AAVE Trip BLOG » Bold Europe
July 1, 2008
Bonjour Bonjour! Bold Europe (BE1)
Posted by AAVE Leader in : Bold Europe , add a comment
Bonjour!
We have all come together safely and happily and cannot wait to get going on our exploration through Paris and checking out the Eiffel Tower!!!!! Yay! The chocolate is amazing and we all can’t wait to try the bread and cheese too! Be sure to check out our blog for more stories as we travel deeper into Paris (such a great culture!). We look forward to getting our bodies moving through some hiking and rock climbing. Can’t wait to share more!!
January 26, 2008
European Teen Summer Camp; Trip of a Lifetime!
Posted by AAVE Camper in : Bold Europe, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
Everything was successful. Every aspect of the trip, the people, the cities, the camp sites and the activities were so amazing it is still hard to believe that I spent the summer in Europe with people who have become some of my best friends. On the very first day all 15 of us instantly bonded. The second we were all together at the campsite, we started to play games and talk to each other while the leaders were off cooking dinner. It was absolutely amazing how all of us were so similar and so outgoing, ready to make the person sitting next to them their best friend. Honestly, I expected that there would be a few people who didn’t really want to open up to new friendships and would kind of be off by themselves, but there was not one person with whom I could not talk about anything, personal or humorous. The activities and places we went would not have been the same without the people on the trips. When it came to the hostels and campsites, we all were very impressed with the quality and class of each place. The campsites were in beautiful locations, and in charming towns. I believe that my first experience in Europe was so special because of the small towns we went to and the long car trips through the countries. I know several people who have been to France or Spain or Italy, who have only been to the major cities and don’t understand the true beauty in a foreign country because they have not experienced the old towns with small grocery stores in which you can only speak the Spanish or French. I am grateful that for my first time overseas I was able to really experience the culture and the history of Europe with the most amazing people I have ever met.
-Camper, Genevieve Stack, BE
Peter had a ball. He loved the kids and he loved his leaders. This trip was not something I would have expected him to choose because in the past, he has insisted on doing things with a friend. And, he is a boy who likes his creature comforts so to choose such a rugged trip was a shocker. That’s why the fact that he got along so well is all the more important. He has described his AAVE experience as “the best summer of my life.” So thank you and I look forward to sending Peter on another AAVE trip next summer!
-Parent, Amy Barr, BE
Absolutly successful, it was my most amazing summer and I can’t wait to do another one, it met my every expectation and i had an amazing time!!
-Camper, Peter Barr, BE
Aaron LOVED his trip to Europe. He didn’t have anything negative to say.
-Parent, Judy Felder, BE
Andrew had a great overall time this summer. He said he really felt he got to connect with everybody in his group in addition to the trip leaders. He enjoyed the camping and being active all the time and felt that this really helped the group come together even more. This trip was extremely successful and I would recommend it to anybody.
-Parent, Eileen Eisbrouch, BE
I really loved this trip and thought it was extremely successful. I thought the group was really cohesive and we really got to know each other well. The leaders were very responsible and we were always active 24/7.
-Camper, Andrew Eisbrouch, BE
John was responsible for identifying AAVE, selecting the trip he wanted, and persuading us that this would be a great thing for him to do. We were impressed by the way AAVE is set up, the thoroughness of organization, and the level of contacts. As for the trip - I envied him the opportunity, and would have liked to join him!
The contact from the airport in Paris gave us further confidence - and because John has always displayed his own self-confidence and demonstrated his ability to deal with things, we knew that he would do well.
His reports of the trip have been glowing ones - all of his expectations appear to have been met or exceeded, and it is clear that he had a wonderful time. He is now primed to repeat some of his experiences, and has developed further confidence in his own ability to organize and travel by himself or with friends - perhaps some day he would be a good candidate for an AAVE leader.
-Parent, John Hammond, BAP
The whole trip was a success. I had doubts before we left about how the group would come together to function but all of that was lost within the first day. The organization was top notch and I can’t think of any way to improve the Bold Europe trip.
-Camper, John Hammond, BAP
The trip was well organized but not to the point of being inflexible. The counselors seemed to be able to balance friendship with the needed amount of authority. I loved that the campers had to plan, shop & prepare their meals. The CO office was also clearly well run as evidenced by the really helpful, frequent & informative emails.
