My Adventures Abroad: Nouvo Safari Park

Tuesday, October 21

Today we took the 5/6 to a Safari Park in Italy. The bus ride there was rather uneventful, even though Guia made me practice my Italian the entire way there. I think I successfully stumbled through introducing all of the adults and students that were with us. I guess now I know how to say where they are from, what nationality they are, and what language they speak. If I am really lucky I also can also tell them my digits.

My Group

The Park itself was fantastic. It started with a train ride through a park where there were animals wandering around.

A very settling feeling when entering the park with 50 some children and this sign is placed predominantly on the outside.

Ostriches

Camels

Hippos

Zebras

Giraffes

Tigers

And my favorite may be the white lion. I learned on the trip that there are only 20 white lions still in existence and two of them live at this safari park. They were absolutely gorgeous. However, I wasn't able to get a picture because the children were so excited I let them get close to the window. I know, I am such a nice teacher.

After our make shift safari we hiked up to a dude ranch to have a picnic lunch and watch a falcon show.

On the count of three...one...two...three

Draw!!!

The Falcon Show

The whole crew

Then we broke up into groups, which my was the best and went into the rest of the park. This is where I decided I love the fact that I am no longer a homeroom teacher and have to stress about what the kids are suppose to be doing and is everyone in my class alright and happy. I got to wander around with my 6 kids, all of which I have taught in some capacity over the past two years, to where ever they pleased. We skipped out on the aquarium and the reptile room to go straight for the amusement park rides. First stop was a gigantic slide where I raced a 6th grade boy down. He won just by a shoe.

Next stop was a water ride that looked extremely innocent and dry. So we let the children go on it. They each had taken about 4 turns and were coming down with very few sprinkles on their sleeves. Laurent and Mike decided they wanted to go and had a blast, running off the ride insisting that Lizzie and I also take a turn so they could get our picture.

Mike and Laurent showing us all how it's done!

So we waited in line with the kids and they were really excited as well to see us go. We were none the wiser that the children had negotiated with the ride operator to get us soaked. I was in the front and Lizzie in the back, when we went over the first bump. Yes it was a small bump with very little splash. That is until the boat that was coming down the large hill right behind us splashed and soaked us completely through.

Not so happy about that one.

However, we got our revenge. By the end of the ride the entire 5th and 6th grade was soaked and had to get on a bus an hour later.

So we proceeded to the other rides in the sun to try to dry them out slightly. It was great, there was no one else at the park so any rides the kids wanted to go on they went on alone. We completely took over the pirate ship and then the little caterpillar roller coaster.