Our Munich Tour Itinerary and Information

The brochures were distributed yesterday in class. I hope everyone has had a chance to read them and absorb the details of the week in Munich. We viewed the presentation also. I created a version of the presentation as a *pdf file to view at your leisure. The application forms and deposits are due before the end of the next week, October 31, 2008.

Hosting our guests from Hebel Gymnasium

Here is a list of Enloe German students who are willing to host our guests from Schwetzingen:

1. Catherine C. - also traveling to Germany!!
2. Ashlea T. - also traveling to Germany
3. Nathaniel v.S. - also traveling to Germany
4. Soren W. - also traveling to Germany
5. Kurt S-H. - also traveling to Germany (the golfer!)
6. Andrew M.
7. Brenna Y. - also traveling to Germany
8. Kurt P. - also traveling to germany
9. Justin D.
10. Adam R. - also traveling to Germany
11. Walt N.
12. Natalie G. - also traveling to Germany!
    
13. Grace M.
    
14. Phillip A.
15. Sarah B.

6 Girls / 9 Boys

We need more hosts! Please sign up. It will be fun, and memorable. Fifteen Hebel Gymnasiasten are coming in March and April 2009. Thanks to those who are willing to open their homes to our friends in Germany. I appreciate your interest in this endeavor.

On another note, this Friday, I am closing all applications to go on the GAPP trip. After Friday, no new people may sign up unless those who have committed drop out for some reason. Expect by the end of next week to pay a deposit on the trip of $200 dollars. News on this later.

Herr Kandah

Application for Hosting the German Exchange Student

We need start securing homes for our German exchange students. Here is a short interest form/application form for families who would like to host the exchange student for their stay in Raleigh.

Probable München Itinerary

The tour group company I am working with has given us a detailed itinerary of our week in München. Here it is, in all its glory:

Sunday, July 5 - Meet coach and driver in Schwetzingen and travel to Munich. Arrive in Munich, check into hostel, get settled in, have dinner, explore the city by foot in the evening. Meals: dinner

Monday, July 6 - In the morning, meet guide for Mike's Bike Tour. Afternoon free for museums and sightseeing in Munich. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Tuesday, July 7 - Morning, visit Schloss Nymphenburg. Afternoon, free for sightseeing in Munich Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Wednesday, July 8 - Full day excursion using Bayern Länder Ticket to Salzburg, Austria, by train. Bayern ticker starts at 9:00 AM and is valid until 3:00 PM the next day. Departs 9:42 Am and arrives in Salzburg at 11:47 AM. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Thursday, July 9 - Take the S-Bahn and public bus to Andechs Monastery, including a guided tour of the Monastery. Meaks: Breakfast, DInner

Friday, July 10 - take private coach bus to Füssen for guided tour of Neuschwanstein, followed by visit to Oberammergau and return to Munich in early evening. Meals: breakfast , Dinner

Saturday, July 11 - take the S-Bahn to Dachau and visit the KZ Dachau; afternoon free in Munich. Meals: breakfast, Dinner

Sunday, July 12 - Private coach transfer to the Munich airport for return flight to the USA.

The cost of the entire trip to Germany - airfare, transportation, breakfast, dinner, lodging in Munich, admission costs to all the above mentioned landmarks (Andechs, Schloss Nymphenburg, Neuschwanstein, Dachau), Mike's Bike Tour hovers pretty close to what we estimated earlier this year. What do you say? Shall we go for it? Let's!!

GAPP Trip coming Together

I received several letters of commitment from our German classes. It's shaping up to a terrific group! Here is the list of GAPPsters thus far:

1. Elizabeth S. - German 2
2. Cal F. - Deutsch 3
3. Nathaniel v.S. - Deutsch 3
4. Kurt S-H. - Deutsch 3
5. Adam R. - Deutsch 3
6. Brenna Y. - Deutsch 3
7. Ryan B. - Deutsch 3
8. Cat C. - Deutsch 3
9. Michael S. - Deutsch 3
10. Mary Grayson B. - Deutsch 3
11. Ashlea T. - German 4
12. Natalie G. - German 4
13. Soren W. - German 3
14. Reed W. - Sorens Bruder
15. Lea P. - AP Deutsch
16. Kurt P. - Deutsch 2
17. Herr Kandah
18. Mrs. S. - Elizabeth's mom
    

seven girls / nine boys.
There are some people who have expressed an interest and still haven't turned in a letter of commitment. Soon I'll need to close the trip, so that we can make plans, specifically, for our stay in München. Get these forms in by Thursday, my good people!

Our stay in Munich . . . . .

I am going to post an email I wrote today in reply to one from a parent. The parent asked some questions about how much free time will be allowed by our students in Munich - very reasonable questions, to be sure. I hope this will allay any concerns/fears you might have about our week stay in Munich. Our two weeks in Schwetzingen are pretty much taken care of: we attend class, live with our host families, explore with them Schwetzingen and the surrounding area. On the second weekend we'll definitely take an excursion to nearby Heidelberg, but on the whole, our aim in Schwetzingen is to live like the Germans do and integrate ourselves into the day-to-day life of our host families. In Munich, we'll be more "touristy." Here is a copy of that email, missing words and all:

Thank you for your email. Two chaperones will be on the trip to Germany. While in Munich, We will have a fairly tight schedule of activities; there is much to see in Munich. As far as allowing the students to explore the city extensively on their own in pairs or groups of three or four, no that will not happen. I and my co-chaperone will always be afoot with the students. The old city center around Marienplatz is fairly compact. I do envision two or three mornings or afternoons during that week where we all walk to Marienplatz, the central market square in the old city, and split up in several small groups for exploration within three or four blocks of the Marienplatz, taking pictures, interacting with people, and meeting up at a designated location at Marienplatz. I will have cell phone - a disposable one while in Germany - and with payphones still ubiquitous in European cities, I'll always be within reach. The students will all have a map of the Old City also. In short, my co-chaperone and I will never just stay at our lodging while the students run off in Munich, and the only independence allowed to the students will be two or three strolls around the old city center in the middle of the day in groups of three or four for two hours at a time. They'll not be allowed to use public transportation by themselves, nor would they even need to. The rest of the time, we'll be together as a group, visiting museums, picknicking in the English Garden, going on excursions to outlying areas, including a day trip to Salzburg (1.5 hours by train), and seeing the city at night.

I hope I have answered your very reasonable questions. More details on the exact itinerary while in Munich will be posted at our website.

Lufthansa Comes Through!

I was waiting for Lufthansa to confirm my request to change our outgoing flight from Frankfurt am Main to Munich. Makes more sense to fly out of Munich, since we'll be there already. Lufthansa has finally answered, and they set it all up for us: 18 seats reserved for us, from RDU to Frankfurt, via Washington Dulles, and frm Munich back to RDU, via Washington Dulles.

I have published an update on these details for you to peruse. It includes information I am gathering on lodging options in the great city of Munich.

Also, we need to get commitments from interested students and their families. I'll distribute these in class and ask that bring me these signed letters on Monday. It is crucial to that we understand who is going and how many.