NEW SITE LAUNCHED!

Check out the brand spankin' new ABBEY ROAD SITE!
So fresh and so clean.

SUMMER IS IN SIGHT!

Kick those finals butts!

GIGGLEMETER TO JUDGE SUBMISSIONS FOR A.R.C.M.S.C.2K10

It is the FINAL day to submit your hilarious stories to the Abbey Road 2010 Cultural Mishaps Story Contest. Prizes await those participants whom GIGGLEMETER deems to be the winners. GIGGLEMETER bases it's judgment on a complex algorithm which factors in originality, storytelling ability, and overall comedic value. Thank you to everyone who has submitted! We are LOVING what we've read so far. Winners shall be notified shortly!

UPDATE: DEADLINE EXTENSION FOR THE 2010 CULTURAL MISHAPS STORY CONTEST!


The rumors are true! There is still time to submit your funny stories to us for a chance to win some fabulous prizes! The deadline has officially been extended to MONDAY, MAY 17th at which point the stories will be rounded up, judged, and winners will be chosen. Details as follows:

We've all had that "stranger in a strange land" feeling while traveling. Maybe you used exactly the wrong vocabulary word in Paris and told your waiter, "Thank you; nice butt," instead of "Thank you very much." Maybe after several days in Spain and several attempts at ordering a veggie salad you realized that every single one of them features tuna fish as a standard ingredient, ugh. Maybe those white Capri pants you bought in Florence aren’t quite what the guys in Minnesota are wearing this Spring. We're sure you have a story. Share it with us, and you could win one of several prizes including Apple products, your choice of gift cards, and Abbey Road alumni gear! Please send your story (maximum 500 words) to INFO@GOABBEYROAD.COM no later than MONDAY, MAY 17th to be considered. We look forward to laughing WITH you (not at you). Winning stories will be published on Abbey Road’s website and here on the blog in conjunction with our upcoming redesigned website launch!

SAME AMAZING BLOG, FAB NEW LOOK!

In the words of the very wise Jack Donaghy (the character played by Alec Baldwin on NBC's 30 Rock), "Sometimes you have to change things that are perfectly good just to make them your own." So, before you have a nervous breakdown or panic attack, worried sick that the incredible Abbey Road blog has suddenly taken a drastic turn in light of its brand new look, rest assured that it is the same wonderful blog but we just felt like it was time to shake things up a bit. Think of it like facial reconstructive surgery: the outer shell may look shockingly different but underneath the skin is the same fabulous person. Worry not, friends! We're shaking up the Twitter page too but rolling with the same scheme as this here blog. Solidarity is the name of the game. Anywho, just wanted to explain the new look and assure you that the content of the Abbey Road blog will continue being nothing short of amazing and will, in fact, only get better! I hope all you Abbey Roaders are doing just swell! Summer is almost here!

FINAL WEEKEND TO SUBMIT YOUR FUNNY STORIES

This coming Monday (the 19th) is the final deadline to submit your wacky/awkward/embarrassing/downright silly stories to by judged by GIGGLEMETER (see: previous post, below), officially bringing to a close the 2010 Abbey Road Cultural Mishaps Story Contest. Winners will receive positively drool-worthy prizes. How could you possibly want to miss out on an opportunity to win some sweet gadgetry and/or gift cards simply for telling us about a funny thing that happened on the way to the market? So while you're fondly reminiscing about your absolutely amazing summer experience with Abbey Road this weekend, why not jot it down and get rewarded for your efforts? Have a wonderful weekend Abbey Roaders! Hooray for Spring!

LESS THAN A WEEK REMAINING IN THE 2010 CULTURAL MISHAPS STORY CONTEST!

This coming Monday, April 19th is the final day to submit your funny stories from your abroad experience with Abbey Road! The submissions will be judged by a panel of Abbey Road staff, herein referred to as GIGGLEMETER. Those stories which GIGGLEMETER determines to be the most comical shall win fabulous prizes as a reward for sharing their knee slapping/gut busting/rib tickling/shoe stomping/funny-bone rattling stories. There's less than a week left to submit your stories so share the wealth! We know you've got 'em! See the previous post for more info!

ABBEY ROAD SUMMER TRAVEL PROGRAMS SEND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO THE MOST POPULAR INTERNATIONAL DESTINATIONS!

