tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1067495479524527512024-03-13T12:47:32.039-04:00Eric and Jamie's International Teaching BlogEric and Jamie have moved to Saudi Arabia. After living in China for two years, we have decided to take another international school teaching opportunity to teach in "The Kingdom." We have created this site to keep our family and friends updated on our journey. We are currently teaching at International Schools Group in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, right on the Persian Gulf. We would like to thank you for checking out our blog and hope you continue to visit.Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.comBlogger396125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-90029531006783730502014-10-11T09:43:00.001-04:002014-10-11T09:43:32.395-04:00Saudi Arabia Road Trip Eid 2014- Day 9<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Driving, driving, and more driving. <br />
<br />
Total time today was 12 hours as we left Ha'il at 7:30 am and arrived back in Khobar at 7:30 pm. <br />
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Our only hiccup of the trip was around 11:30 when my tire started going flat. We pulled over and and noticed that the tire had a nail in it. We tried to change the tire, but the directions on how to get the spare tire off wasn't clear. <br />
<br />
We found a service station about 7 km from the exit in a small little town where the guys changed it in about 5 minutes. 10 riyal and an hour and a half later and we were back on the road. One other small hiccup when we thought we had forgot our bags (AGAIN), but we discovered that another family had picked it up and put it in their car when we were messing with the bags.<br />
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A stop in Riyadh at McDonald's to let the kids play and the next stop was Al Khobar. <br />
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We had a quick toast to celebrate our long and successful journey and that was a wrap.<br />
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Overall, it was a great experience for us. It was nice to see Saudi Arabia in its entirety and see different parts of the country. We highly recommend the trip for any expats living in Saudi. It isn't something that everyone can do. <br />
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<br /></div>
Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-23865627336614936832014-10-11T09:36:00.000-04:002014-10-11T09:36:43.518-04:00Saudi Arabia Road Trip Eid 2014- Day 8<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Another long but very rewarding day. We woke pretty early to get a start on touring Medain Saleh. I'll let wikipedia tell you about this historic site:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mada'in_Saleh">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mada'in_Saleh</a><br />
<br />
I'm getting lazy in my blogging days, but this will tell you about it. The kids loved running in and out of the tombs. Some great photo opportunities. Perhaps the coolest thing about this place is that it's very new, and there is an entire city they haven't uncovered yet that has been buried. <br />
<br />
Our tour guide was nice enough and was a bit unsettled about the fact that we didn't have 2 or 3 days in the area. We tried to reassure him that we understood and that we only have a limited amount of time. <br />
<br />
Medain Saleh was pretty cool. For those that have been to Petra in Jordan, it apparently isn't as spectacular, but it is neat for Saudi. We drove around and saw the main sites before heading out. <br />
<br />
Our next stop was the old town in Al Ula. Our kids were napping in the car, so Jamie and I split up for this. She toured more of the lower part ruins that was the "town," while I climbed the steps of the tower. It was interesting, and our guide told us that some of the ancestors were trying to claim back some of the houses by placing little plaques on top of the doors. It'll take some time I'm sure for that to happen. <br />
<br />
We cleaned up at the hotel and check out and headed back to Elephant Rock so we could see it during the day. We then had a 4 hour drive before checking in to the Rest Inn in Ha'il. Completely Saudi hotel that served its purpose for us to get some sleep before our long long drive home the next day. <br />
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<br /></div>
Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-80195995616081843772014-10-11T09:22:00.001-04:002014-10-11T09:22:27.947-04:00Saudi Arabia Road Trip Eid 2014 - Day 7<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Today was another driving day, but it ended quite spectacularly. We said goodbye to our friends in Jeddah and set out early for a long drive to Al Ula, which is the closest city to Medain Salah. Along the way, the landscape changed rather dramatically. At some points, the terrain was very dark and rocky. It was almost as if they had blasted and the remains were just small boulders everywhere. <br />
<br />
We also were re-routed around the Islamic holy city of Medina. Again, this is the closest that a non-Muslim can get to the city. <br />
<br />
As we approached Al Ula, the land changed again as larger rocks turned to mountains as we increased in elevation. Al Ula is nestled in a small valley and is a quite nice little town. Our hotel was at the Al Ula Arac Resort which far exceeded our expectations. <br />
<br />
Our tour guide met us at the resort; and after cleaning up a little, led us to Elephant Rock, a large rock formation that resembles an elephant. <br />
<br />
We arrived there while it was dark, so the only light we had was the light of the full moon and a small little campfire he made for us as we ate our shawarmas. The pictures just won't do this evening justice. Even though there some cover, it was still an amazing sight and experience. <br />
<br />
After the long drive, we were beat. Jamie and the boys went straight to bed, while I relaxed and watched a the new Flash show. Internet wasn't working well there, so I wasn't able to blog.<br />
<br />
A long driving day, but well worth it in the end. </div>
Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-65846076045174624842014-10-07T15:21:00.000-04:002014-10-11T09:01:34.119-04:00Saudi Arabia Road Trip Eid 2014 - Day 6<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We hit the beach again today at one of the private resorts on the Red Sea here in Jeddah. This one was called the Silver Sands Beach Resort. It was a bit difficult to find because it is literally behind a large white wall that just says "private residence" on the door; but once we asked, they let us in no problem.<br />
<br />
This place was really nice. All it is missing is a pool, but the beach is long and wide and well maintained. The lounge chairs and tables are shaded and the restaurant has some fantastic pizzas. We spent about 4 hours mid day there before heading back for a little rest. <br />
<br />
We then headed out to our friends' school to check it out. They are putting on a HUGE production of Oz, and our friend is producing it. It will be absolutely amazing, and we are hoping we might actually come back over here to see it. <br />
<br />
After the school tour, we headed over to On the Border for some Mexican food. Our boys were exhausted and didn't eat but the food was good. We ran some errands on the way home and even stumbled upon The Fountain, the world's largest fountain. It was pretty cool, and we were lucky we found it. <br />
<br />
We'll pack up tonight and head toward Medain Saleh tomorrow. Our hosts here have been marvelous and very helpful. I can only hope we can repay them sometime.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-58959490327805378222014-10-07T15:01:00.000-04:002014-10-07T15:01:44.351-04:00Saudi Arabia Road Trip Eid 2014 - Day 5<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We hung out today. The kids were simply wiped out. We had originally planned to have another beach day, but all the littles ones in our group were just pooped. <br />
<br />
We went to the pool, went shopping for supplies, and even took a nap mid day. In the evening, some other families on the compound met with all of us to cook out and play some yard games. The food was delicious and the games were great. The kids had a good time running around the yard.<br />
<br />
The boys were down pretty early and had a much needed good night's sleep. <br />
<br />
Not a fancy day on our vacation but just what we needed. </div>
Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-30449882103990371832014-10-05T14:19:00.001-04:002014-10-05T14:19:52.792-04:00Saudi Arabia Road Trip Eid 2014 - Day 4<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Today was a nice relaxing day. We all woke up on our own time. The apartment we stayed in is perfect for us. It actually reminds us of our apartment we used to live in China, so it was very welcoming. We went over to our friends' house mid morning and had some breakfast before setting out to a beach resort. <br />
<br />
Jamie and I didn't particularly plan well today, although the day worked out in the end. The beach resort was very nice with a small beach, great sand, wonderful beach lounges and umbrellas as well as a nice pool setting and outdoor restaurant with couches and fans for eating. We decided to leave at 2:30 after we ate lunch because the boys hadn't napped at all. Some other members of our group stayed and snorkeled. They said it was some of the best snorkeling they ever done which is saying a lot since they've been all over. <br />
<br />
We rested in the afternoon before going over to our friends' house for a birthday celebration of shawarmas, ice cream, and cake. Birthday boy was turning 36. <br />
<br />
Again, a great day in Jeddah. It is a pretty cool city; and after looking up some information, we discovered that it is quite a large city of about 4 million people. We look forward to seeing more of the city in the next couple of days. </div>
Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-22692133764277996762014-10-04T16:07:00.003-04:002014-10-04T16:07:36.758-04:00Saudi Arabia Road Trip Eid 2014 - Day 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today, we planned on spending the day in Taif and driving to
