Wadub people!

After a sunny and warm week the weather decided to give us a rainy last day. We started the day with a tour to the Capitol and the Library of Congress. Our tour guide, Elaine, tried to find a smart way to not make us wait outside in the rain, so we started off with the Library of Congress.

P (Thailand), me (Germany), Ignacio (Chile), and Saran (Thailand)

Library of Congress

She entertained us talking about the historical background of the building with funny facts and stories about the impressive building and its beautiful paintings. We saw an original Gutenberg Bible and got a glance into the Reading Room that is only open for special visitors, researchers, or congressmen.

Then we walked through an underground tunnel to the nearby Capitol Building, where we saw different State Sculptures and had a chance to take pictures. After that, we were fortunate enough to arrive at the White House just before the security had to close down the fence area because Barry was attending his daily briefing, so we still had the great opportunity to take some far-away pictures of the president's residence.

Capitol Building

Hungry, we headed to Union Station and had time to enjoy lunch and do some shopping for more gifts and souvenirs.

In the afternoon we split up in smaller groups and explored the Smithsonian museums in downtown Washington, which include the Air and Space Museum, the Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of Art, as well as the National Museum of the American Indian. Some of us enjoyed to sit in the park and eat some delicious ice cream.

Nana (Japan), Kim (Germany), Asako (Japan), Yuri (Japan)
and Barbara (Mexico) in the National Air and Space Museum 

P (Thailand), Alex (Germany), Ploy (Thailand), Gift (Thailand), Fair (Thailand),
Pareena (Thailand) at the National Air and Space Museum

On the National Mall in front of the Capitol

Because we did not buy enough souvenirs yet, we went shopping for the last time again and discovered beautiful Georgetown with its unique local shops. We ate dinner at the barbecue place named “Old Glory.”
Finally there was free time at the hotel to swim in the pool and to say goodbye to our new friends.

We just all had an amazing time; thanks to our coordinator, monitor, and chaperone, we had an awesome trip!

---Alex,Germany and Mathilde, Germany

Hello ladies and gentlemen, Alex and Felix are about to give you a short summary of the first day in Washington D.C.

After a really hot and exhausting day yesterday, we woke up at 7 o’clock today and had a nice breakfast at the new hotel outside of D.C. We left at 8 o’clock, a little earlier than usual, to explore several memorials which among are The Lincoln Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial. Also, on the same area, we were able to see The Korean War Memorial and The Vietnam Memorial Wall which has names of over 58,195 fallen American soldiers on it. All those memorials had a very sad taste to it but it was interesting to see.

Alex (Denmark) at the Lincoln Memorial

 Me (Germany) and Alex (Denmark) at the Lincoln Memorial

Besides presidents and war memorials we were also able to visit the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. The memorial itself is a 30ft high statue of King and really impressing. The lake, where the statue is at, is surrounded by beautiful cherry blossom trees which were sent to Washington by the people of Japan in 1912 as a gift of friendship. Washington has approximately 3,750 cherry blossom trees and those trees are a huge magnet for tourists from all around the US and the whole world.

The cherry blossom trees in full bloom along the Tidal Basin

With a high temperature of 86 degrees, we crawled around Tidal Basin and every time when our great tour guide stopped in the sun to talk about sights, a sigh went through the whole group. Either way, the tour was really interesting and we shouldn't complain about the weather since we cried for summer all winter long. At the memorial ground we were able to spot a really beautiful girl. Many boys took the chance and asked her for a picture but everyone got rejected and sent away with a really low self esteem…

After walking around the Tidal Basin, we went to a mall for lunch and a quick shopping trip. Some people also took the chance to buy shorts at lunch time since they hadn't packed any (that would be myself, Felix).

At around 3pm, we went to George Washington’s Mansion at Mount Vernon. It was still very hot but then Alex left and suddenly it got all cold (just kidding…). The mansion itself was just really awesome and we all really enjoyed the beautiful gardens that surrounded the property. You got an authentic look in the life of America’s first president because all the rooms were left like they were when Washington died in December of 1799. All of us enjoyed the free time after the Mansion tour. I mean, when do you get the chance to hang out on GW’s back porch?

Asako (Japan) photographing us as we relaxed on GW's porch

Mount Vernon Mansion

We had a great dinner at the Mount Vernon Inn where we could choose between an entrée of turkey, ham or vegetarian lasagna. The food was truly amazing and the cherry pie afterwards was a nice treat.

Overall, it was a beautiful first impression of the United States’ Capital!

---Felix, Germany and Alex, Denmark

Hi Everyone!

This morning some of us left, because they wouldn't go to Philadelphia and Washington with us. And although we were sad that our new friends had to leave, we were all excited to continue our trip!

The rest of us left New Jersey at 9:00 AM to Philadelphia, in a 2 hours bus drive, arriving at 11:00 AM. 

Then we had two hours free time at Reading Terminal Market and the surrounding area, where we could eat lunch and buy some souvenirs.

