Excursion Blog

A Fun Day in Niagara Falls

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:03:19 EST

Hello,

What a wonderful day we spent in Niagara Falls! Upon arrival this morning, the bus dropped us off right at the Falls. We admired the breathtaking sight and took many pictures. We then went on the Journey Behind the Falls and got to see the water thundering down from the back of the Falls. Then, we went to the Rainforest Café for a delicious lunch, in a tropical safari setting.

Students had the option of going up the Ferris wheel for a panoramic view of the Falls while others explored Clifton Hill or the arcade at the Rainforest Café. Afterwards, we embarked on a hike in the beautiful Niagara Glen Nature Reserve. This gave us the opportunity to digest our copious lunches before getting back on the bus to return to Havergal.

Tomorrow, we will be exploring Toronto!

Our Last Two Days Together

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:08:53 EST

On Thursday, we toured our guests around Toronto again. We took the subway down to the Ontario legislature, where we had a guided visit and attended a very lively Question Period. We then headed to the Royal Ontario Museum for a guided tour where we encountered skeletons of dinosaurs and wild animals restored to life-like realism by taxidermists – not to mention a thousand other things. Following this, we returned to HC and watched our Middle School baseball team play a game in the warm sunshine.

Friday was our last morning together. Our friends from Sherbrooke joined us for Prayers before leaving to go back home by train. Tears were shed as girls hugged to say goodbye.

It was clear that deep friendships were forged during this formative SEVEC adventure, and that the two official language cultures of Canada were very close in friendship.

A Tour of Toronto

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 10:23:33 EST

What a gorgeous day it was on Wednesday! First, we went to the CN Tower. The clear skies made for a spectacular panoramic view of the city. Then, we went to the Art Gallery of Ontario and, on our way, we walked through Canada's Walk of Fame. At the AGO, students had some free time to explore the gallery before our workshop called Masterpeice Mashup. Each pair of twins collaborated to create a unique work of art, drawing inspiration from two different pieces they had seen in the gallery. Art teachers were present to guide the students in this endeavour.

After this, we walked through Chinatown to Kensington Market. The girls had an opportunity to explore the Market's boutiques, bakeries and coffee shops and to walk down its vibrant streets.

Then, we returned to HC and had a lovely dinner with the girls and some of their family members, before attending the Middle School concert.

Quelle belle journée!

A Fun Day in Niagara Falls

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 09:25:16 EST

Hello,

Tomorrow, we will be exploring Toronto!

Hanging Out at HC with Our Twins

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 09:19:25 EST

Bonjour,

On Monday, April 15, our friends from the Collège Mont Notre-Dame spent the day at Havergal College! In the morning, they were given a guided tour of the school. They then accompanied their twins to their classes. In the afternoon, the girls all participated in a chocolate making workshop and then headed to the pool for a swim.

Our Twins Arrive in Toronto!

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 09:05:44 EST

Hello everyone,

On the evening of Friday, April 12, our Havergal students participating in the SEVEC exchange waited with great excitement in the Ellen Knox library for their friends from the Collège Mont Notre-Dame in Sherbrooke, Québec to arrive! When they arrived, screams of excitement were barely contained. Each Havergal College girl handed a flower to her Collège Mont Notre-Dame twin as a welcoming gesture. Each pair will be spending the weekend with their family and the CMND girls will get a taste of what it's like to live in Toronto.

Vieux Québec

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:13:23 EST

Bonjour,

After a hearty breakfast at the hotel, we headed to the Chateau Frontenac for a guided walking tour of vieux Québec. The heavy fog gave a mysterious and dreamy feel to the city.

The girls were then given a couple of hours to have lunch and explore in groups. Then, the bus drove us back to Sherbrooke and everyone headed back to their twins' houses for their last night in Québec before heading back to Toronto.

Our Trip to Quebec City

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 09:40:00 EST

Bonjour,

This morning, we headed for Quebec City!

We visited the Aquarium de Québec, where we saw jellyfish, seals, an octopus, star fish, walruses, polar bears and much, much more.

Our little Havergal mascot was very happy to meet her big sister, as you can see in the photo!

Then, we had a lively guided visit of the Parlement, before heading to the Musée de la civilisation.

After having dinner in the vieux Québec, we went to our hotel and some of the girls played in the pool.

Salut!

Exploring Old Sherbrooke

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 08:47:18 EST

Salut à tous!

This morning, the girls accompanied their twins to their classes at the College Mont Notre-Dame. After lunch, they were each given a T-shirt and sweatshirt with the school's logo.

Then, we went on a guided walking tour of old Sherbrooke. Throughout the city, beautiful murals painted on buildings tell the history of Sherbrooke. The sun was shining brilliantly and we had the added benefit of exercising our legs, as Sherbrooke is quite hilly!

Tomorrow morning, we embark for Quebec city!

À plus tard,

Mlle. Rameau

Adventures and Treats in Quebec!

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:56:03 EST

Bonjour!

This morning, the group met up at a local restaurant called Mondo. The girls were excited to meet up as a big group again and shared their weekend adventures over a yummy breakfast.

Then, we travelled by school bus to a nearby village called Eastland and walked in a maple forest. At the cabane à sucre, we enjoyed a lovely lunch doused in local maple syrup! Then we headed back out to the maple forest for zip lining and obstacle courses in the trees.

Before heading back to Sherbrooke, we enjoyed some tire back in the cabane à sucre. Maple syrup was heated and poured onto snow so that it would make toffee-like candy when it cooled.

À demain!

Exchange in Sherbrooke, Quebec

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:27:00 EST

Bonjour,

On Friday, March 22, we arrived safely and happily in Sherbrooke, QC. The girls were all great travellers on this long trek!

Upon arrival at the Collège Mont Notre-Dame, we were warmly welcomed by all of the twins and their families. The school's grand library had been decorated with balloons and hand drawn posters citing the names of each girl from Toronto. After enjoying some cookies and juice, each girl went to her twin's home to enjoy an evening of "family time."

Later that afternoon, some of us met up at the Centre communautaire de loisir de Sherbrooke for bowling.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Our Work is Done

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:08:54 EST

Hola everyone,

Our last two days here flew by. We finished the house and had a dedication ceremony for the family the house was built for. It was really nice because the community came out for it and the family was so excited to get their new house.

It was hard to say goodbye to everyone after spending the week together working on the house.

Adios,

The Nica crew

Team Nica Experiences Nature in Action!

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:26:14 EST

Hola!

Today was very eventful! We did some work in the morning sanding some bricks. In the afternoon we went to the coffee plantation, which was interesting and eye opening. Then on our drive back to the house we experienced nature in action! A cow was giving BIRTH! We stayed to watch the whole thing.

After all that excitement we came back, had some dinner and had a group reflection on what we saw that day.

We are on the work site now and will soon be heading off to the school to hand out backpacks for the kids.

Stay tuned for updates.

Team Nica

The House Work Continues

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 13:52:44 EST

Hola,

Today we worked on the house and the latrines. During lunch time, we had a tour of the farm we are staying on. The girls learned how our hostess grows her coffee and cabbages!

Regards,

The Nica crew

Building the House

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 16:46:04 EST

Today we started building the house. Everyone worked extremely hard, whether it was tying re bar, pouring and making cement, setting up cinder blocks and shoveling / shifting sand.

We had agracious amount of help from the community!

We were even treated with some ice cream which they call ''eskimo.''

We also taught some of the Nicaraguans english on the site!!

Regards,
The Nica crew

Arrival in Sasle, Jinotega

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:03:51 EST

Hola,

We've arrived in Sasle, the community we'll be building in. This evening we spent time with the members of the community playing some fun games and getting to know everyone.

We met the family we'll be building a house for; they're absolutely lovely.

