July 05, 2008
International Raspberry
So here we find ourselves in London on the 4th of July. We arrived here safely after saying goodbye to all our new friends in Durham. Upon arrival we spent an hour or so at the British Museum before heading out for a group dinner.
Although we had no scheduled performances in London, we broke into an impromptu concert of The Star Spangled Banner and God Bless America in the Italian restaurant in which we had dinner. A couple other Americans in the restaurant approached us afterwards and said they thought it was fantastic to see us celebrating. We weren't the only ones celebrating however. After dinner we went back to the British Museum for a 4th of July celebration complete with both a jazz and a swing band. A number of the kids (and even a few of the adults) got into the action and did a bit of swing dancing themselves before retiring for the evening.
We have a full day of sightseeing tomorrow and so we bid you goodnight from London Town.
Posted by webmaster at 12:12 AM | Comments (2)
Personal Messages from All
We decided to pass the computer around on the bus and let anyone who wanted to send some personal greetings and messages concerning the trip. Here are the results.
Scott Hill: I am SO proud of your kids! They are VERY mature; they are respectful of their hosts and the school children we meet; and they are LOADS of fun! You have raised some beautiful kids!
Kendall Cates: I love England, it’s SOOOO fun!! My favorite parts are the beautiful buildings, and their accents. It’s kind of like English mixed with a little of Irish.
Kathy Cates: The country and people are both so beautiful. We are already planning to come back. Love to all!
Amanda Elam: Durham Cathedral was a beautiful example of a transitional architectural design. Construction was begun in the Norman period and finished in the Gothic period. The combination of Norman structure and Gothic decoration was stunning. The kids could have cared less about the design, of course. The big draw for them was seeing the Gothic cloisters where parts of the Harry Potter movies were filmed.
Vangie Poe: The children’s singing has been fantastic, but as inspiring as that is, even more exciting is the door it has opened to conversations with the people of England and Wales. As a result, the children have been wonderful ambassadors for their country. But best of all, we have learned more about the people and their culture than we could ever learn in a history book. We’re so proud of our kids!
Amanda Ellis: So far England has been really fun! We went to the Durham Cathedral yesterday and got to see inside. I also can’t get over the fact that we were where some of harry potter was filmed. I’m really liking my host family so far, they have been really nice, and also the hostel where we stayed in Wales was nice too. I appreciate all that the owners of the hostel and our host families have done for us. I hope to see my host family again after this experience!
Julie Ellis: What a great trip and experience for both kids & adults. We have been spoiled by our Welsh & English hosts and the choir has been so well received by audiences of all ages and in a variety of venues. I am thrilled by the behavior & stamina of the kids (and their conductors/accompanist). I must say, though, that the sights & experiences are propelling even when exhaustion tries to take hold. There will be much to share when we return!
Nancy Cox: I have so enjoyed myself, my favorite part has been the scenery of the lush hillsides and mountains in Wales, the sheep dotting the green pastures, the stone farm houses in England and as I am typing, the North Sea after our visit to a Roman fort under excavation. Traveling by coach has the advantage of being up high to take it all in. I wish every one with Western European ancestry could come and visit. A real treat for me is a new friend in Wales with whom I will exchange emails as he researches my mother’s roots – any Thomas’ in our group?
Sarah Chesser: It has been WONDERFUL here! Its so beautiful and everyone is so nice, especially our host family. There are 3 other girls and a mom, plus Amanda (Ellis) and I, so it’s just a house full of girls! Our days have been so busy but it’s so much fun. I love to hear everyone in England talk their accents are so funny. Even though its awesome I still miss my family. See you guys soon!
Susan Chesser: We are having a blast. The concerts are so professional – I wish I had as much talent as our kids. I can’t thank our host families enough
– they are so warm and generous. It has been great getting to know them, as well as everyone on the trip. (I think I have aged considerably with all the lack of sleep, and good food and drink, but it’s worth it ☺.) Hey to William, Stephen, and Ben!
Daria Nonnemaker: This is the best trip ever! I am having a great time. I miss all of you. I hope Nicholas is getting better. I hope you are having a good time at home. I love you.
Mara Lowry: We’re having a great time! Everyone is so
nice and friendly; I wish Americans were so nice too. I’m sure you would have loved the Warwick Castle, Sophie; it was fun! We’re missing you and I hope we can go to the UK sometime. ☺
Margaret Elam: Well there are so many things to tell and I can’t tell them all. Warrick Castle was great, I loved seeing the Angel of the North. I can’t deny missing my family even though England and Wales were so much fun.
Dad, Charlie, John and family I love and miss you so much! ☺☺
Vivian Cox: Today we went to Beamish that was set in the 1913s. My favorite part was the tram, we rode around every were. We also went to the candy shop with old fashion candy and the mine; the mine was really cool because we pretended to be on a shift and sing hi-ho, it was scary when he turned the lights off to show how dark the miners worked. How’s Trixie dad?
