Thursday, May 8, 2014

Finally Selected!


I've been interested in international travel ever since I went to India with a teacher group in 2010.  There was another teacher in that group who previously participated in a study tour in Germany and she encouraged others to apply for it.  The Goethe Institut organizes the Transatlantic Outreach Program for United States Social Studies teachers for  study tours  to Germany each year.  I did apply for it every year since.  Every year I was rejected every year.  This year I thought I was rejected as well as I received a letter in February stating "due to the incredibly competitive nature of this year's selection process, we were unfortunately unable to place you in one of our 2014 study tour groups." I was placed a "wait list" and I thought there was little to any luck I would be able to go because the letter that historically about 5 percent of those accepted to travel to Germany withdraw for various reasons and there were 20 on the wait list.  The letter also stated if I wanted to have my application reconsidered for 2015 tours.

In April, I received a phone call from TOP asking if I want to go as I was at the top of the wait list.  I jumped at the chance to go.  I feel very fortunate to be given this opportunity to go.  It has been stressed that this not a vacation, but a study tour and we have to dress "business casual" on much of this trip.  I don't have a problem with that since I have participated on other teacher study tours.

So in a little over a month, I will be flying into Washington, D.C. t o meet with my tour group and we will fly out to Germany for two weeks.  I have never been Europe before and I want to discover the historical and modern Germany and all it offers!

I will post updates to this blog if not on the trip, then after the trip, with my experiences and photographs.  

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