P2P 2008 Europe

She's Home!

2008-07-22T11:56:00.002-04:00

Well, it's Tuesday morning and I have been listening to Kate talk to her friend about things that she would never tell me! She had a great time!

Thank you to Sammie for the use of her cell phone while away. The only thing Kate lost was her calling card. (Surprise)!

We are looking forward to seeing you all at the reunion picnic on the 7th. We are off to try to develop some of the nearly 600 pictures that Katie took!!

Kate would like to send a big shout-out to Diana.

Enjoy the rest of the summer - Sandi Zak

UPDATE

2008-07-21T19:57:00.001-04:00

THEY ARE ON THE BUS.. JUST HEARD FROM JESSICA,
SAYS SHE WAS TOLD THEY RE NOT STOPPING FOR FOOD :)

Pick up between 9:15 and 9:30!

2008-07-21T19:31:00.001-04:00

Hi all
The phone tree is going, but the message is they are going through customs, and the estimated pick up time at the hotel is 9:15 to 9:30! Yipee!!!
kathy S #7

THEY ARE BACK IN THE USA!!!

2008-07-21T18:56:00.002-04:00

THEY HAVE LANDED!!!! YIPPEE!!!

Arrivals
Departures
Flight Tracker Results
callFVDT()
Monday 21, Jul 2008
Airport Delay Information
Map of Current Air Traffic
GetAirline('EI')
Aer Lingus flight number 109 (EI109)

Departure
Arrival
Airport:
GetAirport('DUB')
Dublin, Ireland
GetAirport('JFK')
New York (Kennedy), NY
Scheduled Time:
5:00 PM, Jul 21
7:30 PM, Jul 21
Actual Time:
5:13 PM, Jul 21
7:05 PM, Jul 21
Status:
Landed
Equipment:
A333

flight tracker.

2008-07-21T17:16:00.004-04:00

Jfk int'l airport main website flight tracker is picking up the flight now with an estimated arrival time of 704. You can see the little plane there too! :-)

flight tracker.

2008-07-21T17:16:00.001-04:00

2 Hours to JFK

2008-07-21T17:03:00.000-04:00

I'll soooo be able to stop holding my breath then!

For those taking I-84 through Waterbury to Meriden

2008-07-21T15:59:00.003-04:00

July 21, 2008
Waterbury Republican Reports:
Truck crash snarls afternoon commute on I-84 westboundA truck carrying lumber crashed on Interstate 84 at Exit 21 in Waterbury just minutes ago, injuring the driver and snarling westbound traffic on the busy highway. Traffic is supposed to be impacted all afternoon.

Just thought I'd give a heads up..

Another great tracking site...

2008-07-21T10:59:00.003-04:00

http://www.flytecomm.com/cgi-bin/trackflight

When they are in the air you can even watch the plane move across the map.... don't get nervous if as they approach destination airspace you see altitude= 0 or speed = 0 , this is done for security purposes.

Flight Tracker Info-Dublin to JFK

2008-07-21T10:47:00.000-04:00

http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByFlight.do?id=133290047&airlineCode=EI&flightNumber=109&departureDate=2008-07-21

ON THE PLANE!

2008-07-21T09:37:00.001-04:00

Talked to Jessica about 8:15 a.m our time , was boarding the first flight.
They are on their way home!!!

tried to call

2008-07-20T15:38:00.001-04:00

Hi all, I tried to get in touch with Emily#27. The hotel has her listed as Emily Kirk instead of Kish. They rang the room at 3 and 3:30 our time. No answer either time.. If anyone talks to their daughters tonite, see if they can tell Emily good nite for me and I hope they have a safe flight. See you all tomorrow. If they land @7pm, when should they be back in Meriden? Phone tree? Maybe an e-mail from Elizabeths husband will be forwarded?

Final Call From Holland

2008-07-20T15:33:00.002-04:00

We just got a call from Eric (#17). He said he has had a "ball" or as they say in Ireland "a ton of craic". He is rooming with Jack and Andrew again tonight and says they are walking to the airport tomorrow since they can see it from their window. Says he is looking forward to coming home and can't wait to see us and his pets and tell us all about his adventures. We are looking forward to hearing all about it too! See you all tomorrow night.

5:00 am wake up call

2008-07-19T19:39:00.002-04:00

We heard from Kate this morning. She was concerned because the $120.00 purchase at a chocolate store would not clear her travel card! (As much as I love chocolate, there was no way I was going to let her spend that amount on it)! She has money on her card, and we just put more on, but she will not be coming home with chocolate!

She did loose her calling card, so again, who ever is letting her use a cell phone, many thanks. She was calling from outside the store and I could here LOTS of happy voices all around. It was hard to hear so we did not talk long. I will be happy to see her. She has clearly had a wonderful experience.

See you all on Monday!

Sandi

Spending Mystery Solved

2008-07-19T17:01:00.002-04:00

Hi all. Talked to Eric (#17) this afternoon. Actually I talked to Emily too since she let him use her phone - thank you!! He is rooming with Jack and Andrew. Eric's credit card was not stolen after all. He let someone (he thinks Tess) use his card since she had no money. I'm very proud of him for being helpful. He was a little confused when it stopped working. There is more money in the account now and he was actually never worried about it. Only his parents were worried. Can't believe their adventure is almost over.

Meal Request

2008-07-19T16:42:00.002-04:00

Heard from Nicky today! I hadn't talked to her since last Saturday. They've had a great time and can't believe its almost over. She did request pasta/sausage for her first dinner back though :-) See everyone Monday night!

heard from Dylan

2008-07-17T21:18:00.004-04:00

I am so not used to this blog thing! But...I did hear from Dylan today! He is having the time of his life, and was sorry he didn't call, but has been very busy! I told him that's ok we would see him Monday, and he said "So soon?!" He then asked me what day it was! He said they are going day to day, and don't even realize what day it is, but was suprised they would be coming home in four days! He is having a grand time, and loves the place they are staying tonight, he mentioned the pool slide, and they hope to use it tomorrow.
kathy S#7

hi all, heard from Dylan!

2008-07-17T21:18:00.001-04:00

Katie 26 called

2008-07-17T19:41:00.001-04:00

Kate called a few days ago and said they have been on a busy schedule. She needed more money for shopping in Paris and other than that everything was fine. She was really enjoying time with new friends.

Lisa D.... I will send a check for the leaders gifts tomorrow. Thanks!

Lori

tESS SHOULD BE GETTING THE MESSAGE

2008-07-17T16:27:00.002-04:00

I just spoke to Tyler, and he will give Tess the message to call home and that she should use Kristen and Ally's card, money is on the way. Also, Tyler is rooming with Kirk(who was showering) at least we know they are staying clean!!!!!! He said Kirk has every single receipt of every purchase he has made so you will be able to track everything. He should probably call home tomorrow.

