A Happy Student

Montreal was a really interesting experience. It was quite stressful at first because we didn't have any access to internet - but were trying to meet up with friends in the city. It took a while but eventually we managed to use free wi-fi on a bus to meet up with a local Montreal study who is also going on exchange to Warsaw! Our university in Warsaw has made a Facebook group for incoming winter semester exchange students, so a lot of us have already added each other and hence why I was in contact with him. We were absolutellyyyy spoilt again as the guy, David, spent hours and hours and hours walking around Montreal with us showing us the wonderful city! Even though he recently sustained an injury to his foot! We got to see two of the big universities in the city, McGill and Concordia, as well as the Old Montreal Town, Old Port and a vast amount of the CBD. One of the most interesting parts about being in Montreal was that everything was in French. Matt has been in countries where the main language is not English, but I haven't! So it was quite bizarre seeing a different language everywhere. Despite having studied French for ages, I was too rusty to actually use any of it :( but luckily everyone can speak good English too which was helpful.

Old Montreal was a really cool place. And it was big too - lots of little streets, an old port, open spaces around churches and so on. We also went to "Five Guys, Burgers and Fries" (for those who don't know, it's a yummy burger place we found in the U.S.). It was funny because in Montreal the whole menu was in French and the title of the place was "Five Guys, Hamburgers et frites", so it obviously didn't have the same rhyme… In Montreal we found a lot of cool arty things as well, such as multi-coloured fountains and big modern sculptures - a lot of which were amongst the old buildings, so that was a cool contrast.

We also coincidentally hung out with a family friend of Matt who was on exchange from Otago and studying in McGill. She had just arrived in Montreal and saw that we were in the U.S. and asked if we were coming anywhere near Canada. We told her that we were arriving in Montreal the next day! Haha. So we also hung out with her for a bit and went for a burger, looked around the city, etc. It was nice seeing her and speaking with another kiwi about impressions of the city!

So we did Montreal quite quickly, but that's ok since we feel like we saw most of what you would go to see as a tourist. We caught a bus at 1030pm-ish. If you guys didn't know already, we are ABSOLUTELY exhausted at this moment - as we've had barely any sleep in the past few days - especially with only about three hours on the bus ride into Montreal!

New York

We got to the U.S. border at about 1am - we had to get off the bus whilst they searched our bags and we had to check in with immigration. It was pretty frustrating because we knew we had very limited time to get any sleep whilst we were on the bus since we were expected to arrive in New York around 6:30am. We actually arrived about half an hour early -_- We spent a while sitting in the bus station because we were a bit disoriented about what to do and where to go. So we sat around for a while, grabbed some breakfasts, freshened up then walked to our hostel - the New York Budget Inn. Unfortunately because it was only like 7am we couldn't check in to our room yet, so we dumped our stuff in the luggage room and decided to go exploring. We ended up buying this 72 hour hop-on hop-off bus tour pass which is been REALLY good value for money. It also includes a four different tour routes in NY, such as downtown and Brooklyn, a night bus tour, a boat cruise around the statue of liberty, and a discount card for food and activities in various locations throughout New York! If anyone of you come to New York - we got our pass with the New York City Sights company (usually see them in yellow shirts, blue buses). It was supposed to cost like $99, so make sure you bargain with them because they drop the price quickly if you moan about being poor and say no. We ended up getting it for $59 which is definitely worth 72 hours of entertainment as well as quick transport around New York.

Our first tour was of the downtown area - which included Times Square, the Financial District (Wall Street), China Town, Ground Zero, and so on. It's really good because we had great tour guides speaking the whole time, telling us what things are, pointing out cool architecture, celebrity gossip and lots of joking along the way.

After this tour we hung around in Times Square for a bit longer. There was a massive Samsung Galaxy stage and heaps of people wearing blue or white caps saying Samsung'" on it. Matt and I hung around for a while to see what was going on and before we knew it, we were wearing the hats too and listening to them unveiling the new Samsung smart phone watch as well as a live concert - right in the middle of Times Square!!!

It gets crazier though. We also won tickets to be in the audience of the Late Show with David Letterman whilst we were just walking along the street. The problem is we couldn't take our backpacks, so we quickly ate lunch at Olive Garden (yam) and pretty much ran home, checked in, changed our clothes and got back JUST in time to make the show. It was really great watching it all and being a part of it! We need to get hold of the episode because we will be in it clapping away haha. However there was a very strict rule that no photos were allowed to be taken while the show was being recorded, which was a shame because we could have taken some really cool shots.

