Northpoint Travels

Worth it?

2012-01-13T06:18:00.000-08:00

It took an incredible amount of work to make this Cambodian experience happen. Beyond the initial conception, there was the fundraising, the recruitment of students, reassuring parents, trip logistics and school documentation work---and that was all BEFORE the trip. On the road and in the air student management issues were magnified, transportation coordination a challenge, logistical flexibility a necessity and health concerns attended. Through all the obstacles an underlying question begs to be answered, "Is it worth it?"

With the hardships and challenges recognized, my resounding answer to this question is, "YES, indeed!"

Half of the participating students had never been out of the U.S. None of them had ever experienced what life is truly like in a developing country. None of us had ever been so close to genocide, where scars remain. During our experience we stayed with common Cambodians both in the city and countryside; families that are on the brink of having their entire apartment building razed to rural families with no understanding of what is meant by "email" and have no address in which to receive a postcard.

We deeply connected with a country rich in the arts and full of tradition. Where music, dance, and symbols have been woven into daily life for over 1000 years. The long, long history and traditions is something unfathomable to most of Americans and certainly struck us that we are in the nascent stages of establishing our own "American" legacies.

I'm deeply appreciative of the parents of these students who entrusted Jeff and myself with their precious life extensions. Also, Northpoint Academy, led by Geneva Saint-Amour should be commended for supporting and promoting international travel. I appreciate our hosts in Cambodia, in particular the staff and families of Cambodian Living Arts, specifically Phloeun, Seng, Charley, and Arn. I'm indebted to my co-travel partner and instigator of this adventure Jeff Dyer. A phenomenal teacher, leader, musician and friend who's vision for future Cambodia and international travel burns brightly. Finally, I'm thankful for such a fantastic spouse and family that tolerates my penchant for this work and cheered the adventures throughout.

I hope more of you that read this blog can be a part, in some way, of making international student travel a reality for more young people. The experience is worth every dime raised, minute of sleep lost, and inconveniences tolerated. Who knows how much lives have been impacted, but there is no doubt that the trajectory for all twelve of us has been altered; skewed towards deeper understanding, appreciation, tolerance and love. Awkun charan!

-David DenHartog

P.S.

Stay tuned for a couple more blog posts. We are now all back home safe and sound with tales to tell.

School Visit

2012-01-11T20:17:00.000-08:00

It was about 6:30 AM when our creaky bones rose off the paper-thin bamboo floor mat. Just a typical night sleeping in the Cambodian countryside! After getting some breakfast, we headed over to the local high school. Right when we walked into the school, I suddenly realized that everyone was staring at us. We have been stared at before, but by only one or two people at a time. There were about three thousand students who attend that school and at least half of them stopped what they were doing just to look at us.

After Dyer talked to the school, and after a few trips of people going back and forth to the district education office, we were finally let into an actual class. As we came in, all 50 students stood up and took a bow before we sat down. It showed how much respect they had for us. We took our seats and listened to what the teacher had to say just like any other student. It was very difficult because there was no English being spoken. The only thing I understood was her talking about different time periods. We were told that it was a history/economics class. The class seemed very similar to most traditional schools in the U.S., but the poverty level was clear: there were many students crammed into a small room with creaky, old desks. But, the students didn’t seem to mind what the room looked like, and they were very respectful to the teacher. I spoke to the teacher after the class and she expressed that she chose to teach here because she wanted to help these kids further their lives and maybe one day go abroad.

After leaving the school, we decided to get some lunch and head back to Phnom Penh. Half the students decided to go to the market while the other half headed to the hotel. I can feel that some students are ready to head back home and go back to their American lives. I believe that people were affected by Cambodia in a very positive way and will keep this experience close to them. I also think that they will be more appreciative of things they do have because they’ve seen people here who don’t have the things they consider essential.

We had dinner with many people from Cambodian Living Arts. They really tried to make us comfortable by putting on American music and letting a few people sing karaoke, which was a lot of fun! We got to hang out with people from our home stays, and Arn Chorn-Pond, the star of the documentary The Flute Player, joined us even though he had just arrived in Cambodia yesterday. To me, this shows how many Cambodians have great integrity.

Finally, it was time to go: United Sates, here we come! Goodbye Cambodia, or as you say in Khmer: “Chum riep lieu srok Khmer!”

~Stephen W.

Khmer Rouge Tribunal & Takeo Overnight

2012-01-11T02:32:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, January 10, we woke up back here in Phnom Penh. All of us were exhausted and sun burnt and really wanted to climb back into our beds and bask in the gloriousness that is air conditioning. However, we all pushed through, and after a rushed breakfast, we went to the Extraordinary Chambers of the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), where one of the Khmer Rouge leaders is on trial. Not all of us were able to get in because it was obvious they were not 18 years of age, but most of us were able to pass and we sat in the court and watched the trial. Nuon Chea, the man on trial, talked in circles, doing his best not to answer any questions. Although he was called Brother Number Two and was the most important Khmer Rouge leader next to Pol Pot (who is called Brother Number One), Nuon Chea denied being in the pictures shown as evidence, and also used his health and memory as an excuse to not answer questions. I honestly felt it was a bit ridiculous that this man was able to act the way he did in court and in some way be able to get away with everything. I felt a bit disturbed that there was really no justice. After about three hours of this, we left and returned to the city to quickly get on a bus to Takeo.

The bus ride was cramped, hot, and a little uncomfortable, but with some perseverance we pushed through the loud, cheesy Khmer music videos and arrived in the little village. Free from the bus, we took a quick walk over to Master Sok Duch’s house, where we were to do our home stay for the night. Tired as we were, we all circled up to watch Sok Duch and his students practice their instruments. As we listened, we began to relax, but that all went away when suddenly my chair decided to break and I fell straight through! Typical Lilly. After everybody had their laugh, we regained our composure and focused on the music once more. At the end of our private performance, we got to spend some quality time with the students and told them a bit about good ol’ Prescott. After a while, we said our goodbyes and headed down the street for dinner.

Dinner was rather fun. We all sat outside with the bugs, and because we had no menus, Dyer had the great honor of ordering for us. We all reverted our favorite noodles, but wonderful Mr. Dyer just had to get everybody’s favorite fish soup, which is called Prahok. Yuck! As soon as that bowl came towards the table half of us didn’t even wait for the stench to reach our noses. We booked it out of there and left Dyer to his soup. One by one, everybody else came out to the front of the restaurant, unable to deal with the smell. Adam realized it was a perfect time to get back at Dyer, and he somehow managed to put some of the rank soup into that red hair. It was only fair, I mean Dyer did do it to him last week. It was all out of love, of course!

Soon after, we headed back to Master Sok Duch’s house. The twelve of us all shared a room, and we quickly got under our mosquito nets. We talked and goofed around for a bit, like teenagers do, but before you knew it, we were all fast asleep! It was a good ending to a very interesting and eventful day.

~Lilly N.

Teacher Reflections

2012-01-09T16:31:00.000-08:00

When I arrived in Cambodia for the first time, over seven years ago, I had only a small conception of what I would find or where the experience would lead. The first memories are all sensual: the smell, the heat, the relief of the afternoon monsoons. Most others are overwhelming: the poverty, the traffic, the overpowering sense of being a foreigner, a minority. Those first days were difficult, but over time they translated into a stronger knowledge of myself and of the world. For me, one of the most rewarding outcomes of this trip has been seeing my students struggle through the same first impressions I did and leave being similarly impacted.

At first, our group talked much about the traffic and the tuk-tuk rides, the oppressive humidity and the filthy streets. But, those conversations faded away as the students became accustomed to travel in Cambodia. In their place came conversations about Cambodia’s performing arts, the “living arts,” and contemporary culture’s connections with the ancient Ankorean temples.

