Alright. Well im Canadian, never left the country, and going to the anniversary of one of the biggest battles fought in WWI.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was of course the battle of Vimy ridge. In this battle, 3500 Canadian troops(IICRC) fought and gained a crucial position that neither the British nor the French could gain. This battle lasted about eight days (Again, been a year since my history class, i forget exact numbers). The battle was fought by and directed by only Canadian troops.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well in about 28 days, im heading over to Europe with my school (and with the other 3500 students going) and we will first land in Rome. After a few days we are heading over to Paris. On one April 9th, there will be ceremony at Vimy Ridge in remembrance of the soldiers that fought and gave their lives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now the explanation aside, Im gonna ask everyone here....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is there any tips for traveling to Europe that i should know? Any crucial information that will help me interact with the locals and such? (Keep in mind i only know a minimal amount of French and no Italian....).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hear that Putting a Canadian flag on my backpack is a good idea. Is it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the tips everyone.

Are they getting you a passport or do you have to pay for it? Because they take a while to have made.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BTW who's paying, just out of curiosity, because 3500 students times maybe $2500 each is like $8.7 million USD. And how did they ever arrange flights and hotels with 3500 students? Does that even work, especially with flights, because it'd take days. :-s

Are they getting you a passport or do you have to pay for it? Because they take a while to have made.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BTW who's paying, just out of curiosity, because 3500 students times maybe $2500 each is like $8.7 million USD. And how did they ever arrange flights and hotels with 3500 students? Does that even work, especially with flights, because it'd take days. :-s

 

 

 

Ive had my passport for about 2 months now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I payed for the trip, it cost me $2825 Canadian.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't ask how they arranged it, they just did :P

 

 

 

Not all the schools are going on the same trip though. Some are going to spain before paris, some going to london, ect. We just happen to get Rome. (Which i love!)

 

Are they getting you a passport or do you have to pay for it? Because they take a while to have made.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BTW who's paying, just out of curiosity, because 3500 students times maybe $2500 each is like $8.7 million USD. And how did they ever arrange flights and hotels with 3500 students? Does that even work, especially with flights, because it'd take days. :-s

 

 

 

Ive had my passport for about 2 months now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I payed for the trip, it cost me $2825 Canadian.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't ask how they arranged it, they just did :P

 

 

 

Not all the schools are going on the same trip though. Some are going to spain before paris, some going to london, ect. We just happen to get Rome. (Which i love!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But an average plane can only hold 300 persons right? That's ambitious, but would still take days to fly all those students, and then take into consideration other travelers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The kids at your school must also have a lot of money as well to afford that.

Use hand gestures and grunts (and any Italian/French you know) to communicate small things, like asking the shopkeeper for 'that pastery'.

 

 

Are they getting you a passport or do you have to pay for it? Because they take a while to have made.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BTW who's paying, just out of curiosity, because 3500 students times maybe $2500 each is like $8.7 million USD. And how did they ever arrange flights and hotels with 3500 students? Does that even work, especially with flights, because it'd take days. :-s

 

 

 

Ive had my passport for about 2 months now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I payed for the trip, it cost me $2825 Canadian.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't ask how they arranged it, they just did :P

 

 

 

Not all the schools are going on the same trip though. Some are going to spain before paris, some going to london, ect. We just happen to get Rome. (Which i love!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But an average plane can only hold 300 persons right? That's ambitious, but would still take days to fly all those students, and then take into consideration other travelers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The kids at your school must also have a lot of money as well to afford that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

>.< I dont think you understand. This is all across Canada. There is more then one aircraft we have her (we aren't that well fair). All schools are going at different times (Well except schools in the same area. My school is going in the same plane as the kids from the rest of the city, plus some kids from Toronto.) Also, Im probably one of the few paying for the whole trip myself. Parents are paying for most kids.

Is it 3500 from all around Canada than? I misinterpreted you and thought you said 3500 from your school alone.

Is it 3500 from all around Canada than? I misinterpreted you and thought you said 3500 from your school alone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:shock: My school has maybe 1200 students!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ya its, from all around Canada. I forget if its 35000 now though...

 

Is it 3500 from all around Canada than? I misinterpreted you and thought you said 3500 from your school alone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:shock: My school has maybe 1200 students!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ya its, from all around Canada. I forget if its 35000 now though...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I highly doubt Paris and Rome have enough hotels. :lol:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I assure you it's 3500.

Ya, your right, we had close to almost every student for every soldier and the death count was 3,598

Canadians are generally well-liked by all. Americans, not so much (be it their fault or no). If Europeans hear someone speaking English and the accent isn't obvious they're going to assume you're American - having that Canadian flag is a good indicator that you aren't and are more likely to be treated fairly.

Canadians are generally well-liked by all. Americans, not so much (be it their fault or no). If Europeans hear someone speaking English and the accent isn't obvious they're going to assume you're American - having that Canadian flag is a good indicator that you aren't and are more likely to be treated fairly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gosh, I highly doubt that the world is that prejudiced against Americans, and I'm talking mainly about Europe.