We carried on our sightseeing after the show finished. WE headed down to Grand Central Station and the Public Library. Both had absolutely beautiful architecture - in fact we've noticed that most of Manhattan Island does - there's either very old looking buildings with crazy designs or super sleek, modern buildings. After this we decided to sit down in Bryant Park for a while to relax and rest our feet.

We decided to do the night tour with our hop on hop off pass which was impressive too. We did all of the downtown area again but in the dark, and also went over Manhattan Bridge and throughout Brooklyn - including the coast of Brooklyn which gave us an AMAZING view of Manhattan Island. We are definitely going to go back to take some better photos because it was really stunning.

So we are now going to enjoy a good sleep for the first time in a while. Last night we only got about three hours after a poor attempt to sleep on the bus, and the night before was about three hours too with our late flight from the west coast to the east. We have also been walking an average of nine hour days for the past four days so we are really pushing our boundaries at the moment!

We're not sure what the plan for tomorrow will be. Most likely we will do the boat cruise to see the statue of liberty, and then do the bus tours around central park and the upper east side of Manhattan (where GOSSIP GIRL IS SET)… We also managed to bargain with a guy selling comedy show tickets so tomorrow night we are going to go and watch some stand-up comedy for a mere $10 each. So I'm sure there will be a lot to write about again.

Teachers Take advanage Now

Good Day from Atlanta,


Student Educational Tours of Atlanta would like the opportunity to be your schools travel company of choice. Please visit us at http://www.studenteducationaltoursofatlanta.com/ or call us 888-320-1115 and lets build long lasting memories together.

Ask About our: "Teachers Travel Free Program"
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Student Educational Tours of Atlanta
888-320-1115
Leonard Frank G.
Learning Through Travel
http://www.studenteducationaltoursoftlanta.com
Twitter:  @studentedutours
Blog:  Studentedutours.blogspot.com

Teachers the time to Book is Now

Student Educational Tours of Atlanta would like the opportunity to be your schools travel company of choice. Please visit us at http://www.studenteducationaltoursofatlanta.com/ or call us 888-320-1115 and lets build long lasting memories together.

Ask About our: "Teachers Travel Free Program"
                            "$500.00 Gift Card"

Student Educational Tours of Atlanta
888-320-1115
Leonard Frank G.
Learning Through Travel
http://www.studenteducationaltoursoftlanta.com
Twitter:  @studentedutours
Blog:  Studentedutours.blogspot.com

Airline Rates

The airfare rates for Travel Companies http://www.studenteducationaltoursoftlanta.com  is out and this year 2013-2014 rates are Great!  Of course this is driven due the fact that when groups travel 47 to 57 at a time the rate improves.

Good Day from Atlanta,

Student Educational Tours of Atlanta would like the opportunity to be your schools travel company of choice. Please visit us at http://www.studenteducationaltoursofatlanta.com/ or call us 888-320-1115 and lets build long lasting memories together.

Ask About our: "Teachers Travel Free Program"
                            "$500.00 Gift Card"

Student Educational Tours of Atlanta
888-320-1115
Leonard Frank G.
Learning Through Travel
http://www.studenteducationaltoursoftlanta.com
Twitter:  @studentedutours
Blog:  Studentedutours.blogspot.com

New York Harlem

Student Educational Tours of Atlanta

"Drop Me Off in Harlem," went the 1933 Duke Ellington song, but there's no better time to go than this summer, for The Classical Theatre of Harlem's July performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream, the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival in August, and Art Crawl Harlem tours. Kate Donnelly stops in for a visit.
HARLEM – Harlem maintains an old-world, New York feel, blending cool street hustle and sophistication with distinct architecture. Its rich cultural background began with Dutch origins and was enhanced by Italian and Jewish immigrants who sauntered into the haven of the legendary Harlem Renaissance. The result is a mix of Latin, Italian, and Southern Caribbean influences.
Move down 125th Street, and you'll find savvily dressed preachers, fedora hats, Kangol berets, pick-up chess games, sneaker shops for miles, CD peddlers, and local artists selling Harlem ware. In the morning before the stores open, the roll-down metal gates are the canvases for Franco the Great's dazzling murals of such figures as Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and Mr. T and jubilant scenes from Harlem's jazz clubs and fabled halls.