Jeddah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We left the hotel at 9:15 and
drove around trying to find the entrance to a cable car that would show us the
heights of Taif and the rocky terrain of the mountains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since it is the first day of Hajj, everything
was closed until about 1:00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we
arrived at the entrance to the cable car, we just hung out for about 2.5 hours
and let the kids play on the playground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Interestingly enough, there was a Chicago’s Style Uno’s pizza place next
to the Ramada Inn there, so we waited until it opened too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While we waited, we saw dozens of baboons that roamed the
grounds. They were easy going enough, and the kids enjoyed seeing them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone got away unscathed or bitten, so all
was well with the baboons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some went up
to the gate and rode some camels with some very aggressive guys who would tug
you and even take your kids and put them on the camel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One guy kept pulling at me until I yelled at
him to not touch me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>James was a little
scared and certainly didn’t want to ride the camels, so we walked away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we were leaving, I saw one of the guys
hitting a camel, so I’m glad I didn’t give them any money.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Uno’s was a nice treat and getting on the cable car was a
breeze even though we had to wait forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The ride down the mountain was very interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wouldn’t say beautiful because it was just
rocks and more rocks, but it was certainly not what you think about when it
comes to Saudi Arabia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we arrived
at the bottom of the mountain, there was a small little touristy area that had
a pretty cool water park (kids and males only) where we ate some ice cream
bought from some guys who were very surprised we were from America. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We rode the cable car back up to the top of the mountain and
loaded up for the 2.5 hour drive to Jeddah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The most amazing part of this journey was the split when we arrived near
Mecca or Makkah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if it wasn’t Hajj,
non Muslims aren’t allowed in the city of Mecca.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, they route you around the entire
city where there is a cool little sign that separates Muslims from non-Muslims
on the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We arrived at a compound in Jeddah where our friends and
former co-workers had graciously offered to find some villas for us all to stay
in. It was great to see them, and they were so helpful settling us in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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A great day again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The boys were dead tired when we finally put them to bed, but they again
were so well behaved all day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are so
fortune.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, we didn’t leave our bag
behind! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-19398936838759180992014-10-04T16:07:00.000-04:002014-10-04T16:07:06.317-04:00Saudi Arabia Road Trip Eid 2014 - Day 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Crazy day!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>11 hours
total of driving time, but 2 hours of that was a mistake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We left Riyahd at 8:05 and drove through some
pretty cool scenery for about an hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then, we received a call that we’d forgotten our black bag at the
hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had our passports, iqamas, an
iPad, 2 Macbook Airs, the kids’ medicine, and all of our charging cables. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had left it on the curb when we were
packing our car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the workers
found it and turned it in for us and the manager called us and told us to come
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were so lucky! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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As bad as it was to add 2 hours onto our trip, we were glad
to do it to have all of our important stuff back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 9-hour drive to Taif wasn’t bad at
all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Straight shot on one road, and we
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</span>The checkpoints along the way had some cool gateways, there was a Ferris
wheel out in the middle of nowhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were all of these small little towns along the highway with these
neat little parks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The terrain started
out very rocky and steep around Riyadh, then flattened out and became smoother
terrain as we got closer to Taif.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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We arrived at 7:00 fairly refreshed at our hotel called Awaliv
International Hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the tallest
building by far in the city at 30 stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The rooms were nice, and we let the boys play in the room to burn off as
much steam as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though the
drive was 11 hours total, the boys did so great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alex just chilled in his car seat the whole
time napping, and James watch some videos, played with his toys, read some
books, napped, snacked, and sang some songs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Again, if our bag had not been found, we would’ve been dead
in the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were also lucky in that
we’d only driven an hour outside the city. It is nice to know there are some
good people still out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-284486453867812722014-10-04T16:06:00.002-04:002014-10-04T16:06:35.003-04:00Saudi Arabia Road Trip Eid 2014 - Day 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Jamie and I hadn’t seen much of Saudi Arabia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have always spent our vacations getting
out of the country whenever we could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some friends of ours were planning a road trip around the country and
asked if we wanted to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seemed like
a good time to do it, so we agreed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So,
four families loaded up in four separate vehicles and set out for a 36+ hour
3600+ km road trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our journey will
take us from Al Khobar to Riyadh to Taif to Jeddah to Medain Saleh to Ha’il
back to Al Khobar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will see the
capital city, the resort town of Taif in the mountains, the Red Sea city of
Jeddah, the pre-Islamic archeological site of Medain Saleh, and the drive
through the deserts and terrain of Saudi Arabia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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We left the parking lot at ISG in Khobar at 4:00 for the
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that is the case, you’ll need to quickly pass the person on the left but get
out of the way as someone will quickly be on your bumper flashing their
lights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Nonetheless, we made it safely to Riyadh pretty
easily and made it in about 5 hours. We
stayed at a pretty nice hotel called the Golden Tulip Andalusia. I crashed in the room while Jamie went out to
get something to eat with James. </span><!--EndFragment--></div>
Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-66333979746604010152014-03-12T02:04:00.001-04:002014-03-12T02:04:22.394-04:00Switzerland Study Trip<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out the fog down the slope</td></tr>
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A perk of teaching in some international schools is being able to offer the students a means by which to go on a study trip to a foreign country. If you've been following us, you have read about my trips to Korea and Prague/Budapest, and Jamie's trips to Kenya and Bali. Basically, we sponsor a trip, plan the details with a student travel agent (or Habitat for Humanity), and sign kids up. The students pay their costs as well as our costs, so we essentially get a free trip. However, we are completely responsible for these students for 7 or 8 days. It is mostly a win/win, but some trips are more successful than others. Fortunately, all of our trips have been very successful and enjoyable. <br />
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Last week, I was able to take a group of 13 students to Switzerland for a skiing and science study trip. We stayed in Veriber at the <a href="http://leselfes.com/%E2%80%8E" target="_blank">Les Elfes</a> camp. They have been in business for over 25 years operating ski camps and summer camps for students from ages 8 - 18. It was a great place because the students would be able to learn how to ski from certified instructors as well as have a variety of different other activities in the evening. <br />
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We left on the evening of February 28 and arrived in Switzerland on March 1. The students skied for the first 3 days and we took excursions for the last 3 days. Most of the students had never been on skis before, so they were placed in the beginner class with an instructor. If students knew how to ski, they were given a more advanced level and an instructor led them through the lifts and pistes (slopes/runs).<br />
