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Trip of a Lifetime

Quesnel Student Travel Club prepares for their trip to Italy and Greece.
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Madison Roll can hardly wait for her trip to Greece and Italy.

Situated in southern Europe near the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, lay two ancient countries: Greece and Italy.

Each country is known for its rich history, breathtaking cathedrals, astounding architecture, awe-inspiring landscapes and remarkable beaches as well as their alluring towns, villages and city centres.

My name is Madison Roll and I am a 15 year-old attending Quesnel junior secondary school.  Our school travel club is going to Greece and Italy with EF Education Tours, at the end of June, 2012.

This all came about in September 2010 while I was listening to the lunchtime announcements.  I heard something about a “travel club” meeting for anyone interested in traveling to Greece and Italy for 18 days.  As I tuned-out everything around me, all I could think was “Yes, where do I sign?”

It was first come, first served and I wasted no time.

After racing home to tell my parents about the trip and strongly emphasizing the educational benefits of world travel, especially Greece and Italy, they wholeheartedly agreed.  Although questioning the cost, they appeared to be just as excited.

It seemed like the very next day we started our fundraising blitz.

We sold pies, poinsettias, flower baskets, wreaths, raffle tickets, 50/50 tickets and water bottles.  We organized bottle drives, put together a garage sale and hosted a Christmas bingo, all under the guidance and direction of our travel club leaders, Cory Hart and Brian Cullinane.  Since our parents were paying for the trip, that was how we (the students) raised our own spending money.

Some of the wonderful places we will experience on this incredible journey are Athens, Isle of Hydra, Corinth, Sicily, Taormina, Mt. Etna, Palermo, Naples, Herculaneum, Rome, Assisi, Florence and Siena.

The weather promises to be hot, somewhere in the neighbourhood of 38 degrees C.  This is truly a trip of a life time.  But to share this experience with my two best friends, Nicole DeBlois and Paige Johnston, as well as my parents, is truly an incredible blessing.  I honestly can’t think of a better way to start the summer.

As I anxiously count down the days until we depart, I look forward, with great anticipation and excitement, to all the adventures and new discoveries that await us.

We will certainly gain wisdom on how we see the world and achieve a heightened understanding of the history and modern civilizations of Southern Europe, first hand.

The wait is almost over. Soon we won’t just be talking about the beauty and amazement of these two countries, it will be right in front of our eyes.

Madison Roll is a student at QJS and a member of the travel club.