Last day in Crete - by Ms. Sacchetti

Our morning began with a “last class” to round out the last requirements for their gr. 12 English credit. Our students valiantly worked through the temptations of the beach and sea-salty air that was already filled with the delicious smells of toasties and milkshakes yet to be made.

We then began our wait for the bus to the ferry docks. Students were creative in their last use of free time along the sea shore: hanging out in the lobby on their laptops, taking a last swim in the pool and lounging on the deck, walking into town to buy last-minute gifts for relatives and friends, eating copious amounts of gyros, crepes, baguettes and toasties (Kate P. and Brie were quite distraught over the prospect of a toastie-less Toronto), and sleeping on any and all flat surfaces that were vacant. Some students said one last goodbye to the beach (as did Mr. Downer, Mr. Reid and myself), and relished the beautiful weather and refreshing ocean waves. Also, a few of us paid a goodbye visit to George and Melissa, our friends at the Five Melleniums jewellery store in the lobby of the hotel, and Manolis at his Creta Natura olive oil/honey store, from which we’ve all purchased gifts over the course of our stay here.

It was sad to say goodbye to Agios Nikolaus, and a little sad to think that in a few days I’d be saying goodbye to my students.   One of the highlights of my day was extensive conversation with Fabio about the apparently stylish, lens-less, gold wire glasses he had cherished for a few days, but had discarded that morning. To quote Fab: “It turned out they were really ugly.” It was also fun to watch Sean wear his snorkel mask all day, including on the bus to the ferry, because he had “nowhere to put it!”

And even though Tyson left me hanging after he promised to carry my laptop case on board (thanks to Mr. Reid who stepped up), at least Mallory and I didn’t almost get run over by a motorcycle between the two luggage trucks on the docks. Again.

As ISUs were handed in and exam prep was commencing, all of us were happy with the work we’ve done and, I think, just about ready to go home to our families. 

Going to miss this lifestyle...

Monday July 23rd & Tuesday July 24^th

Being here in Crete is always very relaxing, though we don’t go a day without a couple surprises!  Monday started off normal with class at 8:30.  Then during the 15-minute break we run to the store just outside of the hotel to get probably one of the best milkshakes I have ever had.  Then with 3 minutes left till the end of break we run back to class hoping Ms. Sacchetti isn’t mad at us for being the last to show up in class.  We spend the rest of class working on our essays so we can make time for the beach.  Right after class a group of us get our bathing suits on and head to the beach; the good thing about a stone beach as appose to a sand beach is that you don’t get sand everywhere.  Although some of us would spend the whole day at the beach slowly turning into a tomato, others take a break and get another milkshake (they’re seriously addictive) and a sandwich for lunch.   This leaves just enough time for us to head back to the hotel pool to work on our essays some more before dinner.  Dinner as usual is amazing; every night there is a different themed food, which gives us all a chance to try something other than pizza, pasta, and greek salad, although tonight was Italian night.  After we have all finished dinner, a small group of us walk through town and do a little gift shopping and stop at a fish spa.  A fish spa is where you can soak your feet in a box filled with tiny fish and water that eat away the dead skin, though I wouldn’t recommend it to someone with ticklish feet.  We end the night with a dessert crepe and a milkshake (this is just getting ridiculous), and head to our rooms and get ready for bed.  Just before we go to bed we sit on the balcony overlooking the ocean listening to the musical entertainment coming from the hotel pool deck.  It is hard to believe we leave Crete in only a couple days although I know everyone is starting to miss their parents at least a little bit.