The hotel is great. Basketball court, slide in pool, etc.....
The dinner tonight was "gross" cold food, chicken and weird rice.
Looking foward to tomorrow to check out the bloodiest battlefield.

Lisa

Please Get this Message to Tess

2008-07-17T13:31:00.002-04:00

As Tess's ATM card was "eaten" by the machine, please if anyone speaks to their child today, let Tess know that she is to use Ally or Kristen's ATM card. Both Ally's and Kristen's parents have approved this, and have spoken to Tess's Mom about this.
Money is on the way to Tess, but there is no way of knowing when it will arrive.
Also, please have Tess phone home todday to speak to her family!
Thank-you all so much, and have a super day!

Possible Second Stolen / Lost Card

2008-07-17T10:17:00.002-04:00

I have been watching Kate's account and have also noticed large amounts being used. There was one purchase for over $150.00. She seldom contacts us so if anyone hears anything about it, or can get Kate to call us I would appreciate it.

I continue to put money on her travel money card in the hope that she is shopping and brings home great gifts! (although I am putting small amounts on at a time)

Thank you - Sandi

Thanks to Everyone!!!

2008-07-17T08:29:00.002-04:00

I just wanted to thank everyone for their contribution's to the blog and on keeping us parents (who have not heard from their kids) informed, it's been a great resource! I too have been checking the blog and e-mails daily and following the kids itinerary. Since the trip will be coming to an end soon we had given-up on hearing from Andrew, so when I checked e-mails this morning I was ecstatic to have an e-mail from him! "He's having a great time, but extremely busy and maybe will call". Although "no news is good news" It was nice to hear something! Thanks again to ALL!
Patti Overton

Eric #17 -- Stolen Card ?

2008-07-16T19:50:00.002-04:00

Can someone ask Eric #17 to call home or ask if his card has been stolen. He can leave a message if we're not home when he calls.

He had been spending in a somewhat regular fashion, but yesterday and today there were a lot of purchases at higher amounts.

Frogs Legs and Escargo

2008-07-16T17:03:00.002-04:00

Yes!!!!! That is what they had for dinner. Tyler actually said it wasn't bad. I can't believe he even tried it. I guess the trip was worth every penny. He said the frogs legs tasted like chicken and the escargo was like a big rubbery garlic roll.
He said they had a good day today. Took alot of wrong turns so they did alot of walking and they they missed their bus so they took the metro. Tomorrow they are heading to Belgium by bus but stopping along the way to see some sights. I asked him if he was homesick. Definitely not, can't believe how fast it went.

I told him to have Dylan call home tomorrow.
Lisa

Nothing From France!

2008-07-15T22:34:00.002-04:00

We haven't heard from Katie (39) since the sailing academy. At that time she said that she had not been able to get to a washing machine and was packing wet and dirty clothes into a plastic bag. I am hoping that by now they have been able to get a little laundry done.

I know she is having fun, but I would still love to know how she likes France. If anyone talks with their child would you please ask them to tell Kate that "Mom" would love a call. At the last conversation she thought she had lost her phone card so I am hoping she found it or bought another.

Tomorrow they will see the Mona Lisa, the "Champs Elysees", and Notre-Dame. Can't wait to see the pictures!

Sandi

Would love a phone call!

2008-07-15T20:54:00.001-04:00

If anyone talks to their child, can you ask them to have Jillian call home. I haven't heard from her in a while and I am so curious how she's doing! Thank you!

Sammie just called!

2008-07-15T15:39:00.002-04:00

Sammie just called. She sounded tired and has a small cold. I told her to try and get some rest tonight. She is rooming with both Audra (#16) and Courtney (#11). She said that Ally (#1) is rooming with Amelia (#18) and Dani (#22). It sounded quite in the room. I asked Sammie again about doing laundry and she said that she has to hand wash some stuff tonight. They are there for 2 nights so it has time to dry.
I asked her about the food and she told me that she actually ate the fish meals. One of them she said was breaded so it looked more like fish sticks. The second time it was Salmon and she said it tasted "fishier" but she ate it anyway. That is BIG for Sammie who has a 40 gallon fish tank at home and whenever I make fish, she tells me it is like eating her fish. She has guppies, tetras and neons - NO COMPARISON! lol
She told me that she is a few days behind on journaling but was going to catch up tonight. I know journaling was important on last years trip (Australia), and it may be the same this time around. They don't collect the journals but may look at them to "pass" the kids in the end. Yes, they get graded on this trip. Last year there was a "pass" / "fail" kind of thing. I don't know if anyone ever fails though. So when you chat with your kids, make sure they are atleast jotting down a few things about where they visit. Don't stress them out though, make it more of a great way to remember everything that they did.
Sammie said that the Ferry ride was the only place she has run into an issue with the Visa card - I guess they didn't accept it. Not much else to report.
Thank you everyone who is posting. I check the blog throughout the day and sometimes there is nothing for what seems like FOREVER, but then they start to pop up! :0) I enjoy reading them. Thanks again. Have a great evening everyone. Kathy #5

HEARD FROM JESSICA - LOVING PARIS!!!

2008-07-15T15:16:00.002-04:00

Heard from Jessica, got a call from Paris!! Paris is lovely, Food is good- Jessica loves the breakfast there!! Jessica is rooming with Niki and Danielle tonight in a beautfful hotel room.

They are in the rooms having down time, early room check tonite. Looking forward to more tommorrow says it is beautiful there. Very warm there, no rain!!

Tommorrow they will get more free time for shopping, but they don't get alot of free shopping time.

Jessica said Monica, Abby and her have injured ankles, 3 other people went ot the hospital for injuries, never had so many according to the leaders , but all are surviving.

Courtney said she is fine -- pass the message on to her parents :) Jessica said she was not very chatty that is all she got and she has her cards, did not lose them.

Call from the Eiffel Tower!

2008-07-15T13:04:00.002-04:00

Julianna (#34) called from the base of Eiffel Tower! The kids had just come down - she said the view was amazing! The weather was warm today, unlike the past few days. She said that the food is much better in France and she is especially enjoying the chocolate croissants for breakfast! They had some free time to do some shopping. I was wondering about the lack of use on the Visa card as well, but Julianna said there aren't as many opportunities to shop as she thought. She also said some places wouldn't accept her Visa Buxx card so she had to use cash. She said they are having a great time although she sounded very tired. She said they are constantly on the go and she actually looks forward to some down time. She was shopping with Jillian and Prima - it sounded like they were having a blast. She was looking forward to another nice hotel tonight. She said last night they finally stayed in a nice hotel! Julianna said the trip was great she only wishes we were there with her! :)

Leanne

Lost Wallet?