Our internet and phone reception is very limited. We have no service at the house we're staying so we will be send emails home from the job site we're at (providing we can get a connection.)

Here is a picture of the site we'll be working at:

Talk soon,
Team Nica

Follow Us to Nicaragua

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:00:14 EST

A group from Havergal has left on a Global Experience excursion to Nicaragua, where they will work with Bridges to Community Canada on building a house as a part of learning about the four pillars of community health: housing, health, education and economic development.

Join us on their adventures on this blog, where we will post highlights of their excursion with photos. Sign up with our RSS feed to get the latest on this excursion.

Anjolie Ela Menon

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 10:29:25 EST

On Friday morning we attended a very interesting session hosted by Ms. Anjolie Ela Menon, one of India's leading contemporary female Artists. Her paintings are in several major collections. Most recently (2006), a major work "Yatra" was acquired by the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, California.

Ms. Menon painted the the picture below during her speech.

The students were then set into groups and were provided a photo or cartoon to which they are asked to provide a captions. It was quite interesting to see the responses.

Our day was topped off with dinner at the Chief Minister of Delhi's house. It was another garden party style dinner and again the old and ambience were excellent and slightly reminiscent of a former time.

On Saturday, we will learn and play some rural Indian games and in the afternoon we will have the opportunity to showcase our own Canadian culture with our theatrical skit and cultural exhibit.

The CDLS Tourists

Tata Day

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 11:28:41 EST

Today was Tata Day, a series of sessions and workshops discussing various topics on women's empowerment:

Inequality in the Workplace
Malala Yousafzai's Struggle
Impossible Dreams
Female Infanticide / Foeticide
Human Trafficking

The delegates first watched one of the short films in small groups and then discussed their thoughts and formulated a group opinion on the subject. Then they were tasked with creating an exercise to illustrate their conclusions such as a song or a skit.

The afternoon session was the showing of the classic film Twelve Angry Men where the jury has to determine the guilt of a young, underprivileged man in a case of patricide.

The film deals with the issues of the different personalities comprising the jury, their pre-conceptions, prejudices and stereotyping of others within society and the leadership of the lone juror who stands firm against all the others in his belief that the accused may not be guilty.

Ultimately, in properly examining the factual evidence, each of the prejudices is systematically exposed and the accused is unanimously found not guilty.

Later in the evening, we were treated to a display to traditional Indian dancing, followed by dinner in the gardens of The Modern School.

Tomorrow, the delegates will be working on our cultural workshops and dining at the Chief Minister's House.

The CDLS Tourists

Visiting Community Service Locations

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 09:34:12 EST

This morning took the CDLS delegates out into New Delhi to one of three Community Service locations, Old Age Home, Blind School and Cheshire Home for the disabled. Our Canadian students visited the Blind School, which was an all boy's school catering to children with partial or no sight capabilities in nursery (JK) to grade 12.

We were very moved both by the happy disposition and the intellectual capabilities of these kids.

Each of us would have had a different experience but our overall impressions were the same.

Little Dhanu (pictured) was in JK and, as we entered his room, he confidently stood up, smiled a broad smile and wished us all a good morning. Then, when asked, he proudly recited his alphabet in English all the way from A to Z. He was so happy and proud he moved us all.

Next, I met Kuldeep in Grade 12, who was reading a novel in English written in Braille. Kuldeep proudly and confidently read three or four pages to me as fluently as any kid in Grade 12.

I asked Kuldeep what he wanted to be when he left school and he enthusiastically explained that he wanted to be a lecturer. As I watched Kuldeep's fingers nimbly glide over the Braille on the page, I was left with every confidence that he would surely realize his hopes and dreams.

The school was small and simple and yet had everything these kids needed: sports, music, computer room and library, to mention a few. It was a truly humbling and moving experience.

After the blind school, we were able to spend a little time in the adjacent market where artisans were selling their arts and crafts goods partially in support of the school.

We then headed out to Dr. Radha Krishnan School to experience the delights of "Traditional India."

We enjoyed a celebrity welcome with a long line of children dressed in traditional clothing showering us with fresh flower garlands and offering big smiles and a bagpipe band.

The afternoon was spent eating traditional Indian food from several regions, dancing and singing and trying our hands at pottery making, mehndi and elephant and camel rides. This was simply a spectacular experience of wonderful Indian hospitality and definitely one of many highlights of this trip so far.

After "Traditional India," we headed back to The Modern School for a panel discussion on Empowering Rural Women and "Teach India," a program for teaching English to all people to assist them in obtaining gainful employment.

I have asked our students to provide their own insights into these and yesterday's discussions and report to us with their own conclusions.

Tomorrow is Tata Day!

The CDLS Tourists

A Discussion About the Role of Women in India

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 08:38:34 EST

Today the CDLS delegates started the day with a panel discussion from five former female Modern School students who have each gone on to achieve considerable success in their chosen careers.

The format was an interactive question and answer session and covered three main topic areas:

women in politics and government
women in popular culture
women in health

The debate, concentrating on the current situation in India, was quite lively and prompted a lot of participation from the international delegates.

After this session there was a creative workshop where the students were able to showcase their artistic talents in drawing and sculpture.

The afternoon saw us heading out to the tourist attraction of the Akshardham Temple complex.

Swaminarayan Akshardham showcases 10,000 years of Indian culture and the essence of India's ancient architecture, traditions and spiritual messages.

The grand, ancient-styled Swaminarayan Akshardham complex was built in only five years by 11,000 artisans and BAPS volunteers. The complex was inaugurated on November 6, 2005.

We were intrigued by the odd combination of religious and cultural displays delivered via a theme park style experience. This included robotic displays, a Disney-style boat ride experience and a musical fountain light show. We were not allowed to bring anything into the complex so I have included a stock photo only.

Tomorrow we will be participating in some community field service projects followed by an Experience Traditional India session and another creative workshop.

The CDLS Tourists

CDLS 2012 Conference

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 14:04:35 EST

Today saw another very early morning start as we set out to visit Raj Ghat, a black marble platform set in extensive gardens that marks the spot of Mahatma Gandhi's cremation.

The memorial was designed by Vanu G. Bhuta to reflect the simplicity of Mahatma Gandhi's life. Indeed the place was very peaceful and calm and as you can see from the photo it is very simple indeed.

After Raj Ghat we went back to The Modern School to attend the inaugural ceremony of the CDLS 2012 Conference. Guest speakers included: Sheila Dikshit, the Chief Minister, Delhi, Justice Leila Seth and Ashok Pratap Singh, the President of the Board of Trustees for Modern School.

Following the opening speeches, a panel of eminent local and national women conducted an interactive question and answer session on Women and Empowerment.

Lastly, the CDLS delegates visited the Presidential Palace, Rashtrapati Bhavan. Unfortunately, we were not permitted any type of photograph whatsoever so I have included a stock photo instead.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan is a large and vast mansion with four floors, 340 rooms and occupies an area of some 200,000 square feet. A straight east-west road, Rajpath, starts from the huge square, Vijay Chowk, in front of Rashtrapati Bhavan and ends at India Gate on the western end of the road.

Tomorrow, the CDLS delegates will attend two more interactive sessions followed by a visit to the Akshardham temple.

The CDLS Tourists

Touring New Delhi and Founders Day

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 11:18:35 EST

Today the CDLS delegates went on a sightseeing tour of New Delhi.

First we visited the UNESCO World Heritage site of Qutub Minar.

The Qutub Complex site is an archaeological excavation of several historical temples and artifacts dominated by the impressive Qutub Minar Tower. The tower is constructed with red sandstone and marble and is the tallest minaret in India standing at a height of 72.5 metres and containing 379 steps. Construction on the tower was begun by qutub-ud-din Aibak in 1192 and was completed by Iltutmish.

