DKG International Convention New York

The Delta Kappa Gamma International Convention 2012

July 23 - 29, 2012 - New York City            

Central Park from 36th Floor

For thirty years I have been a member of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, a prestigious organization of women teachers, from of 18 countries (we just added Japan). Every other year DKG holds an International Convention and this summer it was in New York City. Since Paul, my husband, chose to stay home, I went with my travel friends from Medford, Carolee and Charlene. We flew non-stop from Portland to JFK on Monday, July 23 so that we could have a chance to do some touring on Tuesday before meetings started that night. The convention was held at the Sheraton Hotel, 7th and 53rd.

We were up early for the 8:00 AM tour to Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty, which was closed for renovation. Then we had time to explore Ellis Island where many immigrants landed and entered the United States.

Instead of taking the bus back to the hotel, we stayed in the Financial District and walked around the World Trade Center area where we observed the progress on the new towers. We then walked to Wall Street.

Taking the subway back to Times Square was an adventure. Thanks go to a number of friendly, helpful people; we bought our tickets, walked onto the right train, and off at the right station.

Carolee and the Subway map

Tuesday night was the official start of the convention with the opening meeting and formalities. The highlight for me was the keynote speaker, Tori Murden McClure, who as the first woman and first American to ski to the geographic South Pole and the first woman to row alone across the Atlantic Ocean. What an inspiration as she challenged us to “Dare Mighty Things.”

Wednesday morning we started early with a breakfast for our Oregon delegation. The General Meeting filled the rest of the morning. The Roll Call indicated there were 1,775 members in attendance. During the convention there were almost 120 workshops available, so I had to make serious decisions. In the afternoon I attended two workshops. One on Geocaching was very interesting and informative. This is something I’ve been thinking of doing; looking for items using GPS coordinates. The second session was on Travel Apps and packing ideas. Many points I already knew but there was one I had not considered. If you are traveling as a single, or not with your spouse or persons who would need to come assist you if something happens to you when you are out of the country – be sure THEY have a passport. Bet you never thought of that one!!!

Charlene and Carolee

In the evening we attended The Book of Mormon at the Eugene O’Neill Theater. It was my first Broadway play. I really enjoyed the play and the small theater where we had excellent Mezzanine seats, thanks to Carolee, who was in charge of plays and seats for the trip.

Grace and Charlene at NBC

Thursday started early as we met a very large group of members at 6:30 for the walk to Rockefeller Center to appear, en mass, for the Today Show on NBC. There were many of us on the square. At one point they announced (should have been known ahead of time) that NBC was broadcasting live from London, so many of the group walked the several blocks to Times Square and the ABC Good Morning America Show. We decided to go back to the hotel and have our breakfast.

There were two workshop sessions in the morning. I attended one on “Road Scholar, Lifelong Learner.” It was about the former Elderhostel program, which has lots to offer for both domestic and international travels. The second session I attended was about financial investments.

The Birthday Celebration Luncheon celebrated the 83^rd anniversary of DKG. Besides lunch, the time was used to recognize members receiving doctoral degrees, international scholarships, the Achievement Award, and the “Distinctive Service to Education” Media Award, which went to NBC. Since there wasn’t a speaker, we had an early start on our afternoon adventure.

NY Public Library

Charlene in Genealogy Room

Since we had tickets for a play Friday night at the Shubert Theater, we set off toward Times Square to locate the theater. We walked through Bryant Park, enjoying some shade under the trees. Carolee is a librarian and was particularly interested in revisiting the New York Public Library, which is a beautiful building. This was Charlene’s first visit and it was fun showing the sites to her. We made a special stop at the genealogy room especially for Charlene, since this is her specialty. The last stop was Grand Central Terminal, another gorgeous old building. Of course, a stop there had to include a visit to the very large Apple Store on the mezzanine. 

Grand Central Terminal (Station)

After a quick stop at Rockefeller Plaza we headed back to the hotel. A quick check with the Weather Channel indicated there was a huge thunderstorm heading toward New York City and due to hit our area at dinnertime. Our decision to have dinner in the hotel was a wise one because the weather turned very nasty, and we watched heavy rain and lightening from the room.

Janet, Madaline and Grace

Friday morning started with the Regional Breakfasts. Oregon is in the Northwest Region. The breakfast was delicious and served hot, on hot plates. I’ve never seen that done before. It was nice to be with a smaller group and sit with friends. There were 20 Oregonians in attendance. Again the morning was filled with workshops. I attended one about how to write one’s life story. This was to gain information so I can help a neighbor write about her fascinating life. The second was for DKG Chapter Historians. I went because I have just accepted the job of Historian (with assistants) for my chapter. Both sessions provided lots of good ideas.