2008-07-15T12:39:00.003-04:00

From a previous post - Does anyone know if Courtney#11 was the girl that lost her wallet? We are starting to think it was our daughter because after checking with Verizon and VISA, she has not used either since the first few days of the trip. This is unlike her, because she loves to shop and text. We also know that she can be the "absent minded professor" and place things where she can never find them again. (I'm sure unlike other teenagers).

Thanks
The Danforths

gifts for thedelegate leaders

2008-07-14T18:51:00.002-04:00

Hi Everyone, After speaking to Kathy, we thought it would be a nice idea if we were to chip in and get gift certificates for each of the delegate leaders. I would be happy to organize this. If you are interested please let me know and send any amount that you are comfortable with to the following address:I will divide the amount into four. Thanks,
Lisa Diamond
194 Paxton Way
Glastonbury Ct 06033
Any suggestions for gift cards would be great, maybe starbucks, homegoods sporting good store etc......
Thanks,Lisa

Kristen #2 Called From , Evreux, France, Bonjour!

2008-07-14T15:12:00.003-04:00

I just talked to Kristen...She is Loving France...especially the food. She says "Dad...French Bread is Great". She said Normandy was great...she learned alot about WW II history today. They visited the Soldiers Cemetery and she took pictures of the headstones...including the 'Saving Private Ryan" brothers' headstones.

The trip on the boat to France was uneventful...although it was short. They lost an hours sleep and were running all day today. Tomorrow she said they don't have to get started until later in the morning. It's about 2 hours to get to Paris. They are 4 to a room tonight and she is having a great time with her roommates.

Thank you again Kaitlin...very much!!!

Scott & Sandy Baclawski

France = Fabulous Food

2008-07-14T08:22:00.002-04:00

Got an early call from Kirk this morning. He said today's breakfast and lunch were delicious. He called them the best meals they've had so far. I'm a bit jealous. Not that I need the calories. I wonder if they've discovered the joy of Nutella on a croissant yet...

He said they'd be off to Omaha Beach shortly.

She Called!

2008-07-14T08:13:00.002-04:00

Katie (#39) called! She called on Saturday, and of course, I was not around. She called back on Sunday and I was so happy to find that she was having the time of her life! She fell off the sail boat and even found that to be an experience. (She is fine) Kate, like many of the others I have read about, is tired of the rain and the bad food but her spirits are high and looking forward to France.

She could not find her calling card so one of your wonderful kids loaned her a cell phone...so many thanks so who ever that was!

I do miss her but am so glad to know that she experiencing things that I could not give her without P2P. Repelling the castle wall could never happen without them!

Sandi Zak

Time Change

2008-07-13T19:45:00.001-04:00

I am pretty sure (correct me if I am wrong) that the kids will now be 6 hours ahead of us for the remainder of the trip instead of 5.

Banner day! I got a phone call too!

2008-07-13T07:31:00.002-04:00

Wow! was Jack in good spirits! He's typically not a phone talker - I get the yeh, no, OK... but not last night...I got lots of stories about sites and friends, and heard "oh mom, mom, and another thing..." - all super happy and full of excitement. He absolutely loved wind sailing yesterday, and was very much looking forward to dingy (small boat) sailing today. The Sound of Music was an awesome play - said he loved the story, at which point he said he heard there was also a movie !(He's never seen the movie? How'd that happen? What kind of parent am I? ... oh well now he's complete...) Told me several of the stories that have been posted, and how great the leaders are.
Says he's rooming with Tyler and Dirk I think (hard too tell he threw a lot of names at me). And Mike is hysterically funny and keeps him laughing all the time. Says there's a saying called "pulling an Eric" - which has to do with not watching where your walking. He likes everyone and says they are basically one giant group of friends. He felt really bad for the girl who lost her walllet and the two whose cameras needed replacing. In fact his camera battery died, and a girl (no name sorry) who had the same camera let him pop in her battery just so he could get a couple of shots - thanks to whomever was so generous. I told him not to sweat it, that there was plenty of talk of photo swapping upon their return.
Says the food is OK...but if they have chicken and potatoes one more time - ugh! They are just plain tired of it. The "best" meal so far, by far, was the fish & chips (accept for poor Tyler). And he hopeing France has more interesting food.
Says several of them have mastered immitating the Scotish accent of Dave (the P2P manager) and he's sure he'll come back with an accent himself ;-) Says Dave is a great guy, and had several mentions of him. Apparently Dave needed to haul Jack out of bed one of the first mornings (Jack's NOT an early riser.... getting up on time was one of my biggest concerns for him on this trip).
He's been disappointed in the shopping - hasn't had much opportunity, and when he has, just hasn't found the "right" thing to buy. Although he bought an Irish cap that he is very taken with and wears everywhere.
Jack kept apologizing for not calling more or sooner - but they'd just been SO busy - I kept telling him it was fine, I'd be much more concerned if he needed to call home becuase he was upset or not having a good time. Told him we'd have all the time in the world to talk when he came home, and I was looking forward to seeing his smile.

best part of trip??? THE ROOMATES!!!

2008-07-12T19:29:00.000-04:00

I talked to Audra ((thanks to Kaitlyn (I think because there are two Kaitlin's)for the use of her cell phone). It was 12:10 noon our time 6:10pm England time. I was so excited to hear from her that I was shooting off questions left and right. I only heard good thing. Long and short, the best part of her trip are her new friends that she rooms with. I am so proud of her for doing this without knowing a single person when we first got involved with this trip. I am thrilled with each and every update I get to read daily. Thanks for every effort involved.

For anyone who has a High Schooler doing the "Western Europe Legacy" trip I spoke with my son on 7/7 5:40pm our time. They are also having a fantastic time. He is enjoying every aspect of the trip. He says he shares rooms with a different person each time they go to a new place. He went on the trip with a friend from school but has not been in the same room with his friend and is fine with that. He says "Mom the whole point of the trip is to learn many things and to meet new friends.

Sorry it took me so long to post, I had many difficulties with my computer. I even have trouble with replies to my regular e-mails.

Cindy

Eric (#17) Also Sailing

2008-07-12T16:16:00.002-04:00

Eric told me about some of his adventures in sailing. Sounds like they're having fun. Nancy wasn't here and he sounded really disappointed, but said to pass along that he loves her. :) It's usually better when Eric talks to Nancy -- because Nancy remembers all the things they talk about. Ah, well, as long as he's having fun.

email from Jack :-)

2008-07-12T13:44:00.003-04:00

You can practically see the beaming smile on the other end of the transmission :-) "It's AMAZING!...Loving every minute of it...It's an adventure of a lifetime!" It's so heartwarming as a parent to know that they are not only happy, but that they are appreciating and seeing the value of the trip.

2008-07-12T12:26:00.002-04:00

We heard from Nicole - no need to give her another message. Sailing school sounds fun...but still quite chilly. With a little luck, it may warm up for the last half of their trip. Have a good weekend everyone.