The nearby pillar is one of the world's foremost metallurgical curiosities. According to the traditional belief, anyone who can encircle the entire column with their arms, with their back towards the pillar, can have their wish granted. Tradition assigns the erection of the Pillar to Anang Pal, whose name it bears, with the date 1052 C.E.

Next we visited the Mogul Emperor Humayun's Tomb built by his wife Hamida Banu Begum in 1562.

The tomb was a UNESCO site in 1993 and since then has undergone extensive restoration work.

Our guide for both sites was the history teacher at The Modern School who was extremely knowledgeable and engaging with her stories.

In the evening, The Modern School celebrated its 92nd Founders Day with awards ceremonies and speeches from the Principal and Mr. Rahul Bajaj, a prominent businessman, politician and philanthropist.

The evening was concluded with a superb performance of Aatm Deepo Bhava, a dramatic presentation based on Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore's "Parishodh."

We are thankful to have had the opportunity to experience so many culturally-rich things today!

The CDLS Tourists

The Taj Mahal

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 11:07:37 EST

Today may have been the highlight for many of the CDLS 2012 delegates as we went to see India's famous testament to true love, The Taj Mahal.

Completed in 1653, the Taj Mahal was built by the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan, for his dearly beloved second wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

It took 20,000 workers 22 years to build and when it was completed the Shah ensured that such a monument could never be replicated by chopping off the hands of every one his builders!

Our day started at 5:15 am and finished at 8:00 pm. The journey to Agra was very long despite a new highway connecting the two cities of Agra and New Delhi, but the journey was definitely worthwhile.

"Awesome" is an overly used adjective these days, but is entirely appropriate for this magnificent marble temple.

Tomorrow we will explore some more sights, sounds and smells of New Delhi and later on help the Modern School celebrate their Founders Day.

The CDLS Tourists

Meeting the Other Schools

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 16:19:12 EST

Today was the big introduction day when 28 schools from 22 different countries all got together in the middle of India to meet and greet and share our diverse backgrounds and cultures.

The day started with the introduction of each school and a three questions open quiz about the politics, geography, history or sport of each country. Each correct answer was rewarded with a package of Indian cookies. The Canadian delegates gave a good account of their international knowledge! I can probably speak for all of us when I say we are too full of the fabulous Indian food to have even looked at the cookies we won!

After the introductions we were treated to a tour of the extensive school grounds before our ice breaking sessions began with that universal language, music.

I was so proud when it was the Canadians, in the form of India's newest Devi (Hindu term for Diva) Kendra Wong, who started the dancing off and everyone followed suit. Several games followed that were designed to get everyone involved and talking to one another.

And they did. Everybody made new friends today!

Tomorrow is a very early start on our visit to the wonderful Taj Mahal!

The CDLS Tourists

Day 2 in India

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 16:06:27 EST

Well, it's been an interesting day today, essentially a free day for us to relax and acclimatize to New Delhi.

The students went to a traditional market where artisans sell everything from paintings to clothing and scarves. The students did souvenir shopping and got henna designs on their hands in preparation for Karva Chauth, a festival day for married women.

Tomorrow we will tour The Modern School, where we will play some games to get to know one another.

The CDLS Tourists

Havergal's CDLS Team Arrives in India

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 08:58:45 EST

Hello from India!

On our way here, we had a brief layover in Amsterdam, where we had a nice breakfast and a quick walk through the canal area of Amsterdam Central. We really didn't have much time to do anything else. The most remarkable thing was how many bikes there were parked at the railway station. Literally thousands and thousands!

We have now all safely arrived in New Delhi, after another long but uneventful flight.

When we arrived, we were met by several representatives of The Modern School and were given a very warm welcome.

All the girls are staying together with the same host family who looked after our group last year. Sonia, the mum, and Saieesha are wonderful and friendly.

It's been a very long day and all is well.

The CDLS tourists

(CDLS = Community Development and Leadership Summit)

South Africa: Our Final Day of the Trip

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 14:56:28 EST

Hello all,

Today has been such a feast for our senses, it's difficult to know where to begin or what words to choose to convey everything we saw and experienced!

We took a cable car up to Table Mountain on what had to be one of the most phenomenal mornings ever—clear skies, full sun, low winds. The view was spectacular. We could see the city of Cape Town, the distant mountains, the ocean all laid out before us like jewels. The girls participated in several photo shoots in different configurations and locations for about an hour; then we descended and headed out to the Cape of Good Hope. On our way, we stopped at the Original Tea Bag Designs workshop. Here we learned about how making a range of beautiful works of art out of recycled tea bags has empowered members of the local Imizamo Yethu community (a township) to earn a living and feel productive, creative, and useful. The girls were rapt during the tour and short DVD, and purchased a number of gifts and treasures in the shop. Perhaps some of them will make their way home to you.

Our second stop en route was a lawn-bowling club turned paper mill, where (similarly) women make their own paper from recycled materials as well as a range of crafts and earn a living through selling the fruits of their work. Again, the girls loved the paper and picked up a few more treasures, such as scrapbooks and notecards. We then drove on a coastal route along the impossibly turquoise and magnificent South Atlantic and finally reached the Cape of Good Hope. The girls snapped millions of photos once again; we moved further along to Cape Point and hiked a short, steep stone path to a lighthouse where the 360 degree views of the ocean and rocky cliffs were nothing short of sublime. Along our travels we encountered a wild ostrich couple and a troop of baboons, who entertained us immensely—one even got in the back of a guy's pickup truck and made himself entirely at home.

Our final stop before returning to the city was a visit with the local Jackass Penguins, so called because of their braylike call. The penguins were quite sociable and trotted out to greet us, waddling over the rocks and diving into the ocean for fish.

Wound our way up and down mountains roads back into the city and to our hotel for a twenty-minute quick change before our unforgettable dinner at The Africa Café. I just cannot find the words to describe our experience there. Think delicious and nutritious foods from all over Africa, served communally, surrounded by colourful artwork and furniture with live singing and drumming, face painting, most of the girls dressed up in fancy green skirts (you can ask them for pictures—they're quite something), lots of laughing and dancing...a fitting finale to a wonderful day and a very full, rich three weeks in South Africa.

We will visit some final places of interest tomorrow morning—the Green Market (craft market—do we have any more room in our luggage? I do wonder) and the District Six museum, where we expect to learn more about more troubling aspects of Cape Town's history. We leave for Johannesburg tomorrow at around 3:30 pm. The girls are already scheming about how they can convince you to let them return.

We are so proud of our girls—their adaptability, their compassion, their energy, their collective sense of humour. We have truly enjoyed our weeks with them. We know they are sad to leave, but also know they are looking forward to coming home (we heard talk of at least one special dinner in the works!).

Be well,
Ms. Rowe and Ms. Szekely

South Africa: Whale Watching

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 15:04:22 EST

Hello everyone!

We are about to settle down to dinner after another adventure-filled day. We began the day with breakfast at the Cape Suites hotel after an eventful evening getting ourselves to Cape Town—first a delayed flight, then a room shuffle, then a very late dinner. We headed out to Hermanus, a lovely little seaside village-turned-tourist attraction known for its whale population. We wandered around the market square for about twenty minutes; some girls found more souvenirs, gifts and treasures, then we piled in our van (by now down to science) and went to the whale-watching boat.

Though several of us suffered different degrees of seasickness—ranging from queasiness to intermittent vomiting—we were finally rewarded with an extensive show by a pair of Southern Right whales. (See picture attached!) The girls were absolute troopers (as they have been the entire trip), braving the wind and stomach twisting to get snapshots of the whales in various poses. The entire watch lasted about two hours—by turns exciting, nauseating, wet, and chilly, but an adventure nonetheless.