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Once we arrived, the other trip sponsor and myself had few responsibilities. During the day, the students skied, so we could ski or just hang out at the hotel. I chose to ski all day and one of those days, the resort manager gave us private lessons and a wonderful lunch on top of the mountain. After 3 days of skiing, the students were pretty tired. This worked out well because we had schedule 3 days of touring to wrap up the trip.<br />
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Each afternoon, the students had some optional activity time. They could choose to go into town and shop, go swimming, or stay for games and other activities. After dinner, there were also group events like ice skating, music video making, music trivia, movie night, clubs, and a final prize giving awards show. <br />
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First, we went to the <a href="http://cailler.ch/en/" target="_blank">Cailler</a> chocolate factory. The kids learned about the history of chocolate by following a guided tour of animation and design. It was quite interesting. They were citing facts as we were leaving the building. The next part of the tour disappointed me a bit as they just had us walk through the factory part without really explaining anything. Then came the tasting room, where you get to sample as much as you want from their many different varieties. The kids were in heaven! Finally, they were able to buy up half of the gift shop and some left with several pounds of chocolate.<br />
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Next, we were able to do a small tour of the CERN facility. For those that don't know, this is where scientists from many different countries work with atomic particles. In what is the most advanced technology on earth, they use a 27 km long, -270 celcius electromagnetic tube to speed up the protons of atoms to nearly the speed of light (350 millions mph) and smash them into one another. This recreated the conditions to a millionth of a millionth of a second just after the Big Bang essentially creating new matter and energy that last for a few minutes. You can read more about it <a href="http://home.web.cern.ch/%E2%80%8E" target="_blank">HERE </a>and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CERN" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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We were able to see the actual Hadron collider because it takes 3 months reservation and only if it is not operating that day to see it. The globe across the street that has an amazing Imax type video was also closed. We were able to go through their museum that had interactive displays and quite a bit of information concerning what they do at CERN. <br />
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The next day, we went to see a hydroelectric power plant and learn a little about Switzerland's extensive hydroelectric power grid. It was s decent tour but the guide's English was limited, and he mostly spoke with one our our instructors. The kids learned some and the tour itself wasn't bad, but it could have been better. After our tour, we had lunch and went to the <a href="http://www.lavey-les-bains.ch/en" target="_blank">Le Bains de Levay </a>hot springs spa. It was wonderful sitting the hot pools of water and staring out at the snow capped mountains. <br />
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Our last day was spent on the mountain again but not skiing. The fitted us with snowboard boots and took us up the top of the mountain using several ski lifts. Because it was so crowded with long lines, it took nearly 2.5 hours to reach the highest peak on the mountain at 3300 meters. Beautiful view from the top where we could see some of the highest peaks in all of Europe, including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mont_Blanc%E2%80%8E" target="_blank">Mt. Blanc </a>which is over 4800 meters. <br />
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After lunch, we had some avalanche training where the students learned how to use beacons, probes, and transceivers to find a body that had been buried by an avalanche. The kids were getting tired and not really into it, but it was informative for them. When we said a person had died just 2 weeks ago on the back side of the mountain and 18 people in Europe this year, they seemed to understand the importance.<br />
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Overall, an excellent trip with some amazing students. I was not going to sponsor a study trip next year, but I am seriously considering doing the exact same trip next year. We will see. <br />
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Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-37661822442851130042014-02-17T00:38:00.002-05:002014-02-17T03:14:22.020-05:00Vienna Day 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beethoven's Final Resting Place</td></tr>
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After another great night's sleep, we again ate a yummy breakfast downstairs. <br />
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Our first stop today was the Zentralfriedhof cemetery, the 2nd largest cemetery in Europe. I have a thing for cemeteries and always want to go to a major city's largest. The large on in Paris was pretty neat, the one in downtown Hong Kong was cool too. Of course there is Arlington, perhaps my favorite in many ways. Even small town cemeteries I find fascinating because you can learn so much about the population. <br />
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Zentralfriedhof didn't disappoint. It may be my new favorite cemetery. We didn't have a map but knew there were some famous people interned here. We actually stumbled upon the headstones of Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, and Strauss. All of these men were actually buried somewhere else, exhumed for research purposes, then reburied in this cemetery all next to one another. There were some also some of the strangest headstones you'll ever see. Some indescribable as you'll just have to look at the photos. <br />
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We took the tram and metro back to the city center and ate lunch at a busy sandwich shop. Next up was the Rathaus city hall; however it was closed because it was sunday. An impressive building but what came next was a highlight of the trip. Just outside the building, they had built a winter carnival, complete with food stands, an ice skating rink, a separate one for toddlers and young ones, and a "track." Music was playing, food was eaten, and beverages were consumed. Very fun! It apparently only runs during the last week of January through the 1st week of March, so we caught it perfectly. <br />
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We then headed over to check out the fine arts museum which is located in the Museum Quarter, a several block area that has the Natural History Museum as well as others. The kids were exhausted, so we didn't spend too much time there but was delighted at the architecture. <br />
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We quickly made it back to the hotel because it had started to rain. Luckily, we used the metro to stay out of the rain and then walk was only a few blocks in drizzle. We were back snuggly at 6:00 where everyone was asleep by 8:00. Jamie was able to finish her Baileys and I worked on my Jack. <br />
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I'm placing Vienna at the top of the list for my favorite European city. I love the architecture, history, and city planning. Everything seems to run smoothly here. I would love to live here. <br />
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Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-25463769804683508012014-02-17T00:26:00.002-05:002014-02-17T02:46:06.314-05:00Vienna Day 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">After a great night's sleep, we went down to the hotel breakfast. They had a great assortment of cheeses, hams, yoghurts, jams, teas, and breads. Great start and I would stay at this hotel again for just this reason.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Traveling with both James and Alex has been pretty easy, but we couldn't decide on whether or not to take our double stroller. We knew the hotel rooms in Europe would be small. We didn't even know if the elevator would even fit the double stroller. We opted instead of taking the singer travel stroller we have taken everywhere with us and the Mobi wrap. If you young couples with little ones or little ones to be don't know about a Mobi wrap, they are awesome. Light weight, easy to use, versatile, and great for traveling. So, James mainly stayed in the stroller or walked while Alex stayed in the Mobi wrap and sometimes the stroller. It worked out well. Now that we are here, we wish we had decided to bring the double stroller. Live and learn.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">We walked up the main pedestrian street by St. Stephen's Cathedral looking for some gloves for James. We did find some, but he wouldn't even try to wear them. He also would not put a blanket on top of him. We did convince him to at least put his hands in his pockets. He figured out that helped with the cold. Traveling with Alex means Jamie is stopping to feed him every few hours. This is pretty easily done, but slows you down. Luckily, this trip to Vienna is the perfect opportunity to take things slow. We will no doubt be back in this wonderful city again, so we don't mind missing some things. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Our first stop was to the old Hapsburg Palace, which they have converted into several museums. The palace itself if large, taking up several city blocks. We hadn't done much research on what to see, so we were up for anything. We decided to check out the National Library, and we are very glad we did. The library itself used to be the entrance hall for the royal family. Now, it houses several thousand books in what is easily the most beautiful library I've seen. It is like walking into a cathedral except the walls are lined with volumes and volumes of books with those cool rolling wooden ladders.