Testifying to how the students have been affected, our group conversation last evening shed light on the new perspectives gained. We may have some funds left over at the end of the trip, and students discussed possibilities for how to use that money. The students’ hopes ranged from sponsoring scholarships for students to supporting a countryside family and a new class of classical wedding musicians. Even more impressive was that some students expressed a desire to keep fundraising to raise a significant amount of money to support this country and its performing arts. To me, this represents a new sense of international responsibility and connection, and it reflects the power of an experience of this magnitude. These typical American teenagers have been transformed into engaged world citizens with a deep appreciation of their own wealth and a desire to share their abundance with others.

Boat Ride & Interviews

2012-01-09T07:34:00.001-08:00

Monday, January 9, 2012

Boat rides can be fun, but we might want to stock up on sunscreen. Lesson learned. After waking up with another early morning and crowded bus ride full of new goodies from yesterday’s shopping, we boarded a sleek, narrow, dynamic ferry bound for Phnom Penh. All too soon we managed to find our ways to the roof of our boat where we took on the wind, testing our endurance against it, maybe a little too much. We passed many floating villages, and I desperately wish we had another week here so we could venture to such places. Nevertheless, the view was spectacular, as I find it always is here in Cambodia. The striking clusters of houses suspended over the water between small, individual, overgrown island and trees growing straight out of the water made me feel like I was dropped into a Tolkien novel (I made sure to listen to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack for dramatic effect).

Five short hours later, we got off the boat with crazy hair and crazy sunburns (raccoon eyes and all). We then split our little group in half, as we set off to do interviews with many people from Cambodian Living Arts and the East-West Management Institute. My group met with Kavich, a dancer and filmmaker. It was very moving to receive such in-depth, sincere answers from someone who is so close to the issues we are studying. It really hit home for me and I just feel so proud to be taking part in this trip.

-Kessie

Last Day in Siem Reap

2012-01-08T08:07:00.000-08:00

TODAY: Sunday, January 8

Our last day in Siem Reap was spent resting up, practicing our bartering skills, tuk-tuking around, and visiting a village. It was a pretty peaceful day: we got off to a much-needed late start and went to the local market (“Psaa Chas”) to finish up any shopping left over from our visit to the Russian Market in Phnom Penh. After exploring the local market for about an hour, we headed to Creuv Village to talk to the family of Sinat, a Cambodian musician whom we have been learning a lot about on this trip.

If you have been keeping track of this blog, you know that music is a major theme in this trip. One thing that continues to astound me is learning about the everyday lives of some of Cambodia's greatest musicians. In America, the musicians whom we consider to be “Masters” can make a very healthy living by playing music. In Cambodia, though, a large amount of master musicians live modestly in the countryside in small villages. Today’s example was Chreuv Village, where Sinat grew up. Sinat is one of Cambodia’s top performers and is considered to be one of the best of his generation. At just 25 years old, Sinat can play over twelve musical instruments at an expert level. Before today, I had assumed Sinat had grown up in an environment that allowed his creativity and passion for music to flow freely. In actuality, he grew up in a small village, where music lessons are unaffordable for the modest hard workers who live there. Had it not been for his taking a music class in the city and eventually receiving a scholarship to study in Phnom Penh, Sinat would most likely have grown up to live in his home village, leading a life similar to his sister, brother-in-law, and many of the others who grow up there. This makes me wonder, how many great musicians (or great performers of any genre) are not given a chance predominately because of their economic situation?

After experiencing a slight Tuk-Tuk adventure, we all headed to a “Barbecue” restaurant. I don’t know about most people, but to me barbecues don’t typically trigger memories of hot smoke burning my eyes while trying to figure out how to simultaneously boil clams and grill chicken on a large hot device with a chunk of pig fat on top. This was definitely a dinner filled with learning, like when our Tuk-Tuk driver and a lady we’ve never met started guiding us through our dinner. To be more specific, I broke a glass, couldn’t use the metal chop sticks to handle the slippery food and had to switch to bamboo, dropped a copious amount of raw chicken inside of my “soup”, and at one point tried to grill a slice of pineapple. I think that’s when the locals began to show pity on our clan of puzzled high schoolers. I have to admit though, once I began to get the hang of it, I was able to make some pretty good food!

~Maddie

Temples & Countryside Visit

2012-01-07T20:46:00.000-08:00

ONE DAY AGO: Saturday, January 7, 2012

Waking up at 4:50 AM isn’t typically something I anticipate to be a good time, but when I heard the hard knock on my door this morning telling me that it was time to wake up, I was quick to jump into a new pair of clothes and race down to the van. When we arrived to our destination it was still dark, but the ground was flooded with small cell phone lights from hundreds of tourist looking to see the sun rise over the ancient temple of Angkor Wat. Spectacular would be an understatement when describing what we experienced today. We watched as the sun slowly lit up the jungle surrounding the ancient temples then spent the morning exploring Angkor Wat, The Bayon, and Ta Prohm.

Of the three temples, Ta Prohm was my favorite. About half of us took off barefoot exploring every crack and crevice of the temple, looking for the ideal place to do journaling. Seeing the tree’s roots wrap around giant blocks that used to hold up the ruins was not just beautiful or awe-inspiring; it gave me a tangible connection to this country’s history.

After spending a long morning exploring temples, we were all beginning to feel the consequences of waking up so early. I’m not going to lie: if you asked me at noon whether i’d like to go to the hotel and sleep or visit a small village to watch a music class, I would have chosen the first option. Nonetheless, when we arrived at the village and were swarmed with children saying hello and showering us with whatever flowers they found close by, our attitudes quickly changed from wanting to go sleep to never wanting to leave the village at all. It was fantastic to see such young children show so much skill and interest at playing the classical Cambodian wedding music. After watching the group rehearse a few songs and getting a quick lesson on how the instruments are made, Mia, Martel, and I played a quick game of volleyball with two of the boys living in the village....Those boys were good!

I think it’s safe to say that we were all expecting to do new things when in Cambodia, but I had no idea that would entail exploring temples barefoot and playing volleyball with village children. It’s these small experiences, however, that are making this trip as a whole have such a profound impact on me. The people and places we saw today are what make this country so unique and genuine. Of all the things we experienced today, I think that seeing how far back their history and culture go, and how it still relates so closely to everyday Cambodian life, has been one of the most mind-boggling.

~Maddie

Temple Sunset

2012-01-07T19:19:00.000-08:00

TWO DAYS AGO: Friday, January 6, 2012

Today was insane. We woke up at 5:00 AM and inhaled our breakfast while slamming our clothes into our bags. We then jumped onto a bus for 6 hours until we arrived at the Siem Reap bus station. Even though we’re in a different country, and a much poorer country, traveling feels the same as in the US. It was just like getting in a car and driving to school, except longer.

Once we got off the bus, we got in some tuk-tuks and drove to the hotel on some roads that are worse than the ones you would find in Chino Valley. Even though this is a major city, it’s much different than Phnom Penh, since only the major roads are paved. It probably would be a huge pain to have to drive on these roads every day. 30 minutes and 2 headaches later, we arrived at our hotel, The Berlin Angkor.

We had just enough time at the hotel to drop off our bags and get in the bus. Then we rushed to Pre Rup, a major temple in Angkor Wat, to watch the sun set over Cambodia. It was beautiful! It would be easily comparable to the sunsets over Sedona. The sun was a brilliant pink and you could just barely see it as it sunk into the huge, majestic trees of the jungle. Amazing!

We then proceeded to a very Khmer dinner. Mia Manzanedo got fried frog, Matt Bray got fried quail, and Mr. Denhartog got some weird, whole local fish. I stuck with spring rolls.

~Adam S.

Angkor Wat & More Explorations

2012-01-07T06:32:00.000-08:00

Saturday, January 7

Today started way too early--before five a.m.--as we headed off to go see the sun rise over Angkor Wat. The sun rising over the temple was an amazing sight and made it worth getting up before the sun. After sunrise and before food, we all stumbled off to explore, and what we saw was spectacular! The carvings in the walls told epic stories of battle and were so amazingly carved that they convinced Kessie that’s what she should do with her life.

