Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your years – I mean ears.

Tell me the truth. Does the evil that men do live after them while the good is interred with the bones? Is there a way to learn the meaningful lessons of life before most of life has been squandered?

After my college junior year abroad, I imagined I’d return later to linger for seasons at a time on the banks of the Arno, strolling with my children hand in hand while pointing out the wonders of the world. I imagined home schooling – always far away from home. I was determined to avoid trappings of the ultra-fast and often meaningless search for the American dream – carpools and commutes, days without siesta and retailers without soul.

It’s such a big wonderful world and such a short life. How can we possibly feel justified sending our little troopers off day after day to marinade in public education and still expect them to grow up interesting, interested citizens? No wonder TV becomes the drug of choice for most people. After public education, it all makes sense. I became somewhat depressed watching my two older children become subjects of that ritual I'd pledged to avoid for them - and myself.

Then again, it is all too easy to be critical of mass education (and any other public government program for that matter). Of course it’s wonderful that someone offers to teach our children, no matter the methodology or approach. But let’s face it - given the option, what child wouldn’t prefer 24 semesters at sea vs. 12 years of wandering hallways? What person wouldn’t come away from that alternative with a sense of wonder and delight?

Long ago I imagined a life less traveled – which equated to nothing more than a life more traveled. Although I wasn’t able to globe trot with my older sons – never lived that dream on the banks of the Arno – they managed on their own to venture to distant ports and are not limited by custom, routine or standards other than their own. That makes me happy.

What makes me doubly happy is now having the opportunity to actually live out my old dream of using the world itself as an educational laboratory for my other two children. Indeed I will be strolling hand in hand, as we did two years ago in the Baltic, beckoning the boys to share with us the awesome response to historical evidence and works of art. We bonded ever closer having shared this most essential and iconic experience – glancing back into time, allowing art and history to penetrate our psyches. We shall do it again. And again.

I realize that taking the kids on the European trek through antiquities satisfies not only my old dreams, it also offers them the opportunity for personal discovery and insight. I can’t possibly know in advance what they will make of their personal experiences, but whatever it is putting it before them can't possibly hurt.

Perhaps I have ambitious notions. We know what ambition did to Julius Caesar! But you heard Mark Anthony. His famous speech was filled with irony, knowing full well that Brutus was NOT an honorable man (even though he was momentarily popular his 15 minutes would burn out) and the good that men do does live on and that people who get so easily swayed from the truth die too - and are not remembered.

I am constantly reminded of the strange and turbulent shifts of public attitude and opinion that wave through young people’s lives. To fight the fickle winds of change and peer pressure they need a solid, enduring perspective that assures them they are pointed due north, regardless of what next crazy fad or outlook bubbles up.

Strolling through history teaches by example and assures them nothing is new either; it has always been so with humans. So we don't want to hear about how tough things are on today's generation. Their challenges may be slightly different - but nothing new. And my goodness! How much easier it all is now than it was for our ancestors! We have history to read, archeology to explore, internet to search. What excuse does it leave for ignorance besides the age-old human trap - laziness and inertia?

Shakespeare put the words into Mark Anthony’s mouth, and he spoke for all the ages:

O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.

Join us, as we pause to take a trek through time and recover our hearts.

Dear Mrs. Jorgenson,

I am traveling with my family through Europe next month and will be missing school. Although the trip will be fun and exciting, it also will be educational and inspiring. Because of this my family and I feel it is worth the time I am missing from class.

But I don’t expect you to believe me without some convincing. So I am outlining all the places we will be going and the things I plan to see and do. I’m sure once you take a look you will also agree that this trip will be highly educational and valuable to my development.

I will be traveling through Italy, Croatia, Turkey and Greece.

We will start in Rome, Italy, the city often called the world’s greatest monument. It is called this because it has more ruins and treasures than any other city. It has the Forum, the Catecombs, the Vatican, the Colosseum, Aquaducts, Tivoli Gardens, and the Circus Maximus, as well as famous art, sculpture and architecture. We will also go to the Gigantic St.Peter’s Basilica. We think this will be one of the most facinating and educational ports.

From Rome we will travel via the express train to Florence, which is most famous for the Renaissance artists and architects that lived there during the 15-th-16th centuries. Everyone has seen photos of Michaelangelo’s “David” and we will be seeing the real thing in person. We will also see the famous Pitti Palace and Uffizi Art galleries and the Ponta Vecchio.

We have a day trip planned to Sienna to explore that walled city famous for the horse race called the Pallio. Although the race takes place in July, we are excited to see the Tuscan countryside and this small college town.

