Day 12- Sunshine and a movie

Lauren
Unleashing Our Inner Dinosaur
Today was overall pretty relaxing and at first, there wasn't really a scheduled plan. The plan was to basically just go with the flow. My day started at 8 AM when I went down to eat breakfast with Zach who was the only one up at that time. (we went to bed pretty late) I then went back up to go back to sleep until Diana told me and Betzi that we should probably get up because we were the only two still sleeping. After going down to see everyone and their smiling faces, the girls decided to head out into the town of Dover on a spontaneous adventure. I think Dover is a really cool place to visit, especially in the town where all the tourist shops are. I'm definitely going to miss Dover after coming home to San Diego, but at the same time, I also miss home. However, despite a little case of home sickness, I am still having the time of my life. We just got back from the movie, Jurassic World and all of us thought it was a pretty cheesy movie. I'm glad we saw it though because it was nice being able to laugh at all the dinosaurs with Faith who was sitting next to me, along with the others. I'm having so much fun. I'm not sure what is going on tomorrow but I do know that this trip has been full of adventures and I am sad to say that it is almost over. I miss you all back home.

Diana
Velociraptor to the Rescue
What a fun and exciting day. I went down for breakfast and had the same of what I usually get which is eggs, hash browns, and peaches. When we were done with eating breakfast the girls walked around Dover exploring what was around us. We found a nail place so Cheryl got her nails done and so did Lauren and Maddy. It was funny because at first when they were putting the acrylics on it looked like cat woman with the nails. The final result was good. When we were done with that Cheryl and I went back to the hotel and then went in the water which was not bad. It is not so bad getting in the water when you don't have to get in right away or it is just for fun. The other girls met up with us and chilled at the beach for a while. We then went back and relaxed and had noodles for dinner which were very delicious. We then went and saw Jurassic World which was not the best, however it was fun to sit and watch the cheesy parts. What I loved about the movie were the Velociraptors. On the way back to the hotel Maddy and I pretended to be Velociraptors. It was so awesome today. I hope everyone back home is doing well and tell nelson I love him.

Maddy
RUN RAPTOR RUN
Today was nice and relaxing! The girls and I wandered around town, trying to decide what to do. Then, Cheryl, Lauren, and I got our nails done. Mine are a SUPER bright orange!! After our nail appointment, we sat on the beach because, finally, the sun was completely out. We had lunch on the cafe patio and were told we could "chill" until dinner. Kaylee and I went to the lobby and worked on my intricate coloring book. We then had the worst Chinese food I've ever had. Its okay though, we would fill up on awesome snacks in the movies a couple hours later. We went to see Jurassic World at 8:30. The plot, bad. The acting, eh. But those RAPTORS, YESSSS!!!!! I want one. I am really starting to miss home, but I'm staying in the present and enjoying the moment. Can't wait to see my bed, Sam, and Mom. Love you guys!

Kaylee
Chilling in Dover
Today we woke up and ate breakfast. We then walked around the town and looked around. Then Betzi and I decided we wanted to swim so we went back to the hotel looking for a third person. Parth volunteered so we got our suits on and went in. It was really sunny today which made the water feel warmer. (Don't worry mom, I have plenty of sunscreen!) I got out pretty early because my breakfast decided it didn't want to be in my stomach anymore lol. After that we all relaxed and Maddy and I did some coloring which was pretty calming. We then met up for some dinner. After dinner, we walked to a cinema and watched Jurassic World. The best part of the entire movie was how they added an intermission at the most intense part. It was pretty funny. Missing everyone back home!! Love you guys!! (:

Faith
Jurassic World
Today was a chill, laid back day. We didn't have anything planned, so all of us walked around town. I got some souvenirs, and then me Cheryl and Diana chilled by the water. They both had bathing suits on, so they swam to this bucket about twenty feet from shore. I stuck my feet in, and honestly, it felt warmer. After finishing lunch, we were all allowed to hang out until dinner. Right before dinner, I found out that we were going to be seeing the movie Jurassic World! I was really excited, because I've been wanting to see that movie ever since it came out. I really liked it, and I especially love the RAPTORS!! These dinosaurs seemed to be the more popular ones throughout the group :). I am loving England, but I can't wait to see my parents, and go home and tell everybody my accomplishment; swimming the English Channel. Oh, and don't forget... RUN!

CJ

The theater and the unwise

Today was a relaxed day. I woke up in a pretty happy mood, and then watched as many tried to make Cheryl a waffle, with a machine that was not good at its job. Then we went into town where we went to a British supermarket and then a souvenir shop. After having a burger in the very nice weather, I went down for a nap. The most exciting part of the day was after dinner where we went to see Jurassic World. The movie theater was placed in a super sketchy location, but actually turned out to be a decent theater. As for the movie, it was decent but did suffer from some plot holes. I loved the day, thank you mom and dad for sending me.

Wesley

Fun and games

Today I slept in, and then woke up, and ate breakfast. Then me, the boys, and Faith went to town. I bought myself some milkybar which I have not had ever since I came back from London. We walked through a neighborhood that had houses that look a lot like my old house that I lived in when I lived in London. That was fun to see. Then we came back to the hotel. We rested for a little bit, and then went and ate lunch. I had a burger and fries. Tonight we went to see Jurassic World. It was so cool. It had a lot of action. Noah was scared. I forgot to say this but yesterday I had the black current juice that I used to drink when I lived in London. It was good. After lunch I played guess who, speed, and Monopoly with Zach. I have more fun to enjoy.