Once we were all done exploring, we headed off to a morning filled with food, monkeys, and temples. After lunch, we piled in the van and headed off to observe a music rehearsal. Once we arrived, the first thing we saw was kids. They seemed so happy to see us that throughout the rehearsal they kept saying “hi” and bringing us flowers.

After we were forced to leave our new-found friends, we headed off to what turned out to be an eventful dinner. We split into two groups, six per table: all girls and Adam at one; all guys and me at the other. It started off slow, then the waiter of the mostly girls table took a liking to them, which led to Lilly and him dancing in the restaurant and much laughter coming from all tables. The day ended with the promise of more sleep and an easier day. We will see how that works out!

~Mia S.

Northpoint Featured in Phnom Penh Post

2012-01-06T06:39:00.000-08:00

Check out the article in one of the major Phnom Penh newspapers on the Northpoint travelers!

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2012010653825/Lifestyle/us-students-get-a-cultured-learning.html

Bokor Mountain & Dance Performance 2nd perspectiveBo

2012-01-05T16:12:00.000-08:00

Thursday, January 5, 2011

Today we went up in the mountains around Kampot, took a four hour bus ride back to Phnom Penh and from there we went to a performance created by the Cambodian Living Arts. I know what you think: “Into the mountains. That’s boring and pointless!” But it was amazing up there! The zig-zaggy road up to the top was completely surrounded with green trees the whole time until you reach the peak. Unfortunately, when you reach the top you learn that a casino is being built up there and that they are tearing down the forest around for this casino.

The bus from Kampot finally ended after four hours allowing us to go see the performance put on by the Cambodian Living Arts. The performance consisted of nine dances, all of which were unique. Several of the dances told a story about their culture or their lives. The dancers’ skill is amazing, and it is incredible that these kids could learn all that. I certainly couldn’t do that! Seeing these dances have impacted me in such a way that I now understand and respect the “living arts” more than I ever did before.

-Matt B.

Borkor Mountain & Dance Performance

2012-01-05T07:27:00.000-08:00

1/5/12

This morning we woke up to the sounds of unidentifiable animals outside our rooms. There wasn’t time to do much but pack and get in a van, stopping only to grab a dozen baguettes and rolls before setting off to our destination. We made our way up Bokor Mountain, surrounded by thick foliage on either side. However, as we neared the top of the mountain, we began to notice more and more construction, repaving roads and building a casino. It was a bit sad, seeing the trash that littered much of the land and even the old buildings being rebuilt and turned into what looked like hotels.

After spending the morning exploring the cliffs and abandoned houses, we piled back in the car and made our way back down, stopping to have lunch at the same restaurant where we ate our first meal in Kampot. The bus ride back to Phnom Penh lasted about five hours, and everyone was relieved to get back to the hotel. We went to a performance by the Children of Bassac at the National Museum, which was amazing. The movements were so precise and seemed to take a lot of concentration, and it was amazing to see the people we had met during their class rehearsals and the home stays performing so beautifully. It was a wonderful thing to see--I sincerely hope that I can see something like that again in the future.

~Mia M.

2012-01-05T06:16:00.000-08:00

January 4, 2012

An early bus picked us up at 7:00 and took us to the bus stop where we got on a big tourist bus for almost five hours. Our destination: Kampot, Cambodia. Kampot is much different from Phnom Penh. There are stunning mountains here, the food is much better, and everything is so green.

The first thing on our list after arriving was helping to teach English and drawing at the Chumkreil Language School. The kids didn’t know much English, but it was fun being there. After that, we picked up some traditional Cambodian swimsuits (a scarf-like towel called a “kroma” that is wrapped around your waist--only the teachers and Stephen wore them, and it wasn’t the most enjoyable experience for the rest of us to see). The villa where we are staying is paradise. Right up to the river, the cabanas are on stilts. The water was so refreshing; we went swimming/jumping/diving off of the deck, and then took rides on the paddle boats. I think I speak for everyone when I say today has been the best so far.

Later this evening, we had dinner on Cambodian time (eat your food when you get it; it could be five minutes, it could be an hour, depending on if they forget or not), then watched The Flute Player. It’s the story of a man who was involved in the Khmer Rouge, but has moved to the USA to teach classical Cambodian music. I think it is wonderful that somebody is making an effort to bring back Cambodian music in Cambodia and in the US. Shortly after that, we were off to bed.

--Martel

Flute Lesson & Market Shopping: Another Take

2012-01-05T03:30:00.000-08:00

Today we took flute lessons and went to the Russian Market. As a musician, I was very excited to take the music class. I’ve had no experience playing woodwind instruments, and had no idea what to expect out of the lesson, especially it being a foreign instrument with an instructor who didn’t speak much English. We took off fairly early in the morning and headed for master flute player Yim Chanthy’s house. We started off by playing through the scale for several minutes. Initially, it seemed easy, but then we realized that the flute changes tones depending on how hard you blow air through it, which made it more difficult than I had anticipated. Once Yim Chanthy thought we were ready to start learning, she quickly took off into the lesson. It was a fascinating experience trying to learn a song through watching her play it, using little to no language to help guide me.

Overall it was a worthwhile experience, however, I can't say any of us will become master flute players anytime soon. Being able to play some of the music we’ve been learning about has helped us wrap our minds around just how much of an art these musicians have mastered, and how imperative it is that the classical Cambodian music stays alive.

After the flute lesson, we took a short tuk-tuk ride to the Russian Market, and I can confidently say it was like no “market” I had experienced before. Between the hot, thick air and the market vendors swarming you with cheap goods to buy, it was impossible to have a relaxing day of shopping. It was however a wonderful experience. We all had a blast bargaining down gifts for our families back home and wandering through aisles upon aisles of booths selling things like cloth, films, fish, and even car parts! It was a day full of new experiences for all of us, but it’s these experiences that are making this trip such a wonderful once-in-a-lifetime experience.

~Maddie

The English School & Swimming!

2012-01-04T05:55:00.000-08:00

Today, January fourth, started off way too early as we set off on a bus ride to Kampot. 7 a.m. marked the start of our four-hour bus adventure, which was comfy but uneventful. Once we arrived in Kampot we got a quick meal and headed to the Chumkriel Language School, which we arrived at a half hour early. Once all the teachers and students arrived, the manager gathered us around the bulletin board to explain about the school. Once that was done we split into two groups, one that went with little kids and drew pictures and one that had a conversation with the older kids.

I was lucky enough to be in the group that drew pictures with the little kids. They were all so cute and they didn't speak much English, but every now and then they would look up at me, smiling and giggling. I tried to talk with the girl sitting next to me, and when that failed I talked to one of the teachers. It was a sad time when we had to leave, but we were all very happy when we arrived at the hotel. We walked in, and it was paradise: wood and grass huts on stilts in what looks like a mini jungle. We walked up to the bar to get our room keys and got shown to our little huts. In my hut is Maddie, Lilly, and Kessie. It is small but amazing! It has a bunk bed and a double bed, a hammock out on the porch and the shower out back. Once we were done exploring and changing we went swimming in the river where some interesting events happened. We all got to see Dyer, Dave and Stephen wearing traditional Cambodian kromahs, which are essentially skirts for swimming in.

Once the sun started to set we went on these flat boats. At first it was hard to balance, but once you were on it for a little, it was great. As it started getting dark, we walked back to our hotel and ordered food. It was another amazing day here in Cambodia!

~Mia S~

Flute Lesson & Market Shopping

2012-01-03T08:59:00.000-08:00

This morning, after a bit of a hectic breakfast, we climbed into our tuk-tuks and set off for our flute lesson. Although it was difficult to play with so many other people squeaking away on their own instruments at different times and speeds, most of us managed to learn at least half the song. The time afterwards was spent playing games and socializing with the several families living there. It was interesting to see the average living conditions here in Cambodia, which aren’t always great, but it seems the people who live here make the most of it. It’s amazing to me how, even though they may not have much themselves, the people we’ve met still go out of their way to make it comfortable for us.

