In June 2015, 24 of us left for a 4 city tour to London, Paris, Florence and Rome. This trip saw me repeat some of previous trip locations with one notable addition, the beautiful city of Florence. I broke down this webpage with an excerpt per city (Rome is on another page) but these are merely a snapshot because the cities have so much more to offer.
"Going on an EF trip was by far one of the best decisions I've ever made. It was so much fun and opened my eyes to other cultures. Being able to engage with people from around the world and seeing the history I learned about was amazing. The experiences I had on my EF trip were life absolutely life changing."
--- Jenna ECHS Class of 2015
"I have actually been on three EF trips with Mr. Prodan but overall my favorite trip was the last one I went on. Having previously been to all of those cities before it was so fun revisiting them! The best experiences were definitely going on the Tube with everyone and being allowed to go around the city by ourselves. It was a real cool way to go and see the real cig for ourselves"
--- Marshall ECHS Class of 2014
"Going to Europe with EF was such an amazing experience! It gave me some of my fondest memories from eating macaroons under the Eiffel Tower up to making a wish at the Trevi Fountain!"
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-Alex ECHS Class of 2015
London
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I do agree with the quote by Samuel Johnson, "...when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford." London has something for everyone, it is so full of life. The history gets to me every time; this relatively small island has been such a giant for so long, and it continues to transform with modern times. There are plenty of iconic things to do in London. A couple of highlights included: the changing of the guards, seeing Wicked, St Paul's Cathedral and the National Gallery. There are so many other great things in London like Churchill's bunker from WWII and the living organism that is Trafalgar Square.
Paris
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What can you say about Paris? So much of it cannot be described or explained, you just have to experience it yourself. I have always liked Prince Metternich's quote, "When Paris sneezes, Europe gets a cold." Paris has been a cultural center for art, fashion and food for centuries. It was the cradle for Enlightenment thinkers such as Voltaire and Rousseau as well as the God of War himself - Napoleon. Paris has the Louvre with famous paintings by Jacque Louis David, Eugene Delacroix and of course Mona Lisa. Just 13 miles from Paris lays the beautiful Palace of Versailles which for so long was the symbol of nobility and absolute monarchy. Bow is one of the most visited sites in Paris.
Normandy
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About 3 hours from Paris lies the beaches that American, British and Canadian troops stormed on June 6, 1944 during D-Day, a day that will forever be remembered. This is such a memorable trip for the students and myself. You are walking the same ground that was a critical turning point in World War II. We also got to visit the cemetery, and it gives you perspective. I didn't have to remind the kids to behave. They knew the magnitude of what they were seeing and that experience spoke to them in a way that many had never experienced.
Florence
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The next stop was actually Rome but since I have a whole trip dedicated to that place I decided to focus on Florence. Florence was the cradle of the Renaissance Period - I had spoke so fondly of Florence in class, but I had never been there before. With the trip we just had a short time there, but we definitely made the most of it. From the great dome of Brunelleschi to the flawless Michelangelo statue of David, Florence in an art history enthusiast's dream. The first time I saw the David statue, I just stopped, frozen in awe. The size, the look, the detail continues to amaze me even years after the trip. It is something everyone needs to see. To add to the excitement during the day, we went to a discotheque to take in the nightlife. With just a short time in Florence, it is definitely on my must see list in the future.