2008-07-12T07:20:00.002-04:00

Good Morning - If you talk to your child today, could you ask them to have Nicole Gay call home this evening? She called last week and reached my husband but she has tried twice since and we have missed her both times. I plan on being near the phone until about 11 p.m. their time today and would love to catch a call from her. Thank you for your help.

News from Sailing Academy

2008-07-11T16:58:00.002-04:00

FINALLY heard from Shannon thanks to Kaitlyn #25 who let her use her phone. She was having trouble with her phone card. She sounded great and I could hear the excitment in her voice as she was telling me about all their adventures. They were checking out the Academy and said it is nice. She is rooming wth Kaitlyn, Courtney, Kristen, Tess and Audra. I could hear them all in the background talking and laughing. She said they are pretty tired of the rain, but are making the best of it. She said repelling down the castle wall was amazing and really enjoyed the London Eye. She was surprised how slow it went. She said the first few days went by so slow, but now they are flying by. It was great to hear from her-thanks again Kaitlyn!!

News from England

2008-07-10T20:37:00.002-04:00

We heard from Abby (#28) yesterday at 4:15am (typical teen, "I didn't really know what time it was there" a.k.a I didn't bother to figure it out). She was rooming with Kayliegh (#14) again and hanging out with Katie (#26) and Courtney (#11). She said the repelling was so cool but at one point near the top you just had to jump out past this thick area of the tower and it was "like jumping to your death". People got pictures of you as you went so everyone will hopefully have one. She said the girls too loved the karate board chopping, and the sword fighting. Couldn't believe they could do it, you got to keep the board and kids signed it with things like "you did it!" Then they shopped in London where a lot of people bought sweatshirts (they've been cold). She's worn the same pants the whole time but they washed them once so they weren't 'too gross'. They did ride the London Eye in the evening but not after dark so it wasn't too lit up, but the plus was then you could see all over the city which was breathtaking. (I would've hated it she said. It was too high for me.) Foods getting better all the time, thinking it will be at an all-time high in Paris. Far as she knew, everyone was in really great spirits - warm, cozy hotel was great after the cold, rainy tents. But that was still an experience that most people don't get.

Katie (26)Called Tonight

2008-07-09T21:06:00.002-04:00

Katie called...said she was having a good time....said she splurged and bought a pair of jeans. Also said she lost her british pounds...we told her not to let it ruin her trip. She still has some euros and money cards....so her shopping experience shouldn't be too dampened.

Diana #37 "This trip is Awesome!"

2008-07-09T12:11:00.002-04:00

Unlike many of you, I got my first phone call this morning from Diana. She has been having trouble with her calling card - and borrowed time from Kristen #2 (thanks!!!). In reality, I think she is just busy and enjoying this experience. She said that Ireland & Wales were "AMAZING" and thinks that we should go back as a family. Like many of the previous notes, she rappelled down the castle, broke the wood in Karate, has been eating potatoes, and is so very happy. All of them were excited to have some 'free time' in London right now in order to do some shopping and hang out.

Sandy: I told Diana to have Katie call and she PROMISED that she would. Hope you get a call today.

Hope you all get a call today as well - hard to believe it's already been a week.

Lori

Kristen #2 Called...From London~!!

2008-07-09T11:28:00.003-04:00

Kristen just called me from the mall in London. She says they have some free time to do some shopping then they are going to dinner. Tonight they are going on the London Eye...she said she hopes it has windshield wipers as it is raining. She was able to snap a picture of Big Ben. They are staying at a 'Real Hotel' tonight...she was happy about that.

She said their stay at the Warwick Castle was fun. She "sucked-it-up" and repelled down the castle wall (and bought a sweatshirt which says so). She was proud of that. It rained last night while they were camping out in the tents. They all had cots to sleep on but it was chilly. Not alot of sleep...but she says she got some rest on the bus ride to London. She loved the 'Full-On Experience' people at the castle. They were helpful, pleasant and encouraging. Lots of fun!

Can't wait to her from her agin...so very exciting!

In Route to London

2008-07-09T09:20:00.002-04:00

Sammie just called us (it is about time - lol) and said that they are in route to London. They are on a bus right now. I heard a lot of chatter in the background. She was sitting with Danielle (#3) and Ally (#1). She said that it was cold last night in the tents. They had only a sleeping bag and a blow up pillow. They had to blow up the pillows and Sammie and several other of the kids were grossed out that other people had blown up those pillows too. Not sure how sanitary it was. Some of the kids were pouring water over the mouth part to clean it. She said on a scale from 1 - 10, the trip is an 8 right now (because of how cold it was last night). She also said that they have really only had 2 days without rain. Hopefully when they get out of England, the rest of the trip will be sunny weather.
Sammie also broke a piece of wood with her hands and is taking the wood home as a souvenier. She likes the food. She said that they have potatoes a lot. Sammie LOVES potatoes. She did repell down the castle wall. I am so glad she did that.
Ally (#1) got on the phone with me and said that she is having a fun time. She wanted me to say that she loves her parents. She misses them; and that she will call her grandmother soon.
Danielle (#3) wanted me to say that she loves her parents and misses them. AND that her room better be perfect when she gets home. (laughing) I know in talking with Veronica, that they are making over Danielle's room. We did that for Sammie last summer when she was away.
All in all things are going well. It is hard to believe that the kids have only been gone 1 week and that they have just under 2 weeks left.
Can't wait to hear more updates from everyone. Have a great day. I know it will be brighter now that we finally chatted. She told me that she did not get the fax I sent to her at the last location (where a fax was available), so if any of you are sending faxes, the kids might not be getting them. Not sure why. Keep trying though. Kathy B. #5

Visiting Relatives ?

2008-07-08T21:52:00.000-04:00

Are any of the Ambassadors visiting relatives. Eric (#17) was thinking about visiting his cousins who are near London for a couple years. He decided not to -- he wanted to be with the other ambassadors. He's probably still glad about that decision. Anyone else considering or planning to visit relatives?

A Tent Full of Boys

2008-07-08T17:15:00.002-04:00

Eric (#17) just called. First I have to say thanks to Dylan who let Eric use his phone. Anyway, there was a ton of talking and laughter in the background which Eric informed me was a tent full of all 9 boys. They are all in the same tent on the castle grounds and having a blast. They did rappel down the wall and he said that the trebuchet was "really cool" and they did light it on fire. He also broke a board yesterday as someone else said. I asked him if he was having fun and I got a resounding YEAH! I'm not sure if those boys are going to sleep tonight but it was great to hear his voice.

trebuchet

2008-07-08T13:06:00.001-04:00

there are some pretty cool short movies on Youtube of the warwick castle trebuchet being launched. One was even of a flaming piano. I know Emily will get a big kick out of that!

apology

2008-07-07T21:34:00.002-04:00

For everyone I upset, I appologize. I guess my daughter's phone call just threw me for a loop. Especially because she has been so sick lately. But next time I speak to her I will only focus on the positive. Actually, I did try to be positive this last time... I guess I'm just overly worried about her, with her already having been sick. I hope Emily, Jessica, and all the other girls will band together and be determined to have a good time. I agree that no news is good news and I am happy I didn't send Emily with a cell phone. It's a great way to keep in touch but it also keeps you too connected. Again, I didn't mean to be so negative and I will refrain from it in the future.