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Next was the Imperial Palace apartments, the Sisi Museum, and the national Silverware collection. The silverware collection was impressive as it was the collection of all the silverware throughout the centuries of the Hapsburgs. The most impressive part was a gilded mirrored bottomed candle place setting that spanned the entire length of a 20 person plus table. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Sisi Museum was in memory of the last Empress of the Hapsburgs, Elizabeth, a dark and lonely woman of whom they have created dark and gloomy exhibition for her. She was eventually assassinated but was the longest running Empress of the dynasty. They had her collection of just about everything you could think of, even her dentist's records. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Imperial Palace apartments were interesting and rivaled those of Versailles, except not as elaborate or outlandish. We skimmed through there and then went back to find a place for lunch. We were originally searching for this little finger food sandwich place, but after finding out it was "family friendly" opted for a restaurant called, interestingly enough, The Chattanooga. It was good enough food to get us through the rest of the afternoon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Next up was the papyrus museum, a collection of Egyptian, Greek, and Arabic papyrus documents. Most of it wasn't in English, but what was was interesting as they were primary source documents of land deeds, debts settled, some dating back to the ancient Egyptians. Our last stop was to the Esperanto and Globe Museum. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">We didn't even know what Esperanto was, but according to wikipedia, Esparanto is the:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>"<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">most widely spoken</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructed_language" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; line-height: 19px; text-decoration: none;" title="Constructed language">constructed</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_auxiliary_language" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; line-height: 19px; text-decoration: none;" title="International auxiliary language">international auxiliary language</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperanto#cite_note-3" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[3]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">Its name derives from</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 19px;">Doktoro Esperanto</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">("Esperanto" translates as "one who hopes"), the pseudonym under which</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L._L._Zamenhof" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; line-height: 19px; text-decoration: none;" title="L. L. Zamenhof">L. L. Zamenhof</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">published the first book detailing Esperanto, the</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unua_Libro" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Unua Libro">Unua Libro</a>,</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">on July 26, 1887. Zamenhof's goal was to create an easy-to-learn, politically neutral language that would transcend nationality and foster peace and international understanding between people with different languages.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Estimates of Esperanto speakers range from 100,000 to 2,000,000 active or fluent speakers worldwide, including perhaps a thousand <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_Esperanto_speakers" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Native Esperanto speakers">native speakers</a>who learned Esperanto from birth as one of their native languages. <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lernu.net" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Lernu.net">Lernu.net</a>, the most popular online learning platform of Esperanto, reported 150,000 registered users in 2013, and has between 150,000 and 200,000 monthly visitors.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperanto#cite_note-4" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[4]</a></sup> Esperanto has a notable presence in over a hundred countries. Usage is highest in Europe, East Asia, and South America.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperanto#cite_note-5" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[5]</a>"</sup></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">They had a nice little video that was informative too that even James enjoyed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 19px;">The globe museum was what you would expect and was pretty neat to see the </span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">terrestrial, celestial, and lunar globes from the ages. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">A busy day concluded with some pretty bad Austrian fast food. Seemed yummy at the time, but we barely ate half of it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">James literally put himself to bed after his bath and didn't even want a story or a song. A first for him! We were all in bed by 8:00 pm.</span></span></div>
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Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-69893483064336504442014-02-16T13:27:00.000-05:002014-02-17T01:03:16.833-05:00Vienna Day 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James in the streets of Vienna</td></tr>
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Jamie and I had originally scheduled a trip to Germany for winter break 2013. My parents and niece were going to meet us in Germany for the break. We booked our tickets in March 2013, way in advance which got us a better deal.<br />
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About 3 weeks later, we found out Jamie was pregnant and the due date was very close to our winter break. With the baby to be born in Saudi, the paperwork for birth certificates, passport, and exiting and re-entering the country would take too long, so there was simply no way to go to Germany. <br />
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Mom and Dad switched their tickets and came here instead. I frantically searched for a new location to use our tickets. Turkish Airlines said that we could use our tickets, but had to travel before March. <br />
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So we decided to go to Vienna, Austria for this 4 day weekend in February.<br />
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It is the first time Alex was out of the country and his first flight.<br />
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We packed pretty much the night before, but we had a 2:55 am flight. We left for the airport and had some trouble issuing an infant ticket for Alex. Dammam airport has to be the worst airport in the world. No other airport comes close. The man running the counter simply just did not want to issue the infant ticket. He had to go take care of something else and said it was his choice to "refuse" us. While we did arrive a little later than usual for check in, this is something that they could have done quite easily. Plus, none of their other check in agents were trained in how to issue an infant ticket. I finally convinced the guy to do it, but he would only give Alex and I a boarding pass for the trip to Istanbul. Extremely frustrating. That airport has become progressively worse and worse each year we have been here.<br />
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We made it to Istanbul and only had about an hour or so layover before continuing to Vienna at 10:00 am. We took a bus straight to city center and walked a few blocks to our hotel, Hotel Austria. It had great reviews on Tripadvisor, and we are very pleased. It is very close to everything downtown. <br />
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We checked in quickly and headed out to a quick Austrian lunch of wienerschnitzel. We headed back to the hotel and refreshed and napped a bit before heading out. We finally walked around about 3:00 and headed toward St. Stephen's Cathedral, the most popular attraction in Vienna. After roaming around a little more, we decided to try to find this little Italian restaurant that had great reviews. It was early, so they place hadn't opened yet. Nonetheless, they were full for the evening. We decided to eat at this little pizza place we had passed and it was pretty decent. <br />
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Everyone crashed that night and we all received about 10 hours of sleep. Yes!<br />
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Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-21209043822918882722014-02-15T01:12:00.001-05:002014-02-15T01:12:27.099-05:00Eric and Jamie's Last 2 years!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James and Alex January 31, 2014</td></tr>
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We're Back!<br />
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It has been almost 2 years since our last post which was about my study trip to Korea with a group of students.<br />
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Quite a bit has changed since then, including the birth of our 2nd son, Alexander. With a toddler and a newborn, it has been difficult to blog. I have written a few articles for TIEOnline, but nothing for this blog site. We have received numerous emails from people inquiring about our jobs in Saudi Arabia or just teaching positions internationally. Most of these people stumbled on our blog and just want some questions answered. I ran into one particular woman on a 2 day conference in Oman I had been corresponding with 2 years before about a job in Saudi Arabia. Her family had taken jobs at Aramco. We hope that this blog has been a way for teachers in the US or abroad to gain a better understanding of living overseas.<br />
