READY TO FLY? #Travelingtimes16

On Sunday June 5, I and 15 other travelers--high school kids and their parents and one grandparent--are flying off to Rome. We are going to wipe the dust of lil' ol' Eaton off our irrigation boots and spend 11 days traveling north from Rome to Prague to see the world.

But before we go, I wanted to set up a really cool way for the kids to share their experiences.

WARNING: Whenever a teacher says she wants to do something "really cool" and "for the kids" one can bank on the fact that it will involve an entire morning, pajamas, several cups of tea or coffee and a strong look of consternation.

Check. Check. And Czek Republic (did I mention we are ending in Prague?).

So today is day NUMBER 1 of the travel bog. Yes, I just said BOG because I have, indeed, spent all morning in my PJ's trying to figure out how to add an Instagram widget to my blog page after creating an Instagram account Travelingtimes16 (check us out). Did I mention I went to the Verizon store and bought a new phone and a portable keyboard for the iPad so they could have the equipment they would need?

This is me trying to configure technology--and I am stymied stupid!

But I had this crazy idea that I would let the kids, yes, I just said kids, do the blogging on this trip...learn something, share something, give them a voice.

I'm fairly certain that there isn't a teacher alive who has NOT muttered these words, in her pajamas at 10 am: It's exhausting being a good teacher.

Because a mediocre teacher would simply take 15 people to Europe, right? But a GOOD teacher would let them blog. And a GREAT teacher would a way to post up the daily Instagram photo on that blog in a clever widget on the side bar.

Time for clothing and a shower and time to slide it back to GOOD. Great just isn't gonna happen today.

Can't even express how excited I am for this adventure! More to come!