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Student Tour Participants:  If you did not complete our post-tour survey, please do so now.  We can give you through the 4th of July holiday to get it done, but at that point we will need to summarize our data in to a report.

You can really help us by taking just a few minutes to complete the survey.  We care about your opinion, and your thoughts will help shape future tours for our students.

Thanks to those of you who have already done the survey; if you haven't ... well ... LAST CHANCE!

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Germany Retrospective

Shout out to the D99 Honors Jazz Band.......

A special "shout-out" to the D99 Honors Jazz Band for their sounds and ethic during the 2012 European Tour.  This group of student musicians rehearsed twice as long, learned twice as much music, and played twice as many performances compared to the rest of the Honors Band.  The performed with soulfulness and swing, and, deepened the bond between the fabulous Big Band from the Musikschule and District 99.  Kudos to the students and directors for putting in the extra time and effort to make this ensemble a reality.

Thank You

As I was thinking back on the trip, I kept thinking about everything I learned. While it would be impossible to state everything here, I would like to touch on some highlights.

1. How Italian toilets flush
2. That Rick Steve’s travel books are the best
3. The difference between still and sparkling water
4. In German there are three forms of the: Das, Dir, and Die
5. Germans eat four meals a day: Breakfast, Lunch (the biggest), Tea, and Dinner
6. You can eat a pretzel at every meal.
7. In Germany, tiny orange trucks water the plaints
8. People are allowed to run at German pools
9. A bass trombone will fit in the overhead compartment.
10. How Germans celebrate a football victory

I could not have been able to experience many of these without the help of my host family, the Stengers. They were extremely welcoming, and fed me so much food that I have not been hungry since I got home.

I would especially like to thank my host student Magdalena, and her brother Leopold, for their awesome translations for me. I am eternally grateful to you both for making the week great.

Tour Participants: Please fill out our post-tour survey!

Tour Participants:  Please help us improve future tours with the D99 Honors Band by taking a few minutes to complete this survey.  We really appreciate your time, and feedback!

We've invited you to fill out the form D99 Honors Band 2012 - Post Tour Survey. 

To fill it out, visit: 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?fromEmail=true&formkey=dFlGekxKR0l3S0JndnVWMmstSlJhSlE6MQ

We ask tour participants to please complete the survey by midnight on SATURDAY, June 30th.

In Case You Missed It ...

Many students told me they couldn't view our D99 Version of the 'Call Me Maybe' viral video.  This was because it was blocked in Germany (licensing restrictions).  I have posted a link the video on the right hand side of the blog, just above the Tour Trailer.  In case you missed it ...

The mystery of the home stay..........

As a traveling student musician and band director, I've participated in home-stays for what seems like forever. When working to pair students and families, the process, more often than not, just seems to work.  There is something about pursuing excellence in music and performing on an instrument that creates a similarity in personality types that makes a relationship feasible.  I'm not saying this is an exact science - sometimes a pairing occurs that just doesn't work.  But I am saying that for a large percentage of the time, this funny thing we traveling musicians do that is called home-stays just seems to work.

 In 1984, I traveled to Japan with the IU Wind Ensemble and did home stays in several Japanese cities.  Terri and I dated for nine years before we were married in 1989, so I talked about her a lot during my Japanese home stays.   One of my Japanese home stay families sent Terri a wedding gift of a beautiful necklace without ever having met her.  I have amazing memories of traveling with the IU Marching Hundred to East Lansing and Columbus.  The stories unite me with my colleagues from the Marching Hundred across time and distance in a singularly unique manner.  The relationships that are developed during home stays are strong, and frequently, life-changing in a positive way.

I had the distinct advantage of watching a home stay relationship develop as a parent over the course of two trips, one Germany to Downers Grove, and one Downers Grove to Germany.  I was able to meet and converse on several occasions with the family that hosted Josiah and Danny.  They are fabulous people in so many ways.  I offer this observation to every parent right now that is wondering what the host family was like for their student.  While I can't offer specific insight into each instance, I can tell you through personal observation that your student was treated as a family member for just over a week.  I don't know about you, but this makes me want to work even HARDER to be a great host when our German friends begin to visit us again in two years.  This program began as an exchange of music and developed into an exchange of music and culture, but,the roots of this program are the relationships that occur in the homes in both Beitigheim-Bissingen and in Downers Grove.  I can say with extreme confidence that, because of an unusually strong root system, this exchange program grows robustly in both countries.

