Dear Mothers,
Here is a special message from all of us! Hope you have an amazing day and thank you again for letting us travel to Germany!
Happy Mothers Day!
Sunday, May 13, 2018
Saturday, May 12, 2018
Side trip to Luxembourg
Sometimes, things are quiet enough that Zinni and Wagoner get to take a side trip. This year we chose to do a day trip on the four day weekend to Luxembourg City. Luxembourg is a tiny country (smaller than Rhode Island) which is part of the Schengen agreement, and therefore has no need for an additional visa. There is no border control between Germany and Luxembourg. This made it perfect for a low hassle day trip, and we each got to add a new country to our list of places in the world visited. We were were also in France for about 45 seconds, but I'm not sure that counts. Stops for breakfast in Konigslautern (K-Town), and Dinner in Trier.
We took Tony and Lauren with us and had an epically great day!
Lauren reports: Luxembourg was wonderful and magical! The bright green trees surrounding the old city buildings made it seem like a fairy tale. I loved exploring the city, visiting the art museum and the graveyard. I appreciate my trip to Luxembourg and I would love to visit again.
Tony says: Luxembourg was a beautiful little retreat in the middle of Europe that I'll never forget. The bridges and overall architecture were incredible to see and the green forests and creeks below, were even better. My fondest memory of the town was a quiet graveyard I got to sit down and enjoy. Here I had time to clear my mind and reminisce on all that I got to experience throughout this trip. I'm really happy I got to experience a true European town and the beautiful scenery Luxembourg had to offer.
The four of us really enjoyed the experience and want to share some of our photos.
We took Tony and Lauren with us and had an epically great day!
Lauren reports: Luxembourg was wonderful and magical! The bright green trees surrounding the old city buildings made it seem like a fairy tale. I loved exploring the city, visiting the art museum and the graveyard. I appreciate my trip to Luxembourg and I would love to visit again.
Tony says: Luxembourg was a beautiful little retreat in the middle of Europe that I'll never forget. The bridges and overall architecture were incredible to see and the green forests and creeks below, were even better. My fondest memory of the town was a quiet graveyard I got to sit down and enjoy. Here I had time to clear my mind and reminisce on all that I got to experience throughout this trip. I'm really happy I got to experience a true European town and the beautiful scenery Luxembourg had to offer.
The four of us really enjoyed the experience and want to share some of our photos.
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Reflection on the school experience
Crew looks quite the same in Germany as it does at home. See the circling up? We use our Crew time to discuss our plans, reflect on the discomfort of living in someone else's home, and laugh at ourselves.
Having attended German school classes at Ernst Reuter Schule II over the last week, we asked the travelers to reflect on the experience. This is what they said. (Keep in mind that these are reflections on experience, not abject fact.
My classes are fun and there are so many classes that they have and we don’t at Northpoint. The teachers are pretty different and cool and they teach math a different way.—Cecilia
The atmosphere with all grades is very diverse and very intriguing. Classes are small like Northpoint and the hands on idea of learning is very prominent throughout each grade. There is a lot of one on one teacher action and the kids always seemed to be engaged in all grades I have witnessed.—Avery
Every day their schedules are different. Their school days also start and end at different times. It brings variety but inconsistency—Shawn K
School here feels a bit more relaxed but in classes they are very intense and seem much harder. I really love the diversity cultures in our school and Frankfurt in general.—Hara
The classes in Frankfurt are extremely different than at Northpoint, it seems like at ERS2 the students are engaged by listening rather than talking. However, the school is really nice and I wouldn't mind going there!—Madelyn
Students are a lot more loud and rowdy and teachers are a lot more forgiving of students getting really loud. The school is a lot bigger and a lot of students attend it but they don’t have as advanced technology as other schools. Example: they still all use chalkboards and a way older version of windows.—Tony
From what I’ve seen, the teaching style of a lot of teachers is focused more around lectures while still to engage the students as much as possible. I like that they have longer breaks, because it seems like you can have a reset & be ready for your next class. I like the campus, very green and colorful, and I love the indoor light through the large windows in the classrooms!—Marie
The people are great. And most of the teachers are very kind and funny. It’s has been very interesting and fun going into the English classes and taking the the kids. They are always so great and, most of the time, ask so many good questions. It’s always astonishing to hear some of them speak fluent English knowing they also speak German.—Sophia
ERS2 is very big school unlike Northpoint, they have open campus which is amazing !—Josie
ERS2 has huge windows in the classrooms that look out on beautiful green trees! I love working with the younger students who are learning english and answering their cute and goofy questions about me and America.—Lauren
Attending ERS2 has really been an eye opener, i’ve gone through my entire life knowing only the American school system and to see the differences but also the similarities is very cool. It reminds me more of Northpoint than I thought it would.—ShawnG
ERSII has a block period system with students staying in class for one hour and 30 minutes where they participate in two lessons with a five minute break in-between. There is then a 20 minute break in-between blocks. This allows for some R&R that can keep students engaged and ready for their next classes. The students of all grades are very surprised and interested to hear about our small town and school experiences. The classes always have a big reaction when hearing that Northpoint has a total of ten teachers.—Justin
The school here is very strange. Their schedules are inconsistent and change all the time. It’s much bigger than any school I’ve ever been to so I get lost easily. But I like that they have long breaks in between some classes and have an open campus.—Autumn
The school system as a whole is so different from America because there are 13 years and you can drop out at tenth, opting out for an internship directly in the working world. This is very interesting and I think the USA should experiment with programs like these. --Cyrus
Having attended German school classes at Ernst Reuter Schule II over the last week, we asked the travelers to reflect on the experience. This is what they said. (Keep in mind that these are reflections on experience, not abject fact.