Katie #26 Called today

2008-07-07T21:07:00.003-04:00

She said everything was fine and was having a good time. She took a challenge during Karate I guess and broke a board in half with her hand. She was looking forard to going to the castle tomorrow.

PLEASE STOP THE NEGATIVITY

2008-07-07T20:52:00.002-04:00

Okay, I just got off the phone with Annie, Tess's mom (#6). She told me that she had gotten an e-mail from Tess the other day and that SHE IS FINE!!! She is not still sick. She and many of the other kids are HAVING A BLAST and THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES! Let's go back to the "NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS!". There just seems to be so much negativity on here and it is bringing me and many others down.

IF the kids were in danger, we would hear about FROM A LEADER! If they were really ILL, we would hear about it from a LEADER - the parents involved I should clarify.

Yes, some of the kids might be homesick, heck, it may be their first time away from their family. But they were selected as Student Ambassador's for a reason. TO REPRESENT NOT ONLY OUR STATE OF CT, BUT THE USA! What an HONOR for them. This is an opportunity for them to learn, explore and grow as individuals and as a group. We have to let them do this for themselves.

Yes, I haven't heard from Sammie, but the posts got me upset UNTIL I spoke with Annie - Tess's mom and found out that she and "The HOLLAND Girls" are doing very well.

SO PLEASE, CAN WE KEEP THIS BLOG POSITIVE AGAIN?! We don't have to hear everything that is going on. Fun points are very welcomed, but saying that "everyone" is miserable and lonely or homesick is NOT TRUE for one thing, and it makes me uneasy as well as others I am sure.

This trip is one that hopefully our kids will remember as a POSITIVE in their life. It could even influence them for what they do in the future. Let's let them enjoy themselves. Let's NOT STRESS OUT the parents.

CAN WE DO THAT? I am sorry for those whose kids are having it a little rough. Maybe talking to their parents will reassure them, maybe it will make them more homesick. Everyone knows their own child. Do what you feel is best for your child. I am sure if Sammie was not doing well, she would let us know. That is why NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS!

The kids have an AWESOME DAY planned for tomorrow. Hope they all have a blast! Hope they all try the challenge of repelling down the castle. What an accomplishment that would be on a personal level for each of them.

Thanks for reading my post. I appologize if some of you take what I wrote the wrong way. But Sammie went away for the first time last year to Australia and it was such a wonderful experience for her. Yes, my son got in a little trouble for breaking curfew but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. Just be HAPPY FOR YOUR CHILD and let them have the experience of a lifetime. They will share it all with you upon their return.

So I don't think Elizabeth or any of the leaders need to be called. THANK YOU ANNIE for chatting with me and clarifying that Tess and The Holland Girls and others are doing JUST FINE and HAVING A BLAST! AND ARE NOT HOMESICK AT THIS TIME.

Thank you! Kathy B. #5

emily called

2008-07-07T18:41:00.002-04:00

Emily called from Jessica's phone, apparently she snuck into Jessicas room. She said the university she is staying in is creepy and they are all by themselves in their rooms. She said to tell you guys that alot of the kids are homesick so the leaders won't let them call because they're afraid it will make it worse. She said quite a few kids aren't feeling well and that Tess is still throwing up alot but Elizabeth thinks it's homesickness. I don't know what's going on but This is Emily's 3rd trip and she is not happy. She said noone wants to go to the sailing academy and that she's tired of the college and the fact that they aren't really staying in hotels. I told her to hang in there it'll be ok. She actually wants to come home. For Emily to say that is unheard of. She had to hang up the phone quick because it's like midnight there and they're all sneaking around to be with each other. The girls are all scared she said. I told her to stay out of trouble. She did mention that the girl who forgot her lanyard did have to eat alone but didn't specify what that meant. I hope Emily doesn't get in too much trouble. I can't afford to fly her home.

Frequency of Calls

2008-07-07T17:03:00.003-04:00

This is our daughters second P2P trip - the first trip she spent two weeks in Hawaii and had a wonderful experience that she still talks about today. We only spoke to her twice during the Hawaii trip, but we always knew that "no news , was good news". But being our first P2P experience, we were a little freaked out. After she came home, we quizzed her on why she never called and she said she was "busy", "having fun", or "the phone line was long", or "never had an important reason to call".

So for this trip, we rented a Global phone that can be used whenever she has cell coverage, and so far - we have had only two calls! But learning from the Hawaii trip, we know she will call when she wants to share or simply just check-in. Like all of you, we miss her like crazy, but we know that she or a delegate leader would immediately call if there was an important issue. If you're not getting a lot of calls from your children during this trip -Don't worry, most likely they are having a great time exploring Europe!

Call from Wales

2008-07-07T10:47:00.002-04:00

Jillian just called from the train station with the longest name. She sounded happy. The ferry ride was awful and she had to take two dramamine - hopefully she won't fall asleep in an hour! They hadn't arrived at the University yet, but would be going shortly. She absolutely loved the first town in Ireland and sent postcards from there. Other than telling me how many things she has already purchased (I'm scared for France!) that was about all. I could hear lots of happy chatter in the background!

Thanks, Joanne!

2008-07-07T09:52:00.002-04:00

I just got a call because Jack helped Kirk figure out how to use the AT&T card from Wales.

He also said they were told not to use the phones in their rooms because there was some extra fee tacked on for any calls, even if they were using their calling cards. That might explain the 'ban' on the phone usage.

Hi Everyone

2008-07-06T19:44:00.003-04:00

Although it's not two-way communication, Amelia mentioned receiving a fax I sent yesterday in a phone message she left, so it seems to be a good alternative communication method.

I got an e-mail and phone message in which she sounds thrilled. I checked my bank account today, and it looks like she found the Starbucks in Dublin!

Thanks for everyone's updates. This is such a great resource.

Shopping in Dublin

2008-07-06T16:49:00.002-04:00

Thanks Leanne for the info about Shannon. I am glad to hear she was having fun in Dublin with Julianna. Thanks to everyone -it is great to hear how our kids are doing and their opinions on everything.

