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GA INTERNATIONAL HONOR BAND

SUNDAY, June 28
We woke to a great day looking forward to the trip ahead of us. After practicing yesterday (all day) the thought among all of the staff was we had a great group of kids not only musically but in all other ways! Everyone awoke excited and ready for the journey!
 
   
   
   
 
MONDAY, June 29
WE ARRIVED IN LONDON!!! Today we arrived at the airport at 7:00am and took almost 3 hours to go through customs, get our luggage and instruments and pack everything on the bus. Afterwards we took a great trek through London seeing some incrediable sights including Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park! The students were very excited to see these famous landmarks that they have just seen in the movies like Chevy Chase's European Vacation! "Big Ben...can't get left!"
 
   
 
TUESDAY, June 30

Today was a FULL day of touring London seeing everything in detail. Some of the famous places we visited were the historic British Museum (where we saw the ancient mummys and the Rosetta Stone), Trafalger Square, St. Pual's Cathedral, Westminster Cathedral among many others. One of the stuidents commented that "this kind of experience will change my whole perception of who I am and my place in this world". That is what this trip is all about!

This afternoon we had a FIRST PERFORMANCE at a wonderful park full of people in central London. It was the most perfect of weather. Some of the students and their sponsers went to visit the London Eye tonight to look out over London our last night.
 
   
 

WEDNESDAY, July 1

Today we head for PARIS (the City of Lights)! Before we leave we see some of London's sites then we board the EuroStar for our 4 hour journey under the English Channel to Paris. Getting through the train station was a challange, but everyone was excited as MOST of the stuidents have never been on a train before...much less like the one we were on. It took an hour to travel from London to the entrance to the chunnel and then 30 minutes in darkness as we traveled under water until popping out in France...then another 3 hours into Gare de Nord station in central Paris. (this journey 200 years would have taken someone almosy a month!...we did it in 4 hours). Once we arrived we did a quick overview of Paris and then to the hotel for sleep!
 
   
   
 

THURSDAY, July 2
Today was a VERY full day sighseeing ALL of Paris including the famous Louve Museum! The students were actually amazed by the people, the sights, the sounds and the history. Walking into Notra Dome one of the students became overwhelmed with seeing this place for the first time saying "I have read about this place so many times and to see it first-hand is amazing". Towards the end of our tour in Paris we were able to ride the elavator to the second level of thge Eiffel Tower! Looking out over Paris was one of the highlights to our trip. In the evening we all went to Monte Mart area of Paris for dinner...and even tried some SNAILS!
 
   
   
FRIDAY, July 3
Today is DISNEY! We got up pretty early and boarded our bus bound for Disneyland Paris. After arriving to Disneyland, the group was given 4-5 hours to explore the park and just have fun. Around 4:00p we all met and our (Nazi-like) Disney rep took us to our performance area to set up and get a sound check. The performance area was awesome with lights, micing a plenty! After the official announcement, we started our concert. It was what everyone thought our best. Afterwards, we packed up and headed back to Paris and a good nights rest for Normandy the next day.
 
   
   
   
 
SATURDAY, July 4

We awoke today to a day that will change all of our lives forever! All of us had been concerned about the weather for most of the week as this was to be an outside concert and very historic was excited about the opportunity. The bus ride from Paris to the Normandy coast took us 3+ hours and most slept on the journey. Once we arrived, we took the students together...rounded the corner to view the breathtaking view of the sea of White crosses. With the field of green and the sky of Blue, we stood in AWE of what we saw before us. Many of the dead were just barely older than most of the students. For the students, seeing the reality of sacrifice, walking the sands of the beach and placing themselves into the role of a young GI being thrown off a transport ship onto a beach of bullets and blood trying to work their way to safety was almost too much for them.

As Zach Zabel collected sands from the beach into a coke bottle he made a great comment that will last a lifetime "This trip has changed my life because it has changed and challenged my perspective of my place in this world. My generation cannot understand what happened here. Now that I have experienced it, I will have a greater understanding of what sacrifice means".

Our concert on the main stage of the memorial was incredible with many Americans thanking us for coming all the way over to make their 4th of July more meaningful. Looking out at the crosses at that moment made everyone proud to be am American as our country stands almong the greatest ever known.
 
 
SUNDAY, July 5

We leave today from Paris back to the United States of America having been changed and challenged in ways that many of the students will not realize for years. Their perspectives about life and their role in it has been rocked. Our goal is that they come home having a greater appreciation for their lives and those who provide for them. This has been a great journey for each one and each one taking out from it something unique.
CLICK BELOW FOR A SPECIAL VIDEO OF THE GROUP AT NORMANDY
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