"Oh, no. I am here as a tourist."

"Oh, indeed," said Mr. Eager. "Are you indeed? If you will not
think me rude, we residents sometimes pity you poor tourists
not a little--handed about like a parcel of goods from Venice to
Florence, from Florence to Rome, living herded together in
pensions or hotels, quite unconscious of anything that is outside
Baedeker, their one anxiety to get 'done' or 'through' and go on
somewhere else. The result is they mix up towns, rivers, palaces
in one inextricable whirl.

—from E. M. Forster’s Room with a View

There are many trips to Europe for high school students interested in gaining first-hand knowledge of another culture, but they seem to have one problem in common: they urge students to see everything, yet they teach them to contemplate nothing. Unfortunately, these whirlwind trips are only remembered in photographs of edifices students can neither name nor appreciate as symbols of our Western heritage. Montrose offers an entirely different approach to travel abroad, an experience that will remain a rich memory for years to come.

From March 15 to March 26, 2008, Montrose juniors and faculty will embark on a twelve-day trip to Florence, Italy to explore classical and Christian virtue as evidenced in the art, architecture and the lives of Renaissance artists. Staying at a villa just outside Florence, they will enjoy the beauties of the Tuscan countryside, long walks, family style meals and daily seminars. They will also make a trip to Siena and Rome for Easter weekend.

Students are preparing for their journey by attending four pre-trip seminars on the following topics:

November 15: Practical overview: Expectations; Pre-trip planning: packing, budgeting, checklists, health forms to complete; Itinerary overview; Pre-trip Seminar goals—participation, goals, preparation for exhibition

November 27: Why Florence?

December 5: Great Stories & Great Art

January 8: Why Dante?

January 17: Italy Movie night @ the Robinson's - "A Room with a View"

January 31: Siena & Rome

February 28: Easter Triduum in Rome

March 7: Pre-departure details

March 14: Last minute meeting at Lunch

March 15: Leave for Italy!