-Parent, BOokman
Nicholas talked about his leaders with such joy and respect!! The activities were exciting but the counselors and kids made it a wonderful memory! Nicholas would love to go on another adventure with Nate.
-Parent, Nic Rubel, BE
I had such an amazing summer with AAVE. What was successful about my trip was the learning and bonding experiences. I learned so much about Europe’s culture and language. I thank you so much for the opportunity. It was defiantly a successful trip.
-Camper, Cyndi Ruebel, BE
AAVE fulfilled every positive expectation we had, and then some. It was impeccably organized and supervised, with intelligence, energy and wit from beginning to end. We are proud, pleased and privileged to be part of the AAVE family. Thank you so much.
-Parent, Ari Mygatt, BE
Nothing was unsuccessful. I was surrounded by great people and got to see a zillion sights that I otherwise would have had to wait years and years to see on my own. I also got to take part in activities I could easily have gone my whole life without having even heard of (IE: Via Ferrata) which were always ALWAYS enjoyable.
-Camper, Pamela Viscomi-Yates, BE
August 13, 2007
Bold Europe #2A - France, Spain, Italy!
Posted by Jenny at AAVE in : Bold Europe, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
Hello Bold Europe Families!
Sort, Spain:
Leaving France, we headed for Sort, Spain where we camped for 4 nights. It was a relief getting to a nice campsite after a long drive and knowing that we were going to do our laundry. Our first day started off with canyoning. Alejandro and Baldo, the instructors, made canyoning fun and easy despite the wetsuits that made us feel like granolas. The next day was a full day of rafting. The views wer beautiful, and the adventure intense. Continuing our journey in Sort we kayaked putting our coordination to the test. After, we participated in a community service project as we paddled our kayaks and picked up trash around the lake to preserve the wildlife and improve recreational opportunities. We rewarded our hard work by dancing the night away in Sort. We all had a good time dancing together and it was a good way to end our last night in Sort along with everyone sleeping outside under the stars.
Barcelona:
Hola from Barcelona! In Barcelona we stayed at a really nice hostel for 2 nights. Once we got to our rooms we relaxed and showered. The next day was full of sightseeing. It started off in the Gaudi-designed Guell Park where we saw all the colorful mosaics, the long bench and the iguana. Along the way we made our usual ice cream stop and continued to the amazing La Sangrada Familia. After sightseeing we took a long walk to the beach - but it was definitely worth it! Dinner was at the beach once everyone dried off after tanning and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea. Las Ramblas was next, which was an interesting experience between shopping and seeing the people perform in the street. Barcelona ended with eating paella and having a fun last night in an awesome hostel.
Leaving Barcelona we returned to France and a campsite with mountains surrounding us in every direction. This marked the half way point in the trip. The first day began with rock climbing. It was a great accomplishment getting to the top beacause it was steep and slippery. Our next activity was mountain biking with our really funny instructor, Dominique. We started warming up first doing little obstacles and competing who could bike the slowest without stopping. Some biked with ease while others struggled more, but the ride was mostly downhill so it was fun for everyone. The highlight of the bike ride was riding downhill with the wind in our hair surrounded by vineyards and nice views. It was an active two-day stay, and we were ready to relax near Nice!
The French Riviera is amazing! On the way to the hostel we got to see the beach with the light blue Mediterranean. Once we got to the hostel we met up with a lady called Geraldine who told everyone that we could call her anytime if we wanted anything. Before the next day we did our second laundry stop. The long day ended on a good note when we all went out for ice cream by the beach for Hilary’s birthday. In the morning we all got a taste of breakfast in France with hot chocolate. Later we split into groups to shop and have lunch. It was really funny watching Hilary jump into the fountain while others in other group had fun jumping on the big trampoline in the middle of the park! In the afternoon we all met up at the beach where we just relaxed or swam in the water.