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With that said, being so busy as of late has not provided us with the opportunity to post any information concerning life abroad or about ourselves personally. Our blog was a way for us to keep in touch with people back home. Sure, we've done so through Facebook and email, but the blog seemed more personal. <br />
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Lastly, living in Saudi Arabia isn't exactly as exciting as living in China. There simply isn't as much to do or blog about on a day to day basis. However, Jamie and I both have taken active roles in our schools. I have coordinated the switch to a standards based grading and reporting system by chair our grading and reporting committee, taken 2 study trips with students to Korea, Prague/Budapest, with an upcoming one in Switzerland, helped with basketball at school, and switched from chairing the listening committee to helping with professional development. <br />
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Jamie has been very active in her school by teaching two AP classes, Psychology and Economics, leading as social studies department head, helping IB students as an extended essay advisor, and AFG coordinator. She also has helped with MUN leading a couple of trips to Istanbul.<br />
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Jamie also graduated with her PdD last August, so we have been working very hard to pay off student loans. Because of that and the birth of Alex, we aren't traveling much this year, with the exception of our quick 4 day trip to Vienna.<br />
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Here is a list of places we've been in the last 2 years since our last posting:<br />
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Spring Break Italy 2012: Italy<br />
Summer 2012: Visiting family in US and a trip to Tampa for Jamie's AP training<br />
October 2012: Jamie's leadership conference in Dubai<br />
Fall Break 2012: Paris for James' 1st birthday!<br />
November 2012: Eric's conference in Dubai<br />
December 2012: Jamie's MUN trip to Istanbul<br />
Winter Break 2012: USA for Christmas<br />
February 2013: Jamie's student study trip to Bali, Indonesia<br />
March 2013: Eric's student study trip to Prague/Budapest<br />
Spring Break 2013: Thailand for Phuket and Bangkok (Jamie's conference)<br />
Summer 2013: USA visiting family, Dallas for Jamie's conference, Minneapolis for Jamie's graduation<br />
November 2014: Eric's conference in Dubai<br />
December 18, 2013: Alexander Laith Brown born!<br />
January 2014: Eric's conference in Muscat, Oman<br />
February 2014: 4 day trip to Vienna, Austria<br />
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Whew! That's it and it took some time remembering. We haven't included our trips to Bahrain periodically throughout the year and 4 of those for a training for Jamie. <br />
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I'm hoping to start posting on a regular basis and discuss a little more detail about life in Saudi and our roles at our respective schools. <br />
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Glad to be back! Hope everyone has been well!<br />
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Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-25017152450971472612012-03-20T05:36:00.004-04:002012-03-20T05:36:41.634-04:00South Korea Study Trip - Day 9 & 10<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Today ended up being a very busy day. We had to pack everything so we could check out of our hotel. Most of the students were ready to board the bus promptly at 10:00 am. Those who have been late to the bus the last couple of days have had to sing a song on the bus. Michelle stops them after they board and they have sit in the front and sing. We have had wonderful renditions of Old MacDonald, Happy Birthday, Arirang (Korean folk song), as well as some other favorites. One boy in particular sang a great cover of Bruno Mars "Grenade." </span><br />
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The two B-boys, who were brothers and actually from a group called the Gaby Nest, joined us for most of the day and met us at the hotel. While we went through the Aquarium at the COEX Mall, they were warming up for our own private show. The aquarium was a very good one. I personally always enjoy the penguins, otters, and seals. </div>
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We went to an open outside area of the Mall where the B-boys had set up the equipment. The performed a couple of songs for us before dividing the students into two different groups, A and B. Each B-boy took a group and taught them a couple of very simple dance moves. Then the two groups "battled." Group A ended up being declared the winner, but both a member of each group was presented a T-shirt of the Gaby Nest by the B-boys later in the day.</div>
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After the dancing, we ate lunch at Outback Steakhouse (delicious as always). The students were then given about 30 minutes of shopping time at the mall before we moved on to the Seoul Tower. Seoul Tower is just that, a tower that overlooks the city. Inside the tower was also a rather peculiar but very interesting Teddy Bear Museum. You'll need to see the pictures to understand it, but they took each Korean time period and set up teddy bears depicting certain eras. After the teddy bear museum, we took the elevator to the observation deck of the tower. What I thought was neat about it was the each window pane all around the tower observation deck had world cities and the distance from that point to the tower written on it. I took pictures of a few. </div>
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After the Seoul Tower, we went to the Seoul Animation Center. This was a huge disappointment. What I thought would be interesting and very interactive ended up being just 3 rooms that had drawings in them. I'm sure the rest of the animation center is great, but we didn't a chance to see it. We opted to leave there early and head to Insa Street for more shopping. </div>
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We spend 1.5 hours on Insa Dong Street finalizing our shopping before heading straight to the airport. Michelle checked us all in and waved goodbye to us before we went through passport control. I know she had a good trip with us, but I'm also very sure she was glad it was over. She usually takes adult groups, so this was a big change for her. </div>
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11 hours to Doha and 1 hour to Dammam and we finally arrived at school at 11:20 am. </div>
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Outstanding Trip Overall. It was nice to see some of the students mature as the trip progressed. I have no doubt they'll take away some memories that will last a lifetime. </div>
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We'll be getting together a presentation to present in front of the middle school, but it probably won't be until after spring break. That'll give the students enough time to get their pictures together and for us to practice the dance, bowing, and Korean phrases. </div>
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Make sure your kids are completing their journals and their A to Z book. They will have until just before Spring Break to turn those in. They can always ask their teachers for some guidance or stop by my room or Ms. Casside's for some help. </div>
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I'll get the Day 9 and 10 pictures into the 2nd photo album soon.</div>
</div>Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-13469184827551692522012-03-20T05:36:00.001-04:002012-03-20T05:36:11.510-04:00South Korea Study Trip - Day 8<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Well, I said that every day might be the students' favorite, but today probably wasn't. Not that it was bad, but after the "fun" day yesterday, today was probably a small let down for the kids. </span><br />
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We started our day at the Korean Folk Village. In 1979, the government built a folk village an hour outside Seoul to help people experience traditional culture of Korea. They have literally built the homes and other buildings as they would have looked in the late 1800's. We were able to see a few performances (traditional dancing, a tight rope walker, and a traditional wedding ceremony). The wedding ceremony was interesting because they "re-enact" they wedding ceremony throughout the week, but people can actually have their wedding ceremony there paid for by the government on the weekends. We walked around as our guide explained some of the buildings and other things that she thought the students might want to know and be interested in.</div>
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After lunch at a "hot pot," we went to the LG Science center. This was a huge let down for me, because they had all of the rooms set up for students to have a hands on experience with various technological displays, but the guide (not Michelle) only allowed them to do certain ones and only certain kids were able to do some of them. While it was a nice visit, it would've been so much more if we had more time to explore and do everything there. </div>
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We ate a nice Korean BBQ place for dinner and were back in the hotel earlier than normal. The kids need some time to pack their belongings and rest up. We have a busy day tomorrow. A late entry into the itinerary is that 2 of the B-boys will be joining us tomorrow for the day capped off by them teaching the students some of the break dancing moves. We told the kids, and needless to say, the are excited.</div>