We went for lunch and a shopping trip at the Russian Market, which was such a unique experience. All the heat from crowds and food stands was trapped inside, confined to the small paths that wound their way amongst numerous booths. The groups of twos and threes made their way around the mazes of stores and people on their own, eventually meeting back up again to head back to the guest house.

After a bit of work and rest time, we went to dinner and a short performance by Sinat, a master musician here in Cambodia. There was fantastic food and company, but eventually the tiredness took over and we all headed back to the guest house, only to do more packing and preparing for the early start the next day. Today was an adventure - and I’m sure tomorrow will be as well!

- Mia M

Countryside Day Trip

2012-01-02T08:06:00.000-08:00

Today we woke up from the home stays in “the building,” said our goodbyes, and took an hour-long ride the countryside south of Phnom Penh. The bus ride was crowded, hot, and at times even smelly.

We finally arrived at some old temples that are said to be over a thousand years old. Waiting at the entrance was a group of maybe 15 young children ages 6-17, all of whom where trying to sell us their flowers that they had just picked.

This was extremely tough for us to deny their adorable faces but we learned that giving money to the kids that live on the streets makes them believe that they should always make money that way.

This is definitely very different than America in many, many ways, but we will just have to get used to this.

~Matt

Student Reflections--first part of the trip

2012-01-02T07:42:00.000-08:00

Madisen shares her perspective on an early highlight.

Student Reflections--1st part of the trip

2012-01-02T06:56:00.000-08:00

Listen to a short video of Kessie sharing her early trip perspectives.

Home Stay

2012-01-01T19:28:00.000-08:00

Today we did the home stays. Matt, Piers, Adam and myself stayed with one family. The apartments we were in were located in a place called, “the building.” Just being at this place makes me think, “Maybe there’s some things Americans take for granted, such as a flushing toilet.” In this building live thousands of people and according to the hosts this how everyone lives. Earlier, when I asked them what they think America would be like, he said, “I think there would be nice houses and organized streets.” He is not too far off. This home stay was a powerful experience for me, something that shifted my perspective on my own needs and wants tremendously!

-Stephen

Performance Rehersal

2012-01-01T19:26:00.000-08:00

Today we went to two classes where the students did dances that to me seem native to Cambodia. They were able to contort their bodies (particularly their hands) in very cool poses. It was very strange to me that these kids were not self-conscious or scared of us just dropping in on their rehearsal. Some of the acts they did consisted of moves and interaction that to Americans could seem extremely weird and awkward. The strangeness highlighted my (and maybe others’) lack of open mindedness about art of this nature. It was refreshing to be around people that were open to different ideas and perspectives. It is definitely not something I’m used to.

-Piers

Tuol Seng Prison

2011-12-31T17:15:00.000-08:00

Today was aimed towards a serious type of a day. I was trying to brace my self for this experience that I knew I wouldn’t walk away laughing. We walked into the Toul Seng Genocide Memorial and we were handed a pamphlet to give us background knowledge on what went on in this prison / torture camp. This camp once was a high school, I couldn’t comprehend that this was a school like mine and I couldn’t help thinking what I would be like for this to happen to me. As I walked though the buildings, which were covered in barbwire, I could see the beds that people were tortured and killed in that very spot. The whole day was full of thought and sadness. It was a very unique experience and I will never forget it.

-Piers

Genocide Memorials

2011-12-31T07:51:00.000-08:00

Today we visited both the S-21 (Tuol Seng) Prison and the Killing Fields of the Khmer Rouge. (Between 1975-1979 the Pol Pot regime killed close to 2 million people.) It was a very intense and powerful experience to say the least. It is one thing to read about such tragedies, but a whole other thing to be exposed to the environment of the horrors that happened there. One thing that really struck me was the memorial at the killing fields, which is essentially a tower of real human skulls nearly three stories high. I found myself stuck staring up at these skulls, transfixed by the sheer numbers. The emotion such a memorial raises is indescribable. The realization that these were all once real people presses heavy on my chest. These people were all murdered, consumed by the thousands. No amount of documentaries or books can prepare you for that.

-Kessie

National Museum & Royal Palace

2011-12-30T17:17:00.000-08:00

Dec. 30, 2011

Y-A-W-N. Today everyone has been so tired and there's nothing better than waking up at 6:00 a.m. from construction when you're allowed to sleep in until 8:00. However, most of us managed to keep our eyes open for the entire day.

In the morning after eating breakfast at the guest house, we stopped at the ATM before heading off for the big day. First we went to the National Museum. The history of the country through thousand year old relics was told there. After that it was lunch at "Friends the Restaurant." It is connected with an orphanage and the waiters were orphans and their teachers. We took a tour of the Royal Palace which was amazing. In it was a statue of Buddha that was made entirely of gold and had over two thousand diamonds. Using our good math skills, we figured that if you melted down the statue it would be worth over $60 million!

We took a tuk-tuk to dinner where we met up with people from Cambodian Living Arts. There are an organization that helps bring traditional music, dance, film and art culture back to Cambodia. Back to the guesthouse, a little debrief and then to sleep. A FULL day.

-Martel

Visit to Royal Palace & National Museum

2011-12-30T07:27:00.000-08:00

Checking out the Royal Palace (the King is home...flag flying in the background)

In the garden of the Cambodian National Museum (Phnom Penh)

The Long Journey

2011-12-30T07:02:00.000-08:00

Well it’s day one at 11:15 p.m. and we’re in Cambodia! Right now we’re all sitting in the Golden Noura Villa (our hotel) waiting to go see what our rooms are like. We left Prescott at about 2:15 a.m. and caught our flight to L.A. We then took a 15-hour flight to Seoul, South Korea. The plane was awesome and super comfortable but the flight took WAAYY too long. After that we got on our last flight to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. We were then rushed through security, customs, and a huge crowd of people into the small confines of our Tuk-Tuk. Tuk-Tuk’s are the cambodian equivalent of a taxi. It’s a 4-seat, open cabin strapped to the back of a motorcycle. They were super fun! We drove through the city for about 20 minutes. The city was huge! Even at 11:00 p.m. the streets were crowded. Eventually we showed up at our villa and that’s where we are now!

~Adam Smith

We've made it!

2011-12-29T09:49:00.001-08:00

The flight weary but enthusiastic Northpoint students are safely tucked into their accommodations in downtown Phnom Penh (after an exhilarating tuk tuk ride from the airport.) It might take awhile to get used to the humidity though. We'll all have our flip flops on tomorrow!

You'll hear more from Adam and Martel shortly.

Heading to Cambodia

2011-12-22T13:00:00.000-08:00

Northpoint students will soon be traveling to Cambodia for an agenda-packed 15 day experience. The ten students on this trip will be writing a daily blog describing their experience. Follow these students and their group leaders as they share with the world their revelations! The group departs on Dec. 28 and returns to the U.S. on Jan. 12.

2011-05-22T14:18:00.000-07:00

So now, the hard part...how do you say goodbye after such an amazing experience? We started the process Saturday at the BBQ. It was a very nice gathering, and every family expressed to me, personally, how much they love our travelers. It's not hard to understand why. Enjoy the video of presenting the yearbooks and we'll see you Arizonans soon...

2011-05-21T07:02:00.000-07:00

So, we are coming down to the end of our trip and this weekend involves last minute shopping and touring, and even though many students dread it, the saying goodbye. We start this process tonight, with a BBQ on the river. Our travelers will present the 2010 yearbook (the year their hosts traveled to the US) to their host students, which I will try to capture on video and post on Sunday. Tomorrow is the last day with their families, and we will be meeting at the airport on Monday morning at 5.30am, Frankfurt time. After a long day of travel, we arrive in Phoenix at 6pm Monday evening and head back up the hill.