Calling the kids

2008-07-06T16:44:00.002-04:00

For those of you who have had as much trouble as we have had (or Abby has had I should say) calling each other, we just got the number of the hotel. I spoke to Angie (leader) and she said that they are having a great time, and the sun is out. She said not to avoid calling the kids at the hotel in the evening, that is a fine (and preferred) way of getting in touch with them. She said right before bed, when you know they'll be in their room, and it doesn't cost them anything (which I guess they all worry about) and they're not in the middle of an activity.
The number at IMI Dublin is 011-353-1-207-5900. The receptionist did not have our room number so you may have to get Elizabeth, Alberto, etc. because they have a list.
Good luck! Polly and Jerome
p.s. probably won't be able to use this method at the University (Wales) or Castle so next would be the Holiday Inn in London. Thanks to Leanne Pratt we have those links!!

2008-07-06T14:44:00.001-04:00

We finally signed on .Spoke to Kaitlyn#25 all is well .Thank you for all your help.

Sammie e-mailed

2008-07-06T14:06:00.002-04:00

Sammie sent an e-mail saying that she is having a lot of CRACK.....which means FUN in IRELAND! That one initially through us for a loop. She still says that she is not going to call us because of those minutes but again, please have your kids tell her to turn her phone on so we can call her. Thank you again.

I am enjoying hearing everyone's comments about the trip. I am very excited about this adventure that the kids are on. It is great that they all seem to be getting along too. That makes the trip that much more enjoyable.

Sammie mentioned that tomorrow they are on the Ferry Ride to Whales. Not sure how long it takes to get there. I will keep you posted if I hear more from her. Kathy B. #5

Kristen # 2 is out shopping as well!!!

2008-07-06T11:41:00.002-04:00

We just got off the phone with Kristen. She is at the mall with Kirk (they had to 'partner up' at the mall). She said they have some down time to do some shopping and she was going to pick up a new sweatshirt. She hasn't spent alot of money yet...Just on postcards and drinks.

She said that yesterday on the buggy ride it was raining again and the horse got tired in the mud...so they had to do a little walking. The lake boat ride was great she said.

Last night Tess was a little sick and the Holland group gathered togather...broke cerfiew...and got her through the rough spot. Kristen reported that Tess was doing much better today!

Kristen reports that the hotel is nice and Dublin is quite a city. Last night they did a "Statue Scavenger Hunt" which was alot of fun. Her group found all of the statues however another group found them all first.

Kristen is going to help Kirk call home now and said she'd call us again when she had some time. Tommorrow....Wales.

Scott & Sandy Baclawski

A phone call and another email.

2008-07-06T11:37:00.002-04:00

Kirk #21 is out shopping with a girl! ;o) He says it's not raining today, and the food is much better in Dublin. Kirk couldn't get his AT&T card to work, so someone ( I cannot remember who) loaned him theirs for one call, and he's going to buy a new one next chance he gets and then pay that generous person back. Thank you generous person! :o)

Shopping in Dublin

2008-07-06T11:15:00.003-04:00

Hi, everyone! I just got a phone call from Julianna (#34). The kids were in pairs doing some shopping in Ireland. Julianna was shopping with Shannon. She said they are having a great time! She was surprised at all the things I already knew about the trip - thanks to this blog! :) She is making lots of new friends and has especially enjoyed getting to know Diana and Jillian - her most recent room mates. She mentioned that Emily is thankfully better and enjoying all of the adventures. Julianna said the food has been good except for today when she tried lamb. I can't blame her, its not one of my favorites either! The hotel they are in tonight has internet access - 1 Euro for 8 minutes - not a bad deal. I will post again when I hear more. As a parent of a first time ambassador I was so relieved to hear her voice!

Leanne

Blogging Families

2008-07-06T10:48:00.002-04:00

It looks like we only need 11 more of the families to join our blog. Hope they decide to join. Maybe they need to be invited again, like some of the families who had difficulty getting on board. Polly where you the one who invited? Can't remember.

Have a great day everyone. Kathy B. #5

Whoo-Hoo! I got a singing phone call!

2008-07-05T23:59:00.000-04:00

Well - it's tradition in our family to call one another when apart and sing happy birthday ~ and today is/was my birthday --- and both kids are with P2P but managed to call! Jack(#35) called with his traditional chorus --- thanks so much to Mike S. for lending him his cell so that Jack was able to use his phone card (tonight they are roommates). It was the BEST birthday gift I could have received.
Jack reported much of the same that has been posted. He says the sights are breath taking, the scavenger hunts are TONS of fun, and the food is fine. He loved playing Gaelic soccer/football and given that the position he plays in soccer is goalie, that playing a version of soccer that allowed you to use your hands was right up his alley --- says the few kids who don't know his name yet now refer to him as "Soccer Boy" :-)
Apparently they are having fun getting to know each other too --- there was mention of filling a long bus ride with games like truth or dare, where Jack ended up giving Alberto a big bear hug and declaring him his best friend :-) Alberto was a bit caught off guard to say the least, but took it all in stride.

Not sure which Danielle referenced in previous post

2008-07-05T20:43:00.002-04:00

I'm not sure if the Danielle in the previous post was Danielle Beckford or Danielle Hernandez, but I said something similar to my child. I am Danielle H's mom (#22). If anyone speaks to their child, please ask them to let Dani know she should/can call home-no worries about the minutes, the card is rechargable. Thanks!

Message for Sammie #5

2008-07-05T19:58:00.002-04:00

If anyone talks to their child, can you please have them tell Sammie(#5) to make sure her phone is on as they get ready for bed. Veronica (Danielle's mom) said that Sammie sent a message through Danielle that she wouldn't talk to us for about four days because she is concerned with her phone minutes. We want her to know that it is perfectly fine for her to call us or get a call from us before four days from now. Thanks. Kathy B. #5

Just Spoke to Christian, #32

2008-07-05T17:43:00.003-04:00

We just had a nice talk with Christian and he said he is having a great time. The carriage and boat rides were fun and he is enjoying meeting new friends. He roomed with Jack last night and will be rooming with Andrew tonight. He said both were doing great and having a good time. He did mention that Tess was having a tough time getting in touch with her parents, but they were not to worry, all is well and she is having a good time.
That was about it... our thanks to all for their updates and information.

Alison and Dan Murphy [Christian Murphy #32]

We got e-mail from Kirk (#21)

2008-07-05T17:11:00.003-04:00

He says they're in Dublin and they're having a great time and he's made some good friends. There were no complaints about either the rain or the food, so I'm relieved.

Jessica Texted Again

2008-07-05T11:57:00.002-04:00

Jessica said they are all in different groups and all doing different things and are not always together , so it seems are kids are all having different experiences and doing different things. I thought they were all together all the time as a "group".

Finally heard from Diana

2008-07-05T11:43:00.002-04:00

Friday morning I had an Email from Diana. I must admit that it completely made my day. Both Diana and her older brother, Luke left on Wednesday. Luke just went to Maine, but is gone from the house just the same. So, we have just one kid at home...and boy is it quiet!

