Day Two: Marathon Monday....Eurotrip24 Version

Exhausted from a long day, so we added a Jack the Ripper tour

So, it is almost 9pm on Monday. I woke at 6am on Sunday and did not have minutes rest from then until now. I am not alone, lol.  We had our own marathon today and we are all exhausted, but I think it would be described as a good day by all.

I am purposefully keeping tonight's post short because of the travel time and sleep deprivation I am going through, lol, but I will make up for it at some point. I promise!

We landed at London City Airport after a short layover in Amsterdam. The flight was smooth until the end when the pilot announced that they have to apply airbrakes during landing. It was a trip. After grabbing our luggage we went out to meet Maria. She introduced herself and explained that Martin, our bus driver, was on his way, but was stuck in city traffic. 

Our bus has a camera that shows the guide. Maria was giving instructions to the group.

We were on our way into the city when the clouds opened up. It was torrential. When we actually got off of the bus, the rain had subsided and we went into the National Gallery. An hour into the museum and the rain had stopped and we had a nice day ahead of us.

We were impressed with Picasso, Van Gogh, and Monet, but we were also psyched to get to go to lunch too. I am giving the kids a break today because of the travel times, but many of them went to Shake Shack, BK, or McDonalds. I did spy some kids with local street food and it looked very delicious.

After dinner, we made our way to meet Sean. He is a blue badge guide in London and is highly regarded. Today, he took us on a walk back in time as he told the tale of the Jack the Ripper murders. He infused appropriate humor to liven the group up, but took a serious and somber tone when discussing the murders himself. He knew we were beat and he did his best to build up our energy.  I was thrilled that the SHS Alumni Association was able to sponsor this event for us as well as purchasing our sweatshirts. Their generosity knows no bounds. 

The White Chapel

Narrow alleyways abound in London

 When we finished up with Sean, we headed to dinner. It was a traditional plate of English comfort food. 

Chicken Pot Pie!

The meal was pretty good tonight. A chicken pot pie with potatoes and peas. I had had so much junk food throughout the past few hours that I couldn't really finish, but it was good. A few of our picky eaters tried it to mixed reviews, but I secretly think they loved it. We walked back to Martin and our bus and departed for the hotel Moxy at Heathrow Airport. 

I will snap some pictures during breakfast tomorrow, but it is quite trendy. A bunch of kids ordered pizza, played ping-pong, or pool. Others made that important phone call home or texted friends and loved ones. We will let them stay up for another hour or so before lights out....some called it early anyways. 

Today, even though we did a ton of stuff, was basically a travel day for us. Tomorrow, we will visit Stonehenge and Bath.  There are a lot of other cool things headed our way as well. While I am extremely tired, I also really like the feeling these trips bring. Wide-eyed kids, in places they've never heard of, trying new things, and learning while they go...I live for it!

Mr. Lavoie, struggling to keep the eyes open after pulling a 34 hour day, so far. 

 

Day One: Butter Chicken...more like Better Chicken. Eurotrip24 has begun!

Waiting for our turn to travel and learn

I don't know about you, but I love travel. The excitement of the airport. The controlled anxiety of going through security. The wonder of what's next for you...and for others scattered about the airport. I also love the traditions that travel brings my way. I have certain snacks that I must have packed in my bags. Certain places in Europe that I feel compelled to visit if I'm close by.  And food...food is central to my travel traditions. As you can imagine by the title, my dinner tonight was butter chicken provided by Delta.

Airline food isn't for everyone, I get it, but I love it. I was super lucky to travel to Rome via Delta in February and I first had their butter chicken on that flight. Tonight's was just as delicious! First, I started with a fresh couscous salad. I imagine the recipe was created by some famous chefs from across the globe. After finishing my salad, I peeled back the aluminum foil to let the aromatics flood the fuselage. The green beans on top of the butter chicken were perfectly al dente. Expertly designed, the rice and chicken were separated in the petit cardboard box. Not as refined as the chef, I mixed the two together and dove in with gusto. In a flash, the cuisine was mine. I moved to my after dinner snack...cheese and crackers. Extra sharp cheddar and oversized Ritz. It was like a dream come true. I finished my meal with a wonderful little truffle brownie. Overall, having eaten quite a few airline meals in my life, I was more than satisfied.  