The Mercantour:
Via Ferrata was a new activity for everyone which we tried after leaving Nice. At first it looked really crazy because it is literally climbing vertically up a mountain wall attached on ropes and climbing metal bars. We had a lot of fun though and it was great to see those who had a fear of heights keep going. Then we went to our new campsite which was really cool because we were surrounded by mountains and had a river to hang out by. Later we went canyoning for the second time of the trip. It was a long, hot hike to the canyon with our gear on our backs but it was lovely to get in the water once we arrived at the canyon. This time there were more jumps into the water and more slides and swimming. Some of the jumps were nerve-racking but everyone cheered and encouraged each other to do it so it was fulfilling. “Little Buddy” the bag also came with us to hold our stuff and do the jumps. After canyoning, the next two days were spent in the wilderness on the border between France and Italy. When we got there we met our guides, David and Johanne. David was really cool with dreadlocks and a lot of knowledge about the area. We went on a hike and David showed us the different berries, plants and animals in the area and we ate blueberries and red currants straight off the bushes. Dinner that night was the best one yet because David cooked so well for us. Then we went to bed in tee-pees. The next morning we woke up at 6am for an all day hike up a mountain. Then we returned to our campsite and prepared to begin the final leg of our journey in Italy Europa…
Written by Britney and Elisa
July 11, 2007
Hola!!! Bold Europe 1
Posted by Nate at AAVE in : Bold Europe, General AAVE Trip BLOG , 1 comment so far
We are in Barcelona- currently in the most amazing hostel known to mankind!! After spending about a week in some very nice camp sites, throughout France and Spain, the old mansion on the hill top, overlooking this amazing city, is very awesome!!!
After leaving Paris a week and a half ago, we drove about 10 hours in the pouring rain to beautiful Southern France. We all agreed that those 10 hours flew by due to the beautiful scenery and great conversations and music!
In Southern France we were surrounded by gorgeous fields and vineyards. Our first day was filled with excitement! We went river walking in spectacularly clear water, and then throughout that night we hiked (with out lights) up Mt. Ventoux. It was an amazing experience that built our individual character and ultimately created trust and true friendships within our group.
Once we entered Spain we immediately began our adventures. We canyoned this past Saturday, and rafted the whole next day. Our competitive nature came through in both of these activities, which made the activities that much more exciting! In Barcelona we swam in the Mediterranean Sea and explored the beautiful city the next day. There is only more fun to come, and we cannot wait!!!
Genevieve, Henslie, Killian
September 21, 2006
Teen Camp in France, Spain, Italy!
Posted by Jenny at AAVE in : Bold Europe, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
“This trip exceeded my expectations. Melissa had the time of her life. Honestly she loved every minute of the trip. From start to finish she was blissfully happy. This trip was fantastically well organized.”
-Nancy & Allen Shapiro
September 6, 2006
Teen Adventure Camp in France, Spain, Italy
Posted by Chris in : Bold Europe , add a comment
Talia Kwartler from Bold Europe 2 sent us this great evaluation of her AAVE experience.
Talia’s Parents Feedback on Bold Europe …
This was a wonderful trip in all respects. Talia had a fabulous time and learned a tremendous amount. It was a big confidence booster for her, and we are very happy.
Talia’s Feedback on Bold Europe …
I loved my trip this summer. I thought we saw alot of really interesting things and covered alot of stuff. The night hike was amazing (hard, but fulfilling) and I would definitely recommend that and do it again. River walking was also alot of fun. And the way that the trip organized the night hike, with letting us nap and then sleep in when we got back and chill out by the pool and go into town and have a down day, was really great and I wasn’t very tired the next day.
Sort, Spain was alot of fun also. I also really liked driving through Andorra to get to Spain. The camp site in Sort was great, we had alot of space and it was right by the river which was nice. Rafting was alot of fun and I really enjoyed it. Barcelona was also amazing. The beach in Barcelona was beautiful as well, and it was great because we went there two days in a row. The camp site we went to when we went back to France was really good also. We had a TON of space, our camp site was gigantic which was really good because the guys had lots of space to play frisbee and stick cup.
