Green School

Every year each class take a trip with their teachers called Zielona Szkola (Green School).  This is considered part of school and along with daily trips each day, they have lessons as well.  Kaleb's zielona szkola was a 7 day trip to the Polish seaside.  They had 2 teachers accompanying 20 students.  They left at 12:40am on a 9 hour train ride, then had another 1 hour bus ride to their hotel at the far northern tip of Poland.  Kaleb stayed in a hotel room with 4 other boys (no adults).

Mind you, this is a cultural norm here...................all these details would be a lawsuit waiting to happen in America, but for Poles, this is just what Polish school children do every year !!

I can't say that I like this cultural tradition..(I feel so much better when they return home safely), but Kaleb loves it !!

Here are a few shots we captured at departure and arrival at the train station here in Krakow:

 Chaos getting on the train !!  Kaleb was so excited and awake despite the fact that it is in the middle of the night..........

Kaleb learned some valuable lessons on this trip, like budgeting out his spending money during those last 3 days so that he had money to buy a snack for the train ride home.  He also learned the value of eating whatever you are served at mealtime, so that you're not starving later that day.

Their ride home was a step up from the train at the beginning of their trip.  We have a new train line in Poland that is pretty elegant.  Kaleb called from the train to tell us about all the amenities he was enjoying -- his own personal reading light, airplane-type seating, bathrooms with sensors, etc.  A child's perspective is so precious !!!

 Introducing the new Pendolina train........

 there he is............our boy, with the blurry wave!  

(I was glad to NOT be the only mom there with a camera embarrassing my kid.)

We've heard stories for days................such adventures he had.  And I think he actually missed us!!  I know we sure missed him!  Thankful for the adventurous spirit of our kids that afford them special memory-making opportunities like these !!!