1 week!

Thanks so much for your attendance at the trip meeting last week.  It was great to have a chance to learn more about our upcoming adventure and have some questions answered in person.  A special thanks to the chaperones for their attendance at the additional chaperone meeting, as well.  This trip could not happen without the assistance of our parents.

Here are a few main points from the meeting as well as a few answers to questions which were commonly asked in conversations following the meeting:

• Emergency Medical Form:  Each participant (including chaperones) must have an Emergency Medical Form completed online.  This form, to be completed by the parent, must be completed by Friday, March 15.  Be prepared to enter emergency contact phone numbers, doctor contact information, prescription information, as well as your insurance carrier and policy numbers.  Remember, this is in addition to the paper form you completed at the meeting.
• Prescription Medications:  On the form, all prescription medications must be listed.  Parents must also elect to have students carry prescription medications and take them as indicated or have the chaperone assist.  If a chaperone is expected to handle prescription medications for a student, the medication must be in the original container, have the pharmacy label on the container and clearly list dosage information.  If the student is not handling the medications and a chaperone is in charge, the medications must be placed in a ziplock bag (with the name clearly marked and detailed instructions included).  The parent will need to give the bag directly to the assigned chaperone at trip check-in on October 3 so that if there are any questions they can be answered at that time.
• Performance Attire and Shoes:  Dress for concert performances will be tan pants and the trip jacket.  Students will be able to choose appropriate shoes and a shirt to wear under the trip jacket.  When selecting shoes and a shirt to wear under the jacket, avoid bright colors, and make sure these are comfortable.  No fashion statements, please!  Our audience should remember us for our great performance-not the hot pink shoes you decided to wear!
• Lunches/snacks/money:  As you notice in the trip booklet, participants are often "on their own" for lunches.  Although this might mean that you will purchase a meal, keep in mind that you can bring some snacks from home to put in your pack each morning.  This can serve a few purposes-it will help you keep your expenses down, but it will also help you out of a bind if you can't find anything in particular that you want to eat during the designated lunch time.  Our family has often traveled with a suitcase that is a mixture of clothes and snacks!  Even if you aren't a "picky" eater, it is often nice to have something that you know you like to eat.  In addition, the space that box of granola bars took up on the trip to the destination is often filled with souvenirs for the trip home!  In fact, we have even used the box from the granola bars to pack breakable treasures for the return trip.  So, how much money should you bring?  That answer is going to be different for each student.  However, a general guideline is 15 euro per meal. Will each of us eat the same amount?  No.  So, do a search of some of the locations where we will be visiting to get a feel for the menus available and prices.  Be flexible!
• General Dress Guidelines:  There will not be any specific events which participants are asked to "dress-up" for on our trip.  Our schedule is sometimes quite full and there isn't sufficient time to allow for numerous costume changes!  However, that being said, participants are expected to look respectable at all times.  We are representing NCHS, Indiana, and our country.  We will encounter people from many other countries.  Our goal is to make a positive impression in all that we do, including our dress.  Jeans are fine, jeans with large holes scattered all over are not.  A t-shirt is fine, a t-shirt with unacceptable language or graphics is not.  If in doubt, leave it at home!  Pack light and plan on dressing in layers.  The weather can be chilly at times and sometimes rainy.  Plan accordingly.
• REMIND:  This blog is how you will be able to follow us in Italy.  However, there will be a REMIND text message sent as we depart O'hare in Chicago, when we arrive in Italy, when we depart Italy and when we have boarded the bus to return to NCHS.  Instructions for joining the REMIND group are at the end of the blog.

That is it for this edition!  I need to go make my packing list and check it twice.  Remember, if this is the first post you are reading-there was an additional blog post prior to this with some other important information.  Check it out by looking at the blog archive at the very bottom of the page.