Cap D’Ail was really incredible. The hostel was absolutely gorgeous, the rooms were big, the food was good, the view was amazing, the bathrooms were clean, and the guy that ran it was really nice. I also really liked walking into Monaco, I thought it was really cool that you could just walk between countries so easily. The canyoning in France was absolutely incredible. Italy was really fun as well. Biking in Tuscany was a lot of fun, the vineyard was really cool too. Sienna was also amazing, and we got really good gelato and wandered around. And the last place we stayed - the castle in Labro - was so great. It was my birthday and I absolutely loved it. We had this amazing meal that the lady made us and the rooms were really clean and nice and it was just a really great place to end our trip. All in all the trip was incredible, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Talia’s Feedback on her Trip Leaders …
Neall Epstein: Neall was an amazing counselor. He led the group well, doing it in a really mellow way. He also really took time to get to know every camper, whether it was joking with Henry and Johnny about Mitch Hedburg and Chappelle’s Show or when Neall and I would pretend to speak in hebrew to each other because we were the only Jewish people on the trip. Neall is also just a really funny guy, and in addition to being a really great counselor, he was just alot of fun to have around.
Sarah Bonte: Sarah was incredible. We had two vans and hers was always a ton of fun. We would sit with two people in shot gun and it always seemed like Sarah was just having really good conversations with anyone she would sit next to. Sarah epitomizes Hawaii chill in a really great way, she always knew what had to be done (she was really helpful when it came to cooking) and alot of times when we would get lost (which we did, but it turned out to be fun anyway) Sarah would take charge and figure out where we were going. Sarah is just an awesome person, and another really incredible counselor.
Jennifer Arnold: Jen was great, she was a counselor but at the same time like a camper as well. She was just a ton of fun to be around, and she was always nice to everyone. Jen and I had alot of fun together, whether it was her helping me during the night hike or when we were whitewater rafting and we were in the front and would save each other from falling out, Jen was just amazing. She was also really cool about uploading her pictures, and uploaded them to a shutterfly account we made so we could all have them. Even though it was her first year as a counselor, Jen really stepped up and did a great job as a leader.
August 3, 2006
Teen Summer Camp in Europe
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Thirteen teenagers land at Charles de Gaulle Airport in the heart of Paris on the 17th. Most of the kids study Spanish at school and soon you get the feeling that the two French words you know “Bonjour” and “Merci” won’t help if you are lost. But step past the security gate to the waiting room to see a friendly face: your AAVE trip leaders waving, almost obnoxiously enthusiastic considering it is 7:00 AM and you have been flying for 10 hours. Still you know from the start that you are in the right place. The group congregates in the airport, passing the awkward first few hours playing cards and name games and swapping airplane stories. The Mid-Westerners, nick-named the “MOUBS” form a bond immediately.
All were thrilled to take their first step on French soil (even waxy airport tile). The first night was passed at a camp site a few hours away from the capital. Dinner was awkward with jet lag silence but our group found ways to connect: a Frisbee, pain au chocolat, baguettes (our new French word!), Dave Chappelle, Mitch Hedberg (comedian), Red Hot Chili Peppers, excitement for the trip. At the camp site some got their first taste of camping: cooking dinner, cleaning, showering less, bugs in your sleeping bag. Near the camp site we spent one day bouldering (sort of a less intense rock climbing). The following day we took the train into the capital city to hit up all of things France is known for: The Notre Dame, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre Museum, the Champs Elysees shopping district. We spent the night in a hostel in the city, youth hostels being a key part of international travel.
The following day we went on a river walk in the South of France, which sounds uneventful, but the chilly crystal clear water falls and pools provided tons of fun. That night after an Alfredo pasta dinner we laced up our boots, filled the Nalgenes and zipped up our day packs (night packs) and departed on our overnight hike to the summit of Mount Ventoux. Roughly 6 hours later, the exhaustion, stomach-aches (from the Alfredo) and sore feet payed off as we watched the sun (which was later named Steve) rise through the haze above the mountains. Next, was recovery (hours of sleeping, continuously moving the Therm-a-rests to avoid the blaze of Steve (the sun).
The next page in the x-book read Sort, Spain. Faced with some seriously scrambled “directions” our fearless leaders put the (stick shift) vans in gear and drove us through the wealthy speck of a country, Andorra, where we all gazed out of the van windows to view women draped in Channel and Gucci and diamonds. The guys driving their Ducatis and Mercedes had mullets (!?).