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</div>Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-74185741207952926672012-03-20T05:35:00.002-04:002012-03-20T05:35:38.817-04:00South Korea Study Trip - Day 7<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Great day for the students. We were able to sleep in until 8:00 this morning because of the long day yesterday and the fact ice skating didn't open until 10:00 am. We were there at 10:00 and after some struggling with their skates, the students hit the ice. Some literally hit the ice, but they all did a pretty good job. Most tried to make it around a couple of times at least, but some had some prior experience and stayed longer. Those who left went to an arcade and had some fun playing some games. Lunch was at Pizza Hut.</span><br />
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Lotte is a national brand for many products in Korea. They have built a theme park in Seoul where the students had 5.5 hours to ride the rides, play the games, and hang out. Most of the students rode a majority of the rides and had a great time. I was able to tour the Korean Folk Museum where the highlight was a 1/8 miniature model of how village and Gyeongbokgung Palace would have looked during the height of the dynasty. Geeky for most, but I certainly enjoyed it. </div>
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After dinner at a Korean fast food restaurant, we had the opportunity to go and see the B-boys. The B-boys are a break dancing group who have won world championships. They have a performance where they have paired with a ballerina, so the mixture of break dancing and ballet is quite interesting. The kids were ecstatic and were able to go on stage and have their pictures taken with some of the members of the group.</div>
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Will probably one of the kids' best days, but it seems as though I have been saying that every day.</div>
</div>Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-35302638965694433602012-03-20T05:34:00.001-04:002012-03-20T05:34:53.893-04:00South Korea Study Trip - Day 6<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Probably one of the kids best days and for one reason...<div>
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This was the 1st morning that all of the boys woke up on time and were ready to go. Part of that was that yesterday I drug one room of boys in the hallway and had them do some morning exercises because they refused to wake up after numerous doorbell rings and telephone calls. Needless to say, there were all up this morning. </div>
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We left the hotel at 7:30 in order to get to the Siheung Middle School on time for our day with Korean students. They met us at the gate and had name tags with our names on them. We then proceeded to their auditorium where the opening ceremonies were held. Everything was well planned out and there had to be English and Korean translations for each speaker. </div>
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They presented our school with a gift of framed ancient Korean masks and Mathurine had purchased an Arabic teapot for their principal. Their principal and assistant principal had a few welcoming words and I spoke on behalf of our school. Luckily, I had some translation experience. The students then exchanged gifts and prepared for their performances. </div>
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Two Korean students performed on bamboo flutes, two more performed a couple of classical songs on the violin and piano, 6 girls performed a modern pop dance, and the finale was an AMAZING Korean drum performance by 7 students. The principal said it was the "pride of their school" and they won competitions for it.</div>
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Our students then performed their dance of Party Rock Anthem which was a huge hit with the Korean students. They clapped and went on stage with our students. </div>
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The students had a chance to mingle with one another and the Korean girls instantly took a liking to one of our students. He had a crowd of girls around him the rest of the day and they would even follow him into rooms and press their faces up to the windows to get a look at him. Hilarious on all levels seeing them do this and mostly his reaction to it. </div>
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The students then went for an English lesson. It was a video teleconference with a native English speaker in New Zealand. The school sets these up so the Korean students can have a lesson with a native English speaker. It was interesting they way it all worked out, and of course, our students were the star pupils and participated appropriately and actively.</div>
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Next, the students had P.E. class where they played kickball. The rules were a bit different, but our students caught on and actually beat the Korean school students by a score of 12 - 6 after 2 innings. They do not have a gym, so the kids had to play outside in freezing cold weather. They were dressed for it mostly and certainly warmed up by playing. </div>
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Lunch came next and the students went with their Korean partners to their homerooms for a Korean meal. Mathurine and I ate with the teachers and administrators.</div>
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The kids were treated like celebrities the whole time. Most of these Korean students had never seen too many foreigners before, so we were all quite the novelty to them. They loved the kids hair and faces, wanted them to write their names, and followed them around like paparazzi. Unfortunately for our students, we had to leave, but they left with huge smiles and appreciation of the Korean students. </div>
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Next, we went to a place for to learn about traditional style Korean clothing, which some of the students were able to try on and traditional forms of bowing, which all of the students practiced several times. We'll be showing these bows at the assembly we'll have for the middle school when we return. Next, the students were treated to participating in a tea ceremony, where some of the students served the other students with the proper way to fix and serve tea, Korean style. While this was mostly boring for the student, some did like it, and they were able to gain some experience with some traditional cultural aspects of Korea.</div>
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We then went to a large shopping mall where the students were able to buy souvenirs or something for themselves. We split up into 3 groups and they went from floor to floor shopping. Some of the kids are so sweet because they want to buy something for every one of their family members (cousins, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, etc) and not just their mom and dad. </div>
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Dinner was at another buffet style restaurant where all of the students found something they could eat. We caught up on journaling in our rooms before lock down at 10:30. Tomorrow, we'll get to go ice skating and LOTTE Theme Park. Fun day!!!</div>
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As usual, check out the pictures... I did what I could at the school.</div>
</div>Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-25922021417025533362012-03-20T05:33:00.002-04:002012-03-20T05:33:25.050-04:00South Korea Study Trip - Day 5<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">What a day!</span><br />
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We had to get out by 8:00 am. Stupid me forgot my passport, so Michelle and I had to quickly take a taxi back to the hotel and then meet the rest of the group at the other tour bus that would take us to the DMZ. That is 2 of the most important items that I have made bonehead moves on, so I'm batting 1000 right now. </div>
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Only 3 tour companies are allowed to go to the DMZ, so we had to join up with a group of Japanese tourists on another bus. They had their Japanese speaking guide, and we had our English speaking one. On the way there, she explained a little bit about the history of the DMZ and its current state as well as the numerous rules we had to follow once we arrived:</div>
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No pointing, no standing unless told, no taking pictures unless told, keep your hands out of your pockets, walk in lines by twos, </div>
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We were able to step foot into North Korea for about 5 minutes, take a quick picture, then be on our way. It was very very fast and we only saw 1 North Korean soldier. The lady kept saying,"we don't know what is going to happen. we just listen to the military." </div>
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Right before going into the main building and the lady hurrying us along barking directions, some of the kids seemed a little "freaked out," but they made it OK. I remember going to the DMZ 21 years ago when I was their age and having the same feeling. I didn't know at the time why it was such a serious situation, but I do remember not to mess up. </div>
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I cannot possibly type (or well rather will not do it) all that was told to us while we were there. My personal highlights include seeing the 3 defended military gates and stepping into the 1950's style little building, seeing the line that separates North and South Korea, getting our picture taken in North Korea, learning some of the stories about the place, seeing Propaganda village (from afar of course), and learning that the little rice village that is still near the DMZ has a population of only 500 but has an average income of over $80,000 US tax free. Another interesting part was seeing the 2 flags. SK flag has a tall flag pole but pretty standard. NK's flag is 18 by 30 METERS AND WEIGHS 600 pounds. It towers over the SK flag by 50 meters and is supposedly the tallest flag pole in the world.</div>
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Check out the following link for more detailed information... <a href="http://visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_4_1.jsp" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://<wbr></wbr>visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_<wbr></wbr>3_4_1.jsp</a> </div>