From Florence we will travel again by train to Venice, the city that has canals instead of streets where people travel by gondolas instead of cars. We will feed pigeons at the famous St. Mark’s square and cross the Rialto bridge on the way to visiting the Doge’s palace and the Guggenheim museum of art where this private collection of paintings includes Da Vinci and Rembrandt. Since I love art, I am looking forward to seeing these famous paintings.

In Venice, my family will board a cruise ship bound for Croatia.

Dubrovnik: We will first go to the Francisan Monestery and Dominican Monestery. Then we will see a ancient pharmacy. After that we will go to the Rector’s Palace and the cathedral and treasury. Finally we will take a scenic cruise around the city walls. The Reason we are going here is because it is beautiful yet it is intresting to learn about the ancient history of Dubrovnik.

Corfu: We will first see the neo-classical Achlleion Palace. Then we will visit the Virgin Mary Monestery known for its ancient articles. Corfu is said to be the most beautiful place in Greece.

Katakolon: We will just take a taxi to all the major sites of this town - the original Olympic Stadium. This town has some of the same features as Athens.

Athens: We will hike up to the temple of Zeus and see the magnificent Acropolis. We will also seethe Olympic stadium where the olympics were first held. While we are being driven we will see such statues as Hadrians arch, the statue of Lord Byron and the Temple of Olympus. We think Athens will be very educational and interesting because after all Athens is where modern civilization began.

Mykonos: In Mykonos we will see the birthplace and deathplace of Apollo (CUPID). We think this would be fun to learn about a greek god and seeing his grave. (But I thought gods didn't die. Oh well...)

Kusadasi: In Kusadasi we will first go to ancient Ephesus which was a Roman Capital, buried over the ages through erosion and earthquacks. It has been excavated in the last fifty years to reveal a magnificent city with marble roads, amazing temples and a three story library. After that we will go shopping in a local bazaar.

Rhodes: In Rhodes we will go up to Mt.Philerimos. Then we will got to the famous road of the kinights built by the Knights of St. John who acted as ambassadors to this region during the era of the Crusades. Finally we will go to the Palace of Grand Masters. My stepmom is really fascinated by the Knights of St. John ever since her visit to Malta, so this will be a big stop for the family.

Santorini: Santorini is mainly a tourist town built on the side of a volcanic caldera that slopes steeply into the sea. The whitewashed buildings and narrow winding streets are some of the most photographed scenes in Greece. My dad really likes Santorini because it is so beautiful.

Naples: In Naples we will first go to the ashy city of Pompeii famous for its ruins because of the volcanic ash that covered it and wiped out the entire population in a matter of minutes. The result of the tragedy was an almost perfectly preserved record of the affluent life of the people from hundreds of years ago. After that we will take a hydrofoil to the beautiful isle of Capri where a cable car takes you to the top of the mountain giving magnificent views.

I will be photographing most of these famous sights and writing about what I learned while touring them. I will post them here for everyone to see every few days or so.

I thank you for allowing me this opportunity to go and see the world, even though it means I'll be missing the Greek Gods performance at school on Friday. But just imagine - while Austin is struggling with his boa and mimicing Aphrodite for laughs at the school assembly, I'll be tripping up the steps to the Temple of Aphrodite in Greece. Thank goodness I don't have to wear Austin's highheels!

Sincerely,

Hunter

We are a family of gypsies. We cool off our suitcases reluctantly, airing them out for a day or so before filling them up again.

We can sleep on a park bench, but don't. We've learned all the tricks of navigating airports and taxis, arriving in a new country after an overnight flight ready to hit the pavement like runners launching themselves off the block. The intoxicating and unique scent of a foreign city stimulates us like a strong cup of joe.

When we aren't traveling we are plotting the next journey. We all have what is commonly refered to these days as ADHD but bah! I think we are just intensely curious beings. We poke around everything, taking things apart, examining them thoroughly, putting them back together again - usually in a new way. "Look at this!" is our favorite family greeting. "Well, whaddaya know?" the favored reponse.

We have only two admitted prejudices: 1) boorish and 2) boring, though we admit to being both at times and therefore try to offer the same benefit of the doubt whenever possible. Do unto others and all that...

We have discovered one basic truth in life - that you really just have to see for yourself and decide for yourself. We figure the best way to do that is see all we can and think about it.

It's doubtful that we will come up with the next great insight and truth, but assuredly we will have had a good old time and kept our boredom at bay.

And maybe that's all there is to it, anyway...