Last night, as I prepared for our trip, I was lucky to spend the evening with my brother and his wife. They have been living in Germany and are currently in transition back to the United States. They know of another food-based tradition that I have...and it includes take-out from Dragon Island (just outside of Saugus Center).  I've been going there for years. Albert, the owner, refers to me as the "professor," lol. I order the same meal every time. It is 'off of the menu' so to speak, but I don't even have to tell them what I want! Visiting with my brother and his wife was extra special. Albert was thrilled to see them and he put extra care and attention into our meal. The three of us returned home and Monty (my pup) waited patiently for rice, or spareribs, to fall to the ground. They didn't! We were too hungry! Dave, Gina, and my folks, are watching Monty while I am away and I absolutely own them all for their help while I travel.

This is my funny way of thanking them. It is also my attempt at thanking everyone reading this blog. I will ask for comments and feedback throughout the trip, because it helps me keep motivated. The blog also lets me thank everyone else who helped us get here. Our most ardent supporter, outside of the Saugus Public School system, is our alumni association. They generously provide each traveler with a special hoodie. This year's design was inspired by the one we had in 2015. We also had so many people help out in supplying each student with a personalized travel bag. Thank you to Karyn Huntsman for all of the work personalizing everything...and to every donator along the way, I will show gratitude again throughout the trip, but I wanted to get started on the right foot. I also wanted to thank the parents and guardians of our students. I am fortunate enough to keep doing these types of things because of your desire for your children to see the world. Watching over them and sharing my sense of travel is an honor that I hold deeply. 

Our flight is going smoothly, so far. We've finished dinner and the cabin lights are off. There are a few hues from laptops like mine, but it is clear people are going to attempt some sleep soon. I will join them once I've wrapped up and tried to post a few more images inside this blog. The wifi is spotty, however, and I am not sure it is as "high speed" as advertised.  We will land in Amsterdam and make haste to our connecting flight to London. Once there, we will meet our tour director, Maria, and begin our adventure.

Thank you everyone for reading tonight...tomorrow should have more photos and some fun stuff as well!

The last of us to board waving goodbye to Boston!

Mr. Lavoie, currently thousands of miles in the air with a full belly and a grateful heart. 

Eurotrip24: Quick Preview

It feels funny, sitting here in front of my computer and beginning another blog series about an upcoming adventure. In just three days, 21 students and 5 adults will take off from Logan Airport and head out on another exciting journey.  Eurotrip24 promises to be an amazing trip too! We have a ton on our itinerary and I am thrilled with how everything has come together so far. For those who are new to my blog, let me introduce myself.

My name is Richard Lavoie. I have been teaching at Saugus High School since the year 2000. I have been fortunate, in those years, to accompany students on some amazing adventures. We've been white water rafting in Maine. We've snorkeled with sharks in Belize. We've shopped in a medina in Morocco. All of these journies, and more, have made my career at SHS one filled with wonderful memories, but my travel story began many years before I was a teacher in Saugus.

My Brother Phil and I in Paris in 1993.

In fact, I was blessed to participate in a foreign exchange program during the summer before my Senior year at Saugus High School. I traveled to France with roughly 25 students. We explored the streets of Paris and wondered at the beauty inside the Louvre. These destinations changed me. I was a typical high school student, but I lacked focus. Going to France, seeing art, feeling independent, and experiencing history where it happened helped shape me into the person I've become. I am eternally indebted to that first taste of the world. It is part of the reason why I lead these trips. I hope to inspire the next generation of travelers. 

Franck, my French brother, reunited in Versailles in 2015. 

Saugus High School began its modern international travel program in London. Mr. Fontanella took a group of students for a week to explore the city and learn about its past. They opened the door for myself, and others, like Senora Morando, Mrs. Alongi, and Mrs. Hoey to take kids to over 25 countries. Hundreds of Saugus High School graduates left our school with an understanding that the world is bigger than the four walls of our schoolhouse. I've often wished we had a certificate program for student travel...one that would be added to a student's diploma and transcript...because it would serve as a symbol of something greater than the regular high school experience. 