Parth

I had fun today

Today I went for a swim in the morning shortly after I woke up and ate breakfast.  It was refreshing to swim of my own volition, rather than because I was forced to.  I had lunch, which was good, and I loved it.  Later, long after I had lunch, we went to the movie theater, which was cool.  We saw Jurassic World, and it was amazing that we were able to go.  I really appreciate being able to go to the movie, and I had a great day.  I have loved this trip, and I really appreciate being able to help Wesley with his social skills, and increasing my own social skills in the process the past few days.  Thank you family, I love you, and thank you everyone who has helped me to get where I am today.

Noah

Jurassic World

Today we travel through the town in Dover. We went through supermarkets and souvenir shops in the town. It was really fun. We went back the hotel and watched TV and ate lunch at the café. I also took a shower after we ate lunch. We wrote what we’re going to eat for dinner. After we ate dinner we watched the movie Jurassic World. The movie is terrifying because the Indomus Rex escaped from the paddock. And the Jurassic Park visitor center is back from the first movie and I was surprised that the building is back. Thank you for sending me the comments and I want to specifically thank my parents.

Zach

Dinosaurs

Today we did a lot of relaxing in Dover. We hung out and I also did a lot of solitaire and other card games with other students. This includes boardgames. I also went to the English Costco called Morissons it was real neat. The real big hit for today was that we saw Jurassic World. There were a lot of pineapples in this movie due to a lot of suspense. It scared the living crap out of me but it was fun. It was an amazing movie. I want to thank Cheryl and Lisa for an amazing job that they are doing on this trip and also planning the movie.

Paul

Waterfront Property

Today was another resting day, so I decided to go into town with the others to go get a souvenir or two. I got a drink coaster decorated with London-related inscriptions. We watched Jurassic World at night, which wasn’t as bad as I expected. I thought they put too many people in it, which I feel makes it stand out from the three past movies. They also explained everything way more than the past ones, although all explanations weren’t too lengthy or bad. The best part was when the movie theater called intermission right as a dinosaur chase scene started, and so everyone in the theater got a laugh out of it. I look forward to meeting an old friend tomorrow, which will happen if we visit London again. Matt got very good footage of Zombie B’s relay, and his finished video was great. I hope to do well on Zombie A’s video later this week, and also the final video covering our entire experience in Zombie.

Matt

Summer in Dover

Today I woke up and I had a super healthy breakfast which consisted of some delicious fruit and some cereal. The milk in Dover is so good. I think it is because it is much fresher than the milk is in California. After that I could not believe what I was feeling and seeing when I walked outside of the hotel. It was hot and the sun was out. Summer in Dover! It was so beautiful today and it reminded me how lucky I was to be living in California because I get to experience that pretty much every day, here they barely get to experience that. After a nice day in the town we watched Jurassic World, what an amazing piece of cinema. Thanks for sending me, good night. 

Betzi
Raptors
If you ever get the chance to walk around the town of Dover, I advise you to be overly cautious around anything even resembling a road (and because the narrow sidewalks are not raised, this includes pretty much every outdoor area not covered by grass). Even the pigeons sprint when they cross the street, and I have come to wince every time a car passes, because Doverians drive like they're trying to escape a pack of undead velociraptors in a world where hitting pedestrians gives you bonus points. We have all been working on our reflexes as a result. Parth, Kaylee,
Dan, and I went swimming again in the afternoon, and it was strange to be out in the ocean without anything driving us, without anything in particular to train for or any specific purpose. It was more of a meditation than a workout. I focused on the sensation and the rhythm of what I was doing, pulling at handfuls of icy salt water and allowing myself to glide, and I felt grateful to remember that open water swimming does not stop here for me. Because the English Channel was successful, the future is
open for me to pursue other crossings, and for Arch to continue passing on the competition in other events. I am so glad that my brother got to experience this. It is something that we will both always be able to carry with us, something glowing to hold onto when things seem dark. The sketchbook I brought along is nearly full. I brought it with when the group decided to visit a small theatre in town, a quiet and kind of dingy place tucked away in an alley. Although I can't say I blame the screen crew,
considering how little there is in the way of entertainment in Dover, someone evidently decided that it would be a hilarious idea to pause the movie for intermission right as the giant dinosaur-mutant was about to kill the protagonist on the edge of a waterfall. Noah's look of terror was frozen throughout the entire ten minutes. As we left the theatre an hour later, everyone was stalking around the streets and squawking like velociraptors with hip dysplasia. Thank you Mom and Dad for supporting my
trip here, and for the gofundme help- it has been a blast.

Day 11- London

Lauren
LONDON

My day started out with a light breakfast before getting on the hour long train ride. This train ride was going towards the one and only, London. I cannot even describe to you how excited I was to go there. Getting there made me realize that it is a lot like New York City which I thought was pretty cool. Throughout this trip, I have been saying that it would be great to go to college in the city of London. However, after visiting, I have decided that I would rather not. Even though it is an amazing place and I enjoyed every second there, I would prefer to go for a vacation rather than four years of college. The first thing we did in London was tour the war rooms of Winston Churchill. Throughout this tour, I learned so much about him. I probably know more about Winston Churchill than I do about myself now. (Just kidding!) Even though that was a great historical experience, I would have to say that my favorite part was when all the girls tried to find their way to Big Ben and it took longer than expected. In other words, we got pretty lost. Even though the trip to London exhausted me, I'm so glad that we went because it truly was an experience. 