Reading Terminal Market

After that, we drove to the Constitutional Center where we first saw the presentation “We the people” and then we could break up in to small groups and explore the center for an hour and a half on our own; we could do some hands-on activities (like signing the constitution ourselves) and take pictures with statues of famous people like Benjamin Franklin and by some things at the gift shop.

Posing with the founding fathers at the Constitution Center 

After that, we met our Tour guide Jenn and we started our city tour through the historical city. First, we went to the liberty bell and we all took pictures with it. Then she showed us a lot of historical buildings, for example the Independence Hall where the constitution was signed, an extremely old church and then to Elfreth’s Alley in which the widest house is only 16 feet wide and the skinniest just 9 feet.

The famous Liberty Bell

Independence Hall

First federal bank (Andrew Jackson's enemy, as we learned)

Then we went back to the bus and drove to the Philadelphia Museum of Art where the “Rocky” statue stands and where almost all of us ran up the stairs and although it was really hot, it was awesome and now we can say, we ran up the stairs of it!!

In front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art before we ran up

the view from the top of the stairs (and our bus in the distance)

After we were done running and taking pictures, we drove with the bus to the restaurant, where a lot of us tried the famous Philly cheese steak! 

When we were done eating, we went back on the bus and now we are on our way to Washington DC!

---Ignacio, Chile and Kim, Germany

Hello everybody,

Today was an important and special day to all of us. For a part of our group it was the last day of the trip, so tonight and tomorrow morning we have to say goodbye to some of our fellow YFU’ers that have become friends.

We started our day by going on a guided boat tour that took us to see Lady Liberty, Ellis Island and the five boroughs that all together form New York. It was an amazing tour and for most of us it was the first time that we saw the Statue of Liberty up close. Earlier this week our other tour guide, Garret, had told us that her mouth is 3 feet wide. ‘She has the biggest mouth in whole New York and she doesn’t even talk.’ Seeing the Statue of Liberty up close and hearing the story of all the immigrants was a special moment. Especially for us, exchange students. On these tours we all come together, our whole exchange year is bringing people, families, from all over the world together. We all do it for the experience, and that experience gives us a better life. The immigrants all came to Ellis Island with the hope for a brighter future and a better life. In some way, you can say that we are all connected through motives, through mindsets and through each other.

On the boat towards Ellis Island

Angelique (Netherlands) and me with Lady Liberty

After that wonderful experience of seeing Lady Liberty, we hopped on our lovely bus again, driven by Alex, back to Time Square. All of us needed more time on the most illuminated street in North America for shopping, sight-seeing, and pictures! During this trip, all of our minds just went ‘picture picture picture’ everywhere we went! But taking a zillion pictures on Time Square was an absolute must on this NYC trip. Most of us enjoyed a real New York hot dog from one of the street vendors for lunch. JUMMMIIIEEEEE!!!!

You can always find characters in Times Square!

When we were all shopped out – or when it was meeting time – our bus driver Alex took us to the United Nations. The United Nations is a really special place in New York, in the world, and for us, exchange students. The UN territory is a ‘country’ on its own. So when you visit the UN headquarters like we did, you actually visit 193 countries – because there are 193 members – at once.  Isn’t that amazing? Our tour guide told us about the history of the UN, the main purpose of the UN and much, much more. She also told us about countries in need and the school in a box – program. More importantly she explained to us how all of us can help, with just five minutes of our time. This is especially for students, but in theory everybody can do this. When you go to www.freerice.com  you can click on one of the many features the website has. You can improve some of your language skills, or geography skills, etc. Then you answer the questions about the subject you just chose. For every right answer you get 10 grains of rice. For every right answer you donate rice to a country that needs it. It is easy and it is a wonderful initiative that everyone can do. The UN brings countries together. YFU & BELO brings people together.

A group shot after our tour at the United Nations

Today we had an early dinner at Mama Sbarro’s on Time Square. It is a great Italian place that opened its doors for our group. We enjoyed a wonderful meal, some amazing chocolate cake, and almost all of the girls used the restroom as a changing room. Because we all wanted to dress up and look nice for our final activity of the trip and, according to, the most awesome activity. We went to see The Phantom Of The Opera on Broadway! It was beautiful, amazing, crazy gorgeous, fantastic, etc! The Phantom is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and it’s the longest running Broadway production. 

I can write about this musical for several more hours, but to keep it short: it was an amazing end to a fantastic trip… for some ;). Others are leaving for Philadelphia and Washington D.C. tomorrow. WE CAN’T WAIT!

With love,

Anouk Callebaut, Belgium 

Today could be the most tired day I ever have since I come to the United States, even a little more than my swim team practice and tennis practice. We did a lot of walk, walk and always walk, but it was worth it!

 The first step was the Empire State Building. I regard it as “relax my neck”. Just imagine what the situation of our neck would be while we are walking along the street in New York---raising our heads in order to see whole bunch of skyscrapers, and holding it for a long time. So! Today I finally could stand taller than most of the New York building. Looking up became looking down or overlooking at the Empire State Building, that was awesome! There is a Chinese idiom which means “the tall building standing as if forest”. And today I felt that.

