TC, reading that paragraph when you were all loading up the bus at 3.15am to leave Valencia, I was almost as sad as your students might have been that this trip report was soon to end.
I enjoyed reading it very much !Thanks for a super job well done. You are an exceptional teacher and all your students are fortunate to have the benefit of your teaching.

See you later this summer.

M.

Thanks everyone for your wonderful, encouraging comments. I really did enjoy creating this travel report. I've never been much of a diary keeper, but this supportive group of Fodorites really has made a difference.

cw, to respond to your query about the two lads who left the hotel in Sitges without permission. They did spend the next day sitting at the front of the bus, then very close to us on our walking tour of Valencia. They were not allowed to join us at the late night fireworks.

Upon our return to school, parents were contacted and the suspension was discussed. The official basis for the suspension was to be "Opposition to Authority" and the two of them certainly qualified. Both sets of parents were involved in discussions and my administration felt that their lesson had been learned. The chaperones had made their point and there may not have been any great purpose to giving them more days out of class (since they had already missed six days of class while on the trip).

I was satisfied with the final decision. The boys were relieved.

Planning for Egypt 2009 is essentially complete. We depart from Detroit on March 6, 2009. Participants are getting excited. This time we take many more adults - about 8 and 42 students at last count. Also, many more girls going than boys (Yes, I am relieved).

Thanks again to everyone for your kind comments. I do look forward to meeting many of you in August.

Hi teacherCanada,

Really enjoyed the trip report! Are you using the same company for planning the Egypt trip?

Thanks.

Hi Scotlib

Thanks for asking about the tour company we will use for Egypt in 2009.

The short answer is ... no. There are a few reasons why we chose a different service provider.

1. Mariden International (the company we used for Europe) does have a series of tours in Egypt that they promote in their brochure. One of the head honchos at Mariden (Mario) has spent a year living in Egypt and has escorted many tours there. He says they have good connections in Egypt. We chose not to use them, not because I was afraid we wouldn't be well-served, but because I didn't feel they had the "ground support" necessary in Egypt. Their price was a bit higher than I wanted to pay. Months ago when I asked Mariden to provide a price quote to us, it took nearly a month for him to respond. In short, I didn't think they had the experience to give me the "comfort zone" I needed to take 42 teenagers to this culturally different country.

2. We worked with a travel provider called A-Z Tours out of Vancouver BC last time we travelled to Egypt in 2005. They did an exceptional job of planning and caring for us every minute of the day and night. I can't speak highly enough of them. I trust them. Just as an aside, my school board requires we use travel professionals and also that they be registered with the BBB or equivalent and carry the requisite $2 million in liability insurance. A-Z Tours has a sister company called Euroworld (same owners) and we are using Euroworld this time because of the insurance issue. Euroworld's co-owner is Khaled Azzam and A-Z/Euroworld has an office in Cairo with full time staff that would provide immediate assistance to any needs we might have. I suspect Mariden would contract out our needs. In 2005, Avril Betts (the other co-owner), travelled with us for the full 15 days to ensure we were well cared for. Talk about service!

3. I believe that loyalty is something very special in the travel business. From their work in 2005 they deserved our repeat business. Also, they already know what I try to accomplish as a tour organizer so my job is easier. For example, we had trip t shirts made for all our travellers in 2005 with our itinerary on the back and our trip map on the front. At the top on the front we had "Travelling in Peace from Canada" printed in Arabic so locals would welcome us. The travel company did all the translating and ensured we wouldn't offend anyone anywhere with a local dialect translation etc. They really went the extra mile.

Will we use Mariden again. Yes, absolutely.

A-Z/Euroworld specializes in Egypt. I want a specialist to plan our trip.

Sorry my answer is so long.

BRAVO!!!!

yipper

I find this is a sensible decision, TeacherCanada. Egypt can be very pleasant but also is a whole different culture and when problems arise they are not as easy to solve for someone who is not into the way they do things. It's better to be on the safe side (specially with a rather big group) with someone who knows how things work there so you just have to get there and enjoy such a wonderful place

Wow. What a fabulous trip and thank you for taking the time and care to share it. I agree with the post that suggested you write a book. I am sure there is the potential for MANY entertaining short stories! Or one long adventure!

I have never wanted to travel to Spain, but you have opened my eyes and will have to add it to my wish list!
Thank you, Teacher Canada!

I was wondering if you thought of printing out the report and providing it to the students and their families? They might enjoy reading your acct since most of the time when you ask a teenager what they saw they reply in grunts and groans....

sandi_travelnut
Good thought. I had created the trip report for this forum. Since I have virtual anonymity in this format, I could be very honest about our activities and my transgressions. I have my original version in a Word document, so it would be easy to filter it for local consumption.

Next week I will be handing out a dvd with about 1000 of my pictures in digital form to all participants. We will also create and distribute an 8 x 10 of the best group shot (which was taken on the steps of the Palais des Papes) to each participant. I can add my edited record of the trip to be given to the parents. Thanks for your good idea.

Thanks for the update on the eventually non-suspended students. I think that was the right decision.

I, too, think your report should be distributed. Also, is there a magazine for teachers that would publish a version of the report? I really think it would be quite useful as a model for class trips, especially for those that have no experience.

Again, thanks.

One more thing I wanted to bring up. After every trip, I create a book from www.mypublisher.com instead of scrapbooking or whatever. This could be another option to providing a CD of images but would require you to do the work and them to pay for the book..but next time it could be built into the cost of the trip.