Diana
What a Great Day

Today I woke up at 6:30 am to go to the gym. Worked out for a little and then ate breakfast. I then took a shower and went to the train station with the group to go to London. It was awesome and so cool. We went to Churchill's bunkers and went to the museum which was interesting. I like looking around and the interactive stuff. After that we went to lunch which was good. I had a Cesar salad which was not much but it was really good. The girls went to look around and then we went to meet up with the others at Big Ben. It took a long time to actually get there but we did. Once we met up with the rest of the group we sat for a little and then headed back to the train station. The train ride was an hour long and we mostly just joked around until we got back. It was a tiring day for my feet but it was really fun. We then went back to the hotel and put some stuff away and headed out to dinner. We ate at the restaurant called The Eight Bells. I had a hot dog and nachos. I then came back and then started blogging. 

Maddy
Cheers

Today we were able to take a train into London. It was a bright, sunny day in London and that made the trip even better. We first went to Churchill's War Rooms, a museum dedicated to Churchill and his kitchen (seriously, there were a lot of exhibits/postings about his eating habits). We then went to lunch.We wandered around London looking at all the sites. We then decided to call it a day and go back to Dover. We then had dinner at The Eight Bells. Now, we're blogging and desperately wanting to go to sleep.

Faith
London

After we got to London after an hour and a half's train ride, we headed to Churchill's War Rooms. It was very warm, but since we were underground, it got cooler. After this we headed to lunch, and it was good. Then, we headed to Buckingham Palace. It was amazing, and we could all see the Beefeaters guarding the palace. We then headed to Big Ben, and soon after we arrived, the big bell rang. Later, we headed back to the train station to come back to Dover. I am having to finish this up, but I had a great day, and I am so thankful for all of our sponsors :).

Kaylee
I found my new home

Today we woke up semi-early, ate breakfast, and took a train into London. London was super cool. It reminded me of New York City, except the cars were heading a different direction. We all managed to stay safe though lol. We stopped at Churchill's Bunker first. I was able to learn A LOT of information I didn't know. Then we walked around and found a diner to eat some lunch at. The girls then walked around to take a look around the city. After walking for a while, we met back up with everyone else and walked back to the train station. A lot of walking was done today!! We have been getting A LOT of good exercise. After returning to the hotel, Matt and I were interviewed on Skype by Fox 5 News. We then met back up with the group and ate some dinner. I can not wait to sleep in tomorrow!! I'm really loving England. 

Betzi
Labyrinth
I had not expected everything to be so centralized in London. Big Ben, Churchill's bunker, the London Eye, a couple different embassies- they are all within walking distance of one another, conjoined by imposing iron statues and old, intricately-sculptured architecture. Even the central
train station had an interesting stylized roof structure covering the lines of people and inside awnings (which were lined a bit obsessively with spikes to prevent pigeons from sitting on them... also covered in spikes were the light fixtures and CCTV security cameras, as though some anti-pigeon maniac unleashed their wrath on every upper surface of the entire station). The museum set up inside Churchill's bunker was really thorough in its display of Winston Churchill's life. While I honestly could have lived without learning about the prime minister's favorite beverage or breed of dog, it was interesting to see that his "private lavatory" actually held a secret phone with a direct connection to Franklin Delano Roosevelt during World War II, and to learn how the East India Trading Company so heavily influenced Churchill's response to the India independence movement. The museum's structure can be accurately described as labyrinthian; I got lost, Paul got lost, and when Parth went back in to get CJ it only resulted in both of them taking half an hour to find their way out. I have not tried much tea yet, as very few people here seem to prefer decaf, but I feel it is important to mention that there is currently a very large silver tea kettle on the lobby desk adjacent from the one I am
typing at. It is dark outside the hotel, save for some lights reflecting off the water of the Channel. Goodnight.

Blogs

Parth

A Trip into London

The day began with my excursion to an early breakfast, followed by a day-trip to London.  We first took the short walk to the train, then went from there to London.  I loved looking at Buckingham Palace, and enjoyed our view of Big Ben.  We saw the London Eye, and throughout the day, I talked to Wesley and worked on his social skills.  During lunch, we had nice conversations, and I improved my social skills as well, bringing greater insight to my life.  I also got to carry the medicine bag, which was awesome, as it shows that I am more trustworthy.  Lastly, we got out of London, and made our way to dinner.  We ate good food, and I am going to go to bed happy.  Thank you to everyone who has helped me get to where I am today. 

CJ

London

Today began with a 2 hour train ride across British countryside to London. The first thing we went to was Churchill’s Bunker from where he commanded the British forces during World War II. The bunker was full of artifacts and maps that were used during the war. Many of the rooms were sealed off to look into. There was another part that was a museum about Winston Churchill and his life. We then went to lunch at a restaurant that attempted to be American and Italian, but was not. I had an oversized burger that was good, but would have been better in America. After lunch we walked to Buckingham Palace and Big Ben. London was very cool and I am glad that I had the opportunity to see all these thing in person.

Noah

Amazing things in London

Today we went to London on a train. For me I thought we’re moving to London because I thought the entire group is going with their luggage but we’re not and that taught me that I need to listen. The train ride is fun because the train is running fast like a high-speed train from Japan which was really cool. I talked to John about the high-speed trains in Japan. He said he has been on one before. When we arrived in London, I saw the London Eye and Big Ben. We saw statues of lions in front of the museum. We also went to Churchill’s war room. I only know one part of Churchill and why his country went to war. I like it and it was really fun and I also learned about Churchill. I also can see Big Ben and the London eye from Churchill’s war room. After we went to Churchill’s war room we ate lunch and we went to the palace where Queen Elizabeth lives. I didn’t visit her because she’s not there but I saw the guards in the palace. Tomorrow morning, I don’t know if where going to London or we’re doing something else at Dover.

