  We went right up to the Rotunda and began examining the most important documents in the country's history...maybe the worlds.  The Declaration of Independence is one of my favorite primary sources ever.  It is so beautiful.  Many people grow to love Shakespeare, but I've grown to love the declaration.  The Rotunda also has the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  You cannot photograph anything inside the Archives, but I am hoping the memory lasts with the boys I took with me.

It made me stop and think for a bit.  In April, I stood atop the Acropolis in Athens.  I wrote, that night, about the connections I was feeling between Greece and America.  I felt them again today, half a world away.

Fountain within the Sculpture Garden

Some of the boys resting their weary legs.

From the archives, we walked through the Sculpture Garden to the Museum of Natural History.  I don't have any pictures because of my contest, lol.  The kids really liked it inside.  Many of them shared their favorite exhibits with me.  After that, we went to the American History museum.  The kids really enjoyed looking at a variety of artifacts from the different eras of our history.  I took a couple quick pictures in here...realizing that my game may have failed.

A cast of Lincoln's lifemask made shortly after his death

A video camera used by the Naudet Brothers who documented 9/11 from inside the Towers
It is an amazing film.

Our buses picked us up and we departed for the hotel.  The goal was to change for the dance, but traffic stood in the way.  One bus only had 10 minutes to get ready.  The kids really showed how good they've been in this scenario.  They had plenty of reasons to complain, but they didn't.  They just made it happen.

The Cherry Blossom is one of the highlights of this trip for many kids.  It is easy to see how eager they are by how nicely they dressed for the occasion.

From all accounts, the cruise lived up to they hype. The kids danced and ate pizza and made new friends.  They talked about it the whole way home.  Home.

We will be making our way home tomorrow.  It will surely be a long ride.  The kids will be tired...and maybe even cranky, but they will soon be home.  I wrote on Day 1 about how this is kind of a last hurrah for the BMS Class of 2016.  I know they have some other activities planned, but this trip, and the trip home, encompasses something different for the kids.  I've already noticed a change in many of them.  After the cruise, while walking to the bus, one of my kids began asking me about the trips we have abroad at Saugus High School.  He said he was interested in attending as a 9th grader.  I was very impressed.  He could very well become one of these kids who will always call Saugus home even though they are traveling the world.  I've had several students graduate Saugus High School over the past few years who had visited a dozen countries each.  Travel for them has become contagious, but travel for them, didn't start with me.  It started in DC and with their 8th grade classmates.

I will be hosting a meeting soon to discuss the upcoming trip.  If anyone is interested in attending, please email me at rlavoie@saugus.k12.ma.us.  On the trip, we will be visiting four countries.  We will the Berlin Wall, a Concentration Camp, and several Cathedrals...all things the kids were exposed to while they were in the 8th grade hanging out with their friends.

I am about to close, but I wanted to take a quick second to thank the entire Belmonte Middle School staff.  They have been amazing, not only to me, but to the kids.  They are a testament to this town.  We get a lot of negative press, but it falls short of hitting some of the basic truths about education in Saugus.  Our teachers are among the most caring professionals I've ever met.  They have been bending over every which way to make sure all of these kids are having a blast.  They have had many sleepless nights and early mornings, but they've maintained a positive attitude throughout.  I am grateful to attend this trip, but I am even more grateful to work alongside these folks...as well as get to know many of them better.  Thank you again for all that you do.

I will probably write sometime tomorrow while we are headed home, but for now...that's it.

Mr. Lavoie, typing softly as to not wake anyone up at the hotel.