The SHS Group in Belize in 2015

For me, the greatest learning of all happens when we are traveling. I adopted a quote from Mark Twain that has accompanied me on all of my SHS journeys. The phrase "One Must Travel to Learn" has truly become part of my identity ever since former librarian Kate Cox (Payne) suggested it to me in 2013. That moniker has been hashtagged on a thousand tweets, and hundreds of blog posts, and it has even become my TikTok identity. Sunday, when we depart, the real-life lessons begin!

So, let's get to it...where are we headed and what previews can I provide?

Most of the readers probably already know our destinations, but for those who are just joining us, we are headed to London, Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam. Our trip begins Sunday afternoon with a flight to The Dam. After a short layover, we will land in London on Monday morning. Our tour director, Maria, will be waiting for us at the airport and our adventure will begin immediately. We will be in London for four nights. In those days, there isn't much we won't see! Maria has organized some of my favorites and added some new locations too. We will travel to antiquity to see Stonehenge and to modernity atop the Gardens at 120...and so much more.

Chaperons in France in 2015

After London, we will travel to France for two nights. Our group will see all of the major highlights of that beautiful city. Among them will be several of my favorites such as the Sacre Coeur and the Latin Quarter. Inspired by seeing Les Miserables in London, I am sure our visit to France will be revolutionary. 

We depart for Brussels for one night, but it will be a non-stop journey of discovery. Our group will make some chocolate (testing it along the way) as we explore that city. It will be my first visit since 2001 and I am thrilled to be back. My family has a tradition of trying to spot the Manneken Pis whenever we are there and I will be doing my best to make the pilgrimage when in Brussels. 

The first time I saw an EF Bus in Amsterdam!

Our last city brings us back to Amsterdam for two nights. Maria lives here and has promised a visit like no other. We will experience the Anne Frank house, as well as a Tulip farm and an amazing experience with a clog-making cheesemonger. We may even build time in for a food-tasting scavenger hunt throughout the narrow streets of the Netherlands' capital city. 

I don't want to spoil it before we go...but I think this probably gives you all a taste of what we will see. My next post will most likely be in the air on Sunday night. Until then, good night!

Thanks for reading.

Mr. Lavoie, currently thinking it is time to start packing!

Bonus Blog Day One: Arriving in Rome once again

 It is fitting, I think that I am back in Rome for another new experience. Rome is where I first worked as a chaperone on an SHS student trip. It is also the first destination for our group in 2022 when we returned to travel in the midst of Covid. It is a city where I've also traveled without students. It is one of my favorite cities in Europe!

My entry tonight will be very brief. It is currently 11:45pm and I've been up since 6am.  That might seem normal, but I am also six hours ahead of myself and exhausted from traveling all day.  We arrived in Rome without any major hurdles with the flights. Our hotel rooms were ready for us and a quick shower gave me a boost.

A few of us headed towards the Vatican for lunch (I had pizza) and then a quick walkabout. We met up with the rest of the staff for a brief meeting and then prepared for dinner. We met up with two other training teams for dinner at Dino and Tony's. It was amazing. Family style. 10+ course. Homemade and fresh. Everyone left full!

Tomorrow, I will be taking more pictures and will most likely have a bigger blog about our day. The group leaders are arriving and we are all excited to get started.

Bonus Blog: Trip Preview

As a Junior in high school, when I first visited France, I never imagined that I'd be able to connect travel to my employment. I knew, from that first trip, that I would want to travel and see the world, but I also kind of thought I would become a teacher. My self-justification was that I would travel in the summer. I count myself very lucky to be in the spot I am today.

Relatively early on in my teaching career, a couple of colleagues began leading student tours. I was asked to chaperone one of them, a trip to Rome, and then a second.  I quickly realized that taking students abroad is not just something that I enjoy, but it has become part of my passion for teaching. My first trip to Paris, when I was 16 years old, had a tremendous impact on my life and I try to make each subsequent trip have as the same effect on my students.  I also strive to learn and change from each trip just the way that experience impacted me in 1994. 