Wesley

The Dream

Today I woke up, and ate a big breakfast. Then we went on a train to London. It was so pretty riding up for example I saw a meadow of wild mustard. When we got to London I could not believe I was at last there again. I saw the London eye working which they were building when I lived there. I walked through St. James Park which I used to go to when I was a kid, and I could not believe I was there. Then we went to Churchill’s war tunnels. They were ok. Then we went and ate some lunch. I had a whole sheet of ribs. Then we went to Buckingham Palace for my second time. I did not see the queen but I liked knowing she was there. Then I saw Big Ben. Lisa told me that it’s not just the clock that’s called big ben it’s the bell inside, I really liked learning about Big Ben and I loved talking to Lisa about London. I did not see my old house in London, or the family but it felt good to know it was somewhere in the city. Then I got on a train, and came back to Dover. I took a nap on the train. Then we went out to dinner, and I had fried chicken and fries. Parth has been helping me with my conversations, and he said tonight I did a very good job. The whole time on this trip, I have considered England my home, and all of the Arch friends my family. When I saw St. James Park, and Big Ben, I could not believe I was seeing it in real life again. I have more to enjoy on this trip.

Zach Irvine

Pineapple!

Today we finally got to explore London, which is always something that I wanted to do. To get there, we took a train. On the train ride, there is this ongoing joke I guess I would call the “pineapple” joke. When we were in Canterbury doing the ghost tour, the tour guide said to say pineapple when you were scared of something. During that tour, I said pineapple a lot since the tour guide scared the crap out of me. So now, during the train ride, I remember that Wesley tried to hug me from behind and he did it slowly. So when I noticed him, I yelled pineapple on the train. It was really hilarious and we all had a good amount of those similar times which they were also really funny. Ok, now when we reached London, we first explored the War Rooms which Churchill lived in for periods of time during WWII. We then went to the place that the queen of England lives. After that, we went to Big Ben, and then we went back to Dover.

Matt

London Bridge Is Falling Down

Hola! Today we went to London and after the Arch Academy was there it will never be the same again. The bridge of Britain society will fall down. After the excitement and positivity the Arch Academy brought to the grand capital they call London. First, we went to that courtyard in front of the natural history museum that only Lisa knows the name to. After that we took a walk in one of the most beautiful parks in London. I think it was called St James. I am really bad at remembering these British names. I can, however, remember the amazing times I had in front of Big Ben when I was with my Arch Academy friends. We also had some delicious food and I felt like a great leader.

(ps-the courtyard Matt is referring to is Trafalgar Square, which everyone had a hard time remembering!-Lisa)

Paul

Cosmic Spallations

Today we walked around London, which wasn’t too comfortable on my ankle. I think I twisted it badly over those days walking on the beach. I think the most interesting part of the Churchill museum was his escape from the Boer War in 1899, earning him enough fame to jump into politics. Why don’t we have more towers with clocks on them like Big Ben? It’s pretty convenient to have the time available up there. The traffic here is pretty fast and close to public walk paths. Ambulances speed by at high speeds with very loud sirens. I hope to get a good idea of what gifts I want to get for our next day in London, since there isn’t that much time left.

Day 10: Hiking the Cliffs and Mindful Reflection

Maddy
THANK YOU SPONSORS AND DONORS
Today was an easy day with a light breakfast of Miralax water and another huge bottle of water. Cheryl and I went into town to find a place to get our nails done. And like every Mexican food place in San Diego, they were all closed on Sundays. The two of us went back to the hotel to chill out while the rest of the clan went on a hike to the White Cliffs. From what I heard, it was spectacular and everyone had fun. I had a good time reading my book and waiting for my stomach to feel better. We got some lunch in the cafe which we very much enjoyed. Thank you to all our sponsors and donors. You guys are the reason we're having awesome meals, going to London, and getting souvenirs. We also had a productive group and are looking forward to tomorrow when we leave for London! Thank you everyone!

Faith
The White Cliffs
Today, I woke up at about seven. I headed down for breakfast, and heard that we were going on a hike at 11:00. At first I was not looking forward to it, however, I ended up LOVING it. THANK YOU JOHN! John led us on this hike. We walked along the white cliffs of Dover, and we headed to the viewing point. When we reached the farthest viewing point, we found a shipwreck! We all thought it was probably from World War II!! Nevertheless, we are not 100% sure. So, the rest of the day was low key. I am very excited to go to London, and get some souvenirs. I am having to end this, but, today we had a very constructive group. This helped me realize how I can be selfless instead of selfish. Also, I learned how to be more mindful of everyone else, and how I can't let others make me feel different about myself :). I also want to say thank you to all of our donors, sponsors, and everyone else who helped make this trip possible. YAY ZOMBIES!

Lauren
The Adventures of Arch Academy, Zombie Patrol: Hiking
Today started out with a beautiful hike. Thank you, John for taking us! The view was so amazing and I honestly felt like I was in the field in the movie, "The Sound Of Music". I wish I could have brought my camera but that's okay because I have the beautiful view captured in my mind. When we got back, the group had a team meeting led by Cheryl. The team meeting made me realize that I need to step out of my own bubble and start asking others about their interests or how their day is going. I've been selfish and self-absorbed my entire life and it is time for me to start stepping up as a leader for the current ARCH students and the others who are yet to come. Also, I found out that a lot of RESCU students have been following our blogs and if any of you are reading this, I would just like to take a moment to tell you that what you have started here has not been forgotten. Thank you for all those days at the YMCA and all the cove swims. You guys have all helped make up what ARCH is today. Overall, today was kind of a free day. We relaxed after the hike and the team meeting and now we are blogging after dinner in the hotel. I miss and love everyone back home and want you guys to know that I am having the time of my life, so thank you mom and dad and all the donors for sending the Zombie Patrol to the English Channel.