Rachel Atkinson: I’ve been having a great time the entire trip. Wales was amazing, Durham is also fantastic. I miss you, and I hope you got my love spoon in the email. I don’t know if it said anything or if it was just a spoon in your email, but I’ll explain it later. Much love!
Bakara Nkenge-Hinds: Hey mom, how’s life? Yesterday we went to Beamish, which is like a 100000% better version of Old Salem. We caught the tram and rode on the top to go everywhere in the park. I’m singing my solo tonight at a old church and yesterday, we had a barbeque at my host’s friend’s house. Ok, nice talking to you and see you soon. Love you! Tell Khalid I said hi!
Katelyn Graves: Hey mom, Hi Penny! I’m having a great time. We went to the Durham Cathedral, it was so pretty. We also saw the courtyard that they filmed some of Harry Potter in. See you soon! Luv ya!
Virginia Cox: The U.K. is one of the most beautiful places that I have ever seen. Wales and Durham are very different from each other but both are as gorgeous as a postcard. Cant wait to get home and show everyone all of the pictures we have taken. See you soon!!!!
Blake Anne Coleman: Hey! Love you! Miss you! Having fun! See you soon! This isn’t very meaningful, but I’ll tell you all about it later! MWAH! Bye!
Corey B. Coleman: hi mommy and daddy! I love you sooo much! I miss you more than you can ever believe. I’m asking Kaitlyn and Emily to type this because I’m up at my host family with a 102 fever. I have 2 cold sores, and my throat is swollen, so I can’t talk at all. But if I could talk, I would be on the phone, talking to you two. But besides all of that, I’m having a great time! I love you guys sooooo much, and I miss you soooo much. Say hi to Lucky for me, and tell her that I love her. Bye! I love you so much, and I can’t wait until I get to see you!! I love you so so much and I will never let you go.
Emily LaBranche: hey, it’s great! There is so much to see here, and I’m so glad I came!! =]
Dominique Atwater: This whole trip has been a wonderful cultural experience for the whole choir. We’ve had a great time in both Durham and Wales and everyone is excited to go to London. There are now stronger friendships between all of the members. Host families are GREAT. See you soon America!
Alli Criscenzo: I’ve been having an amazing time but I’m ready to come home. Everything hear is so much more exciting then in America and I haven’t gotten tired of traveling yet. I love this group of people and I can’t wait to continue our new-found friendships that I have made with my Host’s. <3
Kaitlyn Reed: Hi mommy and daddy how are you I miss u sooooooo much I’m am having a great time here and we have seen many great sights and we saw the angel of the North I got a picture of me in shirt next to it my host family rocks they are sooooo nice well anyway I love you sooooo much miss u see you in NC
Love ya
Philip Carnes: hi my ppls. having so much fun here and I don’t want 2 leav. London should b a blast I explained must everything n my e-mail so bye I don’t want 2 come home JK.
Catie Brockman: hey everyone. Europe has been so awesome and I don’t want to come home!!!! I miss everyone back home, but there have been so many amazing things to see that I haven’t been focusing on missing people very much. I am really excited about London and touring there. Durham cathedral was soooooo beautiful, and the shopping has been awesome. Yesterday we rode on a double decker tram. I was really excited because I walked where Daniel Radcliffe walked!!!!!!!! Much love,
Catie b. <3
Carey Cabrera: Hello everyone! Okay, here it goes: Hey Mom, Dad, Kelli, Casey, Lezli, Jessa, Joey, Jakob, and my little Munchkin. I am having an great time! We go to see 2 Roman ruins and I went CRAZY! You can just ask Emma. I got tons of pictures. Dad, just letting you know that I am alive and well. Luv ya’ll!
XOXOXO, Carey
Jeffrey LaCosse: This trip has been one large history lesson! I have learned more on this trip than any history class. Especially moving was the trip to Aberfan. It is one thing to look at pictures from a web site, but another to be there and speak with people who actually experienced that horrific event many years ago. I am very grateful to my hosts Jim and Pauline Greensmith who made me feel like a royal. Every meal I had at their house was absolutely delicious! Our discussions about our countries was very enjoyable and kept us up much longer than normal. I hope to return with my family someday and continue the history studies. The Durham Youth Chorale was splendid!
Marc LaBranche: We have been treated so well, both in Wales and in Durham. Everyone has been so gracious, going out of their way to make our visit delightful. We stayed with Cliff and Novella in Wales, who are a lot like family now. And though we were in a B&B in Durham, it felt like we actually had three host families there, with Gerald and Hilary having us over for dinner the first night, Barbara having us the second, and Steve and Lynn the third. Thanks so much people of Durham, it’s off to London now for the DCC!
