When we decided to homeschool the girls, a big part of that decision was the ability we would have to go on fun field trips and maybe even travel a bit. Little did we know the opportunity that would come our way. Roughly a week before the start of the new school year, Jamie (daddy) was asked to speak at a conference in Athens, Greece. We didn't hesitate for a moment! We scoured the internet for the cheapest flights we could find and asked a dear friend to watch Jack and Bay.As part of our curriculum for 6th grade, we are studying history from early man through the fall of Rome. A study of Greece is part of our fall schedule anyway. What could be a more amazing field trip than actually going to Greece?!?! I know...it just could not be any cooler!
To supplement our regular assignments, the girls had to research present day Greece and report on the capital, currency, president, form of government, etc... I also asked them to make travel brochures highlighting all the important historical sites they wanted to visit as well as pinpointing some restaurants and shopping locations we might want to check out.
Next, I checked out a copy of Homer's The Odyssey. Then I returned it to the library the next day! While I don't believe a study of Homer is beyond the girls intellectually right now, it was beyond my ability as a teacher to add this difficult material to our already packed schedule. Instead, I checked out an abbreviated version that hit all the highlights.
Finally, we cooked a Greek meal (lamb, cucumber salad, spinach, couscous) and rented a few videos on travel to Greece. We love the PBS series by Rick Steves and it gave us a wonderful look at what we could expect on our visit.
When the limo finally pulled up to our house on Oct. 3rd (yes! A limo...but I'll let the girls tell you about that!) we were packed and ready to go. Over the next few days, I will encourage Maddie and Jenny to tell you all about our trip. It was an amazing experience. We are all still a bit jet-lagged, but I can't stop thinking about what an incredible opportunity it was. I'd love to go again!