As a concluding aside, my daughter Allison is traveling Europe this summer with the Blue Lake International Symphony Orchestra.  Her intensive week was June 8th-16th, and her tour is from June 17th to July 12th.  No cell phones, no computers (except for random host family use by a student.)  Quite literally, virtually no contact for just over a month.  During the tour, Allison will stay with 5 host families.  I literally have no worries about this because I believe so strongly in the host family process, and, the growth that occurs in student musicians through participating in a program of this nature.  Like each of you are experiencing currently with your District 99 student musician , I can't wait until Alliison's arrival in Detroit on July 12th to hear the stories of connections and growth, through music and relationships, that she is currently experiencing.

This home stay thing works.  I can't exactly tell you why, but, in both of my children, and in all of yours, I have the chance to observe the growth that occurs.    Across cultures and across countries, we are all more similar than we are different.  The home stay experience allows our students to gain insight into that mystery in a unique manner.  It is the seed of that insight that will continue to produce growth for your student for many years to come.

Saying good-bye to our new friends........

After developing a strong bond in a short amount of time, saying good-bye usually brings a myriad of emotions.  Joy from being enriched and blessed by having your heart expanded through a new relationship.  Melancholy from the recognition that this newly found relationship is drawing to a momentary conclusion.   The day began for the students with a yummy final breakfast at home, followed by a chance to begin the good-byes with the host family at home.  Then, the entire group gathered around the coaches and began the process of saying final good-byes.  The mixture of tears, smiles and laughter was amazing to behold.





Once again, let me express my pride in the students for how they conducted themselves during this process.  The depth of the relationships was clearly apparent during this brief moment in time as we all said, for now, a fond farewell to each other.

A glimpse at a few chaperone teams........

During the course of the trip, each chaperone was assigned a small group of students, usually between 8-10. This became our method of checking-in after excursions, attendance taking, and, of making a large student group a bit smaller through more intimate face to face connections.

In over 20 years of group travel, this group of students ranks among the absolute best in terms of promptness and courtesy.  Everywhere we traveled, the people that had outside contact with our students were completely impressed by their maturity and decorum.

The chaperone teams each took on nick-names for fun during the trip.  Here is a small album of random group photos from Team Duty and Team Smarties.

Sweet Home Chicago!

     After ten days overseas spent in Rome, Italy and Bietigheim-Bissengen, Germany I feel like I have gotten a full experience of the cultures. Seeing things in world history books and experiencing it first hand are two completely differnet things and I cannot believe that I had the chance to go on such an amazing trip with such a wonderful group of people. Leaving Germany and trying to get onto the bus without crying was probably one of the hardest experiences of my life. Getting on the bus and leaving my host family behind, seeing them waving from the sidewalk, was heart-breaking because I feel like I definitely have a new family thousands of miles away. The one thing that truly struck me as we were pulling out to go to the airport were the Musikschule students holding an American flag in front of the buses keeping us from leaving. I think everyone on the buses that could see what was going on was crying from it.
     Jumping back to the night of our last band concert in Germany, I feel like I need a moment to reflect. After the final concert, I realized that it was my last time playing my flute with a set of amazing band directors on a stage in a wonderful country. It was a little hard for me to play the last piece of the concert knowing that it would be the last notes I played within District 99 bounds, but I feel a sense of accomplishment at everything that we have done in Germany during this exchange, and it made it better. I realized that I have my whole life to play my instrument in college and wherever else I end up, and I know that the experiences that I have encountered will never leave me during my journeys ahead.
     So, after eight and a half hours on a plane, a trip through U.S. Immigration, and an hour long bus ride, we are home in Chicago. It's very bittersweet to leave behind everyone I have met overseas, but I know that one day I will go back to Bietigheim and visit my family and friends again. Danke schön to my family and to everyone that I met, to our amazing band directors, and to all those in Germany and the United States that made this exchange possible!

The Melancholy End to My Triple German Life

Alas, I had very little time to blog while in Germany. This does not mean I have any less to say. Actually, I was just so busy juggling the best experience in my life up until now. It was a bit of a juggle just because, in some ways, the tour brought three different lives out of what was so simple before. I love this. I had the chance to embrace three different parts of myself.

First, there was “Tour Me.” “Tour Me” made a ridiculous number of friends. This person saw amazing places, and learned a lot about the tourist places we saw in Europe.

Ryan S, Sam H, and Alexis N. stared down at the mote of the caste in Heidelberg, with the amazing landscape farther in front.

