9th day- Departure day

Sunday 14th

Oh! My God! That was stressful, some students arrived late or we thought so, but some of them were lost in the airport trying to meet us all...

First, three of our students met in Terminal 3 as supposed, the rest arrived one by one... but one of ours did the check in on her own, just with the passport, and she was waiting for us at the departure Gate 10, but we were waiting outside. Once she heard her name by the airport speakers, she decided to go outside and met us... at last!!

We were all together and flight home safely.

If we go on with this exchange we should go all together to the airport from a meeting point, such as the HSchool and from there to the airport. Don't you think?

8th day- after the Party

Saturday 13th

The bad weather went on and on, and got even worse and worse because of the wind!! So, we meant to go to the Empire State and use the tickets but we went shopping instead to the famous Macy's and back home...or to the farewell parties because it was the last night... though the weather changed the plans for everybody.

A stormy night...

7th day-bad weather

Friday 12th

Unfortunately, we didn't go up to Empire State as planned because of the weather conditions, there was Zero Visivility, we hope to go the following day but it has to be on Saturday. We leave on Sunday...

So, we were in midtown, we walked around and saw the Flat Iron building, Madison Square, then took the metro to Grand Central Station... and the National Library ... We really injoyed the walk and we didn't go to the Metropolita because we had to go back to the school as required to talk to Ms. de la Rosa, as Mr. Villar had left on a trip. We made a balance of the exchange trip.

Then The Party we were waiting for the whole week... And the Barcelonian danced Reggeaton... as the DJ requested and we all had fun.

6th day- Dinosaurs

Thursday 11th
Our first museum, we had programmed three though. In fact, our second, as we had been to the Ellis Island Museum of Immigrants to NY. Still the Metropolitan and the MOMA to go.

However, we didn't go to MOMA because it was planned for Friday afternoon-as the entrance is free at that time- but students preferred to go to a party organised for Amsterdam exchange which GLHS also undertakes. Still we'll see the options... There are so many things to see.
Nearly all of us got a chance to see the Metropolitan from outside but we got a problem with the tickets and we were so tired by then that we did not know when we would be able to see it.
The main problem with museums and everything in general is that in US everything is big, even the peas... So, it took us a long time to visit our first big museum that morning and one of the students got lost for 30 minutes...

Then, lunch took us a lot of time too,... I insist we are not adapted to American schedules, specially regarding the food one, they eat more between hours, little snacks... and we still want our long breaks for lunch and dinner...
By then, we were just exhausted, some could not even walk, for example, one student who couldn't wait to wear her new trainers and then she got blisters on her feet as very often happens with new shoes... And some were just tired of walking, some of them had been four times in Times Square so far...
What else? I think we were all enjoying but teachers were taking notes of so many things that we hope can be improved for future exchanges... We all dreamt about that, we all hope a non-stopping relationship with NY students and Barcelona's ones...
In fact, we met an ex-teacher from GLHS who told us that he once did an exchange with China and he still keeps the contact...
Let's do that: Keep in contact!!

We CAN do it, we are 21st learners and teachers, who can take advantage of technology and lower-cost flights to keep in touch...

It reminds me of what this person who took the exchange with China, and the guide at that morning museum, told about cultures. Cultures themselves are not better or worse developed, but cultures which know how to take benefit from their environment stuff can be said to be developed or undeveloped ones.

So, we have a technological environment which can help us in keeping in touch with New Yorkers and learn from and help and be helped from them too...

Just tired, that's the reason of this kind of philosophical summary today.
I must review the summaries... and students must leave their comments.
Thanks Isa Capdevila for leaving yours, you are the first to leave them, you are really advanced and developed person who knows how to take advangtage of technological tools. :-)

5th day - Broadway Musical or St. Patrick's

Thursday 10th

So, we left the school early in the morning and went straight to Times Square to buy the tickets for a Broadway Musical at half price and for the midday session. We had to queue at tkts stands, just behind the red stairs... and we got six tickets at 67 dollars for The Phantom of the Ophera, first choice of the students, the second choice was Billy Elliot which was 3 dollars more, and the third choice West Side Story, ... there were other musical shows like In the Heights... but that was our choice. The other 5 students, who decided to stay with Ms. Turdy instead of going to the broadway musical show, went to Rockefeller Center and St. Patrick's Cathedral and had a walk along 5th Avenue before coming to pick us up at half past four.

We all went together to Central Park in between those activities because we had to take advantage of the good weather we had had. Nice walk and got the chance to see Elisabeth lake and Strawberry Fields...

We realized the problem of having lunch at different times and how difficult is to adapt to that fact. We should have breakfast before leaving the house and take food and have it around twelve not two as in Barcelona... because the NY students are at class and they have dinner after we arrive at their HS around six.

4th day- GHSL+ Downtown

Wednesday 9th
Our students assisted to Gregorio Luper'on HS for the first three hours or till the "4th period" as they say. Then, we all, students and teachers, met the Principal, Mr. Villar at the office where the picture of Gregorio Luper'on, one of the three fathers of Dominican Republic is. He was very kind to us and made us reflect on the exchange we were undergoing. He also gave us some pieces of advice which we followed after in our trip to downtown and Brookling.

