Travel
Colombia & South America
In 2004, I traveled to South America to teach at a high school in Bogotá, Colombia.
Outside of the school, I had the opportunity to visit a number of the surrounding countries as well as some of Colombia itself.My first major excursion was to Panama, where along with several other teachers I learned the history of the Panama canal and spent a day with an indigenous tribe in their village learning their customs.
My next excursion was a trip to Peru where I made the 3 day hike along the Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu. Our guide was excellent, spending a lot of time detailing the history of the Incas and the city. In addition, the view from the Sun Gate was a spectacular way to begin our final early morning descent into the ancient city.
During a week long break I then took a trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. Visiting the untouched wildlife of the islands that gave birth to Darwin's theory of evolution was an amazing experience.
By the end of my year in Colombia my ability to communicate in spanish had improved to the point that my final time in Colombia was spent on a solo visit to the Amazon River without any translation help. The beauty of the jungle and river was a wonderful way to finish my year.
Italy & Greece
While teaching at Roland Michener Secondary School in South Porcupine I had the opportunity to accompany colleagues and students on an educational trip to Italy & Greece.
In Italy we spent a significant amount of time in Rome visiting various historically significant churches (St. Mary Major, St. Peter in Chains, St. John of the Lateran, St. Peter's Basilica) and landmarks (the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, the Sistine Chapel).
From there we traveled to Naples, the island of Capri, Sorrento, Pompeii and onto Greece where we visited Delphi, the Temple of Apollo and finally the Parthenon in Athens. It was an intensive but wholly enjoyable and educational trip.