Finally we found Sort, Spain. We set camp and got to bed not knowing what lay ahead. 7:00 AM breakfast. 8:00 AM Canyoning, a combination of river walking, rock climbing, rapelling inside one of the sweetest natural water parks ever. Listening to the guide’s instructions in broken English, a few of us tried our skills in the Spanish language and to much surprise exceeded our own perceptions of our Spanish abilities. Successfully navigating the canyon with only minor bruises we set off in a couple kayaks on our community service project picking up trash in the river.
The next day we embarked on a different river in different boats. This time it’s a fleet of rafts on a class III and IV rapids. The day slowly turned into a rivalry between the rafts; by the end even the guides were jumping to pirate the other ships (basically throwing everyone off). Our final day in Sort was spent aside a lake deep in a National Park. The group relaxed in their bikinis and Speedo’s (yes, us guys have actually accepted them), listening to music, doing Yoga, and trying to impress a group of handicapped elderly with some sweet gymnastics.
Switching scenery, we drove out of the mountains and to the beaches of Barcelona. No need for tents and stoves. We were in another hostel! (After experiencing 2 hostels, we have concluded that Quentin Tarantino was way off in his portrait of Hostel Life. There are NO kidnappings, topless women or murders. No need to fear parents. We are safe!)
After playing in the waves and getting some sun (again the guys wore their Speedos) we walked to Las Ramblas to see the street performers and shop at the street vendors. The next day we went to la Sagrada Familia (a Gaudi Cathedral that has been under construction for almost 140 years and still isn’t completed. After we went back to the beach and continued working on our tans. That night we took an easy stroll into the Gaudi Park to see the famous lizard, however the walk back to the hostel wasn’t as problem free. (The unreadable maps strike back.) To distract from the fact that we were lost in Barcelona, two guys from the Midwest decided that the walk would be much more enjoyable in their Speedo’s and nothing more (enough said).
That concluded our Spain experience. The next day we left the land of “Si” and returned to the land of “Oui” at the dismay of all the Spanish students. So now you are caught up. These have been our adventures and if you excuse us, there are Frisbees to be throws, guitars to be played, mountain to be climbed.
Connor and Henry – BE 2
P.S.: One camper showed everyone how to split an apple in half with his bare hands. Nearly everyone has done it!
July 12, 2006
Bold Europe Teens: World Cup, Paella, Rafting, Biking and more
Posted by admin in : Bold Europe, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
Hola from Espana!!
Just wanted to drop in and give a quick trip update to let you all know how much fun we´re having! (This email is being sent to make all readers extremely jealous, so be prepared) 
So far, this trip has been more than amazing with great, energetic campers and tons of fun activities. A major highlight in France was definitely hiking through the night to the top of Mont Ventoux (with perfect timing, I might add) for a great view of the sunrise at the summit.
Not long afterwards, we headed down to the Spanish Pyrenees for canyoning and rafting…we´re now all professional river navigators!!
We got right in with the locals to see the World Cup game in the small town of Sort, which was a perfect night out. Sorry to all you French soccer fans, but…VIVA ITALIA!! Then it was on to Barcelona for a great tour of the city, wonderful and unique shopping, an intriguing visit to the Picasso museum, and some delicious Spanish paella for dinner…yummy! We´re, of course, sad to leave Spain, but now we´re headed back to France for some rock climbing and mountain biking. Yay!
This trip is go go go, and we´re loving every minute of it! Bold Europe 1 officially sends its love to all of you out there, and we´re sorry you can´t be here with us!! Thank you for having such amazing kids. Bold Europe is a bold beautiful blast!
Hasta luego BE1
Crystal Paolliello
Stacey Schmidt
Chris Prior
June 1, 2006
Posted by admin in : Bold Europe , 1 comment so far
Hi, This is Neall in Europe. I am a little crazy when it comes to sports! I LOVE SUMMER and can’t wait to see you on the Bold Europe TRIP!
see you soon. write back!
Neall
Bold Europe 4Ever!!
Posted by admin in : Bold Europe , add a comment
hey, everybody
This is Crystal Paoliello! I love any opportunity to go camping, play games and get to know new people. I also welcome any chance to kick a ball or throw a frisbee.
CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU ALL!
Luv,
Crystal