Learning on Location!

During the school holidays, Genazzano FCJ College sent three tour groups abroad – the Creative Arts Tour to Washington and New York, the Science and Technology Tour to Washington and Florida and the Humanities Tour to Europe. From the girls’ stories and reports, they all had an exceptionally enriching learning experience with memories to last a life-time. Read a few of their reflections below.

Creative Arts Tour 2016

Thirty-six students and five staff began their journey at 4.00am on Saturday 17 September at Genazzano. We made our way to the airport to board Qantas Flight 093 and were excited by what we were about to experience.

We arrived in Washington DC after a domestic flight from Los Angeles and began this wonderful tour. Highlights in Washington DC included the Smithsonian Museum, the Capitol Building especially the Library of Congress, The Arlington Cemetery and The Lincoln Memorial. Washington was so clean and majestic with its oversized buildings and monuments.

After three days of business in Washington, we boarded a bus for New York. We arrived in this huge city after lunch and met our wonderful guide Adrienne who took us on a brief tour of some of the iconic parts of the city including 5th Avenue, Central Park and Times Square.

The next ten days were filled with a vast array of immersion activities and sights including the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, 9/11 Memorial, Statue of Liberty, The Met, Whitney, The Frick and MOMA art galleries, Brooklyn Bridge, Yankee Stadium and so much more. One of my highlights was going to the Apollo Theatre in Harlem and walking through the streets in this part of New York.

I will never forget this experience and will be using it to enhance my studies in the Arts.

Allegra Jenkins
Year 11, Art and Communications Prefect 2016/2017

Read more about the Creative Arts Tour  and see more photos on their GenConnect blog.

Humanities Tour 2016

On 9 September, Melbourne Airport was greeted with 15 excited Genazzano girls. At 5.30pm, the Humanities Tour was off to explore England, France, Germany and Russia.

First arriving at Heathrow Airport, London, we were ready for five jam-packed days filled with museums and famous landmarks. One of our favourite days was spent at the Hampton Court Palace, where we spent time at Henry VIII’s grand palace and extravagant gardens. Soon after, a river cruise took us to the London Eye followed by a delicious meal at Jamie Oliver’s restaurant.

Paris welcomed us with bustling streets and an enticing culture. Our first stop was a visit to the FCJ Sisters at the Notre Dame de France School which also enabled us to spend time at Marie Madeleine d’Houet’s House and visit her relics in St Dominic’s. Next day our tour guide led us around the streets of Paris so rich in history, taking us to the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Saint Chappelle the Carnavalet Museum and Sacre Coeur.

Next stop was Nuremburg in Germany, where, despite its chequered past, we all fell in love with this historical German town. We enjoyed the large portions of delicious food and even joined the dance floor at an outdoor school concert.

We explored Berlin on an amazing bike ride, where the gorgeous city left an impact on us. The East Side Gallery section of the Berlin Wall was a monumental sight, and the stories of the Berlin civilians left many girls moved.

Russia surprised us with its unique and vibrant lifestyle. St Petersburg and Moscow presented us with a glimpse into the lives of past Russian Imperial and wealthy families with tours of extravagant palaces, the stories of power behind art in the Hermitage and the beauty of diverse architecture, including the impressive St Basil’s Cathedral in Red Square and the Hermitage.

Although we left exhausted, we wouldn’t have changed a single day and we know that our experiences and knowledge, will stay with us forever.

Erika Choong & Mia Schlicht
Humanities Tour students

Read more about the Humanities Tour and see more photos on their GenConnect blog.