At this time, we have all of our visiting students matched up with wonderful families but will have additional opportunities in January 2011. Email Gemma Utting at gutting@riverstoneschool.org if you are interested in hosting at a future time.

Check out this video from Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, about the importance of American families hosting exchange students: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRP3PbaE-cA

1. You have to ask, “Is 4,800 meters very high?”

2.  That cute little “garter snake” is actually a viper.

3.  Hut?!  Chalet is more like it.

4.  Showers?!?

5.  ”Hurry…we’re going to miss the train back to the trailhead.”

6. No bagels. Only baguettes.

7.  Wait that’s not a deer, that’s an ibex!

8.  That peak over there is in Italy and the one over there is in Switzerland.

9.  Instead of an SNRA wilderness permit, you have to remember to bring your passport.

10.   After 8 miles of hiking and an increase in altitude of 1000+ meters, you come around a bend in the trail and a Ferrari speeds past. (I have the photo to prove it and will post later.)

Great times in the French Alps!!

Ben

Hello!

We arrived to beautiful weather in Chamonix yesterday and have taken advantage of a sunny forecast to travel via cable car to the Aguille du Midi. Right now we’re at 3842 meters (2787 meters above Chamonix) looking at Mont Blanc, and the French and Italian Alps. Truly stunning! Kids can’t wait to start learning some mountaineering skills!

The photo is taken from the top station of the Mont Blanc cable car (Aiguille du Midi).

Ben

Here’s a fun follow up to the list of highlights I sent earlier. It’s a

pretty good cross-section of the things you learn when you’re out of

your element…

Sarah S – It would be great to have a more efficient public

transportation system in Boise; Europe’s system is great.

Elena – Don’t let the little things distract you from the big

picture…if you’re hungry, remember that you’re hungry in SWITZERLAND!!

Maddi – Mountains here are STEEP.

Alex – When travelling in a large group, it’s very important to be alert

all the time.

Tatjana – By making junk food more expensive and harder to find, people

will eat a lot less of it.

Lydia – Just living here is exercise…there don’t seem to be a need

for gyms because people walk everywhere.

Sarah C – People eat A LOT of bread and can actually live on baguettes.

Chris – Soccer really is everywhere.

Stearne – Public transportation is everywhere – buses, subway, trains,

trams, cog trains, bikes…all make it easier to get around.

Asher – Trains are a very cool way to travel.

Reagan – Can’t imagine a Europe without the Euro. Changing money

everywhere would have been very difficult.

Lucas – Sleep when you have the chance.

Jon – Security at border crossings is a lot looser but security at

museums is a lot more strict.

Dylan – Weather can change on a daily/hourly basis.

Coleman – Fanny packs are still in style?!?

Paul – In Paris you can find a 3-course meal for 10 euro right across

the street from a shop with a 10 euro milk shake.

Ryan – If you want to understand a culture you have to understand

their public transportation.

Sam – Expect for your expectations about people/places to be wrong.

Remy – Seeing the Mona Lisa, priceless. Climbing the Eiffel tower,

priceless. Hiking in the Swiss Alps, priceless.  Shopping in any store

in Switzerland, definitely not priceless.

Ryan – European nations are very culturally diverse despite their

small size – Geneva, Switzerland seems French, but a short train ride

away, Wengen seems very German.

Austin – 1. Tiny cars really are practical. 2. Always have a couple

francs/euros in your pocket in case you need to pay to use a bathroom.

Christine – 1. Finally understands caffeine and chocolate addictions

2. Europe on $5 a day doesn’t exist anymore but Europe on 2 hours of

sleep a day does.

Tarrah – Public transportation with large groups is easier than

expected and, reservations are the way to go.

Matt – European culture is much more different than American culture

than I expected.  Traveling to South America the difference was

expected, but the differences here were suprising.

Ben -  1. People in Europe use small spaces very effectively – kitchen

gardens are everywhere, a kitchen/office/dining/living/bed room really

does exist.

AND

2. Riverstone students travel well ANYWHERE!

Riverstone at the United Nations.

We just had an amazing tour of the UN in Geneva. Our guide was wonderful.

A diplomat in the making; young, well spoken (in 7 languages!), hard

to keep up with in the hallways, captivating and spoke to the kids in

a language they could understand. So happy they were able to work us in!