Caitlin Connelly: I am having SO much fun and I’m pretty sure I’m never coming home. Wales was so gorgeous and everyone there was ridiculously nice. My host family in Durham was really sweet. There were two younger girls, ages 12 & 7, with me too. I will show you tons & tons of pictures when I get home and tell you more boring details then. Love you guys & miss you!
Jada Kaye: Hey y’all. This trip is so incredible. I’m just amazed that things are so much more fun than I even imagined. You know I have a pretty good imagination. The trip through Wales was great. Hearing those male choirs sing was so cool. They really threw themselves into the songs. Fun!! And when we got to Durham, my host family was cool as a fan. Laura and Paul rock! GO Newcastle United!! WOOOOO!!
Emily Hein: I’ve been having SOO much fun, we’ve gone to caves, cathedrals, towns, castles and we’re about to be in London! I’ve had a lot of laughs with some people I already knew, and some I didn’t. One of the best parts about this trip is the host families who are all really nice. (Oh, and we went shopping) :D
Georgia Marion-Spencer: Being in the UK has been really great. The sights have been absoulutely fantastic. We went to see castles and a whole bunch of cathedrals and stuff like that. See you soon.
Brandon Edwards: this trip was so awesome I loved it. My host family was so awesome I loved them. Also I had my b-day here it was fantastic.
Alex LaBranche-This trip was fantastic!
Marielle LaCosse-The trip didn’t start out so hot, but it got very, very exciting and now I have a lot of really awesome friends. As some of them put it, I’m “famous” in my own way.
Ben Newnam: It is amazing here and we are all having an Terrific time. I think the best part is sharing this experience with friends and the people we care about. I know we are all eager to get home and we see you all soon.
J.L. klinck: it’s been great. We’ve had a great time at tons of cool places. I’ve gotten to know everyone on this trip a lot better, and my host family was great. I wish I could stay here forever. XD
Hi Abigail here I am on my way to London now and my trip is almost over it’s good and bad my trip s amazing I cant wait to come home so you can here about my adventures so hi mom dad grandma grandpa Andrew Jordan Jonathan Lisa Avery ant Stacie Annie Alan Marty Ben Tyler Mayson Cindy Dennis uncle Greag uncle G ant Sew Alexis Grace and Darrelle and papa by
Isabel Sandoval.:. hey people. Having tons of fun and love England! Soo much fun and England is really cool. Same with Wales.
Um………no one’s going to read my blog…so ill just send postcards!!
Lots of luv
Xoxoxo,
Izzyy <3
Dana Koutsky- Oh My Gosh!!!! I absolutely LOVE it here!!!!! I am totally going to live here one day!! Were on our way to London right now so I am sad that the trip is almost over but I know that I have made friends for life! (both American and British)
Much Love To Everyone back home and I’ll see you soon!!!!
Dana :-D
Emma Turi: Hey guys!! Hehe… I miss you but I am having a lot of fun here!! We are going to London as I speak (or should I say type) I plan to buy lots of stuff don’t worry. But I will see you soon and I will be very happy to see you as long as you don’t try to feed me sandwiches! I have to go because Blake is trying to kill me! Bye!
Love,
Emma
Blake Anne Coleman: Was up? I’m not sure if we are supposed to write another cool little message thing…but, my last one wasn’t very heartfelt. So- I’m doing it again. Okay- I had SO much fun with my host family (Gerald, Hilary, Katharine, and Chris)!!! They were all really very hospitable and we are going to be keeping in touch over e-mail! We are on the bus right now (I’m sitting with Emma Turi…haha!)- on our way to London….I think- or the rest stop. Which ever comes first. I have to pee- bye! Love, xoxo, Me!
Philip Carnes: hey srry bout the call at 2:55 n the morning. Thx 4 the enfo about my card ill c if it works when we stop shortly after im done typing this blog message. Done.
Kaitlyn Reed: hi how are you I love u sooo much I hope Bald head is like so totally wicked and that katy-blake had a great time HAPPY 4TH OF JULY are ya’ll doing the parade this I hope so and have my fingers crossed ya’ll win something this year well I’m in the bus right now on our way 2 London I took a lot of pictures but I forgot at my host family they were so nice they made sure we (corey and i) were comfy all the time and when corey got sick she had 2 stay home but Mr. and Mrs. Dickson had 2 go 2 work so she got corey all ready and sent her 2 blakes host family till they got back in the afternoon well she did’nt sing in concert that evening cuz she can’t talk well any way ilove and miss you see u soon!!!!!!!
Posted by webmaster at 12:03 AM | Comments (1)
July 01, 2008
Internet Update
Still have a couple more entries to add for the past couple of days. However, it's 1 a.m. and time for bed.
Our Durham host has internet access, so I should be able to catch up tomorrow and provide more regular updates.
The kids are awesome!
Posted by webmaster at 01:07 AM | Comments (2)