Firenze Love!

Hi there,

I think its safe to say that we are all in love with Florence. Our time here has been incredible. During the last week, we have kept ourselves occupied by doing plenty of enriching activities. For starters, we did a very informative tour of Florence on our first day where we got to learn more about the history of Florence. We've visited the leaning tower of Pisa, the statue of David, the leather market, many piazzas as well as eat wonderful traditional Italian food! Yesterday, most of the students spent the day in Venice where they explored the small alley ways and the many stores in this great little city built on water. Some even took a gondola ride and everyone took part in a guided tour of this magical city. The English class will be blogging tomorrow about their adventures. Here`s a few pictures to make you smile :)

The Georgia Hardy Tour Crew

Ohh Pisa!

Pisa!

After another engaging class on July 15^th, many of the students embarked on an adventure and visited the delightful city of Pisa. From our hotel in Florence, it was about an hour and a half bus ride in a wonderfully air-conditioned coach bus. The group arrived at the city center at around 3:00pm and were free to roam about the buildings and shops on the beautiful day it was. The location was the quintessential tourist stop in Pisa.

People were lined up along the main pathway to pose with the classic leaning tower for a picture to keep as a cherished memory forever. Most were surprised about the surrounding shops of the city so it proved an educational visit as well! Once people were finished taking pictures of the tower they headed to the gelato shop to cool down and enjoy the marvelous view. The bus left the city around 5:00 and the students made it back on time to go out for dinner. Dinner consisted of all-you-can-eat pizza with gelato as dessert. Most of the students really enjoyed it and were even begging to come back the next night! After dinner students had free time to tour around the city of Florence with friends from 8:30p.m. until curfew which was 11:00p.m. At curfew everyone was quiet and sound asleep, getting ready for an early class and a big day in the morning!

By Dalton and Dylan

The last of Ireland...

Wicklow Mountains Blog: Tess and Amanda

So, it’s day eight and we just arrived home from a long day out at Glean Dalough and the Wicklow Mountains! The day started at 9:00 in the morning with our regular classes, Business and English. We then headed out just after lunch and embarked on an hour journey to arrive in a small town with a castle. We explored the grounds, had some ice cream, and took pictures. We hopped back onto the bus, and continued on our drive. Tired and groggy, we arrived at Wicklow, and hopped off the bus. Once we stepped outside, we were blown away by the scenery that surrounded us. We discovered a cemetery, a waterfall, and many of us continued on a 1.5 km walk to the lake. Our time there was short, but it was definitely worth seeing the mountains, forests, lakes (and of course the spot where P.S. I Love You was filmed). The drive back was long, and we got back just in time for dinner! Overall, it was another great day that was jam packed with scenery, pictures, and a couple extra hours of sleep!

The Dubliners

Well here we are on our last day in Dublin...what an incredible city! We have been staying at Trinity College, a beautiful campus in the center of Dublin. We are surrounded by great big stone buildings with character, green parks, and historical monuments. The accommodations have been perfect and the food at the Lombard has been fantastic with many options to choose from.

On Sunday, we walked to Kilmainham jail where we received a very informative tour of the jail which enabled us to have better understanding of the history of Ireland and the figures who fought for the liberation of Ireland. We saw the courtyard where executions took place and the cells where many leaders were kept. Very interesting!

In the afternoon, some students took the DART to Howth to hike along the Atlantic Coast...what a gorgeous afternoon. Howth is a very affluent community on the outskirts of Dublin. While we were there, we got to visit the Sunday Markets, take great pictures and take in beautiful scenery and fresh Atlantic air. The students who didn`t want to hike headed to the Old Dubliner with Mrs. Guest and Mr. Campbell to listen to trad music and watch the Celtic football game. A great day for all of us!

On Monday, students got to experience the Trinity College student life by attending class in two beautiful renovated amphitheaters. After class, some students took the optional excursion to Glendalough and Wicklow. We hopped on a bus and headed to Kilkenny, a cute little Norman city. We visited the Strongbow castle as well as wander the quaint streets of the city. We then headed to Glendalough to visit an old monastery and hike the national park. Beautiful scenery!

Here we are on our last day in Dublin...the students are presently in class but we will be heading to the Guinness factory after lunch followed by a bit of shopping on Grafton street.

We definitely all enjoyed the beautiful city of Dublin- it's vibrant culture, the stunning buildings and the great entertainment!!

We are now packing up our rain jackets and saying goodbye to Ireland and taking out our sunglasses to head to Italia!

Bye for now!

The Georgia Hardy Tour Team

Galway Days...

G'day! G'day!

Time flies when you`re having fun! We are saying goodbye to Galway and saying hello to Dublin. Despite all the rain, we`ve managed to enjoy many activities in and around Galway. Thursday the students hoped on a bus and headed down to the cliffs of Moher. On the way, they explored the Ailwee cave, which has 3,400 feet of passages leading into the mountain, a 600 thousand year old dolman (a burial ground), and visited the stunning cliffs of Moher- the edge of Europe. The students were excited to see the beauty of the cliffs and hiked along the side. On the way back, they visited the ancient ruins of a cathedral. The pictures can`t truly capture how beautiful the day was!

To enjoy our last day in Galway, students began their day with a 3 hour class on the beautiful campus of Galway. After infusing their minds with new concepts, students and teachers headed to the Aran Islands for the afternoon. We explored the island on bicycles and by foot under the bright sun. Some visited the sweater market, while others explored The Black Fort and light house and the seal sanctuary. Some even decided to take a swim in the Atlantic Ocean. The island can be described as eclectic and unique! Their way of life seems so simple and pure! It was a great feeling being surrounded by such welcoming and serene people.

Our last night in Galway was spent roaming the streets of Galway and enjoying the live entertainment surrounding us!

We are now headed to Dublin and will be staying at Trinity College. During our time in the capital, we will visit the Kilmainham Gaol, take an afternoon hike in Howth, visit the Wicklow Mountains and stop by the Guinness Brewery!

The whole group is adapting very well to this culture. They have been very trustworthy and respectful. We have nothing but good things to report back!

We will be in touch again in a couple of days! Enjoy the pictures J

Greetings from Galway!

Hi there,

We have arrived safe and sound to the quaint little city of Galway with all 34 students early Tuesday afternoon. We started our Galway adventure with a walking tour of the downtown area followed by dinner on campus! We are very impressed with our group of students- polite, fun and respectful! Needless to say, we are foreseeing a fabulous month with a fantastic group!

The students attended their first class this morning lead by their wonderful teachers, Mrs. Guest and Mr. Campbell. The International Business students were introduced to the importance of trade and their impacts on Canada while the English class were introduced to Waiting for Godot followed by a lesson on formal debating. The group has transitioned to the Irish lifestyle quite naturally! Some have managed to hit the gym, zumba classes, shopping and touring the colorful yet rainy streets of Galway.

Tonight the group will be attending the Galway film festival and viewing The Future of Hope. This documentary follows individuals in Iceland who strive to change the world of consumerism, the system of credit and debt and the economy that Iceland has been built upon. A great conversation starter for our Business students!

Tomorrow the students have a packed day with an excursion to the Cliffs of Moher, a visit to the Ailwee Cave followed by some optional Yoga and a night of traditional Irish music!

Life is beautiful here in Galway!!

Ciao for now!

The Georgia Hardy Tour Crew