My classes are fun and there are so many classes that they have and we don’t at Northpoint. The teachers are pretty different and cool and they teach math a different way.—Cecilia
The atmosphere with all grades is very diverse and very intriguing. Classes are small like Northpoint and the hands on idea of learning is very prominent throughout each grade. There is a lot of one on one teacher action and the kids always seemed to be engaged in all grades I have witnessed.—Avery
Every day their schedules are different. Their school days also start and end at different times. It brings variety but inconsistency—Shawn K
School here feels a bit more relaxed but in classes they are very intense and seem much harder. I really love the diversity cultures in our school and Frankfurt in general.—Hara
The classes in Frankfurt are extremely different than at Northpoint, it seems like at ERS2 the students are engaged by listening rather than talking. However, the school is really nice and I wouldn't mind going there!—Madelyn
Students are a lot more loud and rowdy and teachers are a lot more forgiving of students getting really loud. The school is a lot bigger and a lot of students attend it but they don’t have as advanced technology as other schools. Example: they still all use chalkboards and a way older version of windows.—Tony
From what I’ve seen, the teaching style of a lot of teachers is focused more around lectures while still to engage the students as much as possible. I like that they have longer breaks, because it seems like you can have a reset & be ready for your next class. I like the campus, very green and colorful, and I love the indoor light through the large windows in the classrooms!—Marie
The people are great. And most of the teachers are very kind and funny. It’s has been very interesting and fun going into the English classes and taking the the kids. They are always so great and, most of the time, ask so many good questions. It’s always astonishing to hear some of them speak fluent English knowing they also speak German.—Sophia
ERS2 is very big school unlike Northpoint, they have open campus which is amazing !—Josie
ERS2 has huge windows in the classrooms that look out on beautiful green trees! I love working with the younger students who are learning english and answering their cute and goofy questions about me and America.—Lauren
Attending ERS2 has really been an eye opener, i’ve gone through my entire life knowing only the American school system and to see the differences but also the similarities is very cool. It reminds me more of Northpoint than I thought it would.—ShawnG
ERSII has a block period system with students staying in class for one hour and 30 minutes where they participate in two lessons with a five minute break in-between. There is then a 20 minute break in-between blocks. This allows for some R&R that can keep students engaged and ready for their next classes. The students of all grades are very surprised and interested to hear about our small town and school experiences. The classes always have a big reaction when hearing that Northpoint has a total of ten teachers.—Justin
The school here is very strange. Their schedules are inconsistent and change all the time. It’s much bigger than any school I’ve ever been to so I get lost easily. But I like that they have long breaks in between some classes and have an open campus.—Autumn
The school system as a whole is so different from America because there are 13 years and you can drop out at tenth, opting out for an internship directly in the working world. This is very interesting and I think the USA should experiment with programs like these. --Cyrus
Monday, May 7, 2018
Fun Forest
Yesterday we went to the Fun Forest where we challenged ourselves to different levels on the ropes course! Check out the video to see our students taking risks!
Fun Forest Video
Sunday, May 6, 2018
Night at the Museums
Every year in May, which we are lucky enough to be in town for, there is an event called Night of the Museums. It is downtown, packed, (and I mean PACKED) with people, and offers entry into over 40 museums for only 14 Euro. There is live music, street food, and performances. Many kids came down, and although not many pics were taken, all enjoyed the evening.
Frankfurt Skyline and Cityscape:
Pics inside the Dom (super old Catholic church):
Pics from the Jewish History Museum--This is in the first floor and basement of a modern building-when they found the remains of a Jewish Ghetto from the 1400s, there was massive protest intended to preserve them and the stories of those who lived there. The compromise was made to make the first floor and basement of the building a Jewish History Museum, and build on top of it without destroying what remained. The wall of small stones represents each person who was displaced and deported to death camps, with blank stones interspersed to acknowledge those whose stories are lost.
Frankfurt Skyline and Cityscape:
Basquiat, one of Lauren, Zinni and my favorite artists was exhibited.
The Senkenberg Natural History Museum:
Performances at The Zoo:
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