Diana
What a Beautiful Hike
Today we went on a hike to the White Cliff's of Dover which was beautiful. Thank you John so much for taking us. It was nice to get out of the hotel and get fresh air in a beautiful area. We were walking up a lot of stairs and up hills so it was also a good workout. There were a lot of bees that were bigger than the normal worker bees. When we were walking back Betzi, Matt, and I saw the quadratic formula on the wall. Betzi had drawn a Venus fly trap with a bee around it on the sidewalks. We then had lunch and then watched a little TV. We then had a group in which I realized that I need to become more mindful of the people around me. I want to thank all of the donors that helped support us in getting to the English Channel, to my peers that helped, to Lisa, John, Cheryl, Dad, Papa, and to everyone else. I thought it was a wonderful day and there is always something to be learned inside and outside of the water.

Kaylee
A Day of Beauty and Reflecting.
Today, at breakfast we talked about what we would be doing in the future for PE and whether or not we would continue swimming (HAS NOT BEEN DECIDED YET). This gave me time to reflect and really think of how much swimming has changed and saved my life. I just wanted to thank past students who started and were a part of the continuation of the swim program before me. As much of a pain and challenge swimming can be for me at times, at the end of the day it always makes me feel better and it really has saved my life. I personally would like to continue swimming so future students can experience something similar to me. Swimming has also brought me a lot closer to my family (missing you guys!!). During the day, John took us on a hike on the white cliffs of Dover which was absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!! The walk was intense but once we made it to the cliffs it was well worth it because the view was incredible. I wish I had brought my camera but I am glad I was able to live in the moment. I was also glad I was able to bring the speaker so I could listen to some music. After coming back we had a group with more reflecting and I continue to remember there is always something I can do to improve. Thank you again to ALL the people who donated: family members, friends, peers, etc, and all our sponsors: HXC Sport, Milwaukee Tool!! Your support helped make this possible.

Zach
Conversation.
Today we started off by taking an amazing hike lead by John Allcock to the White Cliffs of Dover. At the top of the White Cliffs of Dover, I looked around and saw so much beauty in nature. It was really amazing and I loved the views. One that I liked specifically was the the over view of the small town of Dover and the port. With this being said, I thanked John for taking all of us to the White Cliffs of Dover and also planning the hike. Something that I do want to mention is that during the day, I was thinking along with the other students about whether Zombie should continue. I would say yes because it has helped with our academics and our well-being and our relationships with our families and friends. I also want to thank the past members of Zombie and the people who have started and kept the swimming program running because it has helped everyone who has been in it and will help the future students who join. Later in the day, during dinner, I was working with improving Noah's conversation skills. I tried my best to talk with him about a lot of different things. I feel that I made some progress.

Wesley
Fun, thanks, and friends
Today I woke up, and I went to the gym again. This time I was very sore from yesterday. Then I ate some breakfast with Dan. Today we went on a hike along the White Cliffs of Dover. It was very beautiful. I found a bunch of dandelions, and I made a wish. I found the nature so pretty. I took a deep breath, and let the nature throw away some of my negative thoughts. Even the walk to the cliffs was so pretty, for example it was green. On top of the cliffs I could see a shipwreck in the channel water which I have never seen in real life before. It made me want to try shipwreck scuba diving. Then we came back to the hotel, and we ate lunch. I had a burger, and french fries. Then Paul, and I watched some of the Princess Bride. Then we had a group. In group I realized I need to work on understanding social cues especially with girls. I need to start holding myself accountable for my actions. This group also made me realize that I should start bonding with the guys more and not just the girls. After the group, I talked with Parth a lot. Thank you, Parth, for helping me with my conversational and social skills. After that I went with Paul, Parth, and Zach and we played cards and munched on frosted flakes, which in England, they call Frostys. Then we ate some dinner together, and Parth helped me have a good conversation. Tomorrow we are going to London. I am thrilled. I lived in London for six months and I have been wanting to go back, and now I get to go with my Arch pals. I want to thank Sam, Milwaukee tools, and everyone who helped us get money for our trip, and a good swim.

Parth
The Great Group
The beginning of today's events involves a trip to breakfast and then an interesting hike, where we saw the most beautiful flowers and insects, as well as an amazing shipwreck, which was really awesome.  Later in the day, we had a group.  From this group, I reflected on my various antisocial habits and inherent selfishness.  My habit of hoarding as well as my not listening to advice from peers and teachers have contributed to my bad behavior.  The group has helped me with my antisocial behaviors as well, and today before and after dinner, I managed to hold a conversation with Wesley, helping him with his social skills in the process.  I am glad that I managed to improve my social skills, and I hope to have been a help to Wesley as well.  After the group, I will focus on improving my habits of hoarding and antisocial behavior.  I would like to thank the group for helping me correct my misbehavior, and I really appreciate it.  Today, I have made steps to correct my bad habits, and I would like to thank the group for that.