Our Group with the Jack the Ripper Guide in 2013- Fred Strangebone

I have been working with EF Tours since 2013.  It was the same year/trip that I created this blog. While it has been over a decade, and so much has changed in those years, it still feels like that trip has just concluded. It was during that trip that I first used the quote "One Must Travel to Learn" to summarize our trips. Mark Twain said it many years ago and I think it holds up.  Over the past twenty years, hundreds of our students have touched four continents and visited over thirty different countries. They have really traveled and learned along the way. Each trip that I've attended has not just made me a better chaperone, but they've made me a better teacher and a better person. I strive to make as many connections between the sites that we can see and the things we have back home.  I work to make the trips as impactful as they can be and even when things don't go well, we look for the positive and make the most of every situation. 

I am thrilled that EF has asked me to help train the next cohort of group leaders. I love the fact that this training is in Rome and that I will be able to share my experiences with others. I am excited that I will be part of a network of travelers who can bounce ideas off of each other and seek guidance when needed. While many of these educators are from the New England area, I am equally thrilled to see so many coming from other parts of the country too. The greater diversity in our backgrounds, training, and experience that we have the greater the learning opportunities we will have as well.

In just about a week, We will be headed to the Eternal City of Rome. I will walk familiar paths upon cobblestoned streets. I will taste gelato and have a freshly made pizza, but more than all of this, I will learn from the experience and be able to improve my own work as a group leader. I hope to share the sites that we see and to build connections as we go. I hope that you will follow along as well.

Mr. Lavoie, sitting at his school computer desk and thinking about how one must travel to learn.

Essex County Educator Resource Network

Thank you for visiting this blog! I am writing an entry to introduce the Essex County Educator Resource Network, a Facebook group that is designed to help educators share lessons and activities the focus on Place Based Education in Essex County, Massachusetts.

The Saugus Iron Works, Saugus, MA

If you've found this blog, then you are most likely already part of our educator network, but you might not understand the idea behind creating it. This blog entry will explain that idea and will also provide a little background as to why I've created the group, what I hope the group will accomplish, and what role you can play in making the Essex County Educator Resource Network a vibrant place for folks to share their success stories in placed based education.

This blog began in 2013 as I took 40 students of mine on an educational trip to England, Ireland, and Wales.  The blog was designed to keep parents informed of what we were seeing and how our trip was going. It's been a decade since my first post, and I still write an entry every night when taking students overseas. 

Mark Twain once said that "One Must Travel to Learn." While he was well traveled, he was also an incredible wordsmith. I believe that Twain did not literally mean that folks had to travel to learn, but instead, that one could read about a faraway place and travel there, in their mind, to learn about a people, or their culture, or their cuisine.  I've used his quote as a slogan for my student travel, but I also think it was this quote that has inspired me to change the way I look at the past and to try and help my students learn by traveling through time to experience history's impact on a particular place and the people who lived there.

Place Based Education is a recent buzzword in EdSpeak and as I've learned more about it, I've realized that the definition is a little in flux. For me, it is focusing my lessons on history, whenver applicable, to the story of a place. I teach in Saugus, a community founded nearly 400 years ago, and it has an incredibly rich history. In my instruction, I incorporate that history into as many lessons as possible. Students in my class room see how Saugus fits into the bigger picture of American history. I ask them to think about how Saugus has changed over time and how the town looked, sounded, and smelled like in different eras of our history. 

Placed Based Education doesn't just fit into the mold of an American history class, however. Every discipline and evey grade level can use Placed Based Education to make their instruction more engaging. It does not matter if you teach art, or science, or 3rd grade math, you can find ways to incorporate place into your lessons and activities. If you are thinking, "how?" then the Essex County Educator Resource Network is definitely something you should participate in because I think you will find ideas and see suggestions of how to make it work for you...and once it is working, you can share your story with other teachers too.

