The Boring Stuff

Key Learning Objectives :Score card

Many parents have asked us: do you think that your kids are too young? what will they get out of this? Prior to the trip, and in fact 9 months prior to actually taking this trip, Callie and I discussed the possiblity that our kids might not get a lot out of this trip. We were convinced that they are too young to understand the nuances of art, the political underpinnings of art, or to be able to truly understand the great minds that catapulted our world from the dark ages into the Renaissance. However, because my parents had take me overseas as a young child, I knew what they could gain from this experience. So, there were some key things that we did want them to learn (and none of them are reciting historical dates and the "blurred line from impressionistic painters into water colors (no pun intended). 

1. Prepare them for their independence ( we tell them "at 18, you are outta here!!)
2. Situational awareness:  interpreting hand gestures, body language, traffic , how things work in the bathroom, at restaurants at train stations. Landmarks for finding your way in a big city. Scavenger hunt.
3. Independent thought
4. Pushing into Fabric of life: Anyting can be done. Closing the gap from dream to reality.  Courage to do something different. But more than words, what most people will never see (but our kids did) was the 12 months of Planning, sacrifice (money, time, friendships (between preparing my work schedule to make this happen and making this happen, my time for friends has been non-existent in 2011), commitment, flexibility to the plan. 
5. The value of things (and then the price to pay for making that a reality) If you value family and education, what are your actions? Prove it by how you live!!  also, the monetary value of things: should we spend our money on this rstrnt that charges more or go back to the "cheap alley" rstrnts (Paris) to save money for next week. and, by the way, Mom and Dad will always be buying wine no matter what the budget!!!!
6. Good citizens
7. Productive citizens
8. Global citizens (What do the Europeans value versus Americans
9. Swiss people (even from one city or canton to the next: geneva versus lucerne)tolerate refuge for people being religiously and politically oppressed, but  they are intolerant of inefficiency; and the Swiss don not believe in celebrity idol worshipping (Federer).  Connecting with other cultures. Not bad, not good. Just is. There are nice people,  and rude people are everywhere (Chancellor had a Parisian lady take our chair at a Gelato place). Better way or another way of solving problems: electricity, plumbing, trains, taxis. Having other people in your space (close quarters everywhere and sitting next to strangers at rstrnts in which your elbow is touching a strangers in a cramped but incredible rstrnt). Struggling and exploring with different foods: ox tail, ox cheek, etc (we didn't explore)
10. Learning about yourself (strengths and weaknesses). including How do you learn? I'm always prepping them before a historic site, downloading after the historic site (what did you get out of that?). i'm sure they will hate me for it. ......but repetition is the mother of education. 
11. Do not take what you have for granted (seeing gypsy's, panhandlers, etc.)
12. Don't be naive (gypsy scams) 
13. Articulate your perceptions in a fun and logical process. (Peyton struggling with different foods (after sampling baby octupus, like calamari but smaller, he said "dad, if i wanted to mix sand with insects, then that i would want to eat that!!!!)
14. How to have fun without technology 
15. Anticipate and compensate (when life collides with plans)

yes, this seems like an exhaustive list. But it is being done. slowly and with focus. but if you don't plan for having   a "learning event", then you Plan to Fail. Boring but Important.