2024 Galloway WWII Resistance Program
| Travel Dates: | February 17, 2024 - February 26, 2024 |
| Group Organizer(s): |
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| WTT Contact: | |
| Program Tuition: |
$3,899 USD
Airfare not included in program tuition
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| Confirmed Airfare: | $1,100 |
Important Reminders
Passport check
Insurance Reminder
Fundraiser
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What to Expect
Please read through all of the information below. More details will be added as your departure draws closer.
Itinerary
We do everything possible to abide by itineraries as originally planned, but decades of experience teachers that we must flexible in our planning. Changes to a trip’s schedule are uncommon, but Walking Tree reserves the right to make adjustments to programming in the best interest of the group.
| Day | Location | Description | Lodging |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 17 | USA - Paris | The group will take an overnight flight to Paris. | Airplane |
| February 18 | Paris | Today the group will arrive to Paris. Upon arrival, we will check into our hotel, freshen up and have our orientation meeting where we will discuss the details of our program. After lunch we will get the chance to visit the Liberation Museum of Paris (WWII heroes). We will head out to the Latin Quarters to have dinner and will end the day with a Seine River cruise tour at night where we will get a chance to see many of city's landmarks from a unique perspective. | MEININGER Hotel Paris Porte de Vincennes |
| February 19 | Paris | After breakfast, we will begin the day with a guided sightseeing tour of Paris focusing on WWII relevant sites and history. We will visit Les Invalides and Military Museum. We will have dinner before heading back to our hotel. | MEININGER Hotel Paris Porte de Vincennes |
| February 20 | Paris - Normandy | Day trip to Normandy! Today the group will have a full day excursion to Normandy and the D-Day beaches. We will begin the day at Churchill Harbor and the D-Day Museum in Arromanche before our lunch break. The we will continue to Longues sur Mere Batteries, the American Cemetery and the Omaha Beach. We will end our excursion with a visit to Point du Hoc before returning to Paris. Tonight we will have dinner in the famous Montmartre neighborhood. | MEININGER Hotel Paris Porte de Vincennes |
| February 21 | Paris - Amsterdam | Today we say goodbye to Paris as we travel to Amsterdam by speed train. After settling into our hotel, the group will start the Amsterdam experience with a visit to the Resistance Museum. In the afternoon, our guide will lead a walking tour to get familiar with the city. Tonight we will have dinner in central Amsterdam. | Holiday Inn Express Amsterdam |
| February 22 | Amsterdam | After breakfast, we will visit the Anne Frank House Museum and see the hidden annex where the Frank family stayed in hiding during the war. Participants will then have the unique opportunity to listen to the child of a holocaust survivor talking about the ramification of war and psychological impact of growing up in a family of survivors. Participants are encouraged to take the opportunity to ask questions directly to the speaker. After lunch, the group will then enjoy a guided sightseeing tour of Amsterdam on canal boats. Finally, we will have dinner in the city before heading back to our hotel to prepare for our next destination. | Holiday Inn Express Amsterdam |
| February 23 | Amsterdam - Krakow | The group will fly to Krakow today. Upon arrival, we will check in at our hotel and head out to explore the old town guided by our program leader. Finally, we will have dinner in the Jewish Quarters. | Galaxy Hotel |
| February 24 | Krakow | Today we will go on an excursion to Auschwitz-Birkenau where we will get the chance to visit the memorial and museum on site. In the afternoon we will return to Krakow where we will have time to have reflection and dinner at night. | Galaxy Hotel |
| February 25 | Krakow | On our last day in Europe, we will visit Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory for a guided tour. After lunch we will have some free time to explore a little more and buy some last minute souvenirs. After some end of the program activities the group will have a farewell dinner tonight. | Galaxy Hotel |
| February 26 | Krakow - USA | Transfer to Airport for our return flights. | Your own bed, eventually! |
Fundraising
Need to Raise Money? We Have You Covered.
