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Testimonials
 From EF Group Leaders
From EF Participants
About EF’s Remembering Vimy Ridge tour in 2007
From EF Group Leaders:
“After our EF tours, the students’ lives are never the same. The scope of their world view is so much larger. I continue to receive cards from former students thanking me for organizing trips that have changed their lives.”
Barry Smith
History Teacher
Hamilton, Ontario
“There are a lot of choices in student travel, but I think EF differentiates itself through its quality, both in the product itself and with customer service. Anyone answering the 800-line can help me. It’s never, ‘I’ll get back to you;’ there’s always an immediate response. I really get the feeling that every single person working for EF cares that we’re going to receive the absolute best experience.”
Kevin Reeves
College Administrator
Calgary, Alberta
“My two favourite letters of the alphabet are E and F. I have just completed my 20th consecutive year travelling with EF and I have one booked for next year as well. In those years I have been to all of the continents except Antarctica. I have canoed on the Amazon, slept with roaring lions outside my tent in Kenya, snorkelled on the Great Barrier Reef, basked on the beaches of Bora Bora and had countless wonderful experiences in Europe from Russia to Rhodes. I especially love sharing these experiences with students; no matter how many times I have seen the Sistine Chapel or the Eiffel Tower, I am excited all over again when I know that I am with students who are seeing them for the first time. Their wonder and enthusiasm is contagious.”
Jim Myles
Retired Biology Teacher
Fredericton, New Brunswick
“I’ve travelled with EF for 10 years now, and offering students such an unforgettable experience is always so rewarding.”
Giovanni Cinanni
History Teacher
North Bay, Ontario
“I see the real education my students get from travel. Whether is it learning about the Renaissance in Florence or ecology and biodiversity in Costa Rica, every student takes something home with them that they will never forget.”
Doug Corbett
English Teacher
Burnaby, British Columbia
“Thanks to EF, I was able to offer a whole new world of experiences to my students, and watching the faces of 16 teenagers on their first foray into the Big World was priceless.”
Sharon Meadows
Vice Principal
Middle Musquodoboit, Nova Scotia
“My kids haven’t stopped talking about the tour since we got back.”
Gilles Leblanc
Business Teacher
Welland, Ontario
“We had an amazing time touring Portugal and Spain. They really are the jewels of Europe. The memories of each learning and fun-filled day will remain forever a part of our lives within our hearts.”
Monica Robertson
Literature Teacher
Fairview, Alberta
“My students learned about traditions and cultures dating back centuries. They tried new foods. They came face to face with France’s artistic wealth. They returned home as adventurers and want to travel more.”
Renata Isopo
English Teacher
Laval, Quebec
“Our students blossomed and matured before our very eyes. They had painless ‘in the field’ lessons in history, archaeology, geography, art, music, dance, biology, botany, social studies, conflict resolution and Spanish. They even practiced math as they converted and estimated currency values.”
Penny Young
Teacher Librarian
Toronto, Ontario
“World travel opens my students’ eyes to the much larger vista of the globe. I’ve seen students moved to awe in great cathedrals or struck dumb by the majesty of nature’s beauty.”
Carl Draksler
World History Teacher
Waterdown, Ontario
“I'd seen so many brochures and pamphlets from different companies, advertising trips to Europe and elsewhere. So I did a little research, and I found that EF was the company that offered the most advantages to the students.”
Richard Beaudry
History and Geology Teacher
Toronto, Canada
“One of the best parts of travelling with EF is the sense of security that comes from working with a reputable, responsive and responsible tour company. Some of my students were away from home without parents for the first time; others were abroad for the first time. That alone was a huge learning experience. My students grew immensely in the nine short days that we were on tour. That growth, that widening of perspective, occurs only with personal experience.”
Jacqueline Willette
Mathematics Teacher
Edmonton, Alberta
“I’ve fallen in love with what EF has given me and what they continue to give me. The services, the staff – I love that EF is a family, and that everyone is so excited about travel.”
Lucien Benacem
French Teacher
Toronto, Ontario
“Our EF Tour Directors have always been very knowledgeable. Learning about the country, the people and the culture is built into every EF tour. I travelled with another company before, and it just wasn’t comparable with EF.”
