Day 12 - Amsterdam Netherlands

Today was one of the best days so far. We awoke and went into a nearby town where we watched a husband/wife team make wooden shoes and Dutch Gouda Cheese. Seems like quite a combination, but it works for them. The shoes were beautiful and the cheese was excellent. I bought 3 types which they vacuumed sealed for transport into the USA. The most unique thing about the husband/wife team was that he is from the Netherlands and the wife is from the USA. She loves having the American People to People groups come in.

Next we drove into Amsterdam and walked to the Hard Rock Cafe for lunch. Afterwards, we had a long walk to the river boat harbor. We took a canal cruise, which ended up leaving late. We were going to miss our reservation time at the Ann Frank's House, but our delegation manager talked our canal cruise captain into dropping us off at her doorstep.

We had a gentleman (Huib) talk to us about Ann Frank and her family/life/home. It was very enlightening and educational. Then we got to walk through her "house". It's amazing that she was able to deal with the things she went through.

Now the kids are outside in a grassy area in front of the hotel playing soccer and throwing frisbees. They all agree that it was a GREAT day!!!

Day 11 - Utrecht Netherlands

Again, another travel day. We departed Koblenz fairly early and headed to Cologne. There we spent time at the Cathedral and then had a little time for shopping. Then we had a pretty long bus ride to Utrecht. Nothing exciting happened, which was welcomed after the port-a-potty incident from the day before.

Day 10 - Koblenz Germany

Today was one of those ever so lovely travel days. We picked up the students from their home stays. Some enjoyed it more than others, but ALL survived it. We had one minor medical incident with a student from another group. She hit her self with a door and chipped her front tooth. All was repaired by the time we got back together. You can't even tell that anything happened when looking at her. That's a major thing at this age.

After we all had our small reunion, we were off to our first stop of the day - Ruedesheim. Here we had lunch and then took a small hike (that's our delegation manager's adjective - to us it was long, and ALL uphill. But the kids had fun) to a monument at the top of a mountain vineyard where they could look down at the town. It was a beautiful view.

Again, there was a small incident while trekking through the vineyard. A student got turned over while in a port-a-potty. Only with junior high students does something like that happen. Luckily the student was unharmed, just maybe a tad smelly.

We left Ruedesheim via a river cruise down the Rhine River. We ended the day at our hotel in Koblenz Germany where we stayed for one night.

Day 8-9 - Home Stay Germany

Since this blog is about the students and we are not together during the home stays, I will not be adding anything for days 8 and 9.

Day 7 - Home Stay Germany

This morning our group got to spend a typical Saturday at a German swimming pool. There were so many people there! It was fun and I can see how someone could make an entire day out of it. There was a HUGE lawn area to put out towels and belongings before going into the pool. The pool had a kiddie pool and a regular one. Each had their own water slides attached. Some students took advantage while others just enjoyed the sun and time to relax!

After pool time, students were given 6 euros and broken up into small groups in order to find lunch. They enjoyed the time to explore.

Next we did a city quest. Students were given questions whose answers were hidden on signs and monuments and such around the city. They enjoyed this as well. It encouraged them to connect with the locals.

One of the best parts of the program is the chance for students to participate in a home stay. This is where local families take in our students for a couple of days to immerse them in the German culture. For this home stay, our students are staying with a student (approximately their age) from a local school. All the students were placed by themselves, so they were quite nervous (understandably). Our students will get the chance to go to school with their German brother/sister on Monday. I've been told the school will make a big production out of the whole thing. I'm sure our kids will have a fabulous time!

We leaders are given home stays as well, when possible. We stay with teachers from the same school. I'm guessing not many teachers want to participate, because only one of us got a home stay this year. It wasn't me. Instead, me and a 2nd leader have been put up in a hotel in the same town as half of our group, while the other 2 leaders with no home stay are in a different town with the remainder of our students. We need to be close in case they have any type of emergency or need us in any way.

So, Don (the 2nd leader in my hotel) and I got to explore a little of Mannheim Germany on our own this evening. We walked down to the main gathering place and ordered authentic German food and enjoyed the light breeze while sitting outside. It was quite entertaining. The Germans had just won their round against Argentina in the World Cup. There were cars driving around the square honking, people haning out screaming and blowing horns while waving German flags. I don't think we get quite that excited about soccer in America. I can only compare it to our Super Bowl. But now having ever lived in a town with a winning Super Bowl team, that's only an assuption on my part.

Anyhow, the kids will enjoy their first evening in their German homes I'm sure. I have a feeling they'll get to see quite a bit of soccer while here as well.

Don't worry parents, we are close by if needed. But, since this blog is mainily about what our GROUP is doing, I will not update it until Tuesday, when we all get back together as a delegation. Farewell till then, or as they say in Germany, Auf Wiedersehen!

Day 6 - Heidelberg Germany

Today was a full day for our group. We began with breakfast at the hotel in Freiburg. Then we completed our second service project at a local cemetary. The students broke up into groups. Two groups cleaned the "floor" of the cemetary by gathering the mowed grass and taking it to a certain area while the third group cleaned the stone wall of the cemetary. While working, a German lady who worked in the States for a while and knew English stopped some of our students to talk with them. She thanked them for all that they were doing. The kids enjoyed chatting with her and you could really see the appreciation in the lady's face and words.

Then it was off to Heidelberg. It was quite a long drive. We stopped in a small village for lunch on the way. Homemade pasta with carmelized onions and grated cheese on top.

Once we arrived in Heidelburg, we went to a birds of prey show. It was very interesting. We got to see how owls, different breeds of falcoms, and a baby bald eagle were trained.

Dinner was in the center of Heidelberg and I must say was very good. At least I thought so. We had a typical german meal of Flammkuchen. It was almost a tortilla like pizza, but much better!

Tomorrow - Home Stays!

Day 5 - Scoul, Switzerland to Freiburg, Germany

Today was mainly a travel day. We left Scoul and headed to Freiburg Germany. We drove down the Swiss Alps on our way out of the valley. It was a beautiful site. the students kept wanting to get out of the bus and touch the patches of "snow".

Our main stop today was here in Freiburg at the Black Forest Cuckoo Clock factory! It was very interesting and educational. I enjoyed the presentation and loved seeing all the types of cuckoo clocks there are. But my heavens, who knew they cost so much!!

Tomorrow we head to Heidelburg Germany!