Walking Tree Travel is proud to team up with Equal Exchange, a worker-owned cooperative that distributes organic coffee, tea, sugar, bananas, avocados, cocoa, chocolate bars, and more. There is no limit to the amount you can earn, so the sooner you can start, the better!
Learn more here.
Accommodations
In order to provide a safe and memorable experience, we follow strict guidelines when choosing group accommodations. Walking Tree partners with hotels and guest houses which are centrally located, locally operated, clean and safe. We inspect each partner hotel to ensure they meet these standards.
Meininger Hotel Paris Porte de Vincennes
Centrally located in Paris, this hotel features a shared lounge, terrace, and free WiFi throughout the property. The accommodation provides a shared kitchen and a 24-hour front desk for guests. Guest rooms at the hotel are equipped with a seating area, a flat-screen TV with cable channels and a private bathroom with free toiletries and a shower. Each room includes bed linen and towels. Students will be grouped in their rooms according to gender.
Holiday Inn Express Amsterdam
Holiday Inn Express Amsterdam – City Hall is in a prime location in the Amsterdam City Centre. All rooms are fitted with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a kettle, a shower, free toiletries and a desk. Each room comes with a private bathroom. All guest rooms have a wardrobe. The hotel offers a continental or buffet breakfast. Staff at the 24-hour front desk can lend a hand with advice about the area.
Galaxy Hotel Krakow
Located over the Vistula River, in Kraków’s Podgórze district, this hotel offers rooms that feature an LCD TV with satellite channels. The rooms at the Galaxy come with tea and coffee facilities and a large work desk. All are modernly furnished and air-conditioned. Bathrooms are fitted with a hairdryer. Guests have access to the hot tub, saunas, swimming pool, fitness centre.
Group Flight
| Type | Carrier Name | Carrier Code | Flight Number | Departure Airport & City | Departure Date and Time | Arrival Airport & City | Arrival Date and Time |
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Outbound
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AF
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681
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February 17, 2024 at 4:55PM
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February 18, 2024 at 7:10AM
|
|||
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Inbound
|
KL
|
1994
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February 26, 2024 at 11:45AM
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February 26, 2024 at 1:50PM
|
|||
|
Inbound
|
KL
|
621
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February 26, 2024 at 4:50PM
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February 26, 2024 at 8:30PM
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BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE: (domestic flight)
- 1 × Free carry-on bag (40x30x20 cm)
- 1 × 20 kg Checked-in baggage
Once your flight schedule has been confirmed, the itinerary will appear here.
Walking Tree will secure a seat on the group flight for each participant unless otherwise instructed.
Travelers are responsible for checked baggage fees. Please visit the airline’s baggage webpage to learn if you should expect to pay anything.
We will provide a group manifest – complete with reservation codes and ticket numbers – to the Group Organizer/s before departure, and travelers will need to check in at the airport in order to receive their boarding pass and have documents verified. We recommend arriving no later than three hours prior to the scheduled departure, but contact your Group Organizer for specific details on exactly where and when to meet on the day of departure.
FLIGHT INTERRUPTION, DELAY OR CANCELLATION
Air travel can be unpredictable. Regardless of proper planning, there may still be instances when a flight is delayed or cancelled due to staffing shortages, weather, mechanical problems, etc. Please note that in such an event, Walking Tree Travel (WTT) is not financially responsible for unanticipated costs incurred by travelers en route. Our programs officially begin and end in the destination country, and because our staff doesn’t fly with the group, Group Organizers (the traveling faculty member/s) become the front-line advocate for the group in the event of a delay. In most cases of cancellations or delays, the airline will be the one who re-books travel or possibly arranges a hotel and food the night. Our primary role will be to keep families updated and provide support to the Group Organizer to reach a quick and effective resolution.