I should definitely mention my pride at being mistaken for German while shopping in downtown Beitigheim. (I’m holding up some makeup that was on sale, which was an item I had forgotten back in the U.S.)

Second, there was “Downers Family Me.” “Downers Family Me” tried to skype my parents every night and stay in touch. This was a difficult task, but I think I did okay. Plus, “Downers Family Me” was always souvenir shopping.

Last, but not least, I lived “German Family Me” every night. In saving the best for last, I have to say how much I have come to love the German people. We were completely welcomed here, and it is almost like home. My hosts, the Schanz family, have treated me as a member of their family. There is no way I could ever thank them enough for that. I came to this country, already homesick and a little scared, but immediately they took me in. This is an unimaginable relief.

Thomas, Matthias, Alex, and Sabine Schanz wore their basketball themed gifts from my mom as soon as they saw them, even though the Euro Cup was on TV.

Here I am in Stuttgart with Sabine and Thomas, who showed me around on my very first day in Germany.

Really, the thing that made this trip a once in a lifetime experience for me has been my host family. I am not able to express the way I feel about these people. They made me feel like I am one of their own. Though I spent all day touring, I wanted to spend every night talking to them.

The Bietigheim-Bissigen residents gave us all so many priceless gifts. The first is a window into their culture. I have learned so much in my time here about the similarities and differences between the US and Germany. The second is the warm welcome into their homes and lives. I feel so much gratitude towards my host family for this. Third, they gave us a standing ovation. After our concerts, their applause was amazing. The sight of my host father, Thomas, taking pictures of me from the audience and the sound of cheers from the crowd… I almost started crying with joy. It means so much to me that a crowd of people I don’t know, who barely speak my language, and live so far away gave us that kind of applause. I love these people with all my heart, and I will miss them so much. The only thing I can say to them is danke schön.  Ich liebe Sie.

22,000 Page Views ... And Climbing

We are about to surpass 22,000 page views for the tour! Four years ago we had fewer than 2,000 for the week.

Thanks to our student and faculty "Team Blogger" for their great work reporting out on their experiences!

Auf Wiedersehen, District 99 Honors Band!

So lange für jetzt, bis wir uns wiedersehen!

Vielen Dank an die Familie Schiffer für einen wundervollen Aufenthalt in Deutschland. So lange für jetzt, bis wir uns wiedersehen!

Reminder: Pick Up at South

We are doing final packing this morning and in just a few hours we will begin our push home.

As a reminder to parents, our pick up point Sunday night will be SOUTH High.

Once we have touched down in Chicago, and have navigated customs, I will post an update with an ETA.

Happy (31-hour) Birthday, Tommy D!

We have celebrated a number of birthdays on our tour, and several presenting unique opportunities to students. Today is no exception. Tommy gets an extra seven hours to celebrate, as we traverse the Atlantic Ocean and do a bit of time-bending.

Happy Birthday Tommy. We hope yo can make good use of your time today!

Farewell Dinner

We have had an absolutely incredible week together in Germany, and I know I speak for everyone when I say we are incredibly grateful to our hosts for their warm hospitality and generous spirit.

Tonight the Germans hosted a beautiful "Farewell Dinner" for all the Americans and their host-families. The food was divine, and of course the socializing was very special.

An "international" trombone choir, made up of German and American students/faculty provided the musical entertainment.

At the end of the evening hosts offered thanks to District 99 for traveling to Germany this summer and shared a special video presentation that recapped our week together.

To close out the night District 99 was presented with the not-so-coveted "Loser's Cup" ... which contains the name and year of each team that has LOST the band exchange soccer friendly. You obviously don't want to ever lose the match, but it's especially embarrassing to lose on the road because you then have to figure out how to immediately pack the trophy and carry it across the ocean.

The Musikschule - showing their great German engineering prowess - had already had the cup updated with the inscription "District 99 Honors Band 2012". D99's team captains (Stephen S. and Josiah W.) can be seen in the final picture with the cup.

Jazz Band @ Rathaushoffest

Congratulations to the Jazz Band on another great concert this afternoon!

Germany vs. USA Freundschaftsspiel

The Musikschule fussball team won today's Freundschaftsspiel (soccer
friendly) 9 - 2. Germany scored within the first minute, but D99
roared back with a terrific goal by Stephen Shatzer off a corner kick
cross by Chris Sheetz. Jack Herstowski was D99's top-secret surprise
weapon, scoring an equalizer in the first half.

The second half was when the Germans showed their true prowess.

Congrats to the Musikschule!

Deutsch Spirit!