Well, the school year is winding down and I am clearing my desk of my miniature Eiffel Tower, pyramids, pink flamingo pen and a Toronto Raptors miniature basketball (which is really a stress relief squeezy ball). The copies of my pix on dvd's have been distributed to students with instructions that they be given to Mothers and Fathers. This way the parents can see what we did and where we went. I asked students to give me a copy of their digital pix so that I could create a "master album" of the trip. About 7 have given me their photos. I will now create a memory book that can be used at parent teacher nights and to promote future trips.

The Egypt trip is 266 days away. We now have 40 students and 8 adults travelling together. The group of students looks wonderful and I know the parents will be supportive.

To all of you who are involved in education I wish you a wonderful summer that gives you rewards and energizes you enough to come back to the classroom "ready to rock" in the fall.

TC,
Just wanted to say thanks for sharing your trip report on this forum. I was smiling through the entire thread and really enjoyed all the adventures and surprises along the way. In fact, I almost felt like I was on the trip too!

As a fellow teacher, I understand the awesome responsbility of (safely) taking 40+ teenagers to foreign lands. I am sure that you and your capable staff have instilled a sense of wonder in your students and many will have now been bitten by the travel bug.

You mentioned that various people were given gifts/cards as a way of saying thanks. I wonder if your students did anything for you and the chaperones?

Looking forward to your Egyptian adventures!

Wow, cant wait to read your Egypt report. Please ensure you let us on the Europe board know its posted!

Sandyblandy

Thanks for mentioning the topic of gifts. When we travel I carry about 600 little lapel pins with the Canada flag on the display side. Each day, each student is given 2 or 3 and it is their responsibility to put them on their lapel and offer them to people they meet who may help them somehow. This can be either directions to the washroom, or help in a store or just offering a flag pin to a youngster that is waiting in line with us for some attraction. The purpose of the pins is foremost to identify us as Canadians and secondly to provide a means to have our students engage in conversations with locals or other tourists. We have found this process to be enormously successful. Nearly all students hand out the pins.

This year we also purchased 500 ball point pens which had our school name and "Learning outside the classroom" embossed on the side. We handed some of these out, but students weren't as thrilled with the pens as I thought they would be. Regardless, we will take the leftovers (about 250) to Egypt in March. I remember from last time how popular we were when we handed out pens.

Further to the gift idea, we take items that are relevant to Canada to hand out to bus drivers, helpful hotel staff and restauranteurs. We carry extra tshirts that we have custom made for us and distribute those. We brought a

Whoops, my fingers are faster than I thought. We brought a Canada maple leaf hat for our guide etc.

In the past, chaperones have received acknowledgement from student travellers with a few gifts and group pictures. We have also had cards from grateful parents who understand the trials and tribulations of escorting students on trips like this.

This past trip was one for the record books. Great times were had by all. We didn't have a "Back in Canada" party like we've had in the past where we share photos and stories - and there has been no opportunity for any sort of formal acknowledgement from the participants or parents. I know they are deeply appreciative and I know we have opened their eyes to the world beyond the county line. That makes it worthwhile for me.

jamikins:

Our trip to Egypt in March 2009 is firmly planned now. It is a large group to take (about 40 students), but we are travelling with more parents than ever before. I am sure that will make it easier for us. I hadn't anticipated writing a trip report for Egypt 2009, but I think it is quite "doable". Thank you for suggesting it would be an appreciated item for this forum.

One of my strongest memories of our last trip to Egypt was during our Nile cruise when we were delayed at the temple (I think it was Edfu) by the horses and carriages. We arrived back at the Nile River to watch our cruise boat pulling away from the dock and all our students on the top deck waving goodbye, laughing and screaming to us. My compatriot teacher and I were on the dockside while all our students (and the other adults) continued on the cruise. While Joe and I were counting our money to see if we had enough to take a train to the next stop, our guide was able to convince the captain of the boat to do a quick circle in the river and come back for us. Another opportunity for gray hair to sprout.

teach,
i have only read your trip report until your departure to avignon but felt compelled to write.
these kids are so lucky to have you. this trip with you will remain in their minds all their lives.
i will use your paris tips for my trip with my 16 year old.
it is awesome that you had the kids take ownership of this trip with 'ask the expert'. so far, i am the only one researching our trip in april. but once 2009 arrives, i hope to use something similar for my daughter.
now, i will continue to avignon...something to look forward to....

love love love love your report and the gracious way you handled the trip, the kids and most importantly your personal life.
i will read this again at leisure and savour it.
my condolences on the loss of your mother. i hope the rest of the year is smoother.

abranz

Thank you so much for your kind comments. As you can likely glean from the trip report, I really enjoy the challenges and rewards that come with escorting student travel groups.

We were blessed with a group that generally knew right from wrong - and that made our time together much easier.

Our planning was made so much easier with the use of this travel board. People are so generous with their advice and support.

If there is anything I can do to provide you with assistance, please don't hesitate to contact me at the following: cooperfam1 at yahoo.ca and I will be pleased to help.

By the way, only 176 days before we board the airplane on our way to Egypt. I can't wait.

Just discovered this trip report.

I'm just amazed and in admiration of TravelCanada. Not only did he had a daunting task to begin with, but he went to the extra extra extra step (like the surprise spa, or details like the pins to hand out). I don't want to begin to imagine how much work must have been done to prepare such a trip.

The kids, their parents and your school are incredibly lucky to have someone like you willing to organize school trips in faraway countries.

Once again, I'm amazed.