Everything Diana said sounded so positive with 'awesome', 'loads of fun', and 'cool' throughout the note. She didn't give too many specifics, but did mention that the food was good. That was an amazing comment for us given how picky of an eater she is. She also mentioned making new friends which is always good to hear.

Hopefully everyone had a great 4th of July. We were in downtown Boston with my sister and 500,000 or our closest friends :) The T was sure packed getting home...

My Independent Spirit - Katie #39

2008-07-05T10:44:00.002-04:00

I have not heard from Kate and am wondering if anyone would pass along a message to their own delegate to ask Kate to call home. She is an independent kid who I'm sure is having a great time.

I am so happy to hear from all of you who are posting to the blog. At least I know that all seems to be going well. Glad to hear that Emily is feeling better!

Heard from Jillian

2008-07-05T10:08:00.002-04:00

I just received a call from Jillian while they are riding on the bus. She sounded very happy and said despite the rain everything is so beautiful. She said the horse and buggy ride around Lake Killarney was awesome. They were told to hold on tight so they couldn't take pictures. The food has just been ok but she really enjoyed the irish step dancing. She danced with a high school boy from a Mass. P2P group. I'm very relieved to hear that she's happy. Also, I passed along some info to her that I just received from a friend who is a P2P alumni. At the bottom of the Eiffel Tower will be many vendors who are very smooth talking con men who will try to get them to buy cheap trinkets at very high prices. I told her to either barter (which our friend says does work) or simply walk away. It's all a wonderful learning experience!

Being careful

2008-07-05T09:11:00.002-04:00

Hello. I just wanted to make sure everyone stresses to their kids when they talk to them about being aware of their surroundings. The kids have had so far a lot of freedom in the small towns; now they are heading to larger places. Just stress to them to be aware of the people around them (those not in the group). I remember Sammie telling me last year that in Australia, she saw some guy walking around when the kids were in a shopping area. She got a wierd feeling about him when he passed by the group. Apparently this same guy tried to grab one of the girl's backpacks a short time later, but the other delagates with her at the time assisted her. I still am not clear on where the leaders were at that time (if they were ahead of the group, but this was something they were not aware of apparently). It was something that some of the parents started chatting about when they heard about it - some time after the fact.

I am not trying to scare anyone, but even here in the US, we keep a close eye on our stuff. It shouldn't be any different there. Too bad our world is not as trusting as it once was. Keep the buddy system going and when at resturants, don't just hang their backpack on the back of their chair - remember that resturant distraction video we watched, it could happen. Maybe instead they can put it between their legs or something.

I just want every delagate and leader to be safe and have the time of their lives. Kathy B. #5

FINALLY HEARD FROM JESSICA #8

2008-07-05T05:29:00.002-04:00

Got a text from Jessica this morning about 4:45 a.m. our time -- i am up and wide awake as I have phennomina and being on steriods to help it I can't sleep. She said she has had no service where they were. She said it is a small little town and everyone can't wait to leave it and go to Dublin. The past few days have not been fun (bit of a different view) She said she did not sleep on the plane at all and then when they got there they did stuff all day and she could not function very well. She said Emily is doing great, has no more hives. She said yesterday was a horrible day, rained all day, played socceer in the rain, went on a hike in the rain, had a scavenger hunt in the rain and at night they went and watched Irish Dancing. Said the food is kinda "gross" where they were, not very good at all. They are now on their way to Dublin a 5 hour bus ride, she said those long rides drains everyone. She said that everyone is looking forward to going to Dublin as the town they were in was so small. She said there is only 2 people to a room and that she has not gone shopping at all. Says she misses home and home cooked food.

She was in Ireland last year, and enjoyed Dublin, more modern food than were they are now so hopefully it will improve and can't wait to go there today.

She said the Hotel they are staying at tonight has phones, where they were the past few days had no phones and no cell service for some. She says she will call tonite so if she has anything profound to say I shall share again.

Got a call too! again :)

2008-07-04T19:53:00.007-04:00

Hi all, just got a call from Dylan #7. He too played Gaelic football today, along with an hour walk in the countryside. He said they also had sparklers this evening to celebrate the 4th of July! Good for them! He sounded tired but happy, and excited about tomorrow. He says they all can't wait to get to Dublin. Also,he relayed the message that Tess said to please say hi to her parents.

heard from tyler

2008-07-04T19:53:00.006-04:00

Heard from Tyler, having a great time. It was about 11:30 their time and too excited to go to sleep. He said the day was great, especially climbing the mountain. It was raining so they kept on slipping but thought it was so much fun. They were packing to get ready to go to the next place. Dylan has the same telephone as Tyler so he figured out that his charge was broken and he is borrowing Dylan. Thank you DYLAN. I also told him that Sammie had the same telephone as him.

Got a call too!

2008-07-04T19:53:00.001-04:00

Finally a Call

2008-07-04T19:21:00.002-04:00

Eric (#17) just called! It is about 12:30 there. He is with Dylan (#7) in a room. He really just wanted to find out if his pet birds are still alive. They had a great day. He said they played Gaelic football which is not like our football or soccer. He said it was hard and he'll teach me when he gets back! HA! Apparently Alberto cracked a tooth the day before they left. He had it looked at today and is going to have to have it fixed, Eric thinks tomorrow. He said the castle yesterday was HUGE. He said the days are long but fun. He sounded great.

Ally Phoned Home!!!!

2008-07-04T18:34:00.002-04:00

Ally called about 15 minutes ago! She sounded so happy. Very excited about everything! They were settling in to go to bed. They had fun on their scavenger hunt, with some "locals" helping them. There was much laughter in the background. They enjoyed the Cliffs of Moor, and said that thay were very tired.
She is rooming with her "Holland" friends,and they are getting along beautifully. She said their guest house hosts are very nice. The only problem was with trying to use her ATM card, the shop keeper said the card kept coming up as discontinued. We tried to call on it, but with the Holiday, the 24 hour line was not opened. Other than that, everything is great!
Ally does know who Jessica is, and I told her to have her call home, that her mom would like to hear her voice. Ally said that she would! So nice to hear her voice! Have a great day!

2008-07-04T13:11:00.001-04:00

thanks for the info. It definitely helps to hear what the kids are doing with their day and that they are enjoying themselves. Not sure if Tyler straightened out the telephone situation so any news is welcome. Lisa

Kristen #2 called home!!