On our way back to Frankfurt

2011-05-21T04:16:00.000-07:00

Tacheles: on its way out?

2011-05-21T03:58:00.000-07:00

This place of art was originally a Jewish department store in 1908. I was very expensive to build. During the war, when the Jews were moved out, it served as a Nazi prison. After that it was taken over by artists, and when I say taken over I mean by artist squatters, and given the name Tacheles, which is a Yiddish word for "straight talk". The building has now been bought by a corporation, which is intent on forcing the artists out and turning it into a hotel. The most common question our travelers asked is "Don't we have enough hotels?"

2011-05-21T03:51:00.000-07:00

On our last day in Berlin we took a street art tour. Berlin has a history of political and social revolution, and it certainly shows in what we saw. For us, it really clarified the difference between graffiti (which says 'I was here') and street art (clever, witty political statements). We probably took about 300 pictures that day, so come to Expo to see more...

more Berlin...

2011-05-21T03:47:00.000-07:00

On the left in this photo is Leen, or British guide, who is one of the best story tellers I have ever hear. The kids wanted to bring all of our guides back with us. Dennis is on the other side of Jesse and Jan is the one with his feet sticking out in the road.

More in Berlin, including out Dutch guides and the DDR musuem

2011-05-21T03:39:00.000-07:00

Dennis and Jan are in this first photo. We thank Schoolclash for all their hard work and our terrific experience!

Walking tour of the city

2011-05-21T03:33:00.000-07:00

Train to Belrin and Hostel Alcatraz

2011-05-21T03:08:00.001-07:00

Hallo from tired and fabulous travelers

2011-05-18T14:34:00.000-07:00

Gutenabend from Berlin! Today was facsinating. We went to Sachenhausen, which was one of the first concentration camps and the model of the ideal death camp. It was a very heavy morning, and our group was impressively appropriately somber. While we were surrounded by other groups who at times seemed unaffected by our surroundings, every Northpointer felt it very deeply and personally. After leaving the camp, and when we could breathe again, we processed both our feelings and reactions in conversation, üparticularly grateful for the opportunites and freedoms we have. We lunched at Potsdamer Platz (my group devoured Asain fusion, YUM!) and spent the afternoon at the Jewish History Museum with a guide, and then to Turkish food for dinner. The group that we booked with Schoolclash has been fabulous and while we can't take Dennis, Leen and Jan with us, we are quite bonded to them. I HIGHLY recommend them to any school group traveling to Berlin, and will definitely use them for my Germany trip in 2013. Amazing people, and their organization has a very similar philosophy to NELA. They have been consistently impressed with the level of depth and care in our students, and I have to admit, I am proud of how this group has been representing our school, our state, and our country. Fabulous! Tomorrow, we go to see some more funky art in the morningand return to Frankfurt in the evening.

If you've been feelin a lack of images, it's because the hostel (Hostel Alcatraz, another great success!) are too slow for us to want to upload pics on...be patient and I'll post some soon!

Much love to all of our readers.

A word from Charlotte super late at night in Berlin

2011-05-17T13:55:00.000-07:00

So, today was so interesting and I don't think I have learned more then I did today. It took so long to process it all but I did take it in. SchoolClash is really great. Our tour guides our amazing and know where to go. They knew the right places to travel today. We went to this super awesome museum that was so interactive. It was about DDR. There was one section that sort of moved mer, even though it was in German. It was an interrigation room for the prisoners. You would put your elbows on the table in a certain spot and cover your ears with your hands. Then you would hear the interrigator voice talking normally over a speaker. All of the sudden you would feel a vibration and if you listened close enough if was the prisoner talking. It was so close to you, that I felt like I was the one being asked questions. Another thing we saw today was this building filled with layers of graffitti. But in a good way. In America if you see graffitti the first thing I think of is gangs. But here it was done in artistic way. (Yes it is the same place Lilly Billy talked about) But I would also like to mention that the building is trying to be torn down and turned in to some fancy mall or hotel. Some of the people in the building were actually bribed out for 1 million euro. I find that really fasinating. All of the art and donations and petitions there are all in support of these artist. Today was really great, but a lot of walking. Time for me to go to bed. Guten Nacht!!!!!!

Trails...

2011-05-17T13:47:00.000-07:00

Trails of tears following the footsteps of the one who forgot.

The ones who don't understand.
Towers of hatred.
Towers of memories.
The soft hand of freedom and entrapment.
Sounds of screams still shatter my ears.
Not from them but from those.
I loose myself inside the thoughts of others.
Holding back tears of trails of others.
They play like nothing happened.
Making the cut of sorrow deeper and more painful than any before.
Seeing only darkness when you open your eyes.
My eyes become shattered....

--Alec Belli (inspired by our trip to the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin)

A note from Lilly Billy

2011-05-17T13:28:00.000-07:00

Today was our first full day in Berlin. Its been so nice to be together as a group, and exchange stories about our times with our host families. Our wonderful tour guides took us to a few extremely interesting places, but one really stood out to me. Inside an old original 5 story building, local artists have put together seperate art exhibits of their very own work as well as others. The builing itself is a work of art, the inside walls and ceilings having been painted and drawn on in an ecclectic and weirdly appealing way. Every aritist has something different to bring to the table, from paintings and sculptures to jewelery and clothing, all of which are one of a kind pieces. The funkiness of the building and the altogether vibe of the gallery gave me a super fun and hip feeling that left me wanting more, and it really was hard for me to leave. I would love to come here again, and bring more people to see how absolutely amazing this place is.

A note for mom, from Alec

2011-05-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

Translated from Alec's Spartan-ese, this means, "Thank you, Mom, for raising me so well, and for all that you do for me. I truly appreciate you!"

Happy 16th Alec!!

2011-05-15T09:42:00.000-07:00

Alec's family (Karen, Deiter, Paul, Marie and in absentia, Max) threw him a birthday party. Great food and every American student came! I stayed for a short while and then left the party in the capable hands of his parents. Karen is a holistic therapist (mind, body and soul) and Kim, she wished you 'good vibrations". She loves your son! The cake was made by Grandma, who lives next door baked him a cake (she also baked one for his welcome).

Yoshi's perspective (Josh)

2011-05-15T06:17:00.000-07:00

Josh's views:

GERMANY VS. AMERICA

Germany

The Good Things:

In the 80s germany decided to grow its own food and not import genetically modified foods, making every thing here healthier, and much is organic
It is an international city with much diversity
Not much judgment at all
When deciding to create a law they look 6 or 7 years ahead instead of 2 or 3
When you ask for water they usualy bring carbonated instead of flat water
The history is much deeper then America
Everyone drives small cars

The Bad Things:

They always like to be ontime and are never late
The fastfood places here are like 2 stories high
The PT can be confusing

America

The Good Things:

Large diversity of people
Many diffrent types of food
American Football

The Bad Things:

The Philosophy is 'Bigger the Better'
Everyone competes with their neighbors
Never take the time to walk slow and enjoy the scenery
There is a lot more judgment
Very small history
Self-centered people
'Money is Everything'

Kati and Jesse in a 6th grade class

2011-05-13T12:31:00.000-07:00

.American students spend time in English classes, being interviewed and helping students with the language. This is one class that Kati and Jesse led. It was described as a bit 'wild' and I can see why, but the German kiddos, in my humble opinion, were just excited.

Group Shots

2011-05-13T12:24:00.001-07:00

We went to Taunus Therme, a spa with many kinds of pools, different temps and movements, many different ways to relax...this is the group after the spa day. I had a hard time just picking one...

Some random photos I ripped from Facebook

2011-05-13T11:56:00.000-07:00

Some of the kids are finding it easier to post pics on Facebook than send them to me, so I ripped a few for your viewing pleasure. Host families are keeping them incredibly busy (too busy?) so they've had little time for reflection. Hopefully I can get each to post some thoughts while we are in Berlin.