Katherine and Kate

A relaxing and successful Sunday in Greece

Everyday we spend on the beautiful island of Crete only gets better. Some of the girls took part in a belly dancing class taught by one of the teachers, Ms. Sacchetti. We had a blast and are looking forward to a few more days of this. With count down to the end of the trip beginning, everyone wants to take advantage of the sun. Many students spent their afternoon working on their ISU’s at the beach or by the pool. Evenyone loves Toodleokies for its amazing toasties! As exam time approaches everyone is busy studying and working hard in order to ensure strong grades. Not to mention that we will all be prepared for math next year because of all the shopping everyone has done. Overall, the food, the town and the people have been amazing and wrapping up our journey will be difficult to do. We are all going to miss the friendships we have made on this trip, as well as the delicious chocolate cake found at the dinner buffet; it might be the best cake ever made.

Elaine and Leah R

Saturday July 21 2012 Blog

Julia and Kayla

        On our fourth day in Crete we enjoyed a delicious breakfast varying in a wide selection of fruits, cereals, pancakes, eggs and meats. We then headed off to our morning class were we had spare time to finish revising our Julius Caesar essays and type out our good copies. We then took a short break to grab snacks and socialize with one another. After returning from our break we were introduced to Greek mythology and the idea of how stories told lessons in life. To finish off the end of our class we began reading our final novel, Oedipus the King, where we discovered unusual aspects of life that are very different from the way we portray modern day life. After class we all headed to grab lunch at local café’s. Some of us immediately headed off to the pool and beach to soak up the hot Crete sun while the rest joined Ms. Sacchetti at four o’clock for a belly dancing class in the hotel gym for an hour. As six thirty grew near we were all dressed up and ready once again for an amazing dinner at the hotel restaurant and a night on the town.

   

Crete continues to be beautiful

Friday July 20, 2012

Day 3 in Crete was another beautiful day by the sea. After a short morning class working on Julius Caesar essays, over half the students went for a day at the water park. The rest stayed back to continue working on their essays and sat by the pool/beach. The water park was full of steep slides, rushing water and of course, speedos. Everyone had a blast on the various slides and attractions. Some spent their day as dare devils, ripping around the park, while others sat in the sun slowly coasting through the lazy river. And to finish off another day in paradise, students and teachers sat down to a lovely local meal; buffet style. 

Some great pictures

Thurs July 19, 2012

We started off our morning waking up to the beautiful sunrise in Crete, it’s absolutely amazing. We ate at the breakfast buffet at the resort which varied from bacon and eggs to pancakes and fruit, simply delicious. Today class was extended until 1 because we had to miss class time to leave early for excursions. Before break we went over essay writing skills for our upcoming Julius Caesar essay and in the second half of class we watched 2 videos about Greek mythology with Mr. Reid’s class then we had conferences to discuss our final essay. After all the work, then comes the play. Everyone hit the pool and got some wicked tans and maybe even a burn or two….For lunch we headed down beside our hotel where there is a really good sandwich shop. Continuing on, we walked downtown looking at all the amazing and wonderful shops, the amount of jewellery makes us want to spend so much money! By this time we’re getting hungry so we headed back to the hotel to get cleaned up and go to BBQ buffet which was the theme for the night! We filled up quickly on corn, chicken, sausage and baby hamburgers. This wasn’t even the best part; dessert was J. We ate so many pastries with chocolate soufflé fillings, even took a couple to go. After dinner, we came back to our room to work on our homework and watch movies. All in all an excellent relaxing day and can’t wait for the water park tomorrow. J  

Brie & Rachel 

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

            Today, we woke up from our overnight cruise on the ferry and arrived in Crete.  After our hearty breakfast, we left the ship and embarked on a tour in Knossos.  It was extremely hot; however, being the keen and educated students we are, we paid close attention throughout and learned many historical and cultural facts about the area.  Luckily, we were able to avoid most of the heat as we finished our tour before 10:00 A.M.  We then departed towards the Iberostar Hermes Hotel.  Our first impressions of the hotel and its surrounding area were that the food was amazing, the view was incredible and the locals were very inviting and affable.  After enjoying the nice weather and extensive buffet, we went out and explored the town.  We then came home to some upbeat Greek music, which filled our ears with joyous sounds of euphoria.  Later on, we did some English work and finally retired to our beds to gain energy for the next arduous day.