According to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, French, Spanish and Italian were the most popular languages to study in 2010 among high school students.
Abbey Road sends students to all three countries.
There are three programs in France: one in Nice, one in Saint-Laurent-du-Var, and one in Aix-en-Provence. In addition, the Western Civilization program visits Paris.
“I choose Abbey Road because of the different options the program offered,” said Mackenzie Selzer, who went to Nice in 2009. “Many programs were more about touring than actually living in France. With Abbey Road, I got to take a photography class, immerse myself with locals, see France and Italy, and learn to take care of myself.”
Selzer’s mother Deb Grimes agreed.
“I can’t say enough about Abbey Road; it was the best experience of Mac’s life,” said Grimes. “It gave her so much confidence, such a positive, positive experience. We want brochures and for our friends and French teachers.”
“Julie had a blast,” said Jane Weil of her daughter’s experience in Saint-Laurent-du-Var in 2009. “She made great friends. She loved the trips, the days at the beach, feeling as if she was an ordinary French girl soaking up the sun. She loved the cultural exposure.”
In Spain, Abbey Road’s program is in Cádiz.
Jillien Schenkel sent her daughter Emily on the Cádiz trip in 2009.
“She not only improved her writing, reading and comprehension of Spanish, but she was also able to immerse herself in the culture of Spain,” said Schenkel. “For this, we thank you!”
Abbey Road also has a program in Florence, Italy, and the Western Civilization program visits Florence and Rome.
“Being in Florence, with a helpful, caring staff and meeting new people has been the best experience in my life so far,” said Emily Kissenberth of her 2009 Abbey Road experience.

THE 2010 CULTURAL MISHAPS STORY CONTEST!!!

We've all had that "stranger in a strange land" feeling while traveling. Maybe you used exactly the wrong vocabulary word in Paris and told your waiter, "Thank you; nice butt," instead of "Thank you very much." Maybe after several days in Spain and several attempts at ordering a veggie salad you realized that every single one of them features tuna fish as a standard ingredient, ugh. Maybe those white Capri pants you bought in Florence aren’t quite what the guys in Minnesota are wearing this Spring. We're sure you have a story. Share it with us, and you could win one of several prizes including Apple products, your choice of gift cards, and Abbey Road alumni gear! Please send your story (maximum 500 words) to INFO@GOABBEYROAD.COM no later than MONDAY, APRIL 19th to be considered. We look forward to laughing WITH you (not at you). Winning stories will be published on Abbey Road’s website and here on the blog in conjunction with our upcoming redesigned website launch!

ABBEY ROAD'S HEADIN' TO THE LONE STAR STATE

Abbey Road is packing up some gear and hittin' the road for Texas. We'll be in for the long haul all around the Lone Star State next week (Feb 28-Mar 6) and spreading the good word about our programs! We'll be doing the grand loop, so to speak, and rolling through Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas-Ft. Worth and everywhere in between. When we're not chatting with the fine folk about Abbey Road's stellar programs, we'll be sure to sample some of the world-renowned regional fare and enjoy the open road. Can't wait! More details to come about our journey!
And now for some fun Texas facts!
Did you know that:
  1. Texas is the only US state that has actually had six flags fly over it (Spanish, French, Mexican, Texan, Confederate, and United States), making it the only state in the union that can technically lay claim to the true meaning of "Six Flags", as in the chain of amusement parks that are now located all over the nation.
  2. By Federal Law, Texas can fly its flag at the same height as the U.S. flag, because it was a republic before becoming a state.
  3. Texas comes from a Spanish misunderstanding of the Caddo Indian word "tejas", meaning friend.
  4. Austin, the capital of Texas, is considered to be the live music capital of the world.
  5. The official state sport of Texas is Rodeo, although high school football is more popular.
  6. In Texas, it's illegal to put graffiti on someone else's cow.
  7. In Texas, it is illegal to shoot a buffalo from the second story of a hotel.
  8. In Houston, it is illegal to sell Limburger cheese on Sunday.
  9. Texas is as large as all of New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois combined.
  10. You could fit 220 Rhode Islands inside Texas.
  11. The world's largest parking lot is located at DFW Airport.
  12. More popcorn is sold in Dallas than anywhere in the U.S.
  13. El Paso is closer to Needles, California than it is to Dallas, Texas.