A postcard is on its way…..

Ben

Dear all,

Finally. Safe and sound in Lausanne. Kids were very excited to see

green grass in the courtyards at the youth hostel and immediately

started juggling a soccer ball that appeared out of nowhere.  Will

walk along Lac Leman this evening.

Ben

Of course, the rain does not help visiting Les Alpes….

We had a wonderful day in Versailles.  Students had the opportunity to wander the palace and gardens for a number of hours, pondering all that has taken place in that very location.  We spoke about the different historical events, people, and celebrations. We finished the day with a nice dinner in Versailles.

Tonight we have a full agenda of LAUNDRY before heading towards Switzerland in the morning.

What a great six days in Paris.

We can’t wait to get a feel for another country, culture and city!

Christine, Jane, Ben, Matt and Tarrah & crew!!!!

Doing laundry. Life long learning in action. You have no idea how much fun this was!

Palais de Versailles, Paris

Remy – hanging out with friends in a cafe in Paris

Sarah – beautiful canals in Amsterdam

Paul – tiny neighborhood of Montmartre

Ryan Sandeen – weinerschnitzel in Amsterdam

Alex Rose – view of Paris from Sacre Coeur cathedral

Coleman – buildings along the canals in Amsterdam

Asher – being back in Amsterdam after 4 years and walking the twisting

alleys

Elena – being face to face with the Van Gogh self-portrait in the Musee

d’Orsay

Chris – the ease of crisscrossing Europe via train. One train ride

three countries!

Tatjana – seeing the Eiffel Tower light up in the early evening and

the quite inside the Notre Dame cathedral

Lydia – the intimate nature of Montmartre and the Sacre Couer.

Dylan – being on top of the Eiffel Tower

Sam – jamming into crowded metros

Maddi – Paris nightlife

Stearne – tiny cups of coffee in the cafes

Reagan – first view of the Eiffel Tower (after coming out of the

Trocadero metro stop)

Ryan g – speaking French with people

Lucas – seeing Paris from the Eiffel Tower

Jon – the relaxed atmosphere of Amsterdam (compared to the hustle

bustle of Paris) and the walkable nature of the city. Calm.

Sara Chu – being able to communicate with people in French. Feeling

more connected to the culture with less of a language barrier

Austin – immense size and beauty and immaculate preservation of Sacre

Coeur.

Had a great evening. After dinner we walked up the hill to Sacre Coeur

and were able to walk through the cathedral and sit down for a while

in silence and marvel at the sheer size and absolute magnificence of

the place. Students couldn’t belive their eyes and Paul and Asher went

back in as the rest of the group marveled at the view of Paris spread

out below. After a quick spin through the streets of Monmarte and “the

best ice cream in the world” we hit the metro and were amazed by how

much Laumiere, our final metro stop at the hotel, has come to feel

like home.

Good luck to the seniors from all of us!  We’re praying for good

weather!

Ben

Sacre Coeur

Today, before starting work on our projects we decided to try another

art project in honor of our unit on transcending borders.  Our

classmates and colleagues toured Amsterdam yesterday.  Today, we

attempted to recreate Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring” as a

small way of connecting with their experiences in the Netherlands.

We think the results are pretty true to the original.  We also

enjoyed some Belgian almond cookies and French ecoliers.  Everybody

is now hard at work – pouring over rubrics, staging scenes, producing

video reflections on their projects and other sundry tasks.  All are

in high spirits and wish everyone well.

Andy

At the Eiffel Tower

After a very long travel day yesterday, the group had a later start today. The itinerary involved a walking tour of the Artists’ quarter and Musee d’Orsay.

Here is a quick update from Ben:

Kids loved the Musee d’Orsay…Elena was particularly excited to see

works from some of her favorite artists and I couldn’t pull myself

away from one of the Seurats.  Rain this morning but skies have

cleared and kids are doing a bit of shopping. They are actually in an

internet cafe right now so hopefully parents will hear from their kids soon!

Thought everyone would like to see this pic of us on a bridge over the

Seine. Towers of Notre Dame are in the background.

Will update with pics again soon!

Ben

At Notre Dame

at the Arc de Triomphe

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