After a quick lunch at a Deli (this seems to be the way many NY’ers have lunch) we were back for the Third General Session. The leaders announced the results of the International Officer Election. We also finished updating the organization’s Standing Rules. All went quite smoothly.

Before long we were heading out for dinner and the Shubert Theater to watch Memphis. The play was very good with lots of music and dancing from the 1950’s era in the South. After the play we walked back to Times Square. I don’t know if it was because it was Friday night, or just night, but the square was packed with people, a very awesome experience. Unlike the night before, the weather was warm and clear. It was another very late night before we were in bed. 

Charlene, Carolee and Grace in Times Square

 Saturday morning we slept in and skipped the Celebration of Life memorial service, but made it to the last General Session at 10:00. It was announced that, including 240 guests, the attendance at this convention was 2,022. The meeting was over at 12:00. We had tickets for a walking tour of Central Park but somehow we did not double check the time, so went for some lunch first. When we returned there was no one there, and on looking closely discovered that the tickets said 12:30. Oooops. We decided to walk up to the park where we took a horse-drawn carriage ride through the park. As it turned out, it began to rain and we were very happy to be riding in a covered carriage instead of walking. Our driver gave us a guided tour.

Carriage Ride in Central Park

Presidents' Banquet

We spent the rest of the afternoon packing and getting ready for the evening activities. First there was a reception and the Presidents’ Banquet then the new International President received the gavel for the next biennium. I have to say that for a banquet serving over 1,000 people, the meal was again served with hot plates and then the steak, veggies and potato dish was served individually to everyone. The steak was perfectly cooked and very tender. The only down side was the very cold room. It was sad to have another great International Convention come to a close. This was my fifth and hopefully not the last.

Sunday morning we finished packing, had breakfast we bought the day before and kept cold in the little refrigerator we had in the room. We dropped the keys in the checkout box by 11:00. As we went out to hail a cab, the bellman suggested we take a Town Car. It turns out that on Sundays they have them available for the same cost as the fixed rate cab. The nice lady driver explained that she works for a corporation and when she drops off a fair she picks up people at the hotel. She explained that she was a teacher in her home country, Jamaica, and we compared teaching stories. She took us up over the Queensboro Bridge for a better view than the Queens Midtown Tunnel we took coming into town. 

There was a fairly long wait at the airport, but we had lunch and bought some food to take aboard for dinner. It was a good thing, since the airplane crew was about out of everything when they got to us in row 29. We boarded on time, but had to wait on the plane for quite a while because of bad weather in the area, but not over us. This put us a half hour late into Portland and a very tight connection for Carolee and Charlene, who were going on home to Medford.

 It was good to be home. Now my work starts as I am our state co-webmaster and there are new things to add to the state website. I also took many photographs, which I will turn over to our state editor for use in The New Oregon Trail, our state publication.

That's it for now. Grace

West Africa Odyssey 2012 - Morocco

Morocco: Agadir, Marrakech, Casablanca, Home

April 27 - 29, 2012

Aboard National Geographic Explorer

Captain Kruess waves goodbye

Friday, April 27 found us docked in Agadir, Morocco, our final ship based destination. As with all ship trips, that final morning was hectic with early rising, bags out, breakfast and then waiting for the right disembarkation time. By 8:30 we were all loaded into the big buses for the three-hour drive to Marrakech. On the way we made one short rest stop.

The first destination in Marrakech was a beautiful 12-acre garden designed by Jardin Majorelle and built in the 1920s. We took some time to walk through the lush garden with a wide variety of plants. It was restored by Yves St Laurent after 1950 and has been open to the public. The special blue color used in the garden was named after Majorelle.

By 1:00 it was past time to arrive at the Sofitel Marrakech Hotel where we would spend the night. Lunch was a buffet with a variety of local dishes. Since it was so early, many in our group did not get their room assignments until later.

We went to some very interesting places during the afternoon tour. As we drove through the city we passed the Koutoubia Mosque. Its minaret towered prominently over the landscape but we did not go inside.

The next stop was the Bahai Palace. Si Moussa, grand vizier to the sultan, built it in the late 19th century for his private use and to house his harem. There are two acres of gardens and rooms that open onto courtyards. The walls, doors and ceilings are detailed carvings and paintings.

We made the obligatory stop at a higher-end shop that carried a wide variety of handcrafts form throughout the country. The selection also included carpets. I resisted everything but a number in our group found things they liked and wanted.

To continue the shopping opportunities, the next stop was at the huge market place, called “Souks.” This is a labyrinth of narrow streets lined with small individually owned shops. There was about anything available that a person would want to buy. It was a good thing our guide led us through because getting lost would have been easy. The area was both colorful and interesting.

We exited the Souks onto the Djenaa El Fna Square, a large open area occupied by locals and tourists. A variety of storytellers, musicians and performers changes throughout the day and evening. The square is so important to the history of the area. UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity has preserved the area, which was threatened by economic development.

