Greece and the Islands
April 2010

The International Travel Study Program will focus on Greece during the 2010 April school vacation. Students enrolled in this course will learn about the history, culture, economy and customs of Greece. The trip is included in the Program of Studies, and students receive two credits for their participation. All expenses for the trip are paid by the students and their families.

The group will depart on an overnight flight on April 14^th, 2010. They arrive the next morning in Athens, a modern city with a rich history. After settling into the hotel, the group will venture out to explore the city, starting with a walk to the Plaka, a sprawling maze of shops and restaurants.

Over the next two days the students will have a full tour of Athens. They will visit the stadium where the modern Olympic games began in 1896, and then will visit and learn about the Acropolis, the National Archaeological Museum, the Parthenon, Syntagma Square , the Parliament and Presidential Palace.We will hike up Lycabettus Hill, the highest point in the city and be treated to a traditional dinner in a Greek taverna that features Greek song and dance. Dancing and joining into the festivities is all part of the fun!

After our few days in Athens, we will take an early morning ferry to the island of Santorini, one of the most beautiful spots in the world. Santorini is renowned for whitewashed buildings with brilliant blue roofs set atop breathtaking cliffs blasted out 3,500 years ago by a volcano. During our two day visit, we will visit the picturesque villages of Fira, Oia and Pyrgos and the Archaeological Museum of Prehistoric Thera, which houses artifacts from Akrotini, the ancient city buried by the volcano. Among the highlights of the stay on the island is a donkey ride up the side of a cliff below Fira.

The group will then take the ferry back to the mainland to spend several days in Nauplia, a quaint seaside village of shops, cafes, and a stunning mix of Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman architecture on the east coast of the Peloponnese peninsula.

Students may hike the 857 steps up to the spectacular Palamidi Castle, an imposing fortress built by the Venetians in the early 1700s, and also take the easier walk to the nearby Akronafplia Castle.

A short ride across the harbor, we can also visit Bourtzi, a well-preserved 15^th century island fortress that we can explore. Students will view the buildings that served as the seat of the national government from 1829 to 1834 while Greece was fighting for its independence from Turkey. The visit to Nauplia will include visits to Epidaurus, site of the best-preserved theatre of ancient Greece and to the ruins of Mycenae, mainland Europe’s oldest city.

On our way back to Athens, the group will visit the 2,000 year old ruins of ancient Corinth and the Corinth Canal. After a final day of sightseeing and shopping in Athens, the group will return to the United States.

Oliver Ames High School teacher Eveline Johnson is organizing the trip. She has led international student trips since 1989, and is offering this trip to Oliver Ames High School students. Interested parents may also contact her. The students attend meetings and do research on their destinations during third term.

Mrs. Eveline Johnson has enrollment materials available, and students may sign up at their earliest convenience. Enrollment is open to all high school students. Students can secure a spot by completing an application form and paying a $150 deposit to ACIS.

The trip is coordinated by the American Council for International Studies, an educational travel company. Anyone who wishes to learn more about the trip is encouraged to email Johnson at esj4176@aol.com, call her at Oliver Ames, 230-3210 or visit her website, http://home.comcast.net/~kmj53/ev.html.