Noah
Hiking in the white cliffs
Today we ate breakfast in the morning. I helped Zach to get his waffles out of the toaster during breakfast. We went hiking to the white cliffs. I saw France and the port of Dover and ships. I also saw a wrecked ship near the shore. I was thinking it's a U-boat because it was used during WWII. We went back the to the hotel and ate lunch. Today I thought of 10 positive things in group. I also talked about improving my social skills with Zach during Dinner. Thank you, Zach, for having conversations with me. The 10 positive things are helping me be more positive with myself. Tomorrow morning we're taking a train to London and I'm excited to go to London. I miss you all.

Paul

Telephone Pole

I want to point out that this global trip has been a strong social experience for me. At the beginning of the trip, I was worried that I would get behind on homework if I did not bring it on the trip, and that I would have to be very busy getting back on pace for the time afterwards. Many people warned me that I should not have brought it anyway, but I ignored them and mentally prepared for working. Once the trip started and I began to work, I was told that I wouldn’t be allowed to do homework. A few days into the trip, I realized that even during idle times, I wouldn’t even get very far on homework, since I’m busy working and planning stuff with the rest of my peers. Heck, without homework or the rest of my activities back in California, I feel very relaxed. I can focus on going around and sight-seeing with others, play cards, or see what kind of strange children’s shows the British make. All of it is new, original experiences that I’ll probably never get to repeat again, so I’m going to make the best of it.

Anyway, today we walked around on the white bluffs. I liked the breathtaking view of the harbor and the rest of Dover. The loading procedures of the ships at the harbor involved organized rows and spirals of cars and semi-trucks. There was a sunken ship at the base of one of the cliffs, and we speculated that it may have been a U-boat from World War II. I think it possibly could have been a platform that collapsed from the top of the cliff, since there was some concrete/brick supports at the top where we were standing.

Matt

Amazing Day

So we had an amazing day. We got to have a great walk along the White Cliffs of Dover. I mean the views were incredible. I was so happy that I got to hang out with John and all of my peers. We could see France over all of the blue water. The other really cool thing was the huge tankers that were going across the channel. We also got to see a really cool shipwreck from the White Cliffs. After that I got to sit with the Arch friends and play cards. I was really happy to help the other kids be a little bit more socially engaged. After that I was able to enjoy a group and I really felt like I was becoming a better leader and a better person in general. This was a pretty great day and we are about to go to London so that is going to be really fun. 

Betzi
Sting!
I really enjoyed today, especially the hike around the white cliffs of Dover that John mapped out for us. It was discovered that the chalky calcium carbonate that comprises the cliff faces can be used as commercial sidewalk chalk like the type used on kindergarten playgrounds, even creating a white cloud of chalk dust when thrown at a stone or the pavement. The tops of the cliffs are far from being consistently white though. There were many shades making up the different species of grasses,
gnarled trees and ivy, and wild flowers scattered throughout the landscape; plants bearing burgundy seed pods, purple bell flowers, light green tendrils, and startlingly red petals textured like crepe paper. Lots of insects too (yeah, the camera was filled up pretty quickly), and especially spittlebugs of the family Cercopidae. The nymphs reside in these milky gobs of saliva-like froth attached to their preferred plants, the former keeping them protected from predators/extreme temperatures and the latter being their food source during the first instar. Unfortunately, the biggest froth-gobs were located directly inside a patch of stinging nettles... the thought of the pictures I came away with make me feel better about the burning rashes on my forearms as I type this. Zach was kept moving along the trail quickly in his attempts to avoid the big, bristling carpenter bees that were out despite the wind, which was pretty funny. I stayed behind at a certain point in the hike to hunt through some brambles in peace, but the rest of the group returned with photos of a sunken ship that they saw through the water shallows. Later, Parth, CJ, Matt, Paul, Zach, Noah, and I played Texas hold 'em (as re-imagined by Zach with Uno cards). A serious group meeting preceded the announcement that we will all be going to London tomorrow. Prime opportunity for new leaders to step up.

Day 9- Sightseeing in Canterbury

Lauren
Hop Onto The Ghost Tour!
Today, we all slept in (Thank god!) and at about 11:00, we all departed toward Canterbury, which is a cute little historic town. We went into the Cathedral and walked around, taking in the history. It was actually really cool. Since I'm not Catholic, I wasn't expecting to be that interested in all of it, but I actually really enjoyed it. In the Cathedral, there were a lot of statues on top of the coffins along with the remains of bishops and priests. After stopping to get some lunch, (I ate tomato soup) we went onto the ghost tour. We didn't really know what to expect at first, until the tour guide started making sexist and ignorant remarks.He was trying to be funny but instead, he crossed the line with us. This is why we left in the middle of it. Even though after that tour, we were all really angry and upset, I'm glad that we didn't let it ruin our day because that would be unfortunate. I feel like throughout this trip, the students as a group our bonding and becoming closer than ever. Overall, our day was good. Whenever stuff like that happens and gets me down, I like to think that a bad day on vacation is still a great day.


Betzi
Canterbury Ghosts
The Canterbury Cathedral is architecturally astounding, especially considering that it was built around a thousand years ago. The crumbling outside walls and spires are encircled by a carapace of steel lifts and equipment for reconstruction, but much of the original sculptures and glasswork still remain on the inside- as well as what is left of the bishops who preached there when they were alive. The bodies were entombed within ornate stone blocks carved to each bishop's eternally-resting likeness, their cold, white hands carved to cross in front of their chests in a way that was wonderfully macabre. Next, we followed an extremely boisterous and not very self-aware man on a tour of the places in Canterbury where ghosts had been spotted. He told us about the various ways Canterbury citizens had been killed by others or by themselves, and about the witch hunts that spread through the town, before the British humor started to cross a line with our particular group and we decided to silently retreat. We hung out by the edge of a canal used for transporting water through the town, and saw a brown-feathered duck with eight ducklings in tow. The best part of the day was when we saw this guitar-playing eye-patched street performer sitting in the town square at a fountain, playing Muddy Waters with great skill. Matt started singing and dancing with him, the two having a great time, and when the man went to go take a break in a nearby restaurant, he let Kaylee take over for him with the guitar. It was a long day. I am pretty excited to sleep tonight.

