The Villedge Road Trip 2006
by: Michelle Bojrab
The Antiochian Village established a new program last year called the Villedge Road Trip. This extension, to the summer camp, allows older teens to learn more about their heritage as Antiochian Orthodox Christians in America. It is a one week program that allows teenagers to interact with kids who share the same faith in different areas of the country. The Road Trip was an opportunity to see many eastern cities.
There were four teens and two councilors who set out on the excursion. We spent the first day getting to know each other while touring the Museum at the Heritage and Learning Center at the Antiochian Village. The second day was the first day we “hit the road”. I then found coming from flat land Indiana I wasn’t use to the mountains of Pennsylvania. We toured the historical sites of Gettysburg and other remarkable sites in that area.
In the morning we gathered our suitcases and packed the car. We then, headed for the grounds of St. Tikhon's Monastery. It was the first Orthodox monastery in the America. We attended Divine Liturgy in the morning, and after received a tour of the grounds and church. After a delicious breakfast we made our way into the “Big Apple”. We spent the rest of the day getting lost in Manhattan. We stayed at St. Vladimir's Seminary in Crestwood New York for two nights of the trip.
The next day was one of my favorite parts about the trip. We went into Brooklyn! We caught the ferry for Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. We were able to walk up to the base of the Statue of Liberty. Here we learned about how many of our ancestors that traveled from overseas to immigrate to America. We ended the day with a visit to St. Nicholas Cathedral in Brooklyn, the mother Cathedral of our Archdiocese, which St. Raphael himself founded in 1895 upon his arrival to America. That night we drove into China Town and Little Italy.
The next morning we headed to Englewood, NJ, to visit the Antiochian Archdiocese headquarters. Here we visited with His Eminence Metropolitan Philip and His Grace Bishop Antoun and other staff members of the Archdiocese. This was the highlight of the trip! We were honored to have lunch with His Eminence and spend time with him.
We then said our goodbyes to His Eminence and departed for Philadelphia, PA. There we visited historic sites such as the U.S. Constitution, the Liberty Bell, and of course had a famous “Philly Cheese Steak”.
Our last day was a very exciting change in our trip. We made a surprise pit stop in Washington DC. It was a spectacular way to end our trip, being able to see our nation’s capital.
Every teen that is given the opportunity should participate in this experience. The people I met on this trip are people I hope to stay in contact with. Having met people from all over the United States in our Archdiocese was a fun experience. The Antiochian Road Trip ’06 was unbelievable from the long-lasting friendships made, to hilarious car rides, to learning more about my heritage, and the breathtaking sites.