At this point there were plans to enjoy some refreshments at a restaurant but our entire group voted to skip it and go directly back to the hotel. It was late, and we would not have very much time to spruce up for the dinner.

The Farewell Dinner was held at the Stylia Palace, which dates back to the 1400s. After a short bus ride we walked what seemed like a long way back through the Souks. Along the way there were men holding torches and groups of singers and dancers. This was a very impressive walk but we were kept moving or we would again have become lost.

The dinning room in the palace was very ornate. It was large with a high ceiling and beautifully decorated walls and chandeliers. The floor was covered with carpets and the tables were elaborately set. Dinner consisted of a number of typical local courses and included wine and desert.

Paul, Grace, Richard, Mary Ann, Judy, Frank

For entertainment there was a small group of musicians and a belly dancer. We sat with our friends with whom we had spent most of our dinners throughout the cruise. It was sad to realize that our time together was ending. Since it had been a long day we walked back through the Souks where all the stalls were now closed, and caught the first bus back to the hotel.

Saturday, April 28 we rose early for breakfast and departure to the airport for the short flight to Casablanca. We regretted not being able to see the city, but were confined to the airport to catch our Royal Air Moroc flight to New York, where we arrived in the early evening. The flight was uneventful but eight hours is long, no matter how you look at it. We spent the night in a hotel near JFK.

Sunday, April 29 we caught a reasonably timed series of flights from NY to DC to Denver on finally arrived in Tucson, Arizona where we spent the next month.

The whole trip was a great adventure and allowed us to visit many exotic places that had not been on our wish list. We are still working on absorbing all the history and cultures that we had an opportunity to experience.

Who knows where we will head next. Stay tuned, and thanks for reading.

That's it for now. Grace and Paul

West Africa Odyssey 2012 - Canary Islands

Canary Islands: Tenerife and Day at Sea

April 25, 2012

Aboard National Geographic Explorer

The Canary Islands are located a little over 60 miles west of Morocco and Western Sahara. They consist of seven islands,  belong to Spain, and are a member of the EU. The Canary Islands were named after some form of dog, as in canine, and there is much speculation as to why.

Wednesday, April 25 we had several lectures in the morning as it took until about 2:00 in the afternoon to arrive in Tenerife. We went alongside the dock behind the large Holland American Ryndam. Tenerife has about five million tourists a year. The main city of Santa Cruz is one of the two capitals in the islands.

The four-hour-long tours of the island ran from 3:00 – 7:00. Our first stop was a mile-long beach where they had imported over 200,000 tons of sand from the Spanish Sahara. It was cool and windy, which made us glad we had not chosen to spend the afternoon at the beach.

The drive took us up into the Anaga Mountains on a very windy road though remote ravines, villages and forests. At one viewpoint we could see the coast on the north side of the island.

As we drove nearer the top sumit the fog started to roll up and over us, obstructing any further views. There was a rest stop in the Mercedes Forest, but no view.

La Laguna

After another windy drive along a different route, we arrived at La Laguna, Tenerife’s second most important city. It was the island’s capital until 1723. It is the cultural and religious capital and full of 17^th and 18^th century monuments, palaces, and traditional homes.

La Laguna is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We spent about a half hour walking through the town and enjoyed the architecture and almost car-free streets.

Back at the ship, we ate dinner. The ship remained docked until 11:30 allowing passengers to use a shuttle service and enjoy a night on the town if anyone wished.

Thursday, April 26 was a day at sea. Our first session involved all of our disembarkation instructions for Friday, and then there was serious packing.

In the afternoon we had the second Laptop Photo Gallery Show and I joined many others in the lounge with my three-minute looping slideshow. Again, there were many compliments.

Friday we arrived in Morocco for the drive to Marrakech where we spend the night then head home. We had very mixed feelings as this fabulous, but long trip was coming to a close.

That's it for now. Grace and Paul

West Africa Odyssey 2012 - Western Sahara

Western Sahara: Dakhla

April 24, 2012

Aboard National Geographic Explorer

Tuesday, April 24, found us in Western Sahara which is a large, mostly flat desert country bordered on the north by Morocco, Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the south and east, and the Atlantic to the west. It is considered one of the more sparsely populated territories in the world.

After Spain relinquished rule over the colony in 1975, control of it has flitted back and forth between its neighbors and various political factions. Today it is considered a non self-governing territory by the United Nations.

We docked in the small city of Dakhla for a daylong adventure out into the Sahara. It seemed like they had rounded up every available 4X4 vehicle in the city (I counted 34) to drive us out into the desert to the White Dunes.

After a brief stop in town at a local church, for an orientation briefing in the park across the street, we all climbed back into the vehicles (4 in each one) for the hour-long caravan drive, first on paved road, then off road across the dunes. The drivers set the four wheel drive and locked the hubs but even then some of the vehicles got stuck in the soft sand.