You'll enjoy it, all my experiences of travelling in that region of northern europe are very good. Don't worry about the language, nearly everybody speaks english, especially if you're staying in larger hotels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I went and did all the war graves and battle fields we stayed in small B&B's where they spoke little english but you should be fine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The food's generally superb, the people are friendly enough and the history is fascinating.

yeah, my school is participating but i skipped :P too much $$ for me and i wont even get any units!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

oh and just get a Roots bag. it has a Canadian flag built in lol tiny tho

 

Canadians are generally well-liked by all. Americans, not so much (be it their fault or no). If Europeans hear someone speaking English and the accent isn't obvious they're going to assume you're American - having that Canadian flag is a good indicator that you aren't and are more likely to be treated fairly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gosh, I highly doubt that the world is that prejudiced against Americans, and I'm talking mainly about Europe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I went to Sweden last summer with an American friend (I'm Canadian). At one point we were walking down the street and we were stopped by two older men; they just wanted to talk. When they found out I was from Canada, they were very jovial and "pleased" (for lack of a better term) that I was from Canada. When they found out my friend was from Texas, they immediately said "F**k America", among other profanities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just a personal experience I've had.

lol yeh people generally prefer canadians. Im from England and everyone i know generally has more time for canadians than americans (no offence to the US)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also my advice: Dont trust a frenchman! (or an Italian or a southener)

 

 

 

basically only poeple from the north of England are good and honest :D

Hmm I thought it was Vimy ridge?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway i've been all round that area, very interesting and pretty shocking. Anyone ever been to thiepval ? Pretty amazing spectacle, but very eerie. There are hundreds of graveyards all over that area. Millions buried, no doubt.

I hear that Putting a Canadian flag on my backpack is a good idea. Is it?

 

 

 

Most definately. Take this likely scenario:

 

 

 

Italian A: "Ay! Wha's 'a madda wi' you!"

 

 

 

Italian B: "Shaddapa yo face, he Canada!"

 

 

 

Italian C: "Hey, what's all that aboot!"

Well, i'm gone in about 5 hours, and in case i don't visit the forums in between now and then (probably will since i'm skipping school today, ya, im a badass). Ill try and find an internet cafe while in Rome, and ill try and upload pictures if possible. But besides that, see you all in 9 days ^o^

 

Canadians are generally well-liked by all. Americans, not so much (be it their fault or no). If Europeans hear someone speaking English and the accent isn't obvious they're going to assume you're American - having that Canadian flag is a good indicator that you aren't and are more likely to be treated fairly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gosh, I highly doubt that the world is that prejudiced against Americans, and I'm talking mainly about Europe.

 

 

 

Its true. Insane's story is rather tame compared to what happened on our school trip to paris once with an American teacher...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I got some advice Lionheart. If you want to speak with the locals, just speak in English, but louder. If they still don't understand, scream even louder at them, and then if they don't understand then, smash the place up. Simple.

 

 

 

Cookie to whoever gets that reference

To be honest in my 2 years of living in Germany I never had a problem with the locals there. Generaly they were very kind to us (my family is american).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Granted my mom has taken 5 years or so of German but even when we visted places such as Rome we were treated well by others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

have fun with the trip Lion. 8-)

I got some advice Lionheart. If you want to speak with the locals, just speak in English, but louder. If they still don't understand, scream even louder at them, and then if they don't understand then, smash the place up. Simple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Typical ignorant English people. Seriously you're sitting down to eat at a restaurant and all you can hear is 'Why can't everybody speak English" lol.

 

I got some advice Lionheart. If you want to speak with the locals, just speak in English, but louder. If they still don't understand, scream even louder at them, and then if they don't understand then, smash the place up. Simple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Typical ignorant English people. Seriously you're sitting down to eat at a restaurant and all you can hear is 'Why can't everybody speak English" lol.

 

 

 

Haha, read my post again, particularly the small text. Fool, not everyone in England is a Wayne and Waynetta, a lot of people, me included speak a lot of French, and a fair amount of Spanish and German.

 

 

 

Which more than could be said for the Americans...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read the entire post text time fool, I shouldn't have to put [/sarcasm] at the end of a blantently sarcastic post.

You wont need to worry about speaking another language. Truth is they are way better than english than you are at their language so its easier for everyone to use english.

 

 

 

Italy is a much nicer country than france or belgium in my opinion but the sites from world war 1 are a very worthwhile thing to do. You should go to Beaumont Hamel. That's all Canadian aswell. If you go to the right graveyard you might even find my Great-grandfathers grave, canadian mounted rifleman.

 

 

I got some advice Lionheart. If you want to speak with the locals, just speak in English, but louder. If they still don't understand, scream even louder at them, and then if they don't understand then, smash the place up. Simple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Typical ignorant English people. Seriously you're sitting down to eat at a restaurant and all you can hear is 'Why can't everybody speak English" lol.

 

 

 

Haha, read my post again, particularly the small text. Fool, not everyone in England is a Wayne and Waynetta, a lot of people, me included speak a lot of French, and a fair amount of Spanish and German.

 

 

 

Which more than could be said for the Americans...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read the entire post text time fool, I shouldn't have to put [/sarcasm] at the end of a blantently sarcastic post.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You just unearthed a little thing I find annoying about English people. It wasn't specifically meant to offend you. Also its all very well taking the moral high ground but then going and making a comment about the Americans doesn't help your case :-w

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe you just shouldn't use tiny print!