2024 Timnath Middle School Quebec Program
Travel Dates: |
June 4, 2024 -
June 11, 2024
Dates are tentative until flights are secured
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Group Organizer(s): |
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WTT Contact: |
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Program Tuition: |
$2,990 USD
Airfare not included in program tuition
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Estimated Airfare: | $700 |
Important Reminders
Passport check
Insurance Reminder
Fundraiser
Review all materials
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 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | USA - Québec, Canada | Today the group will fly to Québec City. Upon arrival, we'll settle into our hotel for the evening, have our first delicious dinner of local cuisine and, time allowing, hold a short orientation meeting. | Québec Hotel |
2 | Québec | French classes will take place in the morning. Throughout your time in Quebéc, you'll have plenty of opportunities to put your French skills to use in a variety of everyday situations. We'll have a tasty lunch, students will have some time to explore in smaller groups and interact with locals. This evening we will visit the Huron Traditional Site and discover the history, culture and lifestyle of the Hurons from yesterday to today | Québec Hotel |
3 | Québec | After French classes in the morning, we'll visit the Citadel and Parliament buildings. The Citadel is the oldest military building in Canada and forms part of the fortifications of Old Québec City. The Parliament building is impressive, and here you will be introduced to the history and inner workings of the provincial government. Depending on the time of the visit, we may be able to see the changing of the guard, a ceremonyin which sentries performing ceremonial guard duties at important institutions are relieved by a new batch of sentries. This evening we'll take a ghost tour where costumed guides light their lanterns and take us on a 90 minute adventure through the streets of Old Quebec to hear 400 years of haunting stories! The cobblestone streets and ancient buildings set the stage for a truly unique experience. | Québec Hotel |
4 | Québec - Montreal | French classes will take place in the morning, or a history class in French detailing the rich narrative that led to the settlement of this region. Later we will take a visit to the Chutes Montmorency a few minutes from Quebec City. One of the province's more spectacular sites, the cascading waterfall stands 30 meters higher than Niagara Falls. This afternoon we're off to Montreal! We'll stop at a traditional sugar shack in route to taste many a treat and also learn more about how to harvest maple syrup! Upon arrival to the big city, we'll settle into our accommodations and have dinner in town. | M Montreal |
5 | Montreal | After a morning tour of Montréal's old quarter, we'll have lunch at the city's port and take a bicycle ride around this hip part of town. In the afternoon we will explore the Atwater market, shopping for fresh produce and practicing our French with the vendors. Later we will catch a thrilling performance by cirque du soleil or another local act. | M Montreal |
6 | Montreal | We'll take a tour of McGill University, one of four renowned universities in Montreal.Later on, we'll go hiking on Mont-Royal, where we will see the best view of Montreal. Tonight, we'll celebrate our time spent in country with a final dinner and reflect upon our journey together as a group. | M Montreal |
7 | Montreal - USA | Today the group will fly home. | 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.
Hotel Le Concorde
This 3-star hotel is the ideal place for an urban getaway in Quebec City. Its imposing structure offers a beautiful view of the majestic fleuve Saint-Laurent, of Quebec City and of its numerous parks and green spaces. Free Wi-Fi access throughout the building keeps everyone feeling connected. Students will be grouped in their rooms according to gender and availability.
Group Flight
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
Quebec City is the ideal location to truly immerse yourself in French Canadian culture. We have partnered with a local language school to provide the perfect host family experience to maximize your language learning while in Quebec City. Students will live with families which are located close to the language school near downtown. You will find that homes in Quebec City are very similar to homes in the United States. Some homes may be hundreds of years old and date back to the colonial past of Quebec, while others may be homes built within the past few decades. Quebec City is full of history and provides the perfect setting to transport yourself back in time to the early colonial days.
Packing List
Below is a sample packing list that is provided as a guideline. If something is required it will be specified, otherwise feel free to adjust as necessary. We recommend you bring one larger piece of luggage like a backpack, duffle or suitcase alongside a smaller backpack that you can use on the flights and hikes, weekend excursions and shorter activities.
“Less is more” is a packing tip we encourage for all travelers. We suggest bringing only as much as you are able to carry on your own.
Finally, a few days before departure, it’s a good idea to consult a weather forecast for your destination. If you have questions about what to bring or how to bring it, just ask!
