Darren, history teacher,
Andrea, math & science teacher
Husband and wife team Darren and Andrea weren’t always travelers. “When I decided to start leading trips, I’d never been to Europe,” admits Darren. “Here I was teaching all this European history, but I’d never actually been there myself.”
When a friend asked Darren and Andrea to co-lead an Explorica tour they jumped at the opportunity. “That was 10 years ago,” says Darren, who has since visited some 14 European countries with Explorica and is presently planning his 13th tour. “Today our friends joke that we have the best job in the world. They say, ‘Wait, you and your wife get to go to Europe each year, plus you go on these teacher trips, and you bring your family?!’ We just look back and wonder why we didn’t do it sooner.”
Both teachers are committed to bringing their lessons to life through their trips, so they craft tours that build on their respective curricula. “We’ve worked with the same program consultant since 2005, and even though we’re always tweaking and customizing tours, she never makes us feel like we’re a hassle,” says Andrea. “Nine times out of 10 she’s able to get us what we want, and in the instances where she can’t, she’s always upfront—and we’re always thrilled with the alternative.”
Darren, who does a two-week case study on the French Revolution with his Honors World History classes, recollects a particularly rewarding visit to Versailles Palace. “When we entered the Hall of Mirrors, two of my students looked at me and said ‘this is where our skit about Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette took place! How crazy is it that we’re actually standing here now?!’ Every trip is filled with moments like that. It’s pretty special.”
Make the past come alive for your students. Our European Combination itineraries are a great place to start!
It’s the “awe” moments that makes being a group leader all worth it.
We recently returned from a trip to China where our kids joined a group of Chinese people in a hack-sac game. Smiles, laughter and generally enjoying the moment. We were there to try it all.