Diana
So Happy
Today started out by me looking over toward Lauren's bed and not seeing her. This is unusual because I always wake up before her. We went to Canterbury and had some fun looking in the shops. The food was good, I had a lovely view of a panini and then ate that same panini. Some of the stores were cool to look at and there was this one store that had a lot of Buddha stuff. The Cathedral was beautiful and one of the archbishops was killed there. Later, we were waiting for the bus to come and saw a person that played guitar really well. Kaylee and Matt were singing and playing it as well. When we got back we ate dinner and I had a bruscetta yummy delight, and risotto that was really yummy in my tummy. Also Kaylee and I went down to the gym and worked out (me running on a treadmill for 10 minuyts on 8.1 or as Betzi is telling me, I ran a little more than a mile.) Now I am blogging. Also I want to say thank you so much dad and papa for allowing me to get the tattoo, Betzi for designing the tattoo, Cheryl for helping me think more deeply about the tattoo, and to everyone else. Love you all.

Faith
Canterbury
Today, we were all allowed to sleep in. However, the one day I actually am allowed to sleep in, I wake up at seven! Nevertheless, I still had a fun day. All of the girls are getting tattoos to represent them swimming the English Channel. I am not, however, but that is fine because I am only 14. Betzi is going to give me a copy of the design, and she will draw it on my ankle after all of the other girls get theirs. When I'm 18, I'm getting that tattoo, and Cheryl said that she would be with me when I get it! :) So, today we all went to Canterbury, and had a ghost tour. This tour was interesting... and when the jokes went too far, we left. We didn't feel it was appropriate to listen to young girls getting pushed off buildings etc.! Anyways, I am now blogging, and I have to end it, so... I LOVE you mom and dad!! :)

Maddy
London Ink
Today we went to Canterbury, a small town outside Dover. Our taxi driver was very lively and funny. Matt and I talked to him about how much he hated the Queen and how amazing Princess Diana was. When we  got to Canterbury, we went to the Cathedral and wondered around. Dad, I left a prayer for Nana for it to be read on Sunday Mass. (I also left a prayer for Louie Zamperini...) We then had lunch at a small place by the Cathedral. We then had three hours to kill before we would have our Canterbury Ghost Tour. We walked in and out of many shops that were super TOURISTY and had the same items in each shop...TOURISTY. However, I found a couple posters for my dorm in Chicago!!! Anyway, we found a grassy knoll and sang songs together. Finally, when 4pm rolled around, we dragged ourselves to the tour. Maybe 30 minutes into the tour, we realized that the tour guide was a messed up man. Cheryl rallied us and we slipped off into the alleyways, away from that weirdo. Good Night. I can't wait for my tattoo! Thank you Mom and Dad!!!!!!!!!!!

Kaylee
Can of Berries
Today we went to Canterbury. It had some pretty rad shops that we were able to look inside. We also saw a Cathedral that was HUGE and made me feel like I was on the set of Lord of the Rings. For a while we waited in a grassy park (that had lots of bugs). We then went on a "Ghost Tour" that didn't last very long due to the ignorant jokes made by the man leading. While waiting for the taxi to pick us up and take us back to the hotel, Matt and I watched some man with a guitar on the side of the road play Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters etc. We gave him some change because he was very good. He then took the change to get a drink and he handed me his guitar for me to play while he was gone. It was pretty cool because it was a really nice guitar and really nice place. Then the taxi picked us up and Maddy and I were able to have a cool conversation with the driver about his family, etc. He was a really cool dude.

Matt

Normal Tourist Stuff:

So today we went to Canterbury, it was pretty interesting. First, we had a bus driver that was a super nice guy who actually visits Egypt on occasion. So that was really cool. The guy also told us a lot about the English Royal Family. After that we went sightseeing in the cathedral, it was a pretty interesting cathedral. It was where Christianity in England began. The architecture was really amazing for that time period. It was pretty exciting. Then me and a couple other students went around town. I don’t know if we were supposed to go off like that but, we ended exploring by ourselves and it was pretty fun. After that we had a pretty sexist tour guide so that was interesting. After that we ate food and went back to the hotel. Alright I got to go bye.

Noah

Touring in Canterbury

We went to Canterbury in a van. Canterbury has a lot of buildings, stores, and restaurants. We got in the church first and the church is so cool. After we got in the church, I walked with Matt, Paul, and Wesley. We got lost after we got out of the store. We had a hard time finding the Arch peers and so we stayed in the center of Canterbury. We found them and we’re safe. We looked at stores and found something to eat. We got in to the army store. There were lots of clothes for soldiers and helmets. I wore a gas mask when we first arrived at the store. The peers took pictures of me wearing a gas mask. I went to the ATM and finally got 40 pounds. We visited a ghost tour man who talks about the things that happened in England a long time ago. He scared some peers but he didn’t scare me. The van picked us up late because the drivers had jobs they have to finish. After we got back to the hotel, we ate dinner at an Italian restaurant we ate before. We’re going to London next week and I miss you all.