We returned to Hermanus, where most of us ate lunch and tried to warm ourselves in the sun. Our next stop was the Franschhoek Valley—a simply stunning, dramatic valley nestled in a rocky mountain range reminiscent of Scotland or perhaps New Zealand. Think sprawling vineyards and farmlands, the occasional flock of sheep, and winding mountain roads and you've got the general idea! Our destination was a Belgian chocolate factory in Franschhoek, to which we arrived in the nick of time. The girls sampled and purchased some yummy chocolate—hopefully they won't eat it all before they get home to share with you!

And then...an hour drive back to our hotel. As I write this, I hear the girls chatting comfortably in the dining room, happy for a hot meal after a day (for some) of great tummy unrest. Everyone seems recovered, revived by the food and hot showers, and restored to their former selves.

Tomorrow we visit St Cyprian's, a girls' school, for the morning and then catch a ferry to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned along with many other South African heroes. It has also served as a leper colony/hospital and several other functions.

A big day. We are tired but happy. WiFi here is intermittent, so you may not hear from your daughters as often as you might like!

Hope all is well at home.

Ms. Rowe and Ms. Szekely

South Africa: Last Day in Durban

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 09:32:49 EST

Dear families and friends,

It was with aching hearts that the group bid farewell to the staff and children at both Siyawela and Siyajabula. The two weeks seem to have flown by and the Havergal group struggled to face the last day. The students continued their work on the laptops at Silyawela and with crafts, face painting and games at Siyajabula and then we lingered at both places longer than we should because each of us wanted more time. The students all spoke yesterday about wanting to stay at least one more week; they sense they are making a difference to these kids and it is easy to see the impact. It was a quiet drive home.

One feature of our day was another home visit. Some students took a walk to meet the Chief of the Zulus in the area of Siyajabula and heard from this 71 year old man how lucky they were to be able to travel and see other places. He encouraged then to return to the Molweni valley when they were adults and thanked them for the time they spent with the kids at the Ark.

Tomorrow we say our thanks and goodbyes to our host families. These families have been kind, generous and, as supervisors on the trip, Ms. Szekely and I have been confident each night that the students would be well looked after in their host family's home. What is interesting to us is that the end of day pick up at Durban Girls College is an additional trip to the school for most of them and they are all glad to see the Havergal students. Durban Girls College students finish school at approximately 2:30 pm and we did not return until 4:30 pm.

Thinking of these families and the driving that is part of their life allows me to express an observation about how safe this part of the trip has been for our students. The nature of this country is that the students are secured behind many layers of locked gates and doors when they are in a home and parents drive them from home to home. They are not allowed to walk even a block and taking a taxi is out of the question. The Havergal students are very aware of the limitations on teen independence and they don't really like it. Even driving through the countryside and at the Arks, we have felt completely safe.

Even though we are sad to leave Durban, our hosts and the Arks, the week ahead is very exciting. Tomorrow our bus will transport us to the Africa we envision when we think of this continent – a land of large animals and wide open spaces. A visit to a traditional Zulu village and then a boat tour at St. Lucia estuary (hippos etc.) will fill our day as we travel three hours to the Ezulwini Game Lodge.

Bye for now,

Ms. Rowe and Ms. Szekely

South Africa: Penultimate Day at the Arks, August 16

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:54:09 EST

Hi everyone!

Another full day—this time overcast and cooler, which gave us relief from the heat and hot sun. Happy to report that everyone is well and our two girls with head colds are up and running again!

The morning ark visit went as usual. Siyawela is such a well-functioning organization that our work has easily become just another part of the schedule. We continue to be so impressed by the adults who run the place—strong teachers, a laconic grandpa who quietly, single-handedly, and lovingly tends the garden (and which, as Portia eloquently stated, flourishes precisely because it is so loved by him), and a warm-hearted cook who seems to know everyone in the community and tends to everything from gigantic pots of beans to dirty nappies to crying children, then returns home to her ill husband, three children and grandchildren who depend entirely on her very modest salary.

We have tried to capture the landscape as well as the children in photographs, but they repeatedly don't do justice to what we see. The natural beauty here is stunning—the most gorgeous flowering trees and plants proliferate everywhere, even on the dirtiest of corners and most forlorn of abandoned lots. The second ark is in a valley surrounded by indescribably beautiful hills (would we call them hills? Perhaps they are small mountains.) Maybe the girls will do a better job than we do of capturing our day-to-day reality...

I looked around the second ark at one point and smiled at the energy and joy I witnessed. Everyone engaged in a array of activities: some face painting (the girls established an assembly line immediately, hired a translator, and quickly determined which of them were flower, cat and vine specialists). Every child in the ark soon had their faces painted. The "group of imps" as I call them—the 7 to 10-year-old boys—played ladder golf with their teachers, who were equally intent on the game; the girls were colouring, dancing, learning names and other words in Zulu, playing Frisbee, lulling youngsters to sleep, jumping rope. When we got into the bus at 3:30, they were already predicting their reactions when we leave tomorrow afternoon (lots of tears, they are guessing.)

But yes, tomorrow is our last day in Durban. We leave for the game lodge on Saturday at 8:00 am, right after what will probably be another bittersweet farewell to our wonderful host families.

Hope you are all well at home.

Best,
Ms. Rowe and Ms. Szekely

South Africa: Sanibonani (Hello in Zulu to a group of people)

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 15:44:33 EST

We are all working on our Zulu here and, as the students get more comfortable at the Arks, they are willing to risk speaking Zulu to the children. Of course, it is met with giggles most of the time.

A few highlights of the day:
Ms. Szekely and I brought a potato peeler to the woman who prepares the meals at Siyawela (morning Ark). Ms. Szekely had helped her peel potatoes a few days ago with a knife and a dull one at that. We knew a peeler would make the task easier but were not sure if the gift would be appropriate. One wants to help and yet be sensitive to sending a message that we know how to do things better. Long story short – she loved it. She wants a few more. A simple tool will make a difference in her day.

We introduced 'ladder golf' to the kids at the Siyajabula. If you don't know it, it is a game where you toss two golf balls that are connected by a rope toward a 3-step ladder. You get points depending on which rung you wrap your rope around. Even with a language barrier, we were able to teach them a game to play. It is not exactly the right way to play but what the heck – they were having fun.

We had a long period of time at the Siyajabula Ark today. We arrived to find children waiting for us because they had no school today – no water at their school. It was the hottest day we have had to date (+30 celsius) and we were not sure what we would do to keep so many kids occupied. The students had no problem keeping them amused. They coloured, played card games, played soccer, made pictures and continued work on paper mache masks. The HC girls are incredible and they are engaged in the work.

Ms. Rowe

South Africa: Greetings on Tuesday, August 14 from Durban

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 16:21:15 EST

A warm sunny day here in Durban and the surrounding townships. As we gathered this morning, we noticed we were one short on the Havergal student count. Some of the girls are fighting a bug and we are encouraging those who are not in top form to take a day off. For the rest, we are providing vitamin C and large bottles of water. In the heat and/or cold rain and with so much close contact with the children, it is inevitable that we meet some virus that is new to us. Needless to say, the girls are being troopers.

We continued our work with the Siyawela student on the OLPC and today started with 2 new groups. The HC students are confident and excellent teachers. We are watching new buildings go up at the neighbouring school and today one of the buildings received a fresh coat of paint. It must be exciting for the children to move to a new building. The garden at this Ark is looking fantastic after the rain last week. You would all love to have this garden in your backyard.