Geramny celabrates a big win over Greece last night. Deutsch spirit!



Bloggers Marjorie F. and John S. show some Deutsch spirit!

Even the Fire Department is celebrating!

Video from June 22 Bietigheim-Bissingen Jazz Concert

Video excerpts of Friday night's jazz concert may be found on our YouTube channel here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b_3x4hG4EM

Happy (Belated) Birthday Karrianne F.

We remembered to sing to her on Tuesday morning, but with the concert that day I neglected to post a Happy Birthday message to Karrianne. Es tut mir leid!! We hope you enjoyed your birthday in Germany!

Deutschland Wins Euro Cup Quarterfinal vs. Greece!

It was hard to distinguish Americans from Germans at tonight's public viewing party. Everyone left in a happy mood following Germany's 4-2 victory.

Jazz Band Concert am Freitagabend

The jazz band had a GREAT concert tonight, sharing the stage with the very talented Musikschule Big Band. It was absolutely perfect weather for an open air concert. Congratulations to all our student musicians who performed tonight.

I hope to get some video highlights up online soon, but I've pushed the memory limits of my iPad and need to consolidate some media before I can do more editing in iMovie. Will hopefully get this completed before we head back home.

An apology is in order...

I am very sorry for not posting this past week. I was truly very excited to make some video blogs, but outside circumstances have made that impossible. The hotel we stayed at in Italy had inaccessible wi-fi until the last evening, and my computer had a great level of difficulty accessing it. Here in Germany, my host family does not have wi-fi available either, and their internet hook-up does not work on my computer. I have not been able to find consistent and reliable public wi-fi in Bietigheim-Bissingen either. I apologize sincerely.

However, I am still recording video, and I am still excited, because I will be posting a longer video as a summation of the whole trip when we return (not the moment we return, but a few days after. It will take a bit longer to edit)! It won't be a day-by-day recap, but expect a complete review of the experience and what I thought about the trip as a whole. Sorry again, and thanks very much for waiting!

Home Away From Home

As we enter the last few days before our return, I'm really beginning to appreciate the many amazing experiences I've had on this trip. Of course I miss the family and friends I've left behind, and this busy schedule is starting to wear me out a little, but for all that, I can honestly say that I don't want to go home. At least, not yet! It's so beautiful here, and we've seen some pretty incredible things on our European journey - ruins and castles and so much more.

The biggest reason that I'm not ready to leave, though, is my family. Rather than just some people I'm staying with for a little while, I really think of them as my family after spending this week with them. For example, instead of Mr. and Mrs. Dinkel, I've started to refer to them as "my German mom and dad." They are as good to me as my own parents - and in some ways, they are very similar to my mom and dad back home. It's so nice to feel so comfortable with them - I can really talk to them, ask for what I need, do my own dishes even when they say I don't have to, and tease my German dad when he loses again at the card games we play (something I always do at home!) I feel so lucky to have a family like them.

Even better, I really think they consider me part of their family, too. At least one of my German parents has been at all of my concerts, and they are always quick to congratulate me afterwards. They sound sincerely proud of me, and I can't even tell them how much I appreciate that. They're also willing to help Kyla S. and myself in any way they can - they spontaneously offered to take us shopping tomorrow after we mentioned not having bought many souvenirs. And I've only just today figured out where to put my empty water bottles, because my German mom has insisted on emptying my lunch all week. (Although I suppose I could get used to that.)

My growing relationship with a family half across the world from my home really shows what wonderful things are possible through music. Being a part of the band brought me here; now it's allowed me to form connections with people I never would have met otherwise, and never would have thought similar to myself. It's incredible to realize that, deep down, we are all very much the same. I guess what I'm trying to say is, it doesn't matter how far you are from home - wherever you have people that love you, that's where your family is, and I will be very sad to leave my German one behind.

3 Things I Learned at a German Aldi

Having been to Germany six times now (through my association with the Musikschule Exchange) I am very pleased that there are still many opportunities for personal/professional growth and learning. Today I learned three new things while shopping with my host at the grocery store:







1) In Germany there are VENDING MACHINES at Aldi for fresh baked bread. Really?







2) To use a shopping cart, you must insert a 1 Euro coin into the cart, and then you can unlock it and use it. When you return it ... to the stall at the front of the store where you got it (not in the parking lot next to your car) you get your 1 Euro coin back.








3) There is at least one other man on the planet (in addition to me) that has to call his wife on his iPhone because he can't remember what he was supposed to buy!