Justin Kroll

Staff Writer

On June 16, 2011, a trip to Athens, Rome, and Istanbul intended to fully explore the ancient capitals of very influential cultures around the world will be offered. Dr. Jonathan Cassie, assistant head of school, Dr. Roger Fuller, upper school principal, Dr. Shamsi Katebi, head librarian, Dr. James Lichti, social sciences teacher, and Mr. Beau Lindsay, foreign languages teacher, will lead the trip. Available to juniors, seniors, and a select group of sophomores, the trip will last two weeks and end on June 30.

“This trip gives students an opportunity to see the sights that they’ve read and studied about, but never thought they could see first-hand,” Lichti said. “There’s only so much you can understand about the art and architecture of these places from pictures. Now, students get to immerse themselves in the environment, and walk through the streets of the capital cities of the most influential empires in our modern world.”

Students taking part in this trip will have the opportunity to go to several cities and attractions in Turkey, for the first time including Ephesus, Sardis, the capital of Lydia, the Hagia Sofia, and much more. In total, the teachers plan to spend three full days in Rome, two full days in Athens, three full days in Southern Turkey, and two full days in Istanbul. Katebi is the guide for the Turkish segment of the trip.

This will be the second time that Lindsay and Cassie lead an international trip. The trip will include Turkey for the first time. They are expecting 15-20 students.

“Our focus for the trip is on Greco-Roman and Byzantine culture and art history, but we have set time aside in order to relax and have fun,” Lichti said. “We’ll be spending time hanging by the Mediterranean Sea and going shopping, but at the same time we really want the students to absorb the cities.”

Registration for the trip will begin soon and the faculty is already very excited.

“To travel in the footsteps of antiquities’ greats, in the three centers of ancient cultural and political power, and to experience these cities as the vibrant hubs they are today, I can hardly imagine a more rewarding way for a student to spend their summer,” Lindsay said.