It was a very bumpy ride but as we came over a hill we saw an array of white Bedouin tents set up especially for us. There were two large tents with tables. In one tent the tables were low in the traditional style and people sat on the ground, which was covered with carpets. In the second tent, where we ate, the tables were regular height and we had chairs.

While we waited for lunch some went for a walk with a naturalist. He explained how archeologists were exploring the area where there were obvious signs of early human life. Others walked along the beach while still others enjoyed the musicians.

There was even a shopping opportunity as they had filled a separate tent with many antiques, and types of souvenirs representative of the Moroccan and Bedouin lifestyle.

The food was typical Moroccan and served with large pieces of bread. It really was good, although a little gritty because the wind blew hard the whole time and sand was in everything.

Eventually it was time to leave and we did appreciate all the work they had gone to to see that we had this type of typical Saharan experience.

The trip reversed as we drove, caravan style, back through the desert, then to the paved road and back to the ship.

We set sail about 3:00 for Tenerife, Canary Islands, the next day’s destination.

That's it for now. Grace and Paul

West Africa Odyssey 2012 - Senegal

Senegal: Dakar and 2 Days At Sea

April 21 - 23, 2012

Aboard National Geographic Explorer

Saturday, April 21, began with the usual clearance procedures in Dakar, the capital of Senegal. We walked a short way down the dock to board a ferry and a 20-minute, 1.2-mile ride to Gorée Island. The 45-acre island is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its historic role in the slave trade. There are debates about how many slaves were actually processed through Gorée Island.

The Maison des Esclaves (House of Slaves) is a popular tourist destination and place of pilgrimage for African Americans, especially after Alex Haley’s book Roots came out. It was restored in 1962 as a museum and houses a “Door of No Return.” There are many others elsewhere.

Fort Estrées on Gorée Island

We had time to stroll around the island where many areas were photogenic. The small population has maintained it well and it was nice to have no cars. The other optional tour for the morning was for shopping, but the island was much more interesting.

Viola Vaughn

After the ferry ride back to the dock, and lunch aboard we met in the lounge for two guest speakers. Viola Vaughn talked about the 10,000 Girls Project. She is an American who has lived in Senegal for many years. Her story is amazing. It started with a few girls asking her for help with their schoolwork and that evolved into an education and employment project for many young women from rural Senegal. You can listen to her story and learn about the project. We also had a talk from Brandy Whitthoft from the USAID: Agency for International Development.

The afternoon outing involved driving around the city of Dakar. The streets were modern, wide and paved and traffic seemed to be organized. There were many modern multistory buildings and more under construction. We drove through the heart of the business district and embassy areas before heading to the Marché Sandaga market; the busiest in Dakar. This was a small area with many shops and packed with people. I still can’t believe that we drove, very slowly, through the area giving those in the front seats a great view. Had the windows of the big bus been open, we could have reached out and touched some things.

We next stopped at the Sand Painting Center where we watched one artist at work. He first drew a picture using a brush and very thick glue. He then took pinches of various colors of sand and sprinkled them over the glue in a way he knew would produce the desired picture. It was amazing to watch and I could not resist buying one of his pieces.

A short way out of town were the twin hills. On one of them we saw the bronze African Renaissance Monument that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. Designed by a Senegalese artist and built by a North Korean company, it is the tallest statue in Africa. It was completed and unveiled in 2010. Some in our group climbed up to the base of the statue while I photographed it from below.

The last stop of the day was Soumbédioune, a very picturesque and bustling fishing village. Boats were still coming in with the catch of the day and the market was lively with both sellers and buyers.

It was interesting to watch the men use large rollers to pull their boats onto the shore for the night. Our bus stopped to let us walk around through the area, which was a great experience. There was color everywhere. That was a great way to finish the afternoon.

Dinner that night was on shore at Just4U, a Senegalese nightclub. We packed the place and had three meal choices along with wine and other drinks. A local band played Mbalax music for us throughout the evening. This music is a combination of many forms of popular Western music combined with the traditional drumming and dance music of Senegal.

Musician playing a Kora

The band included a Balafon, which is like a marimba but with large, different sized Calbash (bottle gourds) under the bars. Besides various kinds of drums there was a fellow playing the Kora, which is a 21-string bridge-harp, that is unique to West Africa. Although the music was loud, it was interesting. By the time dinner was finished we decided to catch the first bus back to the ship. It had been a long day.

Sunday and Monday, April 22 – 23, we were at sea, sailing past Mauritania. The days were filled with lectures and lots of picture editing. There were also whales that came to check us out and interrupt whatever else was going on.

Our next stop on Tuesday was Western Sahara.

That's it for now. Grace and Paul