Beautiful Athens, Greece, seen from the Acropolis!
Months ago, my beloved co-worker, Cathy, said, “Hey, you wanna go to Greece with me on a great teacher curriculum tour?
I’ve been on a “Living Life Full-Out” kick, and so, given that I’d toured Spain in December and China in February, of course, I said, “Sign me up!” The decision to come was made even easier when I won a great grant for being a “Literacy Champion,” which is helping pay for this tour. Hard work pays off!
So now we’ve arrived in Athens, Greece: a team of 20 BRILLIANT teachers from around New England. And we are in heaven!
First, Athens may be a big city, but it’s calming, green, and lovely. We’ve strolled through the Old Town, eaten more lamb than minotaurs do, and (in the dramatic highlight of yesterday) snuck into the Acropolis the secret, perhaps illegal way: through the back yards of some houses.
The secret way to the Acropolis: Through some back yards!
The temperature is a serene 70 degrees, and the air literally smells like perfume: orange blossoms to be exact. Driving into the city, the beauty of the Acropolis (towering high on a cliff above) smacked the air out of our lungs. But what has been most moving for me so far on this tour has been the opportunity to spend time with brilliant women of all ages.
Yes, as with many travel situations, this tour is nearly all women, and what women they are! Educators, scholars, and even a famous published author!
I am rooming in a cozy triple room with two women: another Boston Public Schools teacher (whom I cyber-met before when I published her “Teach in the Dominican Republic this Summer” article on TeachingTraveling.com), and an accomplished Latin teacher from a girls’ school in Concord, Massachusetts.
We're in Greece! Oh my gosh!!!
I must go because our bus is about to leave for Delphi (!) where I may or may not track down the Oracle, but know this: I was hesitant at first about going on this tour (Would I be too tired traveling both vacations? Is this the best way to spend the grant money?) but my hesitancies are now gone, like all the clouds in this bright blue sky!
In general, folks, travel is always worth it!
I love the idea of a Curriculum Tour! When I think back to all of my favorite teachers and the ones I learned the most from it was always the ones that had memorable and life changing experiences. My French teacher that lived and taught in Germany imparted upon me my love for exploring different cultures and my psychology teacher that used to be a bartender taught me the most about human nature. So go learn about Greece and absorb as much as you can so one day you can tell your students all about it and they will learn so much more than they ever could from a book!
Thanks for this beautiful and motivating comment!
Greece looks wonderful. I wish I could go to Greece right now, it looks so beutiful. You are so lucky you get to go to so many places.
I kind of just noticed this, but it looks like you’re kicking the guy behind you. Meanie!
The first picture looks like you are kicking someone with your leg. Well, the pictures tells me that Greece is a populated country. There is a lot of buildings and I want to live there to see how it is like. I love flowers and that place looks gorgeous. I wonder if they are selling the flowers or making the place look good. Also about the sign, is it in Latin?
No, it’s the name of the giant rock mountain the Parthenon is on: The Acropolis. In Greek, “Acropolis” means “a stronghold into which people could go for shelter during a battle.”
Greece looks amazing I didn’t know there was so many plants. I would love to go there someday. It’s also cool that you went on the trip for educational reasons with Mrs. O’Flaherty and a bunch of other teachers!
Greece looks amazing I didn’t know there was so many plants. I would love to go there someday.
I want to go to Greece one day, it looks awesome !
Greece is so pretty! It looks like your kicking that boy in the picture. (:
Greece sounds amazing. I wish I could go there one day.
Funny if the people think you guys are smugglers when you go through the secret way to Acropolis. And I hope you had fun under 70 degree Fahrenheit in Greece!
Just from the looks of the pictures Greece looks a lot different from Boston. You can see mountains and the buildings in the background in your first picture that look amazing. The buildings/houses seem a lot fancier then ours. Also they have a lot more tour sites to see, and historical artifacts to look at. (:
Ms. Marshall, you look like you’re kicking the guy behind you in the first picture!
I’m going to be on a look out for places to go that is within my family’s budget. Greece is on my list of places to visit.
Wow! Greece sounds like an amazing place to travel, where you can just enjoy the history that is around you and all the beautiful things. I wish that one day i can travel to places like Greece.
First–love that you’re wearing a dress. But I’m a fellow dress-wearing-traveler myself!
Second–bravo for being somehow able to blog WHILE ACTUALLY TRAVELING. And blog well. That’s a balance I’ve not yet found. I’m currently scheduling posts on my last trip to go up while I’m away on my next.
Third–can I come teach in Boston? I’m saying this jokingly of course, but there’s no way I could stay at my teaching job AND travel as much as you do (is there?) I’m super sad, as my year away from the classroom is rapidly coming to an end. September seems right around the corner.
And fourth–glad you are having a good experience in Greece!!!
Tracy,
Love your comment!!! In answer to how I’m able to travel so much and also write so much while traveling: my tour-mates can attest to the fact that I work like a total maniac. Been staying up until 2am in the hotel lobby to write, and all that. But it’s messages like yours that make it worthwhile!
Athens is so pretty. I like how Athens has a mixture of both ancient and modern. They have some old buildings and they have some new skyscrapers. I think that it is so cool that you get to go to cool places like Athens. Hope you like the rest of your trip.
Thanks, Triston! You really sum it up well: Greece has created a lovely mix of ancient and modern. I have a photo series coming up of how their sleek, new subway system has ancient artifacts all over it!
On a side-note, this is why I’m wearing a dress: http://www.aroundtheworldl.com/2011/06/20/an-instant-way-to-add-flair-to-your-travel-and-tourism/
You must be really happy that you didn’t have to spend as much money as you would have if you didn’t get that grant. Did you save a lot of money? Anyways, I hope you are having fun, and the pictures that you have shown looks amazing!
Yes, yes, and yes, Abby!
Regarding the grant, it reflects what I always tell students: reading and writing pay off!