Global Education Study Tour 

Welcome to Tel Aviv

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From now on, our newsletter will feature some of the places we will visit in our Study Tour. Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a population of 451,523, it is the economic and technological center of the country. Tel Aviv is the country's second most populous city after Jerusalem, and it is the largest economy per capita in the Middle East. The city receives over 2.5 million international visitors annually. A "party capital" in the Middle East, it has a lively nightlife and 24-hour culture. Tel Aviv has been called The World's Vegan Food Capital, as it possesses the highest per capita population of vegans in the world, with many vegan eateries throughout the city. Tel Aviv is home to Tel Aviv University, the largest university in the country with more than 30,000 students (adapted from Wikipedia).

Vaccination Required

 

Following CDC recommendations, Andrews University has published clear guidelines for the safety of Study Tours as follows: "Only fully vaccinated employees and students are allowed to travel on University-sponsored and funded trips. By fully vaccinated we mean an individual has received at least the full dose/s of the relevant COVID-19 vaccine (a booster vaccination is not required) as well as any other vaccines required for entry into the host countries." Please email proof of vaccination to: marinho@andrews.edu

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Passport Information required NOW

 

Thanks to those who have already sent the passport information.  For those who didn't do it yet, please be advised that we need everybody's passport info for booking the airline tickets by March 10 please. You don’t have to make any payment now, because all expenses will be covered when you register for the Study Tour by April. Please double check your name on the list below to make sure your name matches what you have on your passport, because no change will be accepted after the air tickets are issued.  Please email us a copy of your passport front page for the travel company and the following information:

     

      1. Name of passenger as it appears on passport

      2. Passport number, expiration date of passport, country of passport

      3. Passenger's date of birth

      4. Passenger's nationality

      5. Gender of passenger

      6. Address of passenger and cell phone contact (for delays)

      7. Seat preference (isle or window)

      8. Proof of vaccination

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Air tickets not booked by March 10 may cost higher airfare, so we want to prevent extra charges for late participants. Thanks for your help with this. 

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Please email the passport info to: marinho@andrews.edu

 

Volunteer Support Team 

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In order to make this tour an unforgettable experience, we are planning to have a volunteer support team to perform specific tasks during the whole trip. If you are willing to volunteer for helping with special activities, please email us specifying your interest as follows:

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• Tour Secretary:  To assist with paperwork and communication 

• Spiritual Team:  Participants willing to share short devotionals

• Photographer:  Someone with a camera willing to take pictures

• Blogger:  A volunteer to share the highlights of the tour for our daily blog

• Video Recorder:  Someone willing to video record and edit highlights of our tour.

• Health Assistant:  A health professional to provide assistance in case of emergency

• Social Coordinator: Someone to lead occasional entertaining moments

• Other roles:  Feel free to suggest other roles to enrich our experience!

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List of Participants

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Hello tour mates! We are happy to welcome some new participants! This is our current list of participants, so you can start knowing and interacting with your tour teammates. Please double check your name below to make sure it is according to your passport. By the way, for those pending application, please see attached the study tour application form. For regular rates, make sure to apply by March 10.

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1. Adilson De Pina

2. Beverley Hinds-Callwood

3. Chad Bernard

4. Doelynn Strong

5. Eulalia Kenaston

6. Fabian Reid

7. Joy Kauffman

8. Karen Phillips

9. Norbert Restrepo

10. Sean Williams

11. Sharon Hamel

12. Tamah Henley-Cleghorne

13. Robert Martinez

14. Madeline Brown

15. Maureen Raj

16. Erin Doggette

17. Marlene Alvarez

18. John Alberty

19. Kimberly Alberty

20. Jordan Alberty

21. Ruth Nino

22. Yoel Paredes 

23. Jess Swackhamer

24. Naomi Carlyle

25. Janet Ledesma 

26. Robson Marinho

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Pending Application

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1. Paulette Johnson

2. Christian Ledesma

3. Sonia Selwin

4. Solomon P. Johnson

5. Sienneh Johnson

6. Renee Greek

7. H. Stephen Bralley

8. Morris Beckford

9. Herman Tom Kaunda

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Tentative Itinerary

 

This is our tentative itinerary so far, so you can anticipate our unforgettable trip. We are still making adjustments to get the best itinerary possible, so we will have more updates soon.

 

Explore ancient temples and monuments, gaze at the pyramids and mysterious Sphinx, relax in the Dead Sea, visit the ancient rock-cut city of Petra, explore the biblical towns of Nazareth and Bethlehem, wander through the streets of Old Jerusalem, and enjoy the tour of your dreams!

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July 3, Sunday, Depart from Chicago

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July 4, Monday - Tel Aviv arrival

Upon your arrival at Tel Aviv International Airport, the tour guide will meet and assist you with your transfer to the hotel on the beach in Netanya. Enjoy a preliminary driving tour on the way to the hotel where you will see Mount Carmel, the Muchraka Monastery and the ancient Roman city of Caesarea Maritima.

Dinner & overnight at hotel.

 

July 5, Tuesday -  Netanya – Tabgha – Capernaum – Yardenit - The Sea of Galilee - Tiberias

Buffet breakfast at hotel. Check-out.

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8:00 am: Educational workshop at University of Tel Aviv

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10:30 am - The first day of the tour features a special visit to Tabgha, the traditional site of the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes, followed by a tour of Capernaum, the reported headquarters of Jesus’ Galilean ministry. Afterwards, the tour continues to Yardenit, a special baptismal site on the Jordan River before returning to the hotel at the Sea of Galilee. Dinner & overnight.

 

July 6, Wednesday -  Tiberias – Cana – Nazareth – Qumran - The Dead Sea - Jerusalem

Buffet breakfast at hotel. Check-out.