Wesley

The Beasty man

Today I woke up, and I went to the gym and lifted weights. John was in the gym too. For some reason last night I went to bed, and this morning I woke up, and I was missing Bella. So I went into town and I got her a gift. I also got a bubble maker for Otto. I finally found the right gift for my best pal Jeremy. We went to a church, and it was so sad, we saw a coffin with a person inside, and they had a statue of the person on top. It was sad. For some reason today I was very huggy with my pals.  I just love all of my Arch pals. We went to a ghost town, and we had a not good tour guide he was dressed weird, and was scary. I was scared he was going to scare me so I had to stand by Parth. We left the tour. Dad I wanted to ask you, may I please get diamond earrings on this trip. I think I would look so good with them. That would give me extra help remembering this trip, and after the swim I deserve them. Ask Uncle Dave and Terry Folly what they think. Tonight we went out to dinner as a family. I had steak and fries. I am very excited to go to London. Tonight at dinner I was just loving all of my Arch friends. I know they all love me, and I have more and more fun to come on this trip.

Paul

Anti-mass spectrometer

I found it interesting how this church we visited is still standing over 1000 years later. I’ve never seen such a tourist-y place before, considering the large groups of people and hallways. Matt, Wesley, Noah and I nearly got lost in the crowds after we split up to get food, but we managed to reunite with the group within 15 minutes. While waiting for the ghost tour guide, we waited for 2 hours in a grassy area and sang songs.

Zach Irvine

Russian Bling

Today started our trip off by going to a very, very old church in Canterbury. It had a lot of dead people, Christians, and dead soldiers. After that we wandered around. I also wanted to mention that we found our first rock shop in London and I bought two buttons one saying “Punk's not dead” and the other being an Anarchy sign. Alright, moving on, now during our wandering hours, we stumbled upon a military shop. I found it fascinating because it had a lot of genuine WWII military equipment from all sorts of countries. Now this where I decided to call my blog “Russian Bling”, I bought a genuine Soviet Union pin. It was not a replica that was made in China. So now, I have put it on my mad bomber hat. Alright, now moving, after all this wandering, we went to this supposedly ghostly thingy. The tour was alright we stopped halfway then left and got dinner because all our comrades were hungry. End of Blog.

Parth

Antidisestablishmentarianism

Our day begins with a trip to an old cathedral, the center of Christianity in England.  I loved the exquisite stained glass windows, and the incredible murals and sculptures.  Beyond the obvious benefits of the beautiful artwork, I could feel the ancient history and religion of the cathedral.  It had been built in the late 1000’s, almost a millennium ago.  Later in the day, after a lot of wandering around, we went to a park space, and played music.  We managed to annoy half of the people around us, and people sang along with the songs, one of which was Ikea.  Lastly, we managed to have a good dinner, and we all ate good portions. 

CJ

Day: I lost count. I’m free from Dover.

FINALLY, WE LEFT DOVER. After more than a week here I do not think I could have lasted any longer before the boredom killed me. Our trip to Canterbury began with us taking a tour of a large cathedral, which was ironically being repaired by the national lottery. Afterward we had a few hours to look around. First, I had a bacon and chicken wrap, and then we found this military surplus store. Then we found several other stores which sold assorted posters and goods. Then we had a little ghost tour with a guy who was not very appropriate. So we left Canterbury after that and had a very filling Italian dinner, at the one restaurant in Dover that could actually sit 16 people.

Day 8- Reflection, Elation

Faith
WE DID IT
This is a mixture of both today's and yesterday's blogs. So, yesterday, we all finished swimming The English Channel!!!!!!!!!!! My team, Zombie A, finished it in 13 hours and 8 minutes. I was, and am, very proud of both Zombie teams, considering we have been training for about two years now. As Kaylee always says, "A moment of pain is worth a lifetime of glory." Despite the jellyfish, the temperature, and the conditions, we all finished! Cheryl did AMAZING, I heard, and I was so thankful to have Mike and Dan on my boat. When it was time for me to go in for my second leg, I was told that we were past the 'Jelly Zone.' However, about forty minutes into my swim, I saw a big jelly fish underneath me. I started to hyperventilate, and then I hit a school of jellies! I started to think of John, and his talks about fear and how I need to stay in the present. I need to end this, but I am soooooo proud of myself, Cheryl, and my teammates! I am so thankful for Mike, Dan, my parents, and my supporters, here and at home! WE DID IT!

Parth
The ZING of the Century
I have recently had the great luck to take part in an incredible event, the Arch Academy Zombie English Channel Swim.  I feel privileged to be able to help a number of incredible people on their journey across the English Channel, and to have been able to swim with them.  I feel as though this incredible swim will linger on in the memories of the later generations of Arch students, if no one else.  We have done the incredible, what some people said was impossible.  To those haters out there, I would like to say ZING, and I believe that you may have to revise your opinion that these students and their coaches are screw-ups and failures.  We are incredible people, and we have crossed the English Channel!!!!!!  I believe that a quote that Kaylee always repeats, "A moment of pain is worth a lifetime of glory", is quite apt to describe the mentality of the Zombie swimmers and their Coaches, Cheryl and Dan.  Yesterday, we made history, and we are proud of it.  Today, the scars of our battle show, and we wear them as proud badges of our steadfast determination, never giving up, never giving in, and always having faith in ourselves.  GO ZOMBIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Zach
Disabled children swim the ENGLISH CHANNEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just yesterday, both team A and B were on boats that traveled many miles. With this involved swimming. The great, legendary news is both teams made it and we beat the Australians by an hour. Now, about my swim, I did really well. A quick summary of both of the times I got in is explained in this one simple sentