Day 2

Today was another early up for us. Up at 5:30 a.m. to be able to eat breakfast and catch the ferry over to Victoria. All the students thought the ferry ride was pretty cool how we got to drive our bus onto the boat and then sail across the bay. The weather was perfect and the scenery is spectacular.

Once we docked, it was on the way over to Parliament to eat in the special legislative dining room where very few commoners are allowed to eat. We arrived a little early, so we were able to check out the Empress Hotel which is just adjacent to the Parliament Building. This is where the Queen stays when she is in town. Beautiful hotel and grounds.

Lunch was good. Our waiter in the dining room commented on how well behaved our delegation was and that he would be proud to say that he once served the future President of the United States. Let me tell you, the leaders were beaming from ear to ear!

We took a tour of parliament and learned that the Canadians like to lose things. Seems they lost a stained glass window of Queen Victoria's Platinium (I think - 60th) Jubilee in the basement of the Parliament building for 62 years!!!! They also lost a statue of Queen Elizabeth which on the grounds facing the port. Ask your children about the way Queen Elizabeth is facing!

Then it was off to Fisherman's Wharf where we were able to walk around for a little while and feed "Sammy" the seal some fish. From what I learned from some of the locals, one of the best Fish and Chips dives is right there on Fisherman's wharf.

After we checked into our rooms at the University of Victoria, it was off to Beacon Hill for Pizza int he park. The students had a chance to walk around the gardens, play some soccer and football, and just plain run around and burn off some steam!

Back at our rooms now and they are all tucked into bed so they can be up and ready for whale watching tomorrow!

We have arrived!!!

After a long and bumpy flight to Vancouver, we made it safely through customs and were off to Stanley Park to see the totem poles and the bay. The kids had the first chance to shop and relish the opportunity.

We stopped by Prospect Point and watch some very friendly raccoons who loved to pose for pictures and videos and then walked down to admire Lion's Gate Bridge which was built in the 1940s by the Guinness family of beer and book fame.

Gastown and learned about Gassy Jack - named because he either talked a lot of hot air or ate a lot of beans, or so the legend goes.

Then it was off to dinner at the Old Spaghetti factory for some pasta!

After dinner we made our way to the University of British Columbia (UBC) and now it is 10:30 p.m. Pacific time and the everyone is tucked soundly in bed and we are looking forward to an adventurous day in Victoria tomorrow.

WELCOME PARENTS, FAMILIES AND FRIENDS!

We are now about 12 hours away from our journey into the Great White North. Can you believe it is almost here.

We started this journey 9 months ago with 36 students...then 70 students...and now to our final 47! We have had many changes to our delegation, to the leadership team and to information we have been given...and you have all rolled with it.

We have learned how to be Ambassadors. We have learned about Canada. We have learned about the United States. Now it is time to put all that new found knowledge to use.

We will start our journey in Vancouver and Victoria in British Columbia where we will meet with members or Parliament - we even get to eat in their "special" eatery. We will get to go whale watching looking for orcas.

From there we will start our journey to Alberta - stopping along the way. Meeting people from the First Nation. Challenging ourselves on a ropes course in the forest. We will learn about the wildlife of Canada.

Once we make our way to Alberta, we will learn about the dinosaurs and go on a dig in the Badlands. We will meet with world-recognized paleontologists. We will play on glaciers that have been around for millions of years. We will go to Olympic stadium and try our hands at some Olympic events.

We will challenge ourselves. We will grow through broadening our horizons as we become citizens of this world we live in.

Again, thank you for entrusting us with your students. We are looking forward to the best time in Canada.