Fairmont High School - Maple Leaves Yearbook (Fairmont, WV)

Page 26 text:

Upward Glance One of many sights for the group’s first day in Italy, II Duomo, the majestic Flor- entine church, towers above the city. Counting Blessings After speaking in nine lan- guages, Pope John Paul II greets those in his audience. Several students personally met the pontiff and received his blessing for a safe trip home. Taste Test Not sure of what he's about to eat. Senior Patrick Biaforc ex- amines his food before he begins. Along with learning a foreign language, students also experienced foreign cui- sine. Bear in China Shop Not actually, but English teacher Carol Amos reaches for a hand blown piece of glass in one of the many facto- ries in Venice, Italy. 22 Europe

Page 25 text:

Europe-Bound Headed down the front walk, junior Chris Abies and sen- iors Missy Pride and Kirsten Peters make their way to the bus in the Church of Christ parking lot. Blowin in the Wind Up against strong winds and drizzle. Miss Kathryn Raspa window shops in the Italian town of Assisi. The group experienced rainy weather for a large portion of the trip. Where's the Bus? Excited about the journey ahead of them, juniors Mindy Ford and Shellc Perdue lead a group of students ready to board the buses across Oak- wood Road in the Church of Christ parking lot. Sixty stu- dents and teachers participa- ted in the Nov. 19-30 bi-an- nual trip. Snowy Scene Experiencing snowy weather throughout most of Germany and Austria, the trip stops out- side Garmisch, Germany, to visit King Ludwig's Winter Palace. Europe 21

Page 27 text:

. Operation e Continue lunch and three girls jumped onto the street comer and tried to grab my purse. Luckily, I got away when an Italian man across the street yelled at them, explained Senior Chrisi Hayhurst. On their first day in Rome, they spent their time touring the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon and the Viacoditti, home to the city's most ex- pensive shops. The next day was the most unforgettable one of the trip for students and teachers alike—an audience with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican. The highlight of the trip was our general audience with his Holiness John Paul II. Few people realize that he is one of the three (the other two being the President of the United States and the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the U.S.S.R.) most im- portant and influential men in the entire world. His ability to communicate in nine different and diverse languages was as- tounding, stated Mr. Cimino. After listening to the Pope's address and speaking with him personally, the rest of the day was spent visiting the president's home, the Sistine Chapel, the Trevi Fountain and the Tivoli Gardens for a farewell dinner. Spending Thanksgiving in Venice was a once-in-a-lifetime chance, but when the bus driver insisted on playing Country Roads, most students wished they were having the traditional turkey and dressing back in Fair- mont with their families. This was my first Thanksgiving away from my parents and it was really kind of lonely, commented Sophomore Dave Shackelford. After a quick stop in Garmisch, Germany, for an afternoon of shopping and a night at the disco The Green Tree, everyone was ready to get back to the good old United States where they would be able to commu- nicate without any trouble and eat real American food, even if it did mean also re- turning to algebra homework and after school practices the next day. I enjoyed my trip to Europe, though when I got there, suddenly I was not part of the majority but the minority, and every one was looking at me instead of me looking at them. In Italy though I learned that people are the same all over the world, remem- bered Senior Will Yost.—by Shila Shannon Closed Door After finding the exhibit of the German Crown Jewels closed, the weary Europe travelers plod back to the bus to continue their tour of Munich, Germany. Packing It In Arriving in Frankfurt, Ger- many, English teacher Carol Amos, Alumnus Richard Vig- lianco and Bus Driver Jean- Claude from Luxembourg. Europe 23