For example, we headed for the WTC, World Trade Center and came into St. Paul's Cathedral as he advised us, then we went to Trinity Church and we were so lucky because there was alive classical music. Then we headed for New York Exchange in Wall Street, there we tried to go to the basement to see the chamber of outdated dollars as the Principal told us but it wasn't any longer available. So, instead we had a nice juice in one of the small street stands which serve to workers of the City.

And after, we walked the Brookling Bridge all along, so of course, we got really tired but we followed the Principal advice again and went to Junior's, a nice local place specialized in cheese cakes. We went back by metro and arrived a bit late but the local students were waiting for us patiently. Thanks God!
I think they went to Manhattan Mall after, but that I don't know as they were discussing about where to go, shopping or to watch a baseball match or whatever and wherever!

3rd day- queuing at Liberty Island

Monday, 8th March
We met at GLHS, and we didn't stay as we had to leave immediately for Liberty Statue Ferry. We had to take it at Batterly Park and queued and queued... We passed a checking control and then queue again to get to the Ferry...
We managed to get a seat on the top of the Ferry so we could get a good view, and we were lucky with the good weather... Though it is funny that you can see still remains of patches of snow everywhere to remain you that last week the weather was terrible!

The views from there are magnificient you see Manhattan front port view with a nice sky line in day light... Then approaching to Miss Liberty or the Goddess of freedom, Mother of Exiles, or so many names...The Icon of NY was there in front of us, and the torch could be seen there shining...just gorgeous with fine weather...We took nice pictures and then queued and queued to get to the basement not to the crown as you need to book two months or so in advance. Only 200 people get to the top a day..

There we Knew about Barcelona's weather... I personally couldn't believe it Snowing heavily in Barcelona... We got aware of how lucky we were to have good weather for travelling...

Then, the anecdote of the trip... a student left a schoolbag unattended and ... there was a police alarm because these places are fully protected against terrorism... so the police was inspecting the bag and waiting for the specialised dogs to smell it and checked it... when the student and one of the teachers from NY told them about the mistake... So, the student wasn't arrested because of the teacher explanation that the student was under age and she was the responsible. So the police report was cancelled I think.

Then Ellis Island Museum of Immigrants to NY, and back to Manhattan. We were hungry but we stopped at the park to see some street pefomance and do some shopping and went for a pizza after.

Then, it was time to leave for the school, as we have to arrive there at 4pm, so we left the students to go back on their own to their neighborhood by metro...

2nd day - Gospel

Sunday, 7th March
We met Ingrid and had a little breakfast as the students were waiting for us in the 138th St between the 6th and 7th in Harlem but it wasn't easy to get there from where the students lived. We all had to cross a park and then we got into St. Nicholas St. and head for the Abyssinian Baptist Church in 132 Odell Clark Place, there we saw a large queue full of foreigners. We could hear Catalan foreigners too.

Thanks God, Ms Turdy booked for us, but as we were a bit late they gave as a hard time to let us get in, and eventually we got in but we sat in different places which was an advantage for us... We sat among the Afro-American Community and enjoyed the service very much and its special performance. The preacher made a speech in which he talked about everything of their daily life, the President, Rihanna, police brutality, racism, a walk at 3pm, and people knodding their heads and laughing and singing... And the special chorus... "Love lifted me" song and even an African Folk Song...
We all got enthusiastic about it and when we got out commented on the impact it made on us and how much we enjoyed it. Then, the students wanted to leave and they went to River Side Park, their Park similar to Parque de los Patos one, and then to the bowling.

1st day - Arrival Day

Saturday 6th March

The checking was fine, many of the students were at the airport very early at 6.30 and checked first. Daniela and Isabel were the last to check at 7, so we didn't have to queue at all.
Then, Bonnay and Isabel went to change some money at the bank airport which opened at 7.30. After that, the passport control and we headed for the gate, E76, there we were all fully registered, women by policewomen, the three male students by policemen. We queued just a bit to go into the plane and we sat there 1 hour as the plane was half and hour late or so.

9 hours, half-slept, and having food and drinks very often. As we sat in two groups, we moved to pay a visit to the other group from time to time. Films: the first about rugby, not bad, Whip it ! was good and the last one with Matt Demon, most of us didn't pay attention to it.

When we arrived to the airport we had to queue because we were the last ones to leave the plane, we had problems to open the overhead cabin were the carry-on luggage was. Then the passport control with the typical question: What's the purpose of your travel?

An exchange trip!!.

And there they were our exchange students and teachers waiting for us with balloons saying WELCOME

Then, the NY teachers told me their students planned to walk with them to Times Square in the evening, though if you go there it looks like day time because of the neon lights and those skyscrapers screens really make you feel as if it was day time.

The four teacher went there but we didn't get a chance to meet them as there are thousands of New Yorkers there...

Itineraries

Please, write what you would like to do in the mornings with your teachers, Ingrid Saumell and Isabel Villaverde, while the GLHigh School students are in class.

For example:

Monday, 8th March 2010

Meet at GLHigh School with our teachers and go to MOMA museum in the morning.

Tuesday, 9th March 2010

Meet at GLHigh School at ___

Visit the Liberty Statue…and tour downtown

Wednesday, 10th March 2010
Meet at GLHigh School with our teachers and go to American Museum of Natural History in the morning.

Thursday, 11th March
Meet at GLHigh School with our teachers and go to Empire State Building (ESB) in the morning.

Friday, 12th March

Meet at GLHigh School with our teachers and go to Metropolitan Museum of Art History in the morning.