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After exiting the DMZ gift shop and area, we stopped at a nearby park where SK still come and face the North in hopes one day seeing their ancestors again. Large stone sculptures always face north symbolizing this. We then went down the road to a Korean restaurant with our Japanese busmates, but we had a lunch of salad and sandwiches we had brought with us.</div>
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An hour later, our official DMZ tour was over as we transferred to our original bus which took us to the National Assembly. We were originally supposed to meet a Korean senator, but that plan probably fell through when we switched guides. Instead, we still got a quick tour of the massive building learning a little bit about its structure, history, and little about the government of SK. We exited and walked around the building before being picked up by our bus. It was still early, so Michelle decided to take us to the 2002 World Cup Stadium. In 2002, SK and Japan co-hosted the World Cup (Brazil won but SK came in 4th). After touring the small museum at the stadium concerning the games, we saw the field where to our surprise the South Korea national team was practicing (what luck!). They have a game tomorrow night against Qatar. We were told not to take pictures, but I had already taken some and I forgot how to delete them :)</div>
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The kids were so excited, and it was cool to see a real practice. They only let us stay for about 10 minutes, but it was well worth the stop. </div>
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Dinner was at a seafood buffet where most kids had sushi, but there was a ton of other types of food. </div>
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After arriving at the hotel, we immediately got down to business practicing our dance routine for our performance tomorrow at the Alliance Middle School. We are being hosted by them tomorrow. We aren't sure what to expect, but I'm sure the kids will have a great time. After a rough start to practice, I believe the kids are ready after about 2 hours of straight practicing. We'll see tomorrow.</div>
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Tons of great pictures today. Not a lot of the DMZ because like I said, you weren't allowed to take that many. You can view them at the same link. </div>
</div>Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-59441931887574142822012-03-20T05:32:00.000-04:002012-03-20T05:32:46.097-04:00South Korea Study Trip - Day 4<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Another great day overall! We woke up at 7:00 am (well, most of us, but more on that to come later) and had a nice breakfast before checking out of the hotel. After a quick stop at Waterpia to pick up a lost wallet, we headed back to Mt. Seoraksun park to ride the cable car to the top. A few of the students bought some new gloves, and we quickly got on to the cable car and rode it to near the top of the mountain. </div>
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The view from the top was spectacular. You could clearly see the city on the eastern coast and more mountains to the west. Perhaps the best part of the day was when we hiked just a hundred meters up the hill…</div>
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The kids stopped along side the hill and just played in the snow. It was refreshing to see them just laughing, smiling, rolling around in the snow, snowball fighting, and having a blast. Brought back some great memories for me, and it was a delight to see the joy on their faces. I was able to get some pretty good pictures of this despite forgetting to turn on automatic focus (grrrr…)</div>
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After stopping for a snack and hot cocoa, we rode the cable car back down the mountain and exited the park. We went back to Waterpia for lunch at a Korean fast food restaurant of burgers and cheese sticks.</div>
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A 2.5 hour ride back toward Seoul brought us to our destination for our rail bike ride. I wasn’t sure what to expect and neither did the kids, but you’ll just have to see the pictures for a better idea. They have converted an old rail line into a 4 seater rail bike ride. It takes about 25 minutes one way, where you stop for a quick break, then 25 minutes the other way. Mathurine and I were the only 2 in our 4 seater, so the ride there was tougher (plus I’m out of shape so that doesn’t help). On the way back, we had a student ride with us which greatly helped. The other bikes had 3 or 4 each too. It was a nice stop. It was a bit cold because of the wind, but a clear day nonetheless.</div>
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Our next stop was not a scheduled one, but our guide and driver decided that since there was not much traffic, we’d have time for it. It was metal track sledding just off the side of the road and near the river. The kids had a blast (and so did the adults). There are some great pictures taken by 2 of the students. We were also to briefly walk through a greenhouse that was nestled to the side of a riverside park. </div>
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An hour later, we were at dinner having smoked duck which was similar to the Korean BBQ from a couple of nights ago. The duck was very good and several students said that it was their first time having duck. We checked back in to the Art Nouveau City III Hotel, but with different rooms and different roommates. The kids had some down time, but they did catch up on their journaling. </div>
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Tomorrow, we’ll go to the DMZ and to the National Assembly. The students are dressing up for these trips tomorrow, so they should look nice. Personally, I’m excited about the DMZ trip tomorrow. Few people have had this opportunity, and I can say that I have had it twice. This time, however, I’ll be able to see some different things than last time. </div>
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Enjoy the pictures! 660 so far just from me. I know the kids take a ton and Mathurine also has quite a bit. </div>
</div>Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-89826170663359723412012-03-20T05:23:00.006-04:002012-03-20T05:23:57.611-04:00South Korea Study Trip - Day 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">I'm sure today will be one the days the students look back on and remember the most. After a late start (some kids decided to sleep in), we headed out for a 3 hour bus ride to Mt. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Seoraksan. Most of the students were able to catch up on some sleep, which is good considering a couple of them had long nights (not to worry).</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 16px;">At the first sight of snow on the mountains, the kids went wild and stayed excited for the rest of the day. A couple of the students said they had never seen or touched snow before, so it was a great experience for them. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 16px;">Lunch was just outside the park at a nice little restaurant where we had fried fish, rice, and veggies. Great place for us to jump start our day. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 16px;">We arrived at Mt. Seoraksan and the wind chill bore down on us. We originally were scheduled to ride a cable car to the top of the mountain and do some hiking, but the wind was blowing too hard, they were not running the cable cars up the mountain. After posing for a photo op, the kids immediately began their snow fight. I had to show them how it was really done, but once again... I tire way too easily now and it was 15 against 1. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 16px;">We had still planned on hiking a little today, but decided to completely switch plans. We walked up to see a Buddha statue and then informed the students that they would have the rest of the day at Waterpia, an indoor water park that was very near to our hotel for the night, the Hanwha Resort</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 16px;">Waterpia had a wave pool, a few kids sections, an outdoor/indoor lazy river, and a rather large indoor water slide that I bet the kids rode 10 times each. I even rode it 3 times it was that much fun. I am pretty sure they all enjoyed themselves and they were able to snack and eat some ice cream too.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 16px;">After Waterpia, we immediately went straight to the hotel where Michelle checked us into our rooms and had pizza waiting for us. After a pizza dinner, we broke up into boys and girls for some journaling time and time for them to collaborate on their A to Z book. If have attached the assignment sheet for the A to Z book. It was Mrs. Barnhouse's idea and Mathurine and I put the details together. I am pretty happy about it and think it will be a great way for the students to reflect on their trip and have a wonderful self made souvenir. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 16px;">We'll try the cable car again tomorrow and then we have a rail bike ride along an old railroad line that connect North and South Korea.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 16px;">I have updated the photos, so please go to the following link for pictures from today...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/100385688610953342971/SouthKoreaStudyTrip2012?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLbLuorBvoKCnwE&feat=directlink" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://picasaweb.google.com/<wbr></wbr>100385688610953342971/<wbr></wbr>SouthKoreaStudyTrip2012?<wbr></wbr>authuser=0&authkey=<wbr></wbr>Gv1sRgCLbLuorBvoKCnwE&feat=<wbr></wbr>directlink</a>day</span></span></div>
</div>Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-80822162073773325592012-03-20T05:23:00.002-04:002012-03-20T05:23:14.776-04:00South Korea Study Trip - Day 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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March 10, 2012 – Day 2</div>