Monday July 16, 2012:

The day started peacefully with classes being held in the hotel`s board rooms. Knowledge was exchanged and lives were changed. The day continued into the break where young adults scrambled to gather their precious belongings into small satchels which they would take aboard a ferry to Crete. Decisions were made valued items were left behind. The ability of some female students to pack an entire change of wardrobe into a bag the size of a thimble amazes me every time I witness it. The group then boarded a bus and continued onto the museum. There we witness cultural and artistic marvels of the ancient world. The students basked in the history and skill that was present, the majority of which was lost on Tyson as it was apparently his goal to wander aimlessly around the halls. Tensions ran high while patience wore thin as the group struggled to maintain the semblance of attention as the tour guide spoke. Finally the group emerged victorious as the trial of the museum came to an end. The group was then carted to the famous Athenian flea market where many a deal was to be had. Of course Tyson was immediately cheated out of his money all the while being completely oblivious to the skills of bargaining. The group then met outside the market to continue their journey.  There we were assaulted by two ten year old girls who commandeered a cup of ice and began to launch the frozen projectiles at the group. Tyson was naturally the focus of their hatred as he has a detestable personality. After a brief dinner the group was taken by bus to the location of a majestic ferry whose duty was to bring us safely from Athens to Crete. The luggage was labelled and stored while much the same process was applied to the passengers. To my dismay I was rooming with Tyson. I steeled myself for a night of annoyance and horrors. The group settled into their cabins the size of teacups and the emerged from below decks to witness the departure of the ferry. The beauty and grace of the shore was lost upon me as Tyson`s ugly mug was constantly in my line of sight. With the memory of Athens still lingering in our heads we laid them down to rest in our matchbox rooms and drifted off into sleep, dreaming of adventures yet to be had. 

Creatively compiled by Shaan Mehta and Tyson Zehr (but mostly by Shaan) ;)

Sunday July 15^th 2012:

On this day we went to the San Callisto Catacombs and we saw many of the ancient tombs.  Although many of the bodies are not still there today-- due to the excavators of the past having destroyed the tombs searching for valuables and treasures-- the experience was still very eerie.  There are only a few remaining intact bodies. The tomb consists of only Christians and the earliest Popes.  After the visit and tour of the Catacombs we then arrived at the airport in Rome and then boarded our flight to Athens.  The plane ride to Athens was 2 hours long.  When we arrived in Athens we took our motor coach bus to our hotel. The hotel we stayed at was called Hotel Stanley, and it overlooked a small square that featured a large bronze statue of Icarus (from Greek mythology). After arrival at the hotel we then had our first meal in Greece.  Then after dinner we had a well-deserved rest.

Leah C. and Ivana V. T. 

Our last day in Roma bella...

Today the majority of the students went to the Vatican to visit the museum, Sistine chapel and St Peter's Basilica, while others stayed back and enjoyed some free time touring the streets of Rome. The Vatican itself was beautiful and full of grandeur with students standing in awe of all the art work and symbolism. The artistic skills and architectural details of each of the buildings were amazing. It was truly one of the most amazing churches in the world. After touring various parts of the Vatican, some stayed back and climbed the cupola to see the amazing view, while the rest went back and enjoyed some free time before dinner. Overall we had a remarkable day. Tomorrow, after our very interesting classes we have free time for the entire afternoon, which I’m sure everyone will enjoy with a bit of shopping! 


Written by Brittany & Amy

After a flight into Athens and then an overnight boat ride we have arrived in Crete, our very own paradise. The students had the opportunity to settle into their rooms, take a swim in the ocean or dive in the pool, and are diligently working on their homework assignments. The sun was bright and the weather was very hot but luckily there was a gentle breeze that helped to cool the air. There are a few posts that are yet to come and I will upload some great stories and pictures as soon as they come my way. For now, just know that we are all safe, full from an amazing buffet traditional Greek cuisine and taking some time to relax and catch up on reading and essay writing. 