2008-07-04T12:36:00.002-04:00

Kristen just called us. She was at a phonebooth in Cahersiveen. The phone card worked great. She says it's raining very hard. On their hike today they got wet, but it was fun. Tonight they're going on a scavenger hunt in town, where they ask the locals questions to get clues for finding things.
She's staying at her homestay with the same group of 6 girls she did her project with, which she says is working out well. Two girls per room with a bathroom for each room. She's very happy to be rooming with Tess! They were very tired from the flight and slept very well last night. She didn't like the food very much lastnight but there will be a different menu tonight. She said Tess is doing great. Tess said, "I'm not as homesick as I thought I would be and I'm happy about that." Kristen said Emily doesn't have hives anymore and is doing great. Kristen and Emily know eachother from school in Watertown.
Scott & Sandy (Kristen#2)

Thank you all!

2008-07-04T11:15:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone,
I finally got some sleep. How do husbands sleep through all this stuff? Anyway, I just wanted to thank everyone again for all your prayers and well wishes. All of the supportive comments really cheered me up. Hopefully Emily will make it through the Peat harvesting event unscathed. I told her to make sure she wears socks and shoes in the castles and doesn't touch anything. I got "yeah mom, I know, whatever..." Sounds like she's back to her old self! I prefer a cranky teenager to a hive covered one any day! Thanks again! I'm keeping my fingers crossed and I hope everyone's ambassadors have smooth sailing and a great experience for the rest of their journey!

E-mail from Nicky

2008-07-04T09:21:00.002-04:00

Nicky e-mailed us early this morning...they had a quick stop at an internet cafe. She is having a great time and really enjoys her guest house. It sounds like they are all staying at different ones.

I Got Email :-D

2008-07-04T09:14:00.002-04:00

Morning All -
I heard from Jack through email! Apparently while shopping they got a chance to stop at an internet store. His email was full of words like fanatstic,awesome, and HUGE. He said they are having a ton of fun, and he can already tell that the time will go by incredibly fast.

So all you bloggers...don't forget to check emails too :-)

a better day

2008-07-04T02:59:00.003-04:00

Well, it's 3am here and I just got a call from Emily who is on her way to breakfast. She took some medicine the dr. gave her last night and woke up hive free. I can't thank Elizabeth enough for putting up with this worried mom! Time to finally get some rest :-)

Nice Pics

2008-07-03T22:52:00.001-04:00

I am glad that someone could post some of the pics from shutterfly. Thank you for doing that. It personalizes our blog to our group. Kathy B. #5

Katie (26) Called today

2008-07-03T20:58:00.002-04:00

We heard from Katie today and got pretty much the same info you all have shared...good time...tired,,, she fell asleep on the bus ride....but she sounded good. She wasn't too excited about the food, so I guess I can take that as a compliment that she likes my cooking better. ;)

Dave & Lori

Verify your phone can receive international calls

2008-07-03T20:18:00.002-04:00

Everyone may want to check with their home & cell phone providers. Some of our cell phones numbers did not have access to receive international calls even though they were all on my account. Verizon added the service and we needed to update each phone via the programming facility (*228 for Verizon).

Thanks for all the updates!! Nicky hasn't call yet but I will let everyone know when (or if) she does.

sleepy heads

2008-07-03T19:54:00.001-04:00

Well, I guess it should be about 1am in Ireland now and our exhausted delegates are taking a deserved night's sleep. I know I won't be sleeping much and I'm really trying to calm down about Emily's condition. I am so appreciative of all the responses and thoughts you guys have given me. Let's hope tomorrow brings better luck.

Missed call! :(

2008-07-03T16:49:00.002-04:00

Hi, glad to hear that the kids had a good day. I am sure they are exhausted. Julianna tried to get through but I just missed the call. If anyone is talking to their child would you please have them ask Julianna to try again if possible! Thanks! If not, I will be patiently waiting for their next phone opportunity and information from others! :)

Leanne
Julianna's Mom #34

News From Dublin

2008-07-03T16:24:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Spoke to Tyler and he sounded great. They are in their guests house right now getting ready for bed. They had a good day, touring different sights. Didn't speak to him too long because his phone is going dead and he is having trouble charging it. So.... I might not speak to him again until he gets some calling cards. I actually also spoke to Alberto to see if he can help Tyler with his phone and he said all is going well.

Thanks,Lisa

Jason H. Diamond194 Paxton WayGlastonbury, CT 06033jhddiam@yahoo.com

Phone Card Access numbers

2008-07-03T12:27:00.001-04:00

FYI - if your child has an ATT phone card like my son Jack (#35). On the backs of their Lanyards are all the international accesscodes by country needed to initiate the call. P2P thinks of everything!

Phone Cards

2008-07-03T11:31:00.002-04:00

For those of you whose kids have phone cards, don't worry, you will hear from them at some point. Sammie had a phone card last year in Australia and the kids had some difficulty figuring them out and that is one reason why we didn't hear from them right away. The other reason is that there are limited phones in the lobbies of the places that they are staying AND sometimes there are several different delegations staying at the same location. She and the others finally figured out how to use them and then we got more frequent calls. So hang in there. As the leaders say, no news is good news.

Emily's got hives

2008-07-03T09:30:00.002-04:00

Hi all,
I figured out how to set up for the blog but I already sent out some e-mails about Emily #27. She and Elizabeth called from Bunratty Castle. Apparently Emily has a bad case of hives which started on the plane and has flared up again in the castle. She has a few Benadryl but they will get her more. She's fine but itchy. I wasn't suprised by how the leaders are "on top of the situation." They are very thorough and will call if anything comes up to immediately let you know what is going on. I feel very comfortable with how they are handling this although I am nervous to have her sick so far away. She had a reaction to the mold in damp soil when she was helping her dad dig to build a deck a few summers ago. Now, with the air on the plane and in a musty old castle, she must be experiencing the same thing. She wasn't crying or upset when they called so we'll see what happens. Hopefully this won't interfere with her continuing with the trip. I'll keep you all posted.

Sandy Kish

They're on the bus

2008-07-03T09:02:00.002-04:00

Jillian just called - very tired and not happy that they are on a three hour bus ride to reach their guest house. She said the cliffs were beautiful (they took group pictures there) and the castle was great too. They had chicken and potatoes for lunch and it was good. Their leader's name is David and he is from Scotland. Other than tired she said she is having fun. I wasn't too happy to hear her tell me that on the plane she was in a separate cabin from all the other kids. She said no one even came to check on her. But, she's ok so I'll let it go.

Good Morning Everyone!

2008-07-03T08:37:00.003-04:00

Just wanted to say good morning and wish each of you a wonderful day today. The kids days on these trips are filled with many activities so they will be busy all day having fun and gaining some new knowledge. Hope the weather is nice in Ireland! I would love to have fit into Sammie's suitcase to see the Cliffs or Moher and see Bunratty Castle. FUN FUN!

I tried to post last night, well at 1:15am but couldn't figure out how to get my post on here. Too tired I guess. Sammie sounded great and very excited. Take care everyone. Kathy # 5