Today we left Rome and headed to Florence. We visited the Academia Gallery then we walked through the city of Florence, passing by the Duomo and the bronze doors to the Baptistery, known as the Gate to Paradise. After the tour there was free time to roam the streets of Florence. Pictures below. You will notice not many female students. Just turned out that way. All female students are safe and sound. BTW - all messages and comments have been forwarded to your student. Here are some quotes from students about their impression of Rome as we moved toward Florence. “I [View Full Entry]

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Today we visited the capital of Catholicism and the world's smallest state, the Vatican. We admired St. Peter's cathedral including Michelangelo's glorious Pieta and the Sistine Chapel. Because we were People to People delegates we had the rare opportunity to visit behind the living area of the nun's and priest's by being invited to speak one on one with a priest at the Vatacan. The Sistine was unbelievable beautiful and massive, however, it was so crowded elbow to elbow it was to enjoy it they way we wish we could have. However, it was a once in a lifetime experience that [View Full Entry]

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Today we visited the catacombs and had an entire afternoon of shopping. Some students liked it better then others. Some found it a little spooky and cold. We could not take pictures inside so there will not be any postings of that. Imagine walls with indentions big enough for bodies to be laid as in sleep the entire wall. If I understood correctly there were 16 levels to catacombs. The bodies had removed to prevent destroying the remains but it was still pretty amazing to think of the bodies having been there. The walk between walls was maybe three feet across, [View Full Entry]

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Well we have had a full two days. They literally run together from when we left you yesterday at the airport. We have flown 5400 miles overnight, toured the Roman Coliseum, the Roman Forum, had a bag lunch in the shadow of the coliseum, walked to the heart of Rome and had dinner in a quaint little Italian restaurant.. Everyone is exhausted including me. We have walked and climbed steps all afternoon. We are at the hotel and lights out was out 10:30. I am going to call it a night myself. I have included a picture at the Roman Coliseum [View Full Entry]

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On June 18, ten of our ambassadors and eight of their parents caravaned to Raleigh for a voluntary field trip. That morning we visited the NC Museum of Natural Science. In groups and individually students viewed skeletons of dinosaurs and whales, walked through a butterfly atrium, and peered through foliage looking for the creatures that lived in the displays. We had a box lunch delivered to us in front of the museum and for dessert...chocolate covered meal worms and crickets of course. Yes, they were real bugs. This is an adventurous group! De [View Full Entry]

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We are getting ready for our adventure to Italy, France, Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. Our schedule will include visiting the Roman Coliseum and Catacombs of San Callisto, the Sistine Chapel , meeting a nun, clean up a park near the Pisa, ride in a gondola in Venice, vis [View Full Entry]

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