London, Paris, Amsterdam

One continent down, five more to go. RCA 6th graders made school history this spring as the first class of students to travel overseas. The nine-day trip began with four days in London. 29 students and 10 chaperones in toe, there was no time wasted before exploring the city. Day one - it was off to the Tower of London to see the Crown Jewels by day and Phantom of the Opera by night. Though described as different (not quite as wonderful) as the 5th grader’s Broadway experience, the 6th graders still appreciated seeing the Phantom and Christine come to life right before their very eyes. Day two included visits to Windsor Castle, where students were welcomed with a surprise - the Royal flag flying high, letting them know Queen Elizabeth was home. Day three included visits to Westminster Abbey, the British Museum, and the National Portrait Museum. Students were also fortunate to attend another musical, and this time it was truly magical. The performance of Wicked left students stunned and in some cases speechless. Day four was reserved for the Amazing Race - the London version. Very similar to the experience our 5th graders shared in NYC, our 6th graders had to navigate their way through London – hailing taxis, riding the subway (the Tube), exploring Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, stopping in to view St. Paul’s Cathedral, and visiting Trafalgar Square – all in an effort to finish the race first. Exhausting but exhilarating are the best ways to describe this adventure! Students then left London headed to Paris via train. A rather short journey, students still enjoyed the ride (for some it was their first train ride). Our stop in Paris merely whet the appetite of students. The trip began with a tour of the Louvre. Students led chaperones through this massive museum space, identifying for points the many pieces of art they had studied before leaving the States – Mona Lisa, Venus Di Milo, just to name a few. Next, the Eiffel Tower…wow what a sight. Most of all, students were shocked at how large this structure was when viewing it up-close and in-person. Finally, they began the journey to Amsterdam with the sole purpose of seeing Anne Frank’s House. Mr. Clark added this to the trip as a surprise to students since they were so emotionally moved after reading the Diary of Anne Frank. The train ride was close to five hours, but described to be worth every minute in order to be in the same Annex where Anne had written in her diary…it was truly an amazing moment in their journey to Europe!