For some background on why I've created this Facebook group, you can listen to an interview I gave on the podcast,  "Bob's Just Asking."  Bob is Bob Fenster, a highly esteemed educator from Hillsborough High School in Hillsborough, New Jersey. In the podcast, Bob just asks me questions about my participation in the National Park's Service Teacher Ranger Teacher program. It is roughly 45 minutes long and provides some additional details. It is shared on the Facebook group page as well. 

Bob's Just Asking: Season 4: Episode: 2

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6eY6eTYMrbX0JyFnUJJ0Iy?si=5a1b0faedab445e9

I hope that this entry has provide a little background on why I've created the Essex County Educator Resource Network and how I think Place Based Education might make your class room more engaging to students, but I also wanted to explain what your role might look like moving forward.

First, I am hoping that everyone who joins this group will find that it is helpful. I want everyone to be able to log into the group and find support for their ideas from other teachers. I hope that the group truly transforms into a network where educators from Essex County, and beyond, can come to find place based lessons for their students. The lessons and activities might center on field trips (in person or virtual) but they might also be class room centered and focused on one place. Either way, I hope everyone learns from their participation.

Second, I am hoping that most of our members contribute to this network. I am a high school history teacher and I will be posting about lessons and activities that I've created that have a PBE focus, but I do not teach math or art. I will not have the expertise to discuss a field lesson on water quality or properly demonstrating a horizon line on a canvas. I will not be the best person to explain to a kindergartner how a poem or song about some magical place is actually a place that is nearby. It will be our active membership that makes this network successful over time.

Thirdly, because I am not an expert in all things, I am going to be looking for moderators to help make this page more successful. I will need folks from different communities, grade levels, and disciplines to help organize our page and make it grow. I will also look to you for advice and support in making the actual Facebook page more user friendly. I am hopeful that we will form a team to make the Essex County Educator Resource Network something even better than I can envision. If you've made it this far and any of this seems interesting to you, please reach out. My school email is rlavoie@saugus.k12.ma.us, please use subject line "Essex County Educator Resource Network."  

Eurotrip24 Preview

Just about a week ago, nearly 30 students and staff of Saugus Middle High School returned from Eurotrip23.  It was an amazing experience. If you want to relive the excitement and check out the trip follow this link to read the trip's blog, “Where in the World is Mr. Lavoie?”  Now that we are back, I wanted to provide you with some additional information regarding our next European adventure scheduled for April break of 2024.

Next year, we are planning to visit some of my favorite places and we already have over a dozen students enrolled.  The trip will begin in the Netherlands. Here, we will visit the canals of this beautiful city. We will also explore the home of Anne Frank.  Amsterdam is such an interesting place to see especially in April when the tulips have started to bloom.

Following Amsterdam, we will travel to Belgium. Our tour in Brussels will include visiting the sites of the European Union, the Grand-Place, and a chocolate factory…where the kids will make some of their own sweets.  Home to the waffle, Belgium is an incredibly friendly place that will be an instant highlight for the kids.

After leaving the low country, we will make our way into France to explore the City of lights, Paris. In Paris, we will see all of the major sites including a visit into the Louvre.  While our visit in this magical city is brief, we will have time, as a group, to explore some of the interesting neighborhoods and foods that Paris has to offer.  

Departing Paris, we will take the Eurostar underneath the English Channel for our final destination in London. We will see the city from the heights of the London Eye and the depths of the Tube. London, as a capstone of our trip, will also include an excursion to the mystical rock formation at Stonehenge.

This 11 day trip is sure to be an exciting and safe way to begin your child’s journey into seeing the world.  If you think this trip is for your child, then please explore the trip website at: www.eftours.com/2576808ff. You are able to enroll from that website if you’d like.

If you would like to hear more about this trip, then I welcome you to attend an online, virtual, information session on Thursday, May 11th. I will begin our meeting at 6pm and it should not last more than an hour. I also wanted to note that I am not currently planning on running a trip in 2025. I hope to resume Eurotrips beginning in 2026, but cannot commit to a tour at this time.

Please reserve your spot for the meeting by clicking the reservation link. I will email the Zoom link as we approach the 11th.