Siyajabula children are now less interested in holding our hands and more interested in doing things. We filled beach balls with air before the children arrived and they were really excited to play with the various shapes and sizes of balls for most of the afternoon. As the heat increased and our energy started to fail, we moved to braiding gimp. The kids loved it! By the time we left, every wrist was adorned with a colourful creation.

This evening, Ina and I attended a 'contemporary music night' at the DGC. It was an interesting event where families are invited to come and bring a picnic dinner and enjoy music from the Durban Girls College students as well as the neighbouring boy's school, Clifton. We arrived to see families gathered around tables eating sushi or pizza or whatever else they brought and wine, beer, pop etc. It was casual and charming. Durban is a friendly welcoming place and we felt right at home at the music concert. We were able to hear 3 of our host students in the choir and then 2 of these student performed vocal solos as well.

That is all for today -

Ms. Rowe

South Africa: Days 3 and 4 National Women's Day

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 15:37:17 EST

National Women's Day is an annual public holiday on the 9th of August. This commemorates the national march of women on this day in 1956 to petition against legislation that required African persons to carry the "pass," special identification documents that curtailed an African's freedom of movement during the apartheid era. All schools are enjoying a long weekend because of the holiday on Thursday, August 9, and an extra day on Friday – just for the heck of it we think.

Our students spent Thursday with their host families doing various things – shopping, walking on the beach and sleeping in. The jet lag hit them on Wednesday and this combined with the cold and wet weather made Thursday a much needed day to just relax. We all gathered at the home of Dr. Ash for dinner. His wife and two daughters as well as Dr. Ash made us feel right at home and served 'Bunny Chow' - a traditional Durban dish. Toward the end of the evening, a small audience had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Ash about the current situation in South Africa in terms of funding and support for CBOs (Community Based Organization) and about the unique situation of 'child headed households' - one of the important legacies of AIDS. He talked about the role of NOAH in keeping these children in their communities where they were known and watched over by others in the community. The fact that a child headed household continues to exist is "a failing of a family but a success of a community." I wish you could have all met Dr. Ash; I know you would have been as moved by his vision, passion and intellect as we were.

Today was a special day. We gathered at Durban Girls College ('College' it is called here) with the host students and a few parents and together travelled to Siyawela. It was an interesting morning showing the DGC families the Ark and introducing them to the NOAH model. In the warm sunshine, the garden looked incredible after the rain.

Back home again, the early dismissal allowed the families to begin their weekend. We will gather at a host family's home tomorrow for a barbecue or 'braai' as they call it here. Looking forward to it! Apart from that, I know the families have many things planned for the girls and the weather is looking good for the weekend.

Ms. Rowe

South Africa: Day 3 More Rain at the Ark

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 15:35:15 EST

We awakened to a second day of uncharacteristically inclement weather—apparently there is snow in Johannesburg, last seen in 1981. After a morning huddled together in the foyer of DGC, we clambered aboard our mini-bus and chugged off through the rain to Siyawela. The children at the ark were equally intrepid, eagerly scampering through the rainy, muddy grounds to come to the OLPC lab. The first group of younger children returned to Fototoon, taking pictures of themselves and creating speech bubbles to accompany them. The second and third groups, comprised of older students, continued their work with Scratch—we were especially impressed with some of the original and intricate Sprites they created and their increasing facility with the application. The girls learned a lot just from watching them work.

Due to uncertainty about the day's weather (which, as I write this, has mostly cleared—we are enjoying ilanga—the sun—at long last!), we decided to cancel our daily trip to the second ark, Siyajabula. Instead, we came back to DGC and worked out a plan for our presentation at the school's assembly on Monday. The girls dialogued about their experiences thus far and developed a narrative that will hopefully convey the complexity and authenticity of their emotions and thoughts. They plan to use images as starting points to discuss their specific, individual personal anecdotes with a series of related messages. We will let you know how it goes!

At 2 pm, host families came to collect the girls for a well-deserved afternoon break. They will enjoy tomorrow, Thursday, with their host families, as it is a holiday here in South Africa. On Friday morning, some of the girls from DGC and their families will join us at Siyawela to tour the ark and work with the smaller children in the daycare and kindergarten-aged rooms. And then, we will be nearing the end of our first week in Durban. Hard to believe!

The girls continue to impress us with their adaptability and enthusiasm. They are happy to be here and genuinely reflective about their experiences. They report that they are up late furiously journalling every night! Though they are undoubtedly organized and resourceful enough to manage a trip like this on their own, we are truly pleased to be here with them as supervisors.

Best,

Ms Rowe and Ms. Szekely

South Africa: Day 2 After the Storm

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 15:27:02 EST

The morning paper revealed the extent of the storm that passed over Durban last night complete with hail the size of large marbles and predicted a cold and wet day today. The paper did not lie. It was cold and, while it did rain, there was relief indoors at the Arks and even a little sun during the afternoon. I know those of you in Toronto might enjoy a little cooler weather right now.

Despite the cooler temperatures, it was a very productive day. We left Durban Girls College after spending some time discussing our observations and thoughts on the previous day. We will let them tell you about their experiences in their own words, but one interesting observation to share is that the students felt a stronger connection after one day with the children at Siyajabula Ark (PM group) than the Siyawela Ark (AM) group. They believe this is because they are working with the Siyawela students standing behind them when instructing on the computer and are not interacting face-to-face. While they spent the day just playing, singing and dancing at Siyajabula, there was an intensity to the interaction. One more common observation was of the affectionate and open nature of the children we are meeting. In particular, they are surprised by the 10 to 11 year old boys and how they too want to be involved in the games and to be seen by us.

This morning, we continued our work with the Scratch application on the OLPC. We can see that the students are over the initial hurdle of understanding what this application can do and are off and running now. It is incredible how much ground we covered today. The students told us they wanted more time. We will see them tomorrow and continue our work with this particular group until Friday. Next week, we will do it again with a different group of students.

Our afternoon began with our driver, Ernest, navigating the washed out road to Siyajabula where we found an empty Ark. We learned that most days the students will not arrive until 2:00 pm so we had over an hour to fill. To fill the time, we were taken on a 'home visit' and the students were all keen to go. It allowed us to walk through the township and get a better sense of the homes the students return to each day. We took food to one of the grandmothers who had lost her hearing and her way of communicating with her Grade 10 grandson. The Ark workers were intervening to assist with the communication between these two individuals. She was so warm and welcoming to us and although we could not understand what she was saying, we could see that she was resourceful and strong. Then, the children began arriving at the Ark and, because of the cold and the wind, the girls spent the rest of the afternoon reading with the younger children and then playing many circle games.

Tonight, some of the group will be going to hear KZN's internationally acclaimed Kearsney College Choir. Here is what the local press have to say about this group:
"The choir is fresh from wowing audiences recently at the United Nations in New York City and winning two Gold Medals and Championship status in Folklore at the World Choir Games in Ohio. South Africa's celebrated choir will perform an exciting programme of its widely admired repertoire under the baton of Bernard Kruger, Music Director of Kearsney College, who led its young singers to triumph in the United States at the biannual international event, where they were voted Crowd Favourites after competing against 352 choirs from 61 nations at this year's Choir Games (the choral equivalent of the Olympic Games)."

We are grateful to the Alborough family (Michelle) for organizing this outing.

Until tomorrow,

Ms. Rowe

South Africa Excursion: Day 1 Our First Visit to the Arks

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 15:22:59 EST

The girls report that they thoroughly enjoyed their first days with their host families. They went wave surfing in a pool, to the beach, to the mall, even attended a high tea! Everyone is happy and excited to be here.

Today, we visited the two arks, Siyavela and Siyajabula. It was a day of stark contrasts: the contrast between the beautiful, elegant homes where we are staying and the townships, the contrast between the two arks, and the contrast in weather (it is currently pouring rain after yesterday's beautiful sunny Sunday!).