The itinerary continues today with a tour of the ancient city of Tiberias, located on the western shores of the Sea of Galilee, followed by a stop at the village of Cana, before arriving in Nazareth, where Jesus Christ was raised. Proceeding is a visit to the archaeological site of Megiddo, before continuing to Qumran to see the Dead Sea Scrolls. The remainder of the day is free to spend swimming and floating in the therapeutic waters of the Dead Sea, known for their high mineral content and healing powers. Continue to Jerusalem. Check-in at hotel, followed by dinner & overnight.

 

July 7, Thursday -  Jerusalem

Buffet breakfast at hotel.

Today’s journey is devoted to sites in and around Jerusalem, starting with the Mount of Olives, a site of many important biblical events. Continue to Pater Noster Church, the chapel of Domimus Flevit (latin for “the Lord Wept”) and Gethsemane, the place where Jesus Christ suffered the Agony and was taken prisoner. We see Mount Zion, the site of the Last Supper, King David’s Tomb, the Dormition Abbey, the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, the small Judean village of Ein Karem and the Holy Land Second Temple Model. Dinner & overnight at hotel in Jerusalem.  

 

July 8, Friday -  Jerusalem

Buffet breakfast at hotel.

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8:00 pm: Educational workshop at Hebrew University of Jerusalem

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10:30 - Our tour of Jerusalem continues today with an exploration of the Old City. First on the itinerary is a walk on the Via Dolorosa, the path of Jesus on the day of his crucifixion. It will start from the first station, where he was condemned by Pontius Pilate, proceeding to the final station, where he was laid in his tomb. Next is a visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Western or “Wailing” Wall, a sacred place of prayer. Dinner & overnight at hotel

 

July 9, Saturday -  Jerusalem – border crossing – Mt. Nebo – Madaba - Petra

After a buffet breakfast, check-out.

Drive to Allenby Bridge to cross over to Jordan. Follow the Biblical tour with historical descriptions by the tour guide. Visit Mt. Nebo & Madaba with lunch.

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Worship on top of Mont Nebo

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Afternoon: Drive on Desert Highway (214 km in 3 hours) to Petra. Check-in at hotel. Dinner & overnight.

 

July 10, Sunday - Petra – Amman (227 km / 3 ½ hours)

Buffet breakfast at hotel. Check-out.

Spend a full day visiting Petra with lunch, then drive to Amman for check-in at hotel, followed by dinner & overnight.

 

July 11, Monday -  Amman – Cairo

Buffet breakfast at hotel. Check-out.

Transfer to Amman International Airport “Queen Alia” and fly to Cairo. After 1 hour 20 minutes’ flight, arrive at Cairo International Airport.

 

Welcome to Cairo! The largest African city with 4000 years of history! Upon arrival, meet with our guide and drive to have lunch in Al Azhar Park then visit the Alabaster Mosque, Khan El Khalili bazaar.

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Late afternoon: Educational workshop at Nile Union Academy

 

Transfer to the hotel for check-in. Dinner & overnight.

 

July 12, Tuesday - Cairo - Pyramids - Museum

This morning we visit the world-famous Pyramids and the Sphinx of Giza.  Next, we explore the magnificent Egyptian Museum, which holds one of the world’s most important collections of ancient artifacts. 

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Afternoon: Educational workshop at University of Cairo

 

Free evening to discover the hidden treasures of Cairo.

Dinner. Transfer to the hotel for overnight.

 

July 13, Wednesday -  Fly Cairo-Aswan – Philae – Embarkation on Nile Cruise

Breakfast at the hotel. Early morning transfer to Cairo Airport and fly from Cairo to Aswan, where we will see an Unfinished Obelisk. The obelisk would have been the largest in the ancient times, if it had been finished.  Continue with a visit to the Temple of Philae, enjoy a felucca ride to the Elephantine Island and walk through the Botanical Garden. Embarkation on the Nile cruise-boat. Check-in. Buffet lunch, buffet dinner and overnight on board.

 

July 14, Thursday - Kom Ombo – Esna - Edfu

Buffet breakfast on board.

After a relaxing morning sailing from Aswan, buffet lunch on board. We arrive at Kom Ombo in the afternoon. Visit the imposing Greco Roman Temple, featured with its marvelous setting directly overlooking the Nile. We go through the locks of Esna and continue on to Edfu. Buffet dinner & overnight on board.

 

July 15, Friday -  Edfu - Luxor

Buffet breakfast on board.

Enjoy a morning visit to the Temple of Horus in Edfu. Transportation by horse-drawn carriages. Later we sail on to Luxor. Buffet lunch on board. Upon arrival, we visit the Temples of Karnak and Luxor. Buffet dinner & overnight on board

 

July 16, Saturday -  Luxor Disembarkation - Fly Cairo

Buffet breakfast on board. 

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Worship on board of the Nile Cruise

 

After disembarking from our cruise-boat we visit the West Bank of the Nile including the Necropolis of Thebes, the Colossi of Memnon, the Temple of Hatshepsut, the Valley of the Kings and the mortuary temple of Ramses II. Transfer to Luxor Airport for our short flight back to Cairo. Arrive at Cairo Airport. Transfer to our hotel. Check-in and enjoy evening at leisure. Buffet dinner & overnight rest.

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July 17, Sunday - Departure to Chicago

Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out and transfer to Cairo International Airport for your departure flight back home. Arrive in Chicago Sunday evening.

 

Due to local events and holidays, the order of sightseeing may change. Details to be provided locally by Tour Manager.

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Tour Registration

 

Registration for the Study Tour will be open by the end of March, so we will let you know when it is available. We will keep you posted with monthly newsletters.

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Contact

 

If you have any questions about the tour, please feel free to email Robson Marinho at marinho@andrews.edu.

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