1. Only 185 days until departure!
Spain, Paris, & Normandy
June 13 - June 25, 2019
Only 185 days until departure!

2. Hello! Hola! Bon dia! Bonjour! Demat! …and welcome!
Travelers and parents, please sign up for our trip Remind…
... to receive text alerts / trip updates (leading up to the tour departure).
And all the info from this meeting will be posted on Mr. Wayman’s Quia travel Website. So no need to take notes. 

3. Your tour leader & chaperones…

4. Friendly (and very important) reminders …
A detailed itinerary of our tour can be found on our Explorica Website:
Click on the links in blue for detailed info.
If you have not already applied for a passport,
please do so ASAP. (apps and info on table).
Current passports must be valid through
12/25/19 (6 months after return).
Please enter passport info into your Explorica
account by the end of February. Also, very important:
Make sure the name in Explorica matches the name
on the passport, EXACTLY (to avoid issues in ticketing)
Before the trip, I we will need one color copy
of each traveler’s passport—and it is
recommended that parents keep one at home.----
so 2 total ( I can make copies at school for you).

5. Reminders about safety…
Safety is our number one priority! ...in / at airports, hotels, attractions, monuments, etc.--from drop off to pick up.
As travelers, A BIG PART OF being safe is being prepared, and using common sense. At our spring meeting(s), we will go over very detailed “smart travel tips” to make sure everyone is as prepared as possible, and knows the expectations while on tour—including:
Do’s & don’ts regarding the handling of money / credit cards / giving money to people
Safely making purchases (from stores, kiosks, stalls, and street vendors, etc.)
Carrying of backpacks and luggage
Traveling on public transportation
Security of electronic devices
Avoiding getting pickpocketed
The buddy system
Nightly curfew and hall monitoring. 
etc.
And unfortunately, unforeseen events do sometimes happen in major and minor cities around the world. We (Explorica, M. Wayman, and chaperones) are constantly monitoring world events, and will make any and all necessary changes, rerouting, etc. before and during the tour—to ensure that everyone is safe at all times.

6. To do now, and in the months before the trip…
Review packing list (yellow form on table), shop for what you will need (take advantage of sales now). 
The essentials:
Comfortable walking shoes (and break in before trip)
Money belt or safety wallet
European power adapter (check out the links you were sent / look at examples)
Power bank (for charging on long days)
Comfy, lightweight, compactable, travel pillow
One decent, comfortable, versatile backpack
ONE, main decent-sized piece of luggage (no more that 62 linear inches—and can be no more that 50 lbs when packed—so leave room for souvenirs). Sorry, my princesses. 

7. Work on those language skills…
Although it is not required to speak Spanish, Catalan, French, Breton, or any other language that may be encountered on the trip with any kind of fluency—it is always nice to try to learn a few phrases (even the most basic). It is …
A lot of fun / less frustrating! 
Appreciated by the locals (even if you butcher it)
A great way to set an example as an awesome American. 
A great way to build confidence, and “break out of your normal shell.”
And there are some awesome FREE ways to learn languages out there:
Pay attention / give it your all in your CURRENT French / Spanish class. 
Go to Mr. Wayman’s tutoring (if on campus regularly). 
Watch YouTube videos.
Download and use the DuoLingo app regularly.
Download and use the Babbel App regularly.
Watch DVD’s or shows that you have already seen—with the dubbed language track
Read the back of your shampoo bottle, or car visor.
Note: M. Wayman will try to prepare you some “cheat cards” as soon as he has a chance / or before the next meeting—but the above are some things you can do NOW, on YOUR OWN TIME. 

8. Required forms and rooming…
Detailed medical forms (due by final meeting)
Signed code of conduct / traveler contract ( due right away—if not already turned in). And friendly reminder: Travelers must keep up their good standing before, and during the trip—or they can be cancelled or sent home.Sorry, but no shenanigans will be tolerated 
Color copy of traveler’s passport (due by final meeting)
Rooming assignments:
Submit requests to M. Wayman (if you have not already).
Otherwise, travelers will be paired by compatibility / personality as best as possible. New friendships will be made! 
**All rooming assignments subject to change (based on behavior).

9. Communicating while on tour…
All hotels are very modern, and have free wi-fi. 
But do look into using your phone / and data plan in Europe. Although It is not required, it is recommended, and it is very handy.
While on tour, travelers using their phone plans will communicate with each other and with the group using “WhatsApp”—a messenger app. Our group chat will go live
just before the trip.
For safety reasons, we request that during free time, travelers who are not using their phone data will stick with another who is (or with a group containing one person who is).
Note: Again for safety reasons, if for some reason a traveler who is not using their data plan does get separated from the group, it is expected that they be willing to use their phone anyway (and incur the charges) to turn on the data connection and make a call to the tour leader or chaperones.

10. Tentative reservations…
At present (subject to change), we will be flying Delta Airlines…
Depart TIA @ noon  Arriving 3 pm
Depart 7:30 pm  Arriving MAD 9:15 am (local time)
Depart CDG 9am  Arrive 1 pm (local time)
Depart 2:30 pm  Arrive 4 pm
And all hotels are really nice, clean, and modern—like the Sercotel chain:

11. Shirts…
To wear at airports on departure & return day--and for a souvenir
Make sure I get the traveler’s size. 

12. Trip update: At present, we have 30 travelers (introduce newbies). 
If we have no cancellations by Feb, tour fee will decrease by $80 (will receive a credit). Informal survey: If no cancellations, would we be interested in re-investing the $80 into a possible (depending on final logistics) side trip to the Dalí Museum in Figueres? I will send out a survey link to get your input. Please let me know by filling out the survey when you receive it.
Note: Please let us know as soon as possible, if at some point you do need to cancel for some reason.  Also, Explorica is a really easy company to work with, so if at any point problems arise regarding the financial side of the trip, they will work with you. And don’t forget about those fundraiser pages! And, we still have two weeks of holiday shopping, and six whole months for student travelers to get a job. 

13. Questions?

14. Next meeting: TBA (in the spring)
Please feel free to contact your tour leader any time ( , call, text, FaceTime), with questions, through Explorica messenger, or at:
(cell) 727–
Vivent Spain & France 2019! 

15. Tour review… (detailed info at www.explorica.com/wayman-2019)
The Experience is Everything
This 13 –day tour is (mostly) all inclusive, and it will be a great experience for all.
The tour is a balance of:
Cultural immersion - So kids can practice their language skills (and they will also get to experience 2 distinct cultural regions: Catalonia in Spain, and Brittany, in France)
Learning about history & culture - Museum & guided tours of all major sites on the itinerary
Seeing the natural beauty of Spain and France- The Pyrenees Mountains, Mediterranean Sea, French countryside, Normandy D-Day beaches, English Channel / Celtic Sea
… and Fun - Flamenco evening (an evening of learning about / trying this Spanish dancing tradition), tapas dinner, Paris catacombs visit, Eiffel tower ascent (all the way to the top), boat ride on the river Seine in Paris, exploring the medieval streets of Mont Saint Michel, a high-speed train ride, and exploring historic city centers, etc.

16. Highlights of what we will see (in Spain)…
The Prado
Roman Aqueducts
Maritime Museum
La Sagrada Familia

17. Highlights (in France)…
Louvre
Notre Dame
Mont Saint Michel
D-Day Beaches