Marci Ferguson
English Teacher
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
“My tour consultant answers all of my questions quickly, efficiently and courteously – and I have a lot of questions! I never feel alone because I’m always in contact with my tour consultant. I tell parents to call EF anytime with their questions because they are so open and friendly. I like the idea that the lines of communication are so open.”
Joan Dinardo
French and English Teacher
London, Ontario
“Sometimes it is hard to believe the advertising you read that comes to the school. However, the support and programs EF has offered have been overwhelming.”
Bethany Coull
Foreign Language Teacher
Prince George, British Columbia
“It is your staff’s commitment to EF Tours that helps me make my decision to travel with EF in the future.”
Terry Letwin
Assistant Principal
Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta
From EF Participants:
“I want to thank you for making my experience in Europe an experience to remember. I will always remember this trip as the most incredible, amazing, and educational experience.”
Samantha Heron
EF Participant
Stony Plain, Alberta
“Taking this tour was one of the best decisions of my life. The tour has inspired me to pursue an education that will allow me to travel back to Europe and around the world.”
Geoffrey Sutton
EF Participant
South Porcupine, Ontario
“When I got to Paris, and I was standing at the base of the Eiffel Tower, I was overcome with emotion. I was crying, because never in my life did I think that I would ever have this opportunity. I would just like to thank EF, and especially my group leader Mr. K. Strugnell. I hope many more people get to experience things like this.”
Kristina Hubley
EF Participant
Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia
“Travelling with EF allowed me to accomplish one of my dreams. I met students from so many other places, and the tour guides were great. I’d love to do it again… and again… and again!”
Zahra Glassford
EF Participant
Gatineau, Quebec
“I learned about culture, languages, history and the present… but most importantly, I experienced these things first-hand. That is a lesson I’ll never forget.”
Julia Davis
EF Participant
Stoney Creek, Ontario
“The most memorable part of high school for me was my EF tour. Going away with my peers to a foreign country opened my eyes to different cultures and societies and gave me an entirely different perspective on life back home.”
Jamie Ciardullo
EF Participant
Coquitlam, British Columbia
“My EF tour was my first time in a foreign country. Not only did I get to experience the beauty of Italy first-hand, but I also got to share it with my best friends. I absolutely loved it!”
Kendrie Richardson
EF Participant
Campbellville, Ontario
About EF’s Remembering Vimy Ridge tour in 2007:
More than 2,000 students participated in EF’s tour to Vimy Ridge to commemorate the 90th anniversary of this historic battle, joining world leaders and veterans at the rededication of the Vimy monument.
“Thank you, EF, for affording us the opportunity to be at Vimy for the 90th anniversary of the taking of the ridge and for the rededication of the memorial. I had a grandfather and great-grandfather who fought at Vimy, I've taught Vimy for 21 years … but being there made it all make sense.”
Mitchell Bubulj
History Teacher
Toronto, Ontario
“I was pleased to have 25 students and three chaperones with me on what was an unforgettable journey as part of the EF Remembering Vimy Ridge Tour. I wanted thank EF for making our trip such a success. The attention to detail and professionalism shown was greatly appreciated. The hard work, effort and kindness afforded us the chance to be a part of history... I have a feeling of tremendous gratification in having shown my students such important places. Our trip marks a significant point in my teaching career and I thank EF for making that possible!”
Gary Renouf
History Teacher
Brookfield, Nova Scotia
“Thanks for all you did to make the organization of our Remembering Vimy Ridge tour run smoothly. All the kids had a wonderful experience and will carry some memories with them for the rest of their lives. The Vimy Ridge and Beaumont Hamel experiences were extra special, and our tour director was exceptional. His organizational skills and ability to maximize our time allowed us to go well beyond the set itinerary.”
Kevin Toope
Retired Chemistry Teacher
St. John's, Newfoundland
“Incredible. I've never seen anything like it, nor felt anything remotely that amazing. I've never felt so Canadian in my life.”
Jelena Perovic
EF Participant
Toronto, Ontario
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