Rome Trip - Our Seniors go to Italy

Diane and I were asked last Spring to consider becoming "regulars" as adult leaders for the annual Senior trip to Italy.  Because Russ teaches just Seniors this has its advantages.  A leader who doesn't need to find substitutes for his classes and a chance to bond with the student he'll be covering some fairly personal ground with over the year are two of these advantages.  Additionally there is still a transition in leadership at BFA and the so our participation can help bridge the gap as the new Director comes on board and eventually assumes a larger role in his annual event.  For us, personally, it's a combination of change of pace - that can be refreshing and really good coffee and gelato - that IS refreshing therefore a way to help charge our batteries but it is a different sort of work and a fresh way to discharge our batteries.  (By the way, we're extremely grateful for Carl's aunt and uncle combining a visit to Germany with "companionship" for Carl in our absence - Thanks Norm & Nancy!)

The trip starts with an overnight bus ride from Germany to Florence, Italy. A day spent there and we travel to a beach town hotel about 50 minutes outside of Rome that serves as housing for the week.  Saturday through Wednesday we see the sights, make the tours, and grant precious free time to the kids.  Thursday early (5AM) we set out for Venice for an afternoon and evening there (capped by a lovely Vivaldi concert in a Venetian church) before driving all night back to Germany.

Below are a few samples of moments in the trip.

 

My favorite statue in Florence - Brunelleschi gazing at his famous Doumo

 A portion of the Ponte Vecchio

 Roman souvenir stand - the Godfather and two popes - does tacky have no limits?

 From The School of Athens - my kids know this painting after their philosophy unit

 Waiting for the bus

 Listening to our guide demonstrate fulfilled prophecy in Rome's ruins

 The "Fancy Dinner"!

 Dome at "St. Paul's Outside the Walls" - off the beaten tourist track but hugely impressive.

 The whole gang in Ostia Antica

 Self portrait, self timer, semi-fail

 Cruising into Venice from the bus lot

 Surprise kids - your teachers will find you

Venetian kids

Diane sneaking a peak out a bookstore window

Starting up

53 - That's this year's number represented by the student body at Black Forest Academy this school year.  Fifty-three different countries they've lived in and their families have served or are serving in. Below are pictures of this year's Seniors - my population - waiting to parade in for opening ceremonies.   

I love working with these kids and we're off to a very positive start.

This year's theme banner "Grace Alone" with our friend Rob Shuman addressing the audience as the new Assistant Principal. 

I've moved - my new classroom before the action starts

Carl on opening day

One of our frequent rainbows as seen from the apartment window.

But we do miss the folks back home.  Here's a shot of our kids and grandkids when we were in the same continent/country/state.

Grandma & Isaiah

Visiting with our FBCN small group.

Diane runs into BFA'ers in Wheaton.

Isabelle in Grandma's lap and enjoying her first birthday's cake.

One month of the year.

For one month of the year, give or take a few days, we do our Home Assignment. In that brief time we try to re-connect with families (large on both sides and including our own kids and grandkids), churches that support us or show an interest in our ministry (six this time through) and friends and individual supporters. Additionally this year Diane needed to spend five days of these 30 in Wheaton, IL for leadership meetings. We also try to knock off doctor and dentist visits and other practical needs best met while in the USA. We also try to expand our support base by inviting new folks to partner with us. None of this gets done anywhere near perfectly as it's too much to do in the time allotted. That being said, it is exciting to have the opportunity to boast on God and what He is doing in areas of our ministries. And it sure is great to be local grandparents for a few weeks.

Grad 2011

Graduation at BFA is always a wonderful time but also a bittersweet time. Each graduating senior is honored with a personal tribute and a verse from Scripture (makes it a long but touching ceremony). The bittersweet comes as the realization becomes truly real that within a day most of these kids will have scattered across the globe and will not see each other agian for a considerable time.

Seniors lined up awaiting the big moment!

The Class of 2011

Parents, students, staff, and friends crammed together trying to say goodbye

The Korean class members and their families

One of our seniors saying goodbye to her dorm parents (where we have subbed)

Shots from our recent M-trip:

Getting acquainted with some of our kids in China ∇∆

Walking around one of China's prosperous city centers∇∆

Making camp∆ Lunch∇

Some of the younger crowd ∆

Some of the local buffalo∇∇

A round of "SPUD" ∆

Adventures on the Dragon River∆∇

Our raft-mate Abby ∇

It's fresh, it's genuine, it's what's for lunch∇

Famous noodle breakfast seated on comically small chairs ∇∆

Lunch prep ∇

Breaking camp ∇

Tea tasting ∇

Ice cream break in another Southeast Asian city∇

Family transport∆

Eager students at English Learning Center ∆