2011-05-11T15:54:00.000-07:00

All about food in Frankfurt, featuring Lilly, Dylan and Sam:

2011-05-09T14:05:00.000-07:00

Kati Says:

Some of my goals for this trip are to be more comfortable in who I am as well as establishing a pattern of international travel in my life. (This goal I think I will achieve easily since my experiences thus far have been incredible and the people I have met, unforgettable.) I also hoped to improve my German language skills, and what better way than to be fully immersed in the language as well as the culture! When I lay in bed at night, in complete silence, I find myself remembering the German words I learned that day and repeating them.

I have already learned so much in just the four days I have been here, I can't wait to learn more in the remainder of the time I have here. I think this trip has instilled a curiosity in me as well as a fire or passion for travelling and seeing these other cultures. And we are very fortunate that in the country of Germany, almost everyone speaks English very well. However, we should not take this for granted and remember how frustrated we are when immigrants come to America and don't speak English, yet when we travel we almost expect that they will speak English. I've notived that I learn and remember so much more if I struggle a little and then I get this amazing feeling of accomplishment instead of it just being easy.

At times I feel like I might be bothersome because I ask so many questions; some just in the form of "Was?", or "Was ist das?" or "Wie sagts man das en Deutsch?" (What? What is that? How do you say that in German?) or sometimes more complex questions. I am just so curious about the country in general and about the similarities and differences. I also love when people ask me questions about America or Arizona. I love how interested they are, as am I. One person that I met was asking so many questions and told me that his biggest dream was to go to the United States (Amerika). I think that we sometimes forget how fortunate we are and how many people want to live in America, not only people from third world countries either. I hope to leave behind a new perspective on America and continue answering questions for all who have them.

2011-05-09T13:56:00.000-07:00

A little taste of Serene's world:

Dylan's Saturday Adventure

2011-05-08T15:01:00.001-07:00

Saturday, Dylan's family took him to Oppenheim to a Renaissance Festival... Don't you agree that the variety of hats suits him?

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-07T15:43:00.000-07:00

die besten Wünsche zum Muttertag

(best wishes on Mother's day)

Note: We recorded on Friday at school, which means that your kids HAVE changed clothes since then and Jesse did NOT miss another day...We love all our mothers!

2011-05-06T14:04:00.000-07:00

This is Sam's house

2011-05-06T13:35:00.000-07:00

We are here, safe, sound, happy and ready to share our first impressions on showering, toilets, food, and greenery...not necessarily in that order. So far the entire group is adjusting well, taking acceptable risks and owning the experience. If you have any questions, please post them, and we will respond with what we think, feel and know.

To Frankfurt in May!

2011-04-28T17:34:00.000-07:00

And we're off again to Frankfurt! The 2011 Deutschland Austausch leaves Northpoint at 4:30am on Wednesday, May 4th. We'll be posting regularly between The 5th and 23rd of May, when we return, so check in on us for the latest pics.

Welcome to the blog!

2009-06-02T15:40:00.000-07:00

The official blog of the Northpoint travel Intensive to Germany is now complete. The entries show in reverse order so if you want to go chronologically through our trip, click on the 'older posts' link at the bottom of the page. The final entry is actually from 3 days before the trip ended, so you'll have to imagine our Nuremberg experience for yourself...

Enjoy!!!

Ravensbruck, May 22, 2009

2009-05-29T19:10:00.000-07:00

Ravensbruck was designed to hold 5,000 women, but the population grew to more than six times that number, and the living conditions and treatment rapidly deteriorated, Between May, 1939, and June, 1944, an estimated 43,000 women were brought to Ravensbrück. During the next nine months, an estimated 90,000 more came.

The most serious overcrowding occurred after the evacuation of Auschwitz in January, 1945, when an unknown but significant number of Jewish women arrived at Ravensbrück. Toward the end of the war, transports from Auschwitz and other camps in the East increased the population to its maximum, some 32,000 women. The conditions were unimaginable. Barracks built for 250 women later housed 1,500 or 2,000, with three to four to a bed. Thousands of women did not even have part of a bed, and were lying on the floor, without even a blanket. When 500 Jewish women arrived from Hungary in the fall of 1944, they were placed in a huge tent with a straw floor and died in masses. The tent was placed there because of overcrowding caused by the arrival of 12,000 women with children exhiled from Warsaw and the Warsaw Uprising of August 1944. Testimony indicates 5 women were placed in one shelf in the barracks.

The prisoners were organized into categories, each with a distinctive colorcoded triangle, as well as by nationality. Political prisoners (including resistance fighters and Soviet prisonersofwar) wore red triangles; Jehovah's Witnesses wore purple triangles; "asocials" (including lesbians, prostitutes, and Gypsies) wore black triangles; and criminals (common criminals or those who broke Nazi imposed laws) wore green triangles. Jewish women wore yellow triangles, but if they were also political prisoners, they wore a red triangle and yellow triangle that formed a Star of David, or a yellow stripe on top of the red triangle. A letter within the triangle signified the prisoner's nationality. There was a separate adjacent camp that held about 20,000 men.

Exact statistics are impossible to obtain, because the Nazis burned many records before they fled. The camp memorial's estimated figure of 132,000 includes about 48,500 Polish women, the largest national group imprisoned in the camp. There were 28,000 women from the Soviet Union, almost 24,000 from Germany and Austria, nearly 8,000 French women, and thousands from other countries in Europe. There were even British and American women imprisoned at the camp. Approximately 117,000 did not survive. While no exact records are available, an estimated twenty percent of the total population was Jewishmore than 20,000 women.

The site of Ravensbrück concentration camp is just outside the town of Fürstenberg, Germany and is 55 miles from Berlin. The area is secluded but has excellent rail connections to Berlin and is known as a boating resort. Perhaps these geographical features, in addition to new housing, were an enticement to the SS (Schutzstaffel [storm troopers]) to work at Ravensbrück.

We stayed in former SS housing while at Ravensbruck, overnight on May 22 and leaving in the afternon, May 23, 2009.

Touring Berlin in the rain

2009-05-28T19:48:00.001-07:00

On a rainy, but not particularly cold, day in Berlin, we met Gigi (about an hour late) outside of the train station. Our bags were checked into the 3 Little Pigs Hostel and we were mostly ready for a walking tour. Gigi made it interesting and purposeful, and before we knew it, we had walked two hours in the rain, and learned an immense amount about Berlin. Here are some images including: The Memorial to Victims of War, which stunned many of us in it's design and simplicity; The Memorial to books burned in Nazi bookburning riots, which some of us had seen an exhibit at yavapai College last year. The memorial is an open window in the ground to a large empy room with white shelves devoid of books; The Brandenberg Gate, which was undergoing a transformation for a major celebration, The Holocaust Memorial in Berlin, which was a series of concrete pillars and paths that we explored individually; The site of the former Berlin Wall, includine remaining wall, and the bricked lines in the ground all alond the last half of our tour; Checkpoint Charlie, and more...

Leaving Frankfurt

2009-05-28T19:37:00.000-07:00

When we left Frankfurt on the 21st, it was very hard for most students (and host families) to say goodbye. Hugs, tears and a late entry onto the train caused us to nearly miss our reservations (they only hold for 10 minutes, and we had 1st class booths. We troubleshooted how to do it quicker, and more efficiently, and by the end of the 5day travel around Germany trip, we were a well oiled machine.

Justin's pics 2

2009-05-28T19:27:00.001-07:00

Justin's pics

2009-05-28T19:17:00.001-07:00

Here are some of Justin's pics

touching base

2009-05-24T14:08:00.001-07:00

Just a check in...we are far too busy taking it all in to stop and post pictures, but rest assured that they are coming. We'll be traveling back to frankfurt tomorrow and flying back early the next day. See you in Phoenix on Tuesday!!!!!

Starting to say goodbye

2009-05-20T17:00:00.001-07:00

This was the beginning of saying goodbye. On Tuesday (we leave Frankfurt Thursday) the students had a BBQ and gave a present of a NELA yearbook to each of their German Hosts, which was signed by everyone in the travel group. This is pretty good stuff...