The Roman Forum and The Colosseum

Today, in class we started reading William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar Act I Scenes I and II. The book
has already started off well and is exciting to read. After class we had the opportunity to have these
lovely ladies from the laundry mat take care of all of our dirty clothes and they had them all finished by 7
p.m. A relief for many because the smell was getting pretty ripe!! The whole group enjoyed the tour of
the Forum and the Colosseum. We had a graceful harvest of pizza, bruschetta, and the always delicious
cake. We had a guest appearance by the one and only Georgia Hardy and we thank her so much for this
amazing experience and the delicious gelato she bought us after the meal. It was a great time today with
everyone.

By: Jordan Pengelly and Christian Rivest.

When in Rome...

Today started off as a travel day as we moved from to Sperlonga to our exciting next destination, Rome! After settling in and grabbing a bite to eat, we set off on a walking tour to explore Rome. Our first stop was the Spanish Steps where we were given time to take pictures and climb the historical steps. As we continued through the hectic roads of Rome we stopped at the **Trevi fountain** to take pictures and take part in the regular tradition of throwing coins into the fountain! If you throw in one coin you’ll return to Rome, two coins you’ll find love and three coins you’ll marry that love. Most of the girls all threw in three, of course! From there we toured the area more stopping at many historical landmarks such as the Pantheon and **Bernini’s fountain** in Piazza Navona, enjoying gelato and coffee along the way! It was a tiring but eventful day; we saw many beautiful sights and cannot wait to further explore the amazing city of Rome!

Andrea Barrett and Sarah Begna

Sperlonga

Today was our last day in Sperlonga. We started off the day with a quality breakfast at the hotel
restaurant. We then went off to participate in our daily four hour long class learning about the famous
Italian poetry and finishing our group seminars on the great novel Lives of the Saints. We then didn’t
want to waste any time so right away we went to visit the beautiful beach shore in Sperlonga for the
very last time. After spending a nice time at the beach we then moved to the hotel pool where we
played an intense game of pool “quidditch” and tanned in the hot Sperlonga sun. After this we got ready
for another extravagant dinner at the hotel restaurant. To end our final night in Sperlonga packed our
bags and went out grab some gelato.

- Sailor Gang

- Reda & Conner

Pompeii

Yesterday, around 30 of us took a trip down to the excavated ruins of Pompeii. We enjoyed a delicious pizza lunch in Naples then went in to tour the ancient city. After that, we tested our endurance and strength in a walk up Mt. Vesuvius. It was tough, but all of us made it up there to see the spectacular view both inside the volcano and out toward the city and countryside. We came back safely, although completely exhausted, to the hotel for a late dinner, and hopefully everyone slept very well last night.

Sperlonga - July 8th

Today certain students woke up at 6:00 to go for a scenic run through the beautiful town of Sperlonga. It was truly a breath taking experience (the view, not the running). By 7:45 the whole group met up in the Hotel Ristorante for a traditional Italian breakfast, which consisted of dairy, pastries, and many flavorful items. From breakfast, we migrated to our new classrooms in a conference room of the hotel. Ms.Saccheti’s and Mr.Reid’s class combined in the conference room and Mr.Downer’s class was in another room.  In the combined English class we read a story called “August 7,1921” and we analyzed its various aspects from the plot to symbols and the whole nine yards. After class, we all split up into our own separate groups; some of us went to work and others went to the beach. The temperature today felt at least in the 30’s but possibly even in the 40’s Celsius. The sun was bright and there wasn’t a cloud in sight. The group met up for dinner around 7 after a beautiful day outside. We sat down for dinner and had a great antipasti buffet and the main dishes consisted of authentic pasta with a choice of meat as the second part. Everybody is exhausted from a long sunny day as we retire to our beds at 10:00 (curfew). 

More pictures...

The sweet pool at our Hotel.

What a view!