Host Community and Project Details
Packing List
BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE: (domestic flight)
- 1 × Free carry-on bag (40x30x20 cm)
- 1 × 20 kg Checked-in baggage
CLOTHES (quantities depend on your trip length) :
- Underwear
- Socks (a mixture of good active socks and casual socks)
- T-shirts
- Long sleeve shirts
- Sweaters or sweatshirts
- Warm jacket
- Warm hat
- Scarf and Warm gloves
- Rain jacket
- PJ’s
- Comfortable, everyday pants
- Nice shirt/top to be worn to more formal dinners (girls might want a skirt or something a little nicer for such occasions)
- Comfortable athletic/walking shoes
- Hat
TOILETRIES: BRING THE BASIC TOILETRIES YOU NEED PLUS:
- Sunscreen
- Band Aids and Neosporin
- Hand Sanitizer
- Medication in properly marked original container
MISCELLANEOUS:
- Small backpack to be used as a day pack
- Sunglasses
- Journal and pen
- Book
- Power Converter (UK uses type G, which is the plug that three rectangular pins in a triangular pattern)
- Debit card/US Dollars (we recommend about $50-$150, depending on amount of desired souvenirs, extra items etc.)
- Durable water bottle
- Student ID
Support Team
At a minimum, one experienced Program Leader will travel on every trip. In addition to this full time leadership presence, Walking Tree has additional staff in all destinations and 24/7 support from our headquarters in Denver, Colorado. Below you’ll find the the team members involved in the preparation, planning and execution of your program.
Gabriel Duncan
Co-Founder of Walking Tree Travel and Business Lead - Denver, CO
Colby College – B.A. International Relations and Government
While at Colby, Gabriel spent a semester in Spain at the University of Salamanca studying contemporary Spanish politics and Spanish language. He also lettered for four-years on Colby’s lacrosse team and earned All-American honors. After graduating, Gabriel hit the road. He fished commercially in Alaska, taught in Chile and China, led programs for students in Spain and Costa Rica, and traveled to over 50 countries and all 50 states in the USA. Regardless of where Gabriel is located, he is constantly haunted by his naive faith and unconditional love for Denver sports teams.
Earlham College – B.A. International Studies, Minor in Economics
Born and raised with a big family in Guatemala, JP spent seven years living and studying in the US where he was exposed to highly diverse communities. JP worked as a Wilderness Leader guiding expeditions in the Southwest of the US. After spending two years in New Mexico studying the International Baccalaureate, he moved to Indiana where he spent the next four years at Earlham College. His passion for international affairs brought him to spend a semester in China, and several other Southeast Asian countries. During his time abroad, he spent his summers traveling and backpacking through 15+ different countries, and participating in several service projects. Today JP is based in Costa Rica where he works full time with the Walking Tree team. Juan Pablo also enjoys hosting friends and travelers coming to visit. He’s always down for an exciting road-trip around the country, or even better, around Latin America. He is a long time art and design enthusiast, and a photography aficionado.
Richard Polley
Program Leader
Born and raised in London, Richard gained an MA in Modern Languages from Oxford University, during which course he spent a year teaching English at a Lycee in Strasbourg, France. He has worked as a Tour Manager in the world of educational travel for over 25 years, leading more than 200 tours in that time. He is also a specialized Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and its surrounding regions. He is still just as passionate about combining education and travel as when he started and speaks 4.5 languages. Interests include theatre and skiing, and he is a self-confessed history nerd. At the last count, he had visited 85 countries worldwide…aiming for 100 one day.
Laurent Robert
Program Leader
Laurent is a linguist, educator and travel guide. He has lived and traveled widely in Europe, and he holds multiple passports, and he is a French citizen. He began working as a Tour Manager over two decades ago and has led in excess of 300 tours of students, choirs and sports teams in over 20 countries. He has traveled and lived all around the world and now resides in London, where he specializes in leading tours in the UK, France and Europe and is working as a local blue badge guide in London.
Group Roster
Below is a list of the travelers enrolled on the program.
