THANK YOU TO ALL

Welcome home to all!

Thank you to all involved, Tumut High staff, Blakeney Millar Foundation Trustees and travelling teachers for giving our son this most wonderful, once in a life time experience! The stories are fascinating and just keep on coming as I am sure they will for weeks if not years.

Thank you again

Catherine and Rodney Anderson

To all -----------Tumut High Europe 2009

Dear Tumut Travellers,
As I write this you will be enroute home. We wish you all godspeed for that safe arrival and know that you will be welcomed by your awaiting families and communities with enthusiasm and relief. Many in the community have watched and listened and read with interest your activities while away. We at Blakeney Millar Foundation trust that this experience has offered each of you some delights, some special experiences and some time for insights about the world ,her history and your future possibilities as the global citizens you are.
We are very proud of you all, and look forward to hearing of your time away. We also thank as ever the leadership and fellowship offered to you by the trip leaders, your teachers, especially Ms Stroud on this occasion. The care offered to you all by the very fine teachers accompanying you is integral to the success of this project.
We are confident that Mrs Blakeney Millar would endorse this project as meeting the aspirations in her bequest for innovation in education. It is my hope that we as trustees and certainly as parents and community cannot even yet imagine what might be the long term results from the collective appetites inspired by this special community opportunity here in Tumut.
Yours sincerely,
Jenelle Becker -Chairman -Blakeney Millar Foundation

Hayley and Chris

Hi Hayley and Chris. It's Lori. You might not get this message before you get home but I thought I would send you one last one to wish you a safe trip home. Ryan came out to annoy me today. We played Canasta then went to miniball. Mum forgot that we had a bye but she stayed and helped in the canteen anyway. Because we were at miniball we missed you on the radio Chris. Sorry! I'm very excited about having our 2 french billets on Wednesday. We might show them around Tumut and maybe take them up the dam for drive to see some kangaroos and emus. I think they'd like that. Did you see any animals in France or Italy? I've had fun sleeping in your bed and Amy is coming out for the day tomorrow to play. Love you both heaps and can't wait to see you in 2 sleeps.
Lori xx

Hi Lisa

Got your e-mail. Your report was great. We will tune in tomorrow to listen to the Community Radio report, just like we have every day.

Melinda - Lisa's mum

Hi Chris .Your trip is quickly coming to an end. Lisa did a lovely report on ANZAC day service. It was great to just watch it on the TV knowing you all were there, so I can only imagine what it would have been like to have actually been there. We have had lots of rain over the weekend and it has turned cold. Bulldogs won yesterday. Enjoy the last couple of days. Love Mum,Dad, Allison & Ryan.

Back to Paris

Today ,after 2 days with our host families, we met up at the train station at Amiens to say goodbye. It was quite emotional.
In Paris we left our packs at the hotel and made our way to the Moulin Rouge. From there we went to the Sacre Couer, and ate our lunch and then walked up the many stairs to one the highest points in Paris.
We caught the metro across the Seine River to Notre Dame, spending time admiring the huge stained windows and the organ music.
Dinner tonight was in a restaurant only a short walk from the hotel.

a cold but beautiful anzac day

after an early morning wake up of 3:30 am, we made our way from the host families houses either by private transport or mini bus from the school. although we had been constantly warned about the extent of the cold it came as a surprise to us just how freezing the weather really was. upon arrival we were greeted with the kind and familiar voices that followed the accents of the australian soldiers. one soldier that was handing out programmes and badges said in a typical australian manner; "get your free programmes and badges, yeah come on mate you know you wanna." the mood as we all bundled together as a group was one of reflection and in my case extreme awe of the love and gratitude the people of france, particularly villers bretonneux, have for australian's. this feeling was finalised with the kind treatment we received at our host familie's house. as the ceremony proceeded, the emotion of the event reached everyone in the audience and we rediscovered the significance of anzac day. brad, laura and dylan made us all proud by laying a wreath infront of the crowd on behalf of tumut high school. the freezing cold weather was not enough to stop us all from experiencing and discovering a new meaning to anzac day as well as getting first hand experience and insight into the strong bonds between australia and france. the ceremony over all was very touching and was definately a highlight of the trip. particularly visiting la hamel, the town in which my host family resided, and seeing their memorial with australian trenches and the meaning behind each stage of battle displayed in english and french on boards leading up to the flags of australia, france, usa and canada. i will never look at anzac day in the same light again. love lisa.