More pics of the fun forest

2009-05-20T15:30:00.001-07:00

This last pic is of your two trip leaders, alive, well and enjoying the day!

THE FUN FOREST

2009-05-20T15:24:00.000-07:00

Man was this fun!!! I highly suggest it for anyone in the area.

Book binding day

2009-05-20T14:28:00.000-07:00

This Monday, we worked with a professional book binder in the "paper room" at Ernst-Reuter. Each of us made beautiful books with images to represent each letter of the alphabet. Ask to see these. They are amazing, and show great crafsmanship. I;m definitely taking some new ideas home about final products.

presentations in classes

2009-05-20T14:22:00.000-07:00

These pics are a little old (about a week, but everything is moving quickly here). These presentations are to the 7th grade English classes last week. Each NELA student spoke about a different topic and then we broke into conversation groups. All of our kids were great representives of NELA and America. All the rest of the week I heard about how much the German teachers (teachers of English and otherwise) enjoy this group of exchange students.

May 21-26 plans

2009-05-19T16:07:00.000-07:00

NORTHPOINT TRAVELS- GERMANY- PART TWO

Thursday May 21

*This is a German holiday, some services will be closed*

6:00- Breakfast and room check for missed items

7:45- Meet at McDonalds near Hauptbanhoff train station

8:00- Load train (8:13 departure)

8:13 to 12:21- Train, journals, alphabet books, sleep

12:30- Walk to hostel (Three Little Pigs) 20 minutes

12:50- Hostel check-in and drop bags

1:00- Lunch

2:50- Train to Berlin Walking Tour meeting point (Gigi)

3:15 to 5:15- Berlin Walking Tour with English speaking guide

5:15-7:30- Dinner and strolling the sights of Berlin

7:30- Hostel time

10:00- Lights out

ALL TIMES AND EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Friday May 22

7:00- Breakfast and final packing

7:30- Depart hostel (bags in storage)

7:30 to 11:30- Berlin sight seeing

11:30- Lunch

12:00- Pick up bags from hostel, go to train

12:30- Train to Furstenburg (12:43 departure)

1:45- Taxi to Ravensbruk (Zummer Taxi)

2:15- Hostel check-in and drop bags

3:00- Ravensbruk guided walking tour with English speaking guide

5:00- Tour Main Camp on your own

6:00- Dinner at Ravensbruk Hostel

7:00- Free time in and around hostel

9:00- Berlin discussion and voting

10:00- Lights out

ALL TIMES AND EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Saturday May 23

7:30- Breakfast and packing

8:00- Depart hostel

8:30- Board train to Berlin (8:45 departure)

9:45- Arrive Berlin- locker or carry bags (TBD)

10:00 to 12:00- Tour selected sights

!2:00- Lunch

12:30- Train to Nurnberg (2:58 departure)

6:00- Dinner on train

7:30- Arrive Nurnberg

7:30- Uphill walk to hostel

8:00- Nurnberg Hostel check-in and drop bags

8:30- Blu Nacht evening group event

11:00- Lights out

ALL TIMES AND EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Sunday May 24

*As with all Sundays in Germany, many businesses will be closed*

9:00- Breakfast

9:30- Group tour of Nurnburg sights including Nazi Headquarters, Toy Museum, Torture Museum and much more!

Flexible schedule (lunch and dinner provided)

10:00- Lights out

ALL TIMES AND EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Monday May 25

9:00- Breakfast and packing

9:30- Assignment wrap up and school work time

10:30- Bags in storage

10:30- Group tour

Flexible schedule (lunch and dinner provided)

3:00- Pick up bags from hostel

4:30- Travel to train station

5:00- Train to Frankfurt (5:00 departure)

7:00- Arrive Frankfurt

7:15- Check in EasyBed 24 Hostel

7:30- Dinner in downtown Frankfurt with group

8:30 to 9:30- Free time in pairs

10:00- Lights out

ALL TIMES AND EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Tuesday May 26

5:00- Leave hostel for train station

5:15- Airport for check in

7:00- Breakfast

8:00- Flight departs for USA

2:00- Arrive Phoenix, AZ, USA

ALL TIMES AND EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Some notes for the next 3 days

2009-05-18T14:33:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

A couple of changes and reminders...We will have our goodbye party tomorrow at a different place than originally planned. Mrs. Holitzky will give your German hosts details tomorrow.

If you still needed to show me pictures or albums, please bring them tomorrow.

Our train leaves Thursday morning at 8:13 am. Please be at the main train station Hautbahnhof, at 7:45 am in front of the McDonalds.

Thanks.

This is where Becky stays...

2009-05-18T07:02:00.001-07:00

Important: A reminder about tmrw's assignment

2009-05-17T04:23:00.000-07:00

Hello:

Please remember that Monday at school we MUST HAVE your photos printed for the alphabet book. These can be any size (as long as subject is clear) and can not be back to back. You will be cutting and pasting these into a hand-made, personally bound book.

You MUST show up with these printed photos ready. There is no option here. Get this taken care of, make phone calls, make arrangements, you have had a week to get this ready.

Thanks for your cooperation in completing this and many other assignments. Please remember that your participation in this Intensive is a graded and credit based course. The expectations include journal entries, assignments, photo posts, interviews and much more. Completion of all requests will certainly support your grade and credit.

Geneva Saint-Amour

Ernst Reuter Schule Images

2009-05-16T18:27:00.000-07:00

This is the school we attend, and really, have come to love. We'll all be sad to leave it next week. It is quite large, and serves about 2,000 kids, grades 5-13. The NELA kids all have it figured out, but I am still getting lost there...

2009-05-16T18:18:00.001-07:00

Becky shares these images she took around Frankfurt. Feel free to ask her why...If you leave comments on the blog, she can comment back about these photos.

What the Travelers think of Germany

2009-05-15T10:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a video interview with the traveling students. Each pair was asked to choose 2 of 4 interview questions to address for this piece. The options were:

1) Share some facts or information you believe Americans should know about Germany or its people.

2) Talk to each other about the things you have in common with German teens and or your host.

3) Discuss some of the foods or meals you have experienced in Germany.

4) Wish your mother a “Happy Mother’s Day” and discuss what you did on Mother’s day or local customs on this special day.

Our German hosts had quite a time while watching this. This video is totally uncut, and may contain some factual errors. For example, Nutella is not chocolate, peanut butter and cream cheese, instead it is a chocolate/hazelnut spread. The video does, however, share the perspective of this group of kids...Enjoy!

Assignment for Wednesday

2009-05-10T12:44:00.001-07:00

When: Wednesday, May 13, 2009

What: Alphabet Book Scavenger Hunt

Where: Ernst Reuter Schule—Nordwestzentrum—and the park in between…

Who: Of course, you can talk to each other, but this task is individual

Bring: Digital camera, NELA memory stick, personal belongings

Why: On Monday, May 18^th, you will be working with Sigmar Ohme, who is a teacher at Ernst Reuter and a professional book binder. In order to “fill the pages,” you will complete this assignment by finding things that will represent each letter and also reveal your personality and preferences.

Please include selections from the following list:

Favorite brand of shoes
Lucky number
Best hairstyle
Most unique outfit
Favorite musical group/artist
Favorite plant
Strangest food
Tastiest food
Listening to music
Coolest clothing
Texting
Favorite color
Abstract image
Fountain or water feature
Musical instrument
Favorite pet
Something you cannot find in the USA
Cellphone
Rendition or representation of the German flag
Rendition or representation of the USA flag
Elderly person
Your new favorite word
The car you would like to take home with you
Young person
Live animal
Representation of beauty
Representation of hideousness or disgust
An example of scarfing (wearing
German signs (exits, pets, U-bahn, etc.)