June 2013

The avenues are wide and sprawling, with low-rise buildings giving way to an unobstructed expanse of sky. The broad, tree-lined blocks are filled with beautiful, stately brownstones. The churches, barbershops, wig shops, and African braiding shops have terrific old signage. Conversations and cat-calling on the street are unrivaled. Outside, young kids rebound basketballs on gated storefronts, while summer-ready women strut with sheer confidence. It's a magic beat, a blend of the modern with homages to a culturally fabled past.

WHERE TO EAT

Harlem's cultural diversity includes culinary options from around the globe.

First things first: Don't miss Red Rooster.http://www.studenteducationaltoursofatlanta.com The great lunchtime $25 prix-fix menu provides generous portions of carrot-ginger soup and honey-mustard salmon (see photo) washed down with a cold bottle of Haitian Prestige beer. Other crowd pleasers include Helga's meatballs and the infamous fried yardbird. Happy hour on Friday is all the rage. A seat at the bar makes for stellar people watching: a mix of scholarly, professorial bow-ties, fashion-forward locals, and blue-collar patrons. Order a plate of spicy wings or Rooster nuts and nurse the spicy Obama-tini with crushed pepper-infused aqauvit, pineapple, lime, grapefruit, and Angostura bitters. If you're on the nocturnal beat, Ginny's Superclub downstairs kicks up its heels with rhythm and late night dancing.
French mainstay Chez Lucienne is a great place for lunch. Ask for an outside patio seat and watch the Lenox Street passerbys. Cedric Bistro is a charming, laid-back corner spot for mussels, burgers, and sauteed jerk chicken.
Jado Sushi churns out fresh, authentic Japanese fare, with special mentions to fried oysters with panko and glazed short ribs, while the small storefront Jin Ramen is a prized treat of Tokyo-style fare. Kick everything off with the pork buns, then move to fresh, delicious noodles paired with a flat wooden spoon. Get your ramen on — char sou pork melts in your mouth, and everything washes nicely with a cold Sapporo.

Throw down at a communal table at Bier and sip a pint of Bronx Pale Ale coupled with a Bavarian pretzel and sausage, either smoked kielbasa or chicken and ouille sausage. Their hand-cut fries are also winners. Harlem Public is a perfect spot for watching a Yankees game or meeting up with pals for a relaxed brunch of sloppy joes, fish tacos, and a wide range of craft brews.
Harlem Shake is a relative newbie, a throwback diner with tin ceilings and a celebrity wall of fame. They serve steak burgers, hot dogs, and old-fashioned shakes for kids and adults. And although Sylvia may still be the Queen of Harlem, Amy Ruth's is the stop for soul food. The dish they call the Rev. Al Sharpton is a full-on culinary assault of waffles and dark meat chicken.
Lenox Coffee is a low-lit, cozy spot which brews Stumptow, plays great music, and allows laptops. Il Cafe Latte is a smaller joint for caffeinated sips. Add something sweet, like fresh and yummy cookies, from Levain Bakery.
For late-night spirits, head to the dimly lit, velvet-curtained, speakeasy-esque 67 Orange Street for hand-crafted cocktails shaken by dapper men.

WHAT TO DO

The Studio Museum Harlem showcases emerging and established African-American artists and has an extensive archive from the Harlem Renaissance photographer James VanDerZee. Don't miss the bookstore for its stellar selection of local and historic postcards and books like the spectacular photobooks Harlem: A Century in Images and Gordon Parks: A Harlem Family. Art Crawl Harlem's amazing tours through local galleries may be the best way to see art uptown. LeRone Wilson is one to watch.
Marcus Garvey Park is home to basketball courts, spray showers, playgrounds, and culture. There's always something good at Harlem Stage, which features visionary artists of color in music, dance, performance, film, and education.
From July 13-30, The Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH) is presenting performances of A Midsummer Night's Dream at Richard Rodgers Amphitheater in Marcus Garvey Park. From August 23-25, the park's outdoor Amphitheater hosts the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival.

A row of 1885 Italianate brownstones between West 122nd and West 123rd Streets.

Strivers' Row is a masterpiece of the architectural glory: three rows of townhouses on West 138th and 139th Streets (between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. and Frederick Douglass Blvd.). This elegant development quickly became associated with great affluence. The Neo-Italian and Georgian influences resemble a West Village-like setup with stately homes and beautiful trees. Many of the gates still bear original late 1800s signage: "Private Road, Walk Your Horses."
Harlem has an impressive and abundant number of churches and worship houses, many of which were converted from old movie houses. Churchgoing women are dressed to the nines and always in lovely hats. Roam past the cool architectural exteriors of Absynninian Church, All Saints Church, Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, and The Commandment Keepers Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation, an African-American synagogue that occupies an 1890 neo-Renaissance building. Greater Refuge Temple is a pastel-colored, mid-century wonder in a former cinema. If you want to attend a Sunday gospel choir service (a regular Harlem tourist attraction), go to Abyssinian Baptist Church, New Mount Zion Baptist Church, Mount Neboh Baptist Church, or Greater Refuge Temple. (Here's a Harlem church directory.)

Mt. Olive Church

The ghosts of jazz past are everywhere in Harlem. Breeze by the old haunts, like the famous Apollo Theatre. Check out free music at Showman's Jazz Club and add yourself to the list of jazz aficionados awaiting the revival of Minton's Playhouse, where Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, and Count Basie once played. Stroll past the homes of Langston Hughes at 20 East 127th Street; Billie Holiday at 108 West 139th Street; and Duke Ellington, Joe Louis, and Lena Horne at 555 Edgecombe Avenue.

WHERE TO STAY

There are not many charming and boutiquey hotel options around, but these are the good ones:
Aloft Harlem Hotel – The little sister of the W Hotels brand.Sugar Hill Harlem Inn – A green bed-and-breakfast on West 141st Street with two rooms, two studios, and one suite all named for prominent Harlem artists. They also have a four-bedroom Victorian townhouse a few blocks away.The Harlem Renaissance House – Three suites that blend modern and traditional styles in a Stanford White-designed townhouse along Strivers' Row.Harlem Grand B&B – Lovely and old-fashioned in a classic brownstone on West 122nd St.The Harlem Flophouse – Four bedrooms with in-room sinks but no private bathrooms.

FOR YOUR BEDSIDE TABLE

Brush up on your history by starting at the beginning with Jonathan Gill's Harlem. American Gangster is Hollywood's gritty-glam look at Frank Lucas and 1970's Harlem. Jazz: A film by Ken Burns is a crash course for the beginner to the aficionado. Yes, Chef is Marcus Samuelson's love letter to growing pains, moving on, and food. The refined and informative Harlem Bespoke keeps locals up on current openings and events.

School Fund Raising Ideas by Student Educational Tours OF Atlanta

By:   Student Educational Tours of Atlanta     http://www.studenteducationaltoursofatlanta.com  

                    888-320-1115

The St. Mary-St. Michael School HSA in Derby, Conn., held a “duck race” along with a duck-decorating contest. Leaders sold more than 2,000 10-inch rubber ducks, which buyers could choose to include in the river race downstream or decorate for a contest at a local art gallery. In the weeks leading up to the event, parent leaders donned bright yellow Duck Patrol T-shirts as they marched in the town’s Memorial Day parade; children and parents riding on the school float handed out flyers promoting the upcoming race. A $3,000 profit from the events gave the HSA plenty to quack about.

Profiting on Pork Bellies

Chances are you’re not going to leave hungry when you come to the annual Sausage Supper fundraiser put on each November by the New Douglas PTO in Highland, Ill. A community tradition for more than 30 years, the supper includes homemade pork sausages, mashed potatoes and milk gravy (made with sausage), sauerkraut (with ham and sausage), green beans, applesauce, bread, pie, and plenty to drink. Says principal Carla Grapperhaus, “The secret recipe used is from the local farmer that began the fundraiser.” On average, some 240 PTO and community volunteers serve 2,000-plus attendees, who eat about 8,000 to 13,000 pounds of pork (approximately 40 to 65 hogs). The first year, the group took in $321; in recent years, the sausage supper typically raises about $10,000.

Hit It With Your Best Shot

Here’s a smashing idea from the Berlin (Pa.) Brothersvalley High School that you can try at your next carnival. To raise funds for activities at the school, club organizers planned a “car smash”: A junk car, with fluids and glass removed, is set up in the school’s parking lot; smashers pay $5 for a ticket that allows them one minute to hit the car. Weapons of choice include a sledgehammer, aluminum baseball bat, crow bar, or ax. Rules are spelled out in advance: Participants must wear a safety helmet with a face shield, heavy-duty gloves, and a welding-style coat for protection. Only one patron at a time is permitted inside the zone. For an extra splash, contact your local rescue squad to see whether they would be willing to give a Jaws of Life demonstration.

Winging It

The PTO at the Holy Mother of Sorrows church in Dupont, Pa., holds an annual Super Bowl chicken wing fundraiser each year. Orders are called in before the event and can be picked up on the day of the big game, with menu offerings including mild, hot, BBQ, honey mustard, and plain versions.