CLOTHES
- Underwear
- Socks
- T-shirts, tank tops
- Long sleeve shirts
- Sweatshirt/sweaters
- Shorts
- Jeans/pants
- Swimsuit
- Rain jacket
- Sturdy shoes (appropriate for lots of walking)
- Sports sandals ie Chacos/Tevas etc. (optional)
- Flip flops (optional)
- Hat/s
BRING THE BASIC TOILETRIES YOU NEED PLUS:
- Sunscreen
- Face masks
- Mosquito repellent
- Band Aids and Neosporin, basic first aid kid
- Hand Sanitizer
- Medication in properly marked original container
MISCELLANEOUS
- Sense of adventure!
- Passport
- Student ID
- Sunglasses
- Journal and pen
- Simple gift for host family
- Book/s
- Camera
- Power Converter
- Debit card/US Dollars (we recommend about $50-$150, depending on amount of desired souvenirs, extra items etc.)
- Durable water bottle
- Quick-dry towel
- Flashlight/headlamp
- Deck of cards or other portable games
- French/English Dictionary
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.
Emory University – B.A. Sociology and minor in Latin American History
During college, Luke spent a semester living and traveling in rural Mexico. His experience sparked a fascination with Latin America and a commitment to community service that continues to this day. Upon graduating from college, he joined WorldTeach and lived with a local family in a small village in Costa Rica while teaching elementary English. After this experience, he moved to San José, the capital and largest city of Costa Rica, and wrote for The Tico Times newspaper. Luke has since traveled to over 60 countries on five different continents. Now settled in Denver with his family, he continues to crave massive helpings of rice and beans.
Cathy Harding
Canada Country Director
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario – Bachelor of Arts, French Major
Cathy grew up in Southern Ontario and now lives in Guelph, a small city about an hour’s drive from Toronto. She caught the travel bug early on, during summer vacations that involved crisscrossing the continent with her parents, grandparents, and five siblings, all loaded into the family station wagon.
At age 11, Cathy was selected to represent Canada at the Children’s International Summer Village in Washington, D.C. While living in a Friends school dormitory, she played games and sports, sampled new foods, and learned how to make small talk in various languages with fellow participants from all over the world. This experience left a lasting impression on Cathy, and it shaped her education and career pathways.
After studying French and German at university, Cathy spent an exciting 10 years as a researcher at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. She happily stayed home to raise her two sons, who are now enjoying their careers in Toronto and Vancouver, before returning to university to become a teacher. Cathy is a Special Education teacher, and she has taught English as a Second Language to school kids, teenagers, university students, and senior citizens. As a homestay coordinator, she brought young people who come to Canada for high school or volunteering together with Guelph families and welcomed them into her life.
Always curious and eager to learn, Cathy has traveled across Canada (although the far north is still on her bucket list), and visited many of the American states, Aruba, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, France, Jamaica, Portugal, and Spain. Wherever she goes, she brings a smile. For Cathy, there are no strangers – only friends she hasn’t yet met.
Group Roster
Below is a list of the travelers enrolled on the program.
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
We strongly recommend visiting the CDC Canada website to get the most updated information on health and vaccination considerations in your destination country. In addition, we encourage you to consult with your personal family physician so you can be as informed as possible when making important decisions about vaccinations and other necessary health-related preparations before travel.
Our in-country staff prepare meticulously for all programs. Walking Tree will register our programs and travelers with the U.S. Department of State Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) in case of emergency. In country staff also verify the safety records of our partner organizations, vendors, and transportation providers, thoroughly vet homestay families via in depth interviews and home visits, and keep up on important current events in the region.
Program Leaders are seasoned travelers who are CPR and First Aid certified, undergo thorough training in crisis management, and participate in a multi-day leadership training retreat. We do our best to prepare for any eventuality and have detailed emergency protocols for our leaders, in-country staff and U.S.-based staff.
We receive medical disclosures from all participants to ensure we are able to meet every students’ needs during the program. Please inform us immediately of any additional health issues that you did not list during your initial registration process. Program Leaders will also hold an online information session before your departure, as well as an arrival orientation in-country, in order to give participants important instructions on food safety, hygiene and preventing injury and illness. Leaders and in-country staff always respond immediately to any mental, physical or emotional health issues and follow comprehensive emergency protocols.
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.