TRAVEL WITH ABBEY ROAD PREPARES STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE ACADEMICS - AND LIFE

Abbey Road’s study abroad programs for high school students prepare students academically and socially for college and enhance the quality of their college applications.
Many students return from their summer travel programs with new academic interests they hope to pursue in college.
Stephanie Picozzi’s daughter Kimmy Drexler went on the multi-country Western Civilization program in 2009, traveling to Athens, Rome, Florence and Paris and reading Plato and Rousseau. “It has changed her thinking toward college, thinking maybe she'd like to major in something that could lead to international travel,” said Picozzi.
Other students find themselves more confident and prepared for the college experience of living independently and interacting with people from all walks of life after traveling with Abbey Road.
“Both of our sons spent the best times of their lives with Abbey Road overseas between their junior and senior years of high school,” said Annie Bradley, whose son Ian went on the Western Civilization program in 2009, after his brother Grant couldn’t stop raving about his 2007 Italian Civilization experience. “There is no substitute for the authentic, original, hands-on learning of history, culture and languages that they received.”
Yvonne Fedrick’s daughter Jadyn went to Florence with Abbey Road in 2009. “To be immersed in a totally different culture is an education unto itself, not to mention the art and history involved,” said Fedrick. “To listen to her conversations with others has opened my eyes to the intellectual, stimulating young women she has become because of the experience she acquired in Italy on the Abbey Road program.”

THE 2010 ALUMNI REUNION PARTY POLL RESULTS

The people have spoken. The polls are closed. In a landslide victory, Disco (Black Light) Bowling has been chosen for the 2010 Abbey Road Alumni Reunion Party! Now that the type of party and the weekend have been selected by you, we'll get to work planning this gig! Thanks to everyone who voted and helped make the decision! We're super excited for the party and hope everyone can make it! It will be a swell ol' time! Invitations and details to come!

ABBEY ROAD IS SUPER EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE...


ROCK THE VOTE! Take the two-part poll to the right to decide how we do the First Annual Abbey Road Programs Alumni Reunion Party! The choice is yours! Choose what type of event setting you would prefer and when you think would work best! There's only one week to vote so spread the word! Polls close at midnight on Monday!

WINTER ENROLLMENT OFFER EXTENDED!!!

The highly popular and world famous triple Benny Franklin-approved Winter Enrollment Offer has been extended! Enroll by February 28, 2010 and receive $300 off the summer 2010 program of your choice! But act swiftly because time is slippin' away and cute little February will be gone before we know it!

ABBEY ROAD STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCE ENHANCES COLLEGE APPLICATIONS

College applications. The two-word phrase is enough to strike fear into the heart of even the most confident high school student.
Students applying to college today are more prepared than ever before, making the already stressful process even more competitive.
However, many students find their college applications benefit from their summer study abroad experiences with Abbey Road.
My daughter has approached her senior year and college visits with a lot more confidence and anticipation of the enriching experiences that await her, having lived one just this summer,” said Kathy Hopkins, whose daughter Allison went to Saint-Laurent-du-Var, France with Abbey Road in 2009. “In her college essay, she even talked about how she changed as a result of her Abbey Road experience.”
Jacquie Moore’s son Michael went to Cádiz in 2009, and Moore credits Abbey Road with helping Michael get accepted at top schools.
“Above and beyond the language immersion, my son gained much in the appreciation of the culture and came home with a fabulously enhanced world view,” said Moore. “Mike has been accepted into one of the colleges he applied for with the highest honors and a great scholarship. I know this is, in part, due to his cultural experiences abroad and the transcripts he was allowed to submit from the program.”
“We are waiting on another college, which doesn't reply until February or March,” Moore added. “The fact that Michael was accepted so fast from another private college is testament to the great application he was able to send.”
Abbey Road’s language immersion programs improve students’ SAT Subject Test Scores, which further bolsters a college application packet.
“The test was fantastic! I got my score back, and it is 730 out of 800, considered to be an incredible score,” said Michael Mallon, who went to Nice with Abbey Road in 2009. “I owe much of that score to Abbey Road, especially because the test included listening, which for me improved greatly while I was on my trip.”
Abbey Road staff members are dedicated to their students and committed to helping students through the college applications process, often writing recommendation letters that many students credit with helping them secure admission to top colleges.
Mallon adds that he is sure his recommendation letter from Abbey Road helped him get accepted to Cornell University. “I was accepted Early Decision to Cornell University, where I hope to study Government and International Relations,” he said.