The view from the top of the Empire State Building

On top of the world!

Katrine (Denmark) and Lotty (Germany)

Then just after the highest place we went, our longest walking began. We walked along the Wall Street, especially the sculpture of the bull in the financial district, and the word “bull market” just immediately showed up in my mind. Our super, incredible, awesome, humorous, (etc.) tour guide told us a lot of things about this area, including the World Trade Centre. To be honest I did learn a lot of stuff from him even though the most of time I can’t catch up his world or could not really understand what it means.(sorry, Garrett…)

In the financial district with our tour guide, Garrett

Maxwell (Germany) kissing the bull for luck!

Me and Ignacio (Chile) at the monument of George Washington
in front of Federal Hall

In the Federal Hall on Wall street

During the last time, we walked, took pictures, walked, took pictures again, still walked, still took pictures….And we talking, having fun while we walking on the Brooklyn Bridge. Shopping, was another “long tour” for me, and I found that (not the first time) that most the stores are for girls!!!!! It was kind of hard for me to find some great stores which have many clothes for boys.

Brooklyn Bridge!

The most exciting thing for me was having dinner at Chinatown! As an exchange student all the way from China, finally I met a place where I could understand all the words and signs. The food was awesome and was complete traditional Chinese food I can say. Especially it is the style of Guangdong, which I live in. Using chopstick, the typical china spoon…..and all the taste are not just food, are memory and culture! BUT EXCEPT FOR THE FORTUNE COOKIE. Remember the first time I saw it in my school, I just thought: “Well! That’s amazing! Look! There are Chinese words on it!” Then they ask me whether I have it before. Today, when I told our group that the fortune cookie is not the real Chinese food and I never seen that before until I gone to the United States, I can’t express how shock they felt. Haha, now I am thinking it is better for me to keep the “secret”. Anyway, that’s true. Probably just like an interesting Chinese culture in here, which is no doubt that why the American Chinese food is different from one in China.

Felix (Germany), Matthias (Germany), Chris (Austria) and Sang Woo (South Korea) at Jing Fong in Chinatown

“Today was great!” Oh by the way, the short sentence I wrote just now is how I would describe the day. But somebody said that wasn't enough……

---Fengdi (Peter), China

Our day was very exciting, and able to describe with one word, "awesome". All the students are nice, and very friendly. Not to mention our tour guides.

The day started with a really good breakfast at 7am. and after 90 min. we were ready to depart from our hotel, and drive with the bus to New York city. Our tour guide Garrett, who lives for ten years in New York, knows everything about manhattan, and not only the average stuff, but also movie production places, he told many things about movie stars, and their spooky apartments, just everything.
We were able to visit the central park, and the strawberry fields, which was smaller, then expected.
we also saw many other places, like the Columbia college campus, St Patricks Cathedral, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and many many more.

Walking through the Strawberry Field in Central Park

In Central Park

At the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Outside the MET

At the end, we had dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square, which was by the way that bright, that even with sunglasses you could see everything in the middle of the night, just to tell how bright it was.

Times Square

But back to the Hard Rock Cafe, it was really really good, and there were a lot of guitars and signed photos of rock stars like the Beatles and others.

----Maxwell Dulny, Germany

After a long day of continuous arrivals at the Newark Airport, all the students are finally here, safe and sound!  Once at the hotel, we checked them in and they were free to explore the hotel. Many of them sat in groups in the lobby, talked excitedly to each other and greeted new students as they arrived throughout the day. We have a total of 51 students from 13 different countries! We also have a wonderful chaperone in our midst. She is quite the world traveler having lived in the Netherlands, China and the United States.

After a nice dinner at the hotel, we held a general orientation with our trip coordinator Kristy. She went through the general rules and guidelines for the trip to make sure we have a fun and safe trip! Everyone is ready to see the incredible skyline and experience the bustle of New York City tomorrow!    

WELCOME TO THE NEW YORK CITY, PHILLY & DC TRIP BLOG!

WELCOME TO THE NEW YORK CITY, PHILLY & DC TRIP BLOG!

 

This will be our day-to-day journal... each day, you'll get news, information and pictures from the students. Join us on our adventure!

Get ready for a week in the exciting cities of New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC!! 
The trip will be starting out in the great city of New York! There is no place like it in the world! A nice walk in Central Park, shopping in the cool and modern neighborhood of Soho, exploring the ritzy Upper East Side…the possibilities are infinite!

Continuing on to Philadelphia- we will see American history come to life! We will explore the National Constitution Center, see where the Declaration of Independence was signed –even try one of Philly's famous delicacies, the “Philly Cheesesteak”.
 

Next, we will head to Washington DC – the nation's capitol. Here, we will explore the many monuments and memorials in this important city! Enjoy an afternoon on the Smithsonian Museum campus, visit the quaint neighborhood of Georgetown, explore the life of George Washington on his Mt. Vernon estate…and more!

Join us on this journey through three of America's most vibrant, exciting, and historical cities!

Have Fun!!!