SPERLONGA - July 7th

Today we woke up in Florence and enjoyed an excellent last breakfast at the Palazzo Ricasoli before boarding the bus to Sperlonga. Halfway we stopped at an Autogrille for a delicious lunch and a quick stretch. The second half of the journey was quite enjoyable as we were well rested and looking forward to our new destination. When we arrived in Sperlonga, we immediately noticed the pristine white sand beaches and windsurfers. Upon arriving at the hotel, we unpacked and settled into our rooms and headed to the pool! It was a welcome cool off from yet another day of heat under the Italian sun. One exciting game of volleyball later and we were headed to explore the town and indulge in some local cuisine. Sperlonga is a beautiful place with views of the ocean and beaches for miles. It is a true Italian vacation town with plenty of gelato, pizza and local seafood delicacies! After exploring and learning some brief history of the town, we went for dinner at various small restaurants, enjoying fish, pizza, and pasta. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed our first few hours in Sperlonga and is looking forward to the next few days!

- Reid and Sean

Pisa!!!

We began our fourth day, with an 8:30 am class after an extremely
Italian and very delicious breakfast! It was a class that consisted of working on our
group seminars based on varying themes from the novel, Lives of the Saints by Nino
Ricci. The classes have been educational yet enjoyable considering the fact that it is
taking place in a conference room in Florence…we can’t complain! Our excursion to
the “Leaning Tower of Pisa” was amazing. Once arriving there, following about an
hour and a half bus ride, we all went off to take very real-looking photos of each and
every one of us holding up the tower; whether with our feet, back, or hands. The
supervisors are even holding a contest for the greatest and most creative picture
with the tower with a secret special prize that will be given to the winner. Although
one has not yet been rewarded, we are all waiting in anticipation as to who will
receive this mystery prize! The tower was so tilted; we were all worried about the
stability and safety of this amazing structure within the extraordinary country of
Italy. Once the pictures were all taken we ventured off in groups to attempt to
bargain with the differing vendors. Many were successful in retrieving memorable
souvenirs from this once-in-a-lifetime trip. It varied from magnets and key chains to
t-shirts and picture frames. All the students that attended this excursion had a blast
and will remember this tremendous experience for the rest of their lives. We think
we can speak for everyone when we say that the fun and learning has just begun
and we cannot wait to continue this incredible adventure with the magnificent
people around us and in these gorgeous cities that we are so fortunate to visit.
- Sandra and Isabella

Photos!

Dinner in Florence.

In front of Santa Croce.

Early morning running club.

Snack break!

VENICE!

Today, July 5^th, was our excursion to Venice. After a short ferry ride to get there we went on a 2 hour walking tour around the city and learned about the historical buildings. We finished our tour with a glass blowing demonstration and had an opportunity to explore Venice on our own. Some of us went to the nice restaurants to grab lunch, while others went to take a gondola ride. Despite the overwhelming hot weather, we all had an amazing time and loved our visit there. For those going to Pisa tomorrow, we are all super excited to see the famous building!

-       -  Karissa van der Kroon, Kate Pereira, Hailey Sloan

Florence, Italy, July 2nd

Today was our first day of classes. Following class we had a nice walking tour of the city where we visited the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, Santa Croce church, among other beautiful sites! A highlight today was definitely shopping in the famous San Lorenzo leather market. Everyone had a great time browsing the streets, stopping to get gelato, lunch and maybe a purchase or two. Later on we went out for dinner at an all you can eat pizzeria (DELICIOUS!) and enjoyed free time afterwards. Can’t wait to spend all day in Venice tomorrow!

We are having problems uploading photos now, but we will try again tomorrow.

- Ashley Wood, Dana Seagrove, Natasha Robinson  

We've arrived!

Just a quick post to let you know that we arrived safe and sound! 

Here is a group shot of us in front of the amazing Duomo.

Lots more photos to come...!

One more sleep...

Get those bags packed!!! We're off to Italy tomorrow!!! Yippieee!!!!