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Long and busy day today, but one where I think the kids really enjoyed. They were ready to go by 9:00 am, and we wound our way through the traffic to the Gyeongbokgung Palace. The Korea has a republic government today, but before Japanese occupation in the early 1900’s, they had a monarchy. The Gyeongbokgung Palace is what remains of the previous kings’ royal grounds. Similar to the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Korean government has spent some time, resources, and money trying to restore it to its original form.</div>
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At 10:00, we were able to see the “changing of the guard.” I have posted a ton of pictures of this, and the students will have some videos too. The traditional ceremony is unlike any other changing of the guard I’ve seen, and quite impressive.</div>
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We then followed Michelle through the palace grounds seeing the important buildings and hearing the symbolism of many of the statues and pictures. I think the kids learned quite a bit here despite the fact that some of the tuned out from time to time.</div>
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After a quick stop at the Korean Folk Museum, where we were able to learn a little bit about the Korean alphabet and the students saw their name written in Korean on this high tech touch screen, we exited the Gyeongbokgung Palace and saw the outside of the Blue House. The Blue House is the residence of the Korean president, called Blue House due to its blue roof, which is a traditional style roof color for Koreans.</div>
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We then made our way to Insa street, an old historic street that was once an avenue for government offices but has since transformed into a major shopping area for Korean goods. We will actually go back there for some shopping, but we stopped here today for lunch at a restaurant where we had fresh mackerel fish and Korean side dishes. We stopped by for dessert at a stand where the workers make powdered sugar into 16,000 strands wrapped around some crushed nuts. The kids were impressed and it made for a tasty snack.</div>
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An hour’s journey south brought us to the Samsung TaeKwonDo Studio where we all participated in a 2 hour lesson. After several stretches, kicks, punches, and lunges later, the students were able to try and break a board with their hands. They were all successful and signed their board in commemoration. A cool souvenir! I determined I am too old to begin Tae Kwon Do.</div>
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The ride back to Seoul was a 1.5 hours and we made our way to a Korean BBQ restaurant where the kids watched their meal being cooked on an open grill right on the table. Most of the kids enjoyed the meat and the Korean way of eating BBQ. We stopped by and bought some cake (sweet potato cake and some other sort of strawberry cake) to take back to the rooms for dessert.</div>
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Great day overall. I believe the kids got more out of the Palace than they think after discussing some of the things with them, but the highlight of the day for them was definitely the Tae Kwon Do.</div>
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Tomorrow, we head for the mountains for some hiking and probably see some snow.</div>
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Hope all is well back home. </div>
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</div>Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-34836070187428625902012-03-20T05:22:00.002-04:002012-03-20T05:22:31.488-04:00South Korea Study Trip - Day 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>March 8 - 9, 2012 –Day 1</b></div>
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We left the parking lot of ISG promptly at 6:30pm after goodbye hugs and kisses from parents. Dammam airport was crowded, but we were able to all go through the GCC line. Mathurine was very organized with all of the letters and passports and we had no issues whatsoever. The flight to Doha was only 40 minutes and the kids were wound up the whole time. They had quite a bit of nervous energy. They layover in Doha was not bad at all, and we boarded the next plane to Seoul with no problems despite Doha having some odd boarding procedures. </div>
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The flight to Seoul took about 7 hours and 45 minutes. Several kids slept and I was even able to catch a few winks even though I rarely sleep on airplanes. At the airport, we easily went through customs and baggage claim and exchanged some money. On Unfortunately, I didn’t bring cash because I always rely on ATMs and my card has just expired. I guess I’ll be washing dishes and singing songs on the street. Incheon International Airport is entirely built on reclaimed land (like Hong Kong), so after arriving and meeting our tour guide Michelle, we boarded the bus and were off to Seoul. </div>
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It took about an hour to get to our restaurant due to traffic. We ate at a place called Ashley’s which had a buffet food with Korean dishes and a few American dishes the kids discovered. Dessert was at a Baskin Robbins, so the kids had a little taste of “home.”</div>
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After a long day, we arrived at our hotel, the Artnouveau City III and checked in. A few of the students called home on Skype. Most students slept through the night, but a few had a hard time sleeping. Yours truly crashed about 11:00 pm woke at 6:45 am. Because of a wonderful little one at home, sleeping through the night is a rare event for me. </div>
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Tomorrow, we’ll have a packed day our touring some sites in Seoul. </div>
</div>Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-69919770478534608922012-02-12T10:26:00.000-05:002012-02-12T10:26:01.609-05:00Dubai 2012 Long Weekend Day 4<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We woke early this morning and took a quick taxi to the Dubai airport. Nice airport and quite large. It seems to take forever to go from one place to the next. One thing I hate more than anything is taking a bus to your plane from the gate. I half way understand if it is a low cost carrier at a larger carrier's hub, but this was Emirates, the flagship of Dubai. Why they couldn't taxi their planes and board from the gate is beyond me. Nonetheless, the flight was a breeze despite the delays. <br />
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After arriving in Bahrain, we decided to go to our favorite restaurant there and eat, Ric's Country Kitchen. I may have discussed it before, but in short, Ric's has some good American fix ins, particularly for breakfast. I ate up some biscuits and sausage gravy with a side of bacon. Jamie had what appeared to be potato skins along with (you guessed it) a side of bacon. <br />
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The drive across the causeway was a piece of cake and Jamie and I spent the rest of the day catching up on our shows. <br />
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Again, a wonderful trip to Dubai. We highly recommend the city for a 4 day weekend. There is probably enough to do if you wanted to stay for a week, but it might get costly. They have some fabulous resorts there too, but again, more costly. I know we'll be back down there for a similar long weekend in the future. <br />
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<br /></div>Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106749547952452751.post-46321458183592970202012-02-11T11:51:00.003-05:002012-02-12T10:26:27.020-05:00Dubai 2012 Long Weekend Day 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Beautiful weather today in Dubai. James had a great night's sleep, so we also slept in and hung out in our room. We left about 1:00 to go to the "Creek." After discovering that the Metro station there was closed, we decided to get off on the Metro early. When we asked the taxi driver to take us the the Creek, he took us to the Creek Children's Park instead. It was then that we also discovered that I forgot to put the memory card back into the camera. So... no pictures today. <br />
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We spent the entire afternoon in the Dubai Creek Children's Park. It is a very nice area with a ton of stuff to do with kids. James is too young obviously, but we have decided that we'll go back there one day. Having a park like that would be amazing in Saudi. It is times like that that I wish Saudi had their act together. They certainly have the money Dubai has, just weird in the way they spend it. <br />
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After roaming around the park for a few hours, we took another taxi to Festival City, where we decided to eat at Hard Rock Cafe. The food as always was great, and we bought James his first HRC onesie.<br />
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We leave very early in the morning to fly back to Bahrain where we'll hop over into Saudi. We should be home by 11:00 am, so we'll have the day to rest before going back to work on Monday. <br />
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James' first on this trip (14.5 weeks old)...<br />
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1st time out of the country (Bahrain and United Arab Emirates)<br />
1st time across Saudi/Bahrain Causeway<br />
1st airplane ride (Bahrain to Dubai) and (Dubai back to Saudi)<br />
1st monorail ride (Dubai)<br />
1st hotel stay (Rose Garden Hotel Apartments Dubai)<br />
1st Hard Rock Cafe (Dubai)<br />
1st time rolling on one side<br />
1st time rolling in the grass (this may seem weird, but remember where we live)<br />
1st time held by complete strangers (everyone seems to have an opinion on how to calm a baby)<br />
1st tear rolling down the cheek<br />
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He's also really starting to "jabber" and may be teething.<br />
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<br /></div>Eric Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03922028931484481846noreply@blogger.com0