We began our day at 7:30 am at Durban Girls' College—a lovely campus filled with lots of light, airy open-door classrooms, barefoot track runners in outdoor gym classes and green uniforms with absolutely charming little hats (now let's try making THAT part of the HC outfit!). After an informational and highly useful session with both Susie Pottinger (exchange coordinator at DGC) and Renee from NOAH, we piled into our Kombi van—generously fortified with lunches from DGC—and headed out to Siyavela. As you might imagine, the landscape altered drastically as we approached the Ark. Upon our arrival, we met some of the workers and volunteers, reunited with Portia (who came to Toronto in July), took a tour, and watched a primary class of about 35 children review days of the week in English and Zulu. Then the girls took turns working in small groups teaching the fundamentals of Scratch on the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) computers to a group of older children; the other half spent time playing with the younger children. Siyavela has been described as the "Rolls Royce of the arks." It has a flourishing vegetable garden, which is tended carefully by volunteers (we departed at lunchtime to the fragrant smell of cooking cabbage), as well as a separate OLPC computer lab and separate classrooms for the toddlers and primary-aged children. We were able to understand the distinction further when we arrived at the second ark—Siyajabula—in the early afternoon. Situated in a valley with a stunning view of the mountains, Siyajabula has much smaller facilities and fewer, though equally dedicated, staff. At Siyajabula, we got to play much more directly with the children. After a round of introductions—songs and games in which our students participated with enthusiasm and humour—the girls initiated several games, such as duck-duck-goose, jumping rope, stella-ella-ola, soccer and others. Everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly.

What impressed us most, aside from the energy and leadership of our students, was the genuine investment of people who work at the arks. They are absolutely dedicated to the children—not only to providing warm meals and shelter, but also practical education and life skills such as personal hygiene, sexual safety, how to identify and deal with different kids of abuse, etc. They also ensure the children have proper health care and birth certificates. We've also learned that the NOAH model is slightly different and much broader than what we originally thought. The communities they're creating include children who are vulnerable as well as orphans—children who may have parents or relatives, but for a whole host of reasons need the support just as much. At Siyavela, it's also clear that they have buy-in from the surrounding community—evident in the number of people we saw volunteering there.

We hope this gives you a snapshot of our busy, busy day. When asked what would make them feel that today was a success, almost all of the girls said: "If I really connect with the kids." Watching them today, we feel certain they succeeded.

Best,

Ms. Rowe and Ms. Szekely

A Long Journey to South Africa

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 09:38:03 EST

The South Africa Excursion group has completed its first leg of the journey. Thank you to parents for your assistance at check-in at Pearson.

The trip to JFK was quick. We then had an easy terminal change on the airtrain and a comfortable wait for our Johannesburg flight – lots of time to get snacks and stretch our legs. The students were kept amused with food, drinks and many many movies on the 14+ hour flight across the ocean. Unfortunately, we were delayed into Johannesburg so this is where things got a little mixed up.

Hannah was flying to Joburg (already sounding local!) from London and the plan was to gather in Joburg as a full group and then board the final flight to Durban. Our delay into Joburg messed this up. Fortunately, Ina and I had anticipated this situation given the rather quick turnaround between flights. Time to kick into Plan B. Ina stayed behind to connect with Hannah and I travelled on with the group.

After a quick flight into Durban we were met by Jiara, Michelle and Sohini and their families as well as Ian from C-Scape tours. How wonderful to see the Durban Girls College girls again. They were not expected at the airport but there they were with their families and many welcome signs. Shortly after we arrived, Ina and Hannah too landed in Durban and were picked up by Sohini's father who kindly delivered each to their homes. Everyone is now settling in at their host families who are the most gracious and helpful people! Your daughters are in good hands.

Ina and I are all impressed with the calm and flexible nature of the students; these are good travellers. Security checks, moving bags, changing terminals, a long flight – there is nothing that seems to phase them. They are also looking out for each other in a good hearted way.

Ms. Rowe

Iceland Excursion: Back Home from Iceland

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 08:59:23 EST

Now that we are back, it is amazing to think back on all that we saw and experienced during our trip to Iceland.

Heading there, we set out to see, first hand, the physical geography of a geologically active area and to experience the physical geography we had studied in class. And we made those connections; we went to a deep gorge carved from the meltwater from a sub-glacial volcanic eruption - the massive forces at work were clearly evident in the shape and scale of the canyon. Being on the Mid-Atlantic rift (and snorkeling above the rift) brought the power of tectonic forces directly to our first hand experience. And we hiked to the summit of Mt. Hekla, one of the most active volcanoes in Europe. Similarly hiking over the mountain pass between Eyjafjallajökull and Katla, made the scale of the volcanoes in Iceland clear.

However, the trip had many other highlights, as we all experienced new activities and challenged our comfort levels in different ways and at different points of the trip. Highlights of the trip include sliding down parts of Mt. Hekla in the snow, experiencing total darkness while caving, watching three Minke Whales breech, horse back riding near active steam vents, the incredible variety of landscapes on the hike, the sculpture garden in Reykjavik, rafting for the first time on the Hvilta River, snorkeling on the Mid-Atlantic Rift, getting to know our Icelandic guides, trying to walk of stilts on Viðey and trying many new foods.

It is hard to believe how much we did in such a short time and we are looking forward to sharing our experiences with the Havergal Community in the fall.

Mr. McHaffie

Iceland Excursion: Viðey Island and Whale Watching

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 09:50:21 EST

Today was definitely a culture filled day! We started off with a bit of a sleep in until 8:30 am. By 10 am, we were already beginning our walk through the Saga Museum. We went up to the viewing deck so see some more of the amazing city of Reykjavik. Before leaving we did an audio tour learning about some of the history of Iceland.

Our next stop was Viðey Island. We walked to the ferry (as if we haven't done enough walking) and had a lovely ride over. The first thing we did was eat... a lot. I don't think there was a single person who didn't order two meals! We had a lot of fun feeding the horses and walking around the adorable little historical island. Emily, Steph, Alex and I spent most of the afternoon on the playground, having way too much fun on the teeter totter and trying to balance on stilts.

After we left we headed back to have some down time at the hostel, then off to possibly the best, and most filling, dinner we've had yet! We're all currently sitting on a boat freezing while wearing full down suits! We're here until midnight so I think we're all just praying to see some whales and puffins! Although after that dinner I think most of us are feeling like whales... It was our last full day, and we all had a blast. Its going to be sad to go home tomorrow, but I think we are all excited to get back to darkness, normal weather, and a real bed! Its going to be nice to relax after such an incredible trip. We could all use some rest! :)

Elizabeth

Haida Gwaii Excursion: Saying Goodbye

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 11:51:00 EST

We wrapped up our time in Haida Gwaii with bitter sweetness. We will truly miss the quiet isolation, and the friends that we made during our travels. But we will take with us many lessons we learned about friendship, culture, life, and the natural environment. The lasting connections we made with the land and the Haida will shape our everyday actions as we move on to our various paths.

One of our favourite moments was when we read and played with the Haida children at the library. This moment was memorable because this was one of the times that we connected with the children in Skidegate. Another enjoyable memory was when we attended the potluck that the Haida Youth Centre put on in collaboration with the Toronto YMCA that was also visiting Haida Gwaii. During the potluck, we ate traditional food as well as watched, and participated in, the traditional dancing. In addition, one of the best memories we had as a group was when we visited S.H.I.P. and laughed and played bingo with the Haida elders. This was particularly special because it allowed us to connect with the elders, and understand the trials that they have faced with the preservation of their culture.