Middle School Students Take an Educational Tour of Georgia

by:   Student Educational Tours of Atlanta        http://www.studenteducationaltoursofatlanta.com

Recently, I worked with Cathy Carlton, a Social Studies teacher for Bennett’s Mill Middle School in Fayetteville, Georgia, to create an itinerary for a class trip that encompassed historical highlights of the state of Georgia.  Her class on Georgia history spans an entire school year.  The class begins with the prehistoric Indians and continues with Colonial studies, a close look at the American Revolution, the antebellum period and Civil War. Studies also include a consideration of the impact of modern wars, a look at regions of Georgia and economics that thrive in them, and the way entrepreneurs have impacted life in the state.
An Educational Tour of Georgia in Sync with Curriculum Objectives
In previous years, Carlton took the student travel group to Savannah for three days and two nights. This year, she found it more economical to limit the trip to two days and one night, so more students could afford to attend. But saving money was not the only motivation to create this unique tour.  “I felt like this trip was much more meaningful because we were able to visit many more sites around the state,” noted Carlton.
Students Travel to Different Sites Across the State of Georgia
Some highlights of the tour included a visit to Milledgeville, Georgia, the first capital of the state, a tour of Andersonville Prison, where prisoners of war were housed during the Civil War, and a tour of CNN Studios in Atlanta, where students were able to see how television news is produced.  In Atlanta, students also visited the Governor’s Mansion as well as The Bremen Jewish Heritage and Holocaust Museum and Oakland Cemetery, where famous Georgians were interred.
The first stop on the tour was Andersonville Prison, a two-hour bus ride from the group’s hometown.  Carlton wanted students to see this National Historic Site, because it tied in with their classroom studies of the Civil War and modern wars.  Students toured the site and gained a better understanding of the place where Northern soldiers were detained and housed during the Civil War. They were also engaged in learning about the dynamics of prisoners of war, and how it affects our society as a whole.
A Student Tour of Milledgeville:  Georgia’s First Capital City
The visit to Millledgeville seemed especially important to Carlton, as it tied in nicely with her curriculum and gave students a chance to actually see the grandeur of the historic capital.  Carlton said, “Students were really impressed by the fact that the capital began there. It was eventually moved to Atlanta so it could be more centrally located.  We were able to visit the Old Capitol Building, but we missed our tour of the Governor’s Mansion there, because we were running a little late, having spent more time at Andersonville then we anticipated.”
Educational Trip to Atlanta Includes Multiple Destinations
When the student tour group reached Atlanta, they took a break to eat supper at the Hard Rock Café, then toured Oakland Cemetery, where Bobby Jones, Maynard Jackson and Margaret Mitchell are buried.  “The guided tours of Oakland Cemetery included the graves of these famous Georgians — which were part of our studies — and many other historical people as well,” observed Carlton.
The educational tour group spent the evening at the Hampton Inn near the Perimeter Mall where breakfast was included the following morning.  Their tour of Atlanta began with a look at the Governor’s Mansion, where they actually saw Governor Perdue leaving the building that day.  This was followed by lunch at the Varsity, a famous Atlanta landmark.
The afternoon was filled with a visit to the Bremen Holocaust Museum.  Carlton was impressed with the tours given here, which were led by “survivors or family members of survivors.  It was fascinating for students to hear what the holocaust was actually like.  The group also viewed artifacts and videos of the holocaust.”
The trip on Georgia history concluded with a tour of CNN Studios in Atlanta, founded by the famous entrepreneur Ted Turner, who also started the first television station in Georgia, TBS.  The group of over 81 students was broken up into smaller groups for the studio tour, where they saw live news and also had a chance to glimpse the behind the scenes work involved in airing national news 24-hours per day.  Carlton recalled, “Students were thrilled by seeing the live newscasters, because they recognized some of the people they’ve seen on television.”
Educational Trip of Georgia was a Success!
Overall, creating a historical tour of Georgia was a positive experience for me and my staff. Usually, student tours are limited to the Atlanta metro area, because there are many educational sites to see in this city. After collaborating with Carlton on the creation of this custom tour, I can now see the benefits of widening the scope of destinations in Georgia.  It provides students a larger view of Georgia’s history because it includes landmarks that may be lesser known, but are equally important in understanding state history.
Student travel groups interested in touring Atlanta may want to consider including some of these prominent sites in their tour with visits to Milledgeville and Anderson ville Prison included on their itinerary.  Overall, students did not spend more than 3 ½ hours on the bus the first day, and they had plenty of stops to keep the travel time interesting.
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