- 1 Alexander Weinstein
- 2 Andrew Frank
- 3 Avner Belsky
- 4 Beckett Maxson
- 5 Bennett Kelly
- 6 Caitlyn Smith
- 7 Danielle Reed
- 8 Emilie Louie
- 9 Hanley Levine
- 10 Jack Wasserman
- 11 Jeffrey Clark III
- 12 Jeremy Gassman
- 13 Jonah Kaplan
- 14 Jonah Tarshis
- 15 Jyoti Owen
- 16 Katherine Tocci
- 17 Lauren Wright
- 18 Lauren Wright
- 19 Maccabee Anderson
- 20 Miller Cornell
- 21 Natalie Spear
- 22 Quinn Smith
- 23 Quinn Smith
- 24 Reese Alexandris
- 25 Rudy Spolan
- 26 Sam Biglari
- 27 Sarah Menis
- 28 Tiffany Russell
- 29 William Morrison
Blog and Communication
During travel we work hard to keep families updated as frequently as possible with blog posts and photos, giving you peace of mind that your traveler is safe and thriving on their program. Students regularly contribute to these posts, providing families bak home a great way to vicariously track the progress of the trip. You will be notified when the first update is posted, after which we recommend checking in regularly via the black “Program Blog” button at the top of this webpage.
Assuming your school allows the use of cell phones, most destinations are wired enough to allow participants access WiFi at different moments in the program, allowing them to communicate directly with home. Ask your Walking Tree representative about the degree of connectivity on your program.
GLC Curriculum
Walking Tree has developed a curriculum of activities meant to help travelers get the most out of their trip before departure, during travel and after they return home. These simple and engaging activities are meant to spark discussion, frame experiences, and prepare participants to travel ethically and effectively both on this trip and on future adventures.For more information about student learning objectives and the format of the curriculum, click on the ‘learn more’ button below.
To view and complete the Pre-Program Activities, visit our online portal at the button below.
Standards of Behavior
In order to run a safe and successful program, it is vital that travelers are prepared to be on their best behavior and bring enthusiasm and interest to each and every day. A communal atmosphere of trust and mutual respect is the foundational. As such, all individuals participating on a Walking Tree program are required to take responsibility for their actions and adhere to a high standard of personal conduct.
IMMEDIATE DISMISSAL
- Possessing, consuming or distributing alcohol or illegal drugs.
- Associating with participants while they are in possession of alcohol or illegal drugs.
- Behaving in a way that consistently damages the group dynamic or jeopardizes personal or group safety. This includes consistently displaying a negative attitude, intimidating or excluding other participants, sneaking out, disobeying group leaders, and any other behavior that is not conducive to an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.
GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL OR IN-COUNTRY CONSEQUENCE
- Getting a piercing or tattoo.
- Stealing, or deliberately damaging or defacing any personal property, buildings or materials.
- Threatening physical or emotional harm, or brandishing a weapon.
- Possessing, consuming, or distributing tobacco or nicotine, including vape pens.
- Riding mopeds, motorcycles, or any other type of unauthorized vehicle.
- Being out of designated area or accommodations after curfew.
- Breaking group rules.
These standards of behavior are essential for the successful completion of your program. Please take the time to review these as a family and make sure everyone understands and agrees to them.
Health and Safety
Insurance
While we work hard to ensure the safest experience possible for our travelers on program, experience teaches that travel is never without risk. For this reason, we recommend that all travelers consider a travel insurance policy with two additional provisions: Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) and Bed Rest. Detailed explanations of both provisions can be found on the link below.
To provide travelers and families with a quality option, Walking Tree has partnered with Travel Insured International, one of the most respected providers in the industry. Begin by getting a quote here.
IMPORTANT NOTE: in order to secure coverage with CFAR included, you must purchase the plan within 21 days of your deposit/first payment. You must also insure 100% of your trip cost, so program tuition + flight.