All of us have thoroughly enjoyed our journey to Haida Gwaii this summer, and we are looking forward to sharing our learning with the rest of the Havergal Community in September, but here is something to share right now: Work together. These are the simple words of the late Ernie Wilson, chief of Skedans, and Gitsxaa's father. He passed his words on to the next generations, including us. When the Haida face difficulty or problems, these are the words that show them how to move forward. They are well worth remembering.

The Haida Gwaii team

Haida Gwaii Excursion: Out of the Wild!

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 09:45:43 EST

We have returned from the land of no cell phone/internet. Everyone is well, even after three hours of stacking wood yesterday afternoon. We will try to send another update this evening, our last, alas, on the island. The girls are weaving cedar at the moment and we are heading to a presentation on cedar at the Haida cultural centre this evening.

Mr. Sumner

Iceland Excursion: A Busy Day in Reykjavik

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 14:55:46 EST

Today we spent the warm, sunny day in Reykjavik visiting the National Museum, the National Art Gallery, the Settlement Museum, Volcano House (a volcano information movie house and cafe) and City Hall.

The settlement museum was an interactive museum that showed the first house in Iceland, which dated back to 870AD. The volcano house was also very interesting. We were able to watch two short films about two of Iceland's most famous eruptions. After lunch and the museums, we all walked around the city in small groups and went shopping for a little while after lunch, and then we went again into smaller groups and had dinner on our own. We are now back at the hostel listening to some really good jazz music that is being played live downstairs.

Tomorrow we will be heading out for a day of rafting and some more exploring of the country outside of Reykjavik.

Lexi, Tory, Alex and the rest of the gang.

Iceland Excursion: Icelandic Ponies

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 10:57:23 EST

Today we headed off to Eld Hestar, which is a stable for Icelandic ponies, for a full-day horseback tour through the mountains to some more hot springs. The ponies were absolutely adorable! They were short, stout and very gentle, which pleased the girls who were a little hesitant about the experience. Below is a picture of Steph, Elizabeth and Mr. McHaffie sitting on their Icelandic ponies today!

During our ride up the mountain, we mostly walked but we ended up trying the Icelandic ponies' special gait (sort of like a trot), which most of us found to be slightly uncomfortable, but nothing we didn't expect. It was very relaxing, and some of us even began to doze off while riding because the atmosphere was so calming with all the waterfalls, grass and crisp air. Then, we stopped partway up the mountain by some hot springs for lunch, although none of us were up for a swim.

On our way back down the mountain, we split into two groups: beginner and more advanced. The advanced group went ahead so that they could move at a faster pace while the beginner group was still getting used to the idea of riding Icelandic ponies.

After we returned to the stables and said goodbye to the ponies, we hopped onto the bus and headed back to the hostel. A shower later we rode into the "Icelandic suburbs" for dinner and ate at a place that served a variety of food from naanwiches to burgers to pizzas, yet still gave us an exotic food experience. After dinner, we returned to the hostel and we all settled in for an early sleep in preparation for tomorrow's early wake up.

Looking forward to tomorrow!

Steph and Emily, Havergal students

Hadai Gawaii Excursion: Day Seven

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 10:46:28 EST

Today we moved into our home for one night, the Floathouse. It is surprisingly roomy and very cozy. We had a relaxing afternoon during which we watched an amazing video called Stolen Spirits of Haida Gwaii about how the Haida people are trying to get museums around the world to return the remains of their ancestors that were taken a long time ago. It was incredibly well done because it showed how important the return and proper burial of the remains is to the Haida people. We spoke to a man who was in the video and he said that the reason the actual moving of the remains was so emotional was because they were finally allowing the spirits of their ancestors to rest.

In the evening, we attended a potluck in Skidigate where there was an array of fresh fish and treats that were made by us. There was also some traditional Haida dancing performed by the youth, and we joined in for the women's dance. This dance was used to show the Haida women's pride of their heritage and the women's grace and beauty.

The Haida dancing was very interesting to watch as it was something we hadn't encountered before, and it also told stories in an interesting way. We are looking forward to our adventure at Mount Moresby tomorrow!

Dayna, Havergal student

Haida Gawaii Excursion: Itinerary Update

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 10:42:26 EST

Due to a double booking for one night here at Gracie's Place, we have taken the opportunity to move to another rather interesting accommodation for one night before we head to Mount Moresby Adventure Camp tomorrow. Ms. Whitfield and the girls have moved into the Floathouse, a barge converted to a into a rather swanky houseboat moored in the harbour here.

Mr. Sumner will remain at Gracie's place, only a stone's throw away.

Tonight we are all attending a community potluck; the girls baked cookies and cakes last evening as our contribution. Otherwise it is a lazy Sunday/Canada Day exploring here in Queen Charlotte...

Please note: once we move to Mount Moresby tomorrow, we may be out of internet access, so don't be alarmed if the daily emails take a rest for a bit!

Mr. Sumner

Haida Gawaii Excursion: Day Six

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 10:38:33 EST

After cooking an amazing and extremely satisfying breakfast — French toast, eggs and bacon — all by ourselves, we made our way to the Spirit Lake Trail. This trail is associated with a legend about a brave hunter who defeated a mythical lake creature, called a Wasco, that ate children and prevented the villagers from going out at night. Along this hike, a Haid a guide from Parks Canada, Sienna, explained some of the different types of vegetation in the forest to us. Sienna brought to our attention the original uses of these plants to the Haida people such as food, medicinal and cultural properties that each plant contained.

After our tour ended we enjoyed a nice lunch by the lake. This time gave us the opportunity to think about how resourceful the Haida were without today's technology. The group then went on a small walk to the Haida Heritage Museum to watch a short video on the history of the Haida people. Once we took another look around the museum, we walked a scenic 10 km walk back to Gracie's Place.

Right now we are baking cakes and cookies for a big Haida pot luck dinner tomorrow night, on Canada Day. A Haida dance troupe will be performing and it is rumoured that we will need to learn and perform Haida dancing too! We will let you know how this turns out!

Jenna, Havergal student

Iceland Excursion: Greetings from Reykjavik

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 10:22:19 EST

Greetings from Reykjavik!

We had a fun-filled day of rest and relaxation. The group enjoyed a sleep in to help us recover from our demanding yet exciting five day hiking trip. After breakfast, half the group travelled to the local church to observe an Icelandic service while the other half of the group took some time to read and write in our journals.

In the afternoon we met up again and boarded the bus to the famous Blue Lagoon. The Blue Lagoon is a natural hot spring that is warmed by geothermal energy in the middle of an older lava field. The hot spring is situated beside a natural energy plant that harnesses the geothermal energy to create usable power for the island. The Blue Lagoon was spectacular! It gave the group time to soak our blistered feet and relax our tense muscles for the afternoon in the hot salty water.

Together we headed back to the hostel to change and prepare for dinner. Part of the group went out to dinner for some Italian food while the others stayed at the hostel to watch the Euro soccer finals while indulging in wings and ribs. We are now off to Heima - a documentary about Sigur Ros.

Elena and Sara, Havergal students

Haida Gawaii Excursion: Day Five

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 10:17:01 EST

Today, we completed a 10 km hike through mud, moss, rock and roots to visit the remains of the Pasuta, a 249-foot logging barge wrecked in a storm in 1928. Along the beach, we sampled some sea asparagus, which was deliciously salty. At night in Queen Charlotte City the local teen center hosted a dance to which we were invited to attend. At the dance we met some of the local youth. This experience enlightened us on the similarities that we share. We had an eventful day with much activity, and are truly looking forward to our adventure to Spirit Lake tomorrow!!

Katherine Puskas, Havergal student

Iceland Excursion: Hike Finale

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 10:11:38 EST

The finale of our hike was indeed a grand one. We woke up Friday morning with our most difficult, yet fulfilling, day of hiking ahead of us. So, we proceeded up very narrow ridges with the help of ropes along the way. One faulty step and down the ridge you could go!

We made our way up the ridge in the warm sun to the pass between the glaciers Eyjafjallajökull and Katla. We conquered the summit and stopped for lunch in the young lava fields (young in geological time)! Soon enough, it was snowing thanks to Thor.

Our Canadian instincts kicked in and we survived the storm. Alas, we crossed waterfall after waterfall whilst descending down the apex. Soon there were domesticated sheep in sight and farmland far in the horizon - in other words, civilization. The saying came true: 'you don't know what you got until its gone' when we saw this sight.

After the countless days of enjoyment and also hardship, we all really came to appreciate the natural world around us. Back near civilization, even tourists began to snap pictures of us because we did look like we had been in the wild for quite sometime. Then, we made it down the last ridge and witnessed Skogafoss - a 60 meter waterfall. Yes, we had made it.

Now we are safely back in the city drinking tea.

Sam, Havergal student

Haida Gawaii Excursion: Day Four

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 12:11:15 EST

We started our morning in Skidegate, joined by Chief Giitsxaa, visiting a carver's workshop where we met Bert, a Haida carver who has been carving for 32 years. Although he has been carving for all that time he still claims that he has a lot to learn, which is a very valuable insight for us.

In Port Clements we visited the site of the fallen Golden Spruce and also saw the seedling that was carefully grafted from the Mother Tree.

We had a great long hike in the rainforest up Toe Hill where we had a wonderful view of North Beach. The forests are lush and green, and full of incredibly tall trees. There were many different types of plants and some we learned have different medicinal uses, such as "licorice root". Afterwards, we had fun at Blow Hole where water sprayed up high from the ocean up the rock formations. The day ended with some well-welcomed sunshine (it had rained all day prior). We haida packed day, and we are looking forward to tomorrow!

Taylor Simon, Havergal student

Iceland Excursion: Fourth Day of the Hike

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 11:44:43 EST

Hello!

After another early morning wake-up and delicious breakfast (best porridge EVER), we headed off to our fourth day of the hike. Today? 16km, one river crossing and MANY terrains of sand, ash, dirt and rock.

It started off as a sunny day with few clouds in sight. The sunglasses, hats and sunscreen were on...looked like a pretty good day was ahead! We trekked for about 2 hours and saw green mountains and beautiful waterfalls on our right, and snowy mountains and glaciers on our left. Let's just say it was not disappointing.

After the first two hours of climbing down ropes and crossing bridges, we saw a few clouds heading our way and raindrops were falling on our faces. Looked like the gortex jackets and pants had to come on once again! We kept on going as the rain poured down and all of a sudden we hear thunder...a very rare occurrence in Iceland (just thunder, no lightning). We enjoyed this weather anyways despite the discrepancy in the forecast. We even saw Eyjafjallajokull, the volcano that you all know as the one that created quite a lot of ash (and air traffic!) in 2010. :)

We crossed the river, went through the "forest" and finally reached the valley, which was the last terrain before reaching camp. We were a little tired of the rain, as it had been constant for 6 hours, but hey, that's Iceland for you! when we finally reached the camp (complete with a hut as a dining hall and 4 showers!) we relaxed and enjoyed each others company, as it has been for the past few days.

All in all, it was another amazing day. Rain obviously can't stop us from having the time of our lives!

Emily, Havergal student

Iceland Excursion: Another Day of Hiking

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 09:30:31 EST

A hoy hoy!

This morning we woke up to damp clothes and a delicious breakfast. We started our hike at around 9 am and were headed to our next campsite. Our hike today consisted of many river crossings, but nothing like the experience we had yesterday. The 16 km hike had terrain much like a black sand desert. We arrived at the campsite around 3:20 pm, getting into the kitchen tent right before the rain storm we were previously walking in worsened! We set up our tents and enjoyed dinner waiting for the rain to pass. After dinner some of the group hiked up to a nearby canyon; its majesty was breathtaking! The cascading waterfalls descending from the walls of the canyon poured into the rushing river below. We soon hiked back, drank some tea and headed to bed. We'll need our energy for tomorrow's hike :)

Tory, Havergal student

Haida Gawaii Excursion: Day Three

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 09:19:28 EST

Siingay 'laa!

Today, we visited S.H.I.P. (Skidegate Haida Immersion Program), where we talked with Haida elders about their efforts to preserve the Haida language. As a result of the Residential School policy in the early 20th century, Haida children were taught only English. There are only 40 fluent Haida speakers living, all over the age of 70, meaning that the Haida language is in danger of becoming obsolete.

Many of the Haida elders attend S.H.I.P. five days a week, as you would school, and record Haida phrases, prayers, songs, words and stories. Some Haida elders go to schools to teach Haida to children, to better preserve the language and the culture within it. After some discussion about the acts being taken to preserve the language, many of the students gathered around the large communal table to play a Haida version of bingo, called Dii Gwaay!

Sarah Stewart, Havergal student

Haida Gawaii Excursion: Day Two

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 09:26:38 EST

It is 10 pm here and still quite light out albeit overcast and a bit drizzly, as it has been on and off throughout the day.

Highlights today have been buying groceries, hiking to the Haida museum in Skidegate, meeting up with Chief Gitxsaa and spending the evening at the Kuugin King Naay reading stories and playing games with children from Skidegate. An evening sit on the porch of Gracie's Place ended the day.

An earlier start to tomorrow with the girls testing their cooking skills with a pancake breakfast at 8:00 am.

Mr. Sumner

Iceland Excursion: Pouring Rain but Happy

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 09:26:24 EST

We started our hike today and climbed some steep slopes, but we made it all the way up and down. We had a great lunch by a hot spring/vent and continued on our way through the snow.

Near the end of the trip we hit some heavy rain and a cold river, but everyone got across safe and happy. Despite the rain, we couldn't have asked for a better day.

Mr. McHaffie

Haida Gwaii Excursion: Day One

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 09:22:46 EST

We have arrived safely and are settled in.

Once we arrived, we some yummy homemade rhubarb and strawberry crumble and met up with one of the local wood carvers. It is coming up to 8:00 pm west coast time. We are a little tired, but it's bright as day at the moment!

Mr. Sumner

Iceland Excursion: Climbing Mt. Hekla

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 09:02:51 EST

Hai hai!

Today the group had their first day of climbing! We got up and were ready to go for 8 am; we hopped into a super jeep and prepared for a 2 hour drive to the base of Mt. Hekla. Hekla is the most active volcano in all of Iceland- erupting every 10 years or so!

At around 11:30 we began our ascent to the summit of Hekla 1500 meters above sea level. We walked through lava fields, snow and ice, through the wind and the rain and the snow. Losing faith that there was a summit to this volcano, we finally made it 3 hours later. Then came the fun part: coming back down!

Making it back down to our jeep in 1/4 of the time, we hopped in and drove to our campsite. Once there we set up camp, enjoyed a delicious fish dinner and relaxed in a geothermal hot spring. Now we are all off to bed to ensure we are rested and ready to tackle our 25 km hike tomorrow!

Can't wait to tell you about our adventures to come :)

Tory, Havergal student

Iceland Excursion: Greetings from KEX hostel!

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 08:59:46 EST

Hihi (as hello is said in Icelandic); greetings from KEX hostel!

Today is our second day in Reykjavik. We started out our day by caving through a 310 meter cave, and later on put on our wet suits to snorkel through the mid Atlantic ridge. Afterwards we visited a hot springs pool for a swim. The 23 hours of daylight have been treating all of us well.

Here is a picture of the havergal bear at the KEX hostel.

All the best,
Mariya Gorlova, Havergal student
(on behalf of the Iceland crew)