Remember: it is not necessary to be literal in each of your pictures. Have fun with it! For example, your favorite type of pet may be a ferret, which is not legal to own in Germany. Instead I could find a stuffed animal, a paw print, something the same color, a person who is acting like or looks like a ferret, etc.

Additional journal topics for the week of May 11th:

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1) What did you do this weekend? What is the one thing that you don’t want to forget?

2) How has your communication with your host family changed this week? What have you learned about the way you communicate with others?

3) What have you learned, in general, about yourself?

Schedule for the next few weeks

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Plan for the next two weeks:

Monday, May 11:

8:30 am: Meet in Crew

10:30 am: American presentations in 7^th grade English classes at Ernst Reuter Schule

11:30 pm: Meet at the Pogibonsai for an American lunch journey)

2:00 pm: Meet your hosts at Nordwestzentrum to return home

Tuesday, May 12:

8:30 am: Meet at school and join 10G class in a trip to the Senckenberg Natural History Museum in downtown Frankfurt am Main.

1:00 pm: Lunch with American group on the river

2:30 pm: Meet your host at school to return home

Wednesday, May 13:

8:30 Meet at school

9:00 Alphabet Book Scavenger Hunt (your camera must be able to hold 26 photos)

**you must print this work by Sunday-find a printer)

Lunch on your own!

Enjoy your freedom—German-teenager-style (within a safe and familiar environment)

2:30 Meet your host at school/Nordwestzentrum (your choice, talk to your host) to return home

Thursday, May 14:

Regular school with your host. Check the schedule in Building H for details.

Meet at City Hall (stay tuned for more information)

Friday, May 15:

8:30am Meet at Pogibonsai, depart for Bad Homburg (swimming/spa day)

2:30pm Meet your host student at school for return home

Saturday and Sunday, May 16 and 17:

Host family activities

Monday, May 18:

Regular school day with your host (check the schedule in Building H)

Tuesday, May 19:

Regular school with host

Goodbye party at 5pm (planned by host families, look for more info soon)

Wednesday, May 20:

Climbing with hosts and other students (high ropes course, zip-lines, etc.)

Thursday, May 21:

Travel to Berlin

Stay at 3 Little Pigs Hostel

Friday, May 22:

Guided walking tour of Berlin

Stay at Ravensbruck, site of former women’s concentration camp

Saturday, May 23:

Berlin—Educational tour of Ravensbruck

Travel to Nuremburg, stay at Hostel Nuremburg

Experience Blaue Nacht

Sunday, May 24:

Visit Nuremburg Museums and Old Town; also Documentation Centre Nazi Party Rally Grounds

Monday, May 25:

Travel from Nuremburg to Frankfurt

Stay in Hostel/hotel in Frankfurt

Tuesday, May 26:

Leave for airport at 5am

Depart Frankfurt at 8:25am for Phoenix, via Chicago

A few other interesting images from downtown

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The trees that line this street are quite Suessical to me.

The ancient bathhouse ruins has walls from both the 11th and 16th centuries built on top of eachother!

Udo, the husband of Claudia, our exchange host, says that the poster isn't a translation error...it is art.

Also, our students are already wishing we had more time here. They don't think 3 1/2 weeks is enough!

Some interesting sights from Frankfurt

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One thing I am finding quite interesting about Frankfurt is the combination between old and new. Here are some pictures of the Frankfurt skyline which may help you see what I mean.

You can also see how entertained we are with public transportation...

Lindsey's pics

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Here are some pictures from Lindsey...home and after school activities...

More pics from Sylvia

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Sylvia's pics

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Pictures from Sylvia...at home and around town

At our check in today...

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I learned some interesting thins from our kids today:

1. This group travels well, and isn't hesitant to jump right in to their "new" lives.
2. Some attended school yesterday, even though they didn't have to.
3. Everyone feels very welcomed by their host families.
4. Paxton wonders why she practiced German when her host family's first language is Greek.
5. Lindsey does not enjoy non-alcoholic beer, but tried to choke it down to be polite at the dinner table.
6. Sylvia loves her lavender room.
7. Justin attended a Boy Scout meeting last night which did not remind him of his own meetings.
8. Cody and Justin have not actually talked to their parents yet. (Hopefully they have by the time this post is published).
9. These kids are amazing!
10. Traveling takes more out of me than it used to when I was a student!

More arrival pics

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Arriving

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As we arrived in Germany and deplaned, there was a quick 1 minute complaint session about traveling in confined quarters for such a long time. In essence, we had a 12 hour flight, because in Chicago, we had precisely enough time to run to our gate and get on the next plane. These kids are troopers, after our 1 minute session was over, we truly moved on. Next was going through customs, and I think the agents had a good time with our group. Lots of smiles and nervous laughter, and a palpable excitement. While waiting for baggage, we talked about last minute stuff including a codeword for any strange feelings about their host families. No one used the code word, and pretty soon all were off with their new families.

more pics of us leaving...

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It's even harder to leave Phoenix (our flight is delayed by 2 hours). Luckily they're holding our Chicago to Frankfurt flight for us, so we should still arrive around 10:30 on the 5th...I guess we all will wait and see.

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It's hard to say goodbye to our families, but we are ready to go!!!!

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Questions from Parents:

Departure
What time are the students to meet Monday morning? Meet at 6:45 am Monday 5/4, leave at 7.
Where are the students to meet Monday morning? At Shuttle U, corner of Montezuma and Merrit
Should they pack any food for Monday before boarding? Definitely. Students are responsible for feeding themselves during the airline portions of the trip. Should also have a refillable water bottle.

On arrival in Frankfurt
Who is meeting the students at the airport/ or are you taking Frankfurt Transportation? German host families will pick up the students and take them home.
How will the transports be paid for if needed? Student money/ group fund? Any time we travel as a group, I’ll pay the fees from the group fund. The German families take care of this one.
Will you take them to exchange money immediately or will they need to be prepared to not have Euros for a day or so? The kids won’t need much in the way of money in the first few days, but I intend to hand out Euros to keep them in school lunches and such for the first week, while they figure out how to access money. If we need to have a group session in accessing cash, we’ll do that.
The hand out said debit card, travel cash and phone card. Do you definitely want all 3 of the listed items ? Kids need cash to travel with on the first leg of the trip—plane travel. They could either have cash or debit for the remainder of the trip, your choice. As far as a phone card goes, it will enable your child to call home. It’s not completely necessary since they can use my phone to call home from about every 4-5 days.
Will they be going directly to a 6 hour school day? No, they’ll go home with their German families.
Will they get fed before going to school that day? they’ll get breakfast before they go to school the next day.
Can they change clothes after a long ride on the plane before getting to school? :) yes.
How much additional money should students bring if any? $100-$150 per week, though they really don’t need to spend any during the homestay portion.
What are your total costs per student as of today? This may help families decide how much additional money to send. Everyone I’ve talked to who’s done this kind of trip says that the kids will want access to at least $100/week.
Who is handling medication for the plane ride? Geneva and/or I will. Hopefully everyone brings in their Medical Release card on Monday, so I have all the info I need. Anyone on meds needs to bring them in the original bottles.

Can you write a brief overview of what is planned so far, i.e.
students with host families May 5 through May 21,
meeting check in with Melissa on May 6, 8, 11 and May 15,
Depart Host families on May 21 in the morning,

You said you would email emergency cell phone numbers for both you and Geneva the first day.
Got those numbers yesterday: I'd rather not post them publicaly, so get them from me before we leave, or email me for them.

--Melissa Wagoner

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Notice: There was a typo in the last entry, we leave at 7am, not 8.

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Are you all packed and ready? According to my countdown calendar, we have 8 days, 8 hours and 50 minutes to go...

Mandatory Travelers' Meeting, Wednesday 4/29 at 1:10 in Wagoner's room.

We leave from Shuttle U on Montezuma promptly at 8am on the 4th. Be there by 6:45.

Frankfurt am Main, here we come.

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Only two weeks to go...

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14 days and counting!