Paris update

We heard from Sean again last night and he was stuck in Milan. His group was to take an overnight train from Venice to Paris. About 4 hours into the trip, their train broke down and they were forced to get off in Milan. Another train came by at 12:30 am to take them on the last leg of the trip. They are now in Paris. Here are a few new pictures from ItalyGreece 7-12

Greece Day 3 through 6

Click here to download pdf The group is now in Italy. I just received a few more pictures from the group leader. There are captions under each to help navigate the pictures.

Update from Greece

Click here to download pdfSean is not able to access a computer now, so I will share a few pictures with you that were sent over by a chaperone. Sean is in 2 of the pics. In the top, group shot, he is located in the top left corner in a blue shirt (hands behind his head).

I heard from him on Saturday and he is having a fantastic time. The hotel was beautiful and there was so much to do onsite. They were fortunate to see fireworks in Greece on the 4th. He was originally bummed to miss them.

They have just arrived in Italy today (as you can see by the itinerary). I will try to update everyone as I get additional info and/or pictures.

Michelle Murphy

Itinerary

2009 SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES
EUROPEAN ODYSSEY
JUNE 30 – JULY 19, 2009

TUESDAY, JUNE 30
Depart for Athens
Meet your delegation and board your international overnight flight to Europe.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 1
Athens, Greece
Welcome to Europe! After arrival at the airport your Delegation Manager and coach driver will greet you!

THURSDAY, JULY 2
Athens, Greece
Enjoy a guided city orientation taking in such amazing sights as the majestic Acropolis as well as the Parthenon which symbolizes the glory of ancient Greece. Take some time to relax and refresh yourself. Learn the first steps of the most popular Greek dances at the public school of Ano Liossia. Enjoy a traditional folkloric dance show by professional dancers. Don’t be shy! You can also join the dance at the end!

FRIDAY, JULY 3
Athens, Greece
Enjoy your day on the beach with swimming and sport activities!

SATURDAY, JULY 4
Peloponnesus, Greece
Visit the refugee of wildlife “Antonis Tritsis” Environmental Education & Sensitization Park. Get ready for some voluntary work aiming to help the survival of wild birds in the area of Athens. Join a guided visit of the famous theatre of Epidaurus! The theater is marveled for its
exceptional acoustics, which permit almost perfect intelligibility of the unamplified spoken word from the stage to all 15,000 spectators, regardless of their seating!

SUNDAY, JULY 5
Overnight ferry to Bari, Italy
Enjoy a guided visit of Olympia, where the Olympic Games first took place in 776 BC. At ancient Olympia, you can see the ruins of the Temple of Zeus, as well as a 3rd century BC athletic stadium.
Departure of your overnight ferry to Bari on the Italian mainland.

MONDAY, JULY 6
Naples, Italy
Visit the ancient city of Pompeii, Vesuvius’ most famous victim. When the mountain erupted in 79 AD, it rained ash and stone; the city was completely destroyed and buried beneath the debris.

TUESDAY, JULY 7
Rome, Italy
Take an excursion to Mount Vesuvius, one of Europe’s few active volcanoes. Don’t worry, the last eruption was in 1944.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8
Rome, Italy
Today you will visit the capital of Catholicism and the world’s smallest state, the Vatican! Admire St. Peter’s cathedral, including Michelangelo’s glorious Pieta and the Sistine Chapel. Continue with a city exploration by way of a Riddle Rally including Piazza Navona, the
Pantheon, the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain. Bring some coins – tossing a coin in the fountain will ensure your return to Rome!

THURSDAY, JULY 9
Perugia, Italy
Some of Rome’s most popular highlights are waiting for you: your guide will take you through the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. The city of Rome, with its antique monuments and religious sites, is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Participate in an educational meeting at the monastery. You will have the privilege to speak to a monk/priest, who will tell you about life in the monastery and its founder, Saint Francis, who lived in Assisi in the 12th century.
Take some time together to learn about your upcoming home stay. Ask questions and set expectations for the days with your home stay families.

FRIDAY, JULY 10
Perugia, Italy
Your experience with Full-On will be a day full of overcoming fears, building confidence, expanding horizons and strengthening personal development. The day involves indoor and outdoor challenges, adventure and learning.

SATURDAY, JULY 11
Home Stay, Italy
Now you will have a short language lesson. Learn a few words and phrases to impress your Italian host family! Take part in an emotionally rewarding service project with physically and mentally challenged children. What an amazing People to People moment! Your Delegation Manager will lead you through the stunning town of Assisi!
Take some time on your own to experience the flair of the city! Today you will meet your home stay family and be welcomed into your new European home!

SUNDAY, JULY 12
Home Stay, Italy
Today will be spent with your home stay family experiencing European home life.

MONDAY, JULY 13
Home Stay, Italy
Today will be the last day you spend with your home stay family. Be sure to write a thank you note and leave it with your home stay family or mail it to them the next day!

TUESDAY, JULY 14
Montecatini, Italy
Say goodbye to your home stay family and rejoin your delegation!
Now your guide will take you for a walk through the city of Florence, you’ll pass by the Duomo and the bronze doors to the Baptistery, known as the Gate to Paradise. Pay a visit to the Accademia Gallery, which houses Michelangelo’s colossal statue, David. Get to know Pisa, while your Delegation Manager shows you around. Use the free time for visiting the Duomo and the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 15
Vicenza, Italy
Now you will have an official welcome by an employee of the American Battle Monuments Commission who will guide you through the American Cemetery where over 4.000 American soldiers, killed in the capture of Rome in June 1944, are buried. Today you will receive an official welcome from the Mayor of Carpi or one of his delegates. You will now visit the museum dedicated to the commemoration of political and racial prisoners. Experience a darker side of European history when you visit the Fossoli transit camp.

THURSDAY, JULY 16
Overnight train, Italy – France
During a guided orientation you will explore the bustling alleys, quaint bridges and narrow canals of Venice. See the Basilica San Marco and the Bridge of Sigh. Take part in an informative presentation about the making of glass in Murano. You will learn about each step – from the composition to the polishing of the glass. A demonstration of each of the working steps will fascinate you. Enjoy one of life’s greatest pleasures and take a ride in a gondola. While passing “Canale Grande” and narrow channels you will see the famous Guggenheim Museum, the “Fenice Theater,” and Mozart’s Venice Residence. Say good-bye to Venice and depart on the overnight train for the magical city of Paris!

FRIDAY, JULY 17
Paris, France
Explore the magnificent Chateau de Versailles, a UNESCO World Heritage site, on your own. Built during the reign of Louis XIV, the Sun King, it was the seat of the royal court from 1682 to 1789, when the French Revolution put an end to the monarchy. Voila Paris! A French guide will now join you for an orientation of the city Ernest Hemingway called “a moveable feast”. This orientation includes Montmartre!

SATURDAY, JULY 18
Paris, France
Enjoy a guided exploration of one of the most important art collections in the world, the famous Musee du Louvre. You will visit the principal parts of the museum – including a look at Leonardo’s masterpiece, Mona Lisa. Admire a dazzling view of Paris! There’s only one place to go: take the elevator up to the top of the Eiffel Tower (899 feet) which was built for the 1889 World’s Fair to
commemorate the French Revolution.

SUNDAY, JULY 19
Depart from Paris for the United States

May 19, 2009

After not posting for a while, I am (finally) updating my blog. There are 42 days until departure! I will be gone from June 30 until July 19. I will try to get on a computer to update my blog at every opportunity I get to update this. I am so excited to go. Thank you again to all of my sponsors for making my trip possible!

Sean Murphy
Student Ambassador

January 11, 2009

Hi everyone,
Today, I had my first meeting with my student ambassador group. I am so excited. I learned a bit more about some of the things that we will be taking a part of on this trip, and some of the things I will and won’t be able to do overseas. Such as: communication. I will only be able to communicate online on my blog and facebook, which is kind of sad that I won’t get to call my parents for 3 weeks. Another is there is no ice! My next meeting is on February 1 (Super Bowl Sunday).

First Post

       Hi everyone,

As you all know, I will be going to Europe next summer along with a group of students from my area. I have been selected as one of top 40 students in the area by a group of teachers to go to France, Italy, and Greece to be a student ambassador. I will be visiting different hot spots in these three countries, and I will recieve 100+ hours of school time. This is a trip of a lifetime, and I am ecstactic to be able to partake in it. Thank you for your support! I will be posting every once in a while to fill you in on what stages I am on and how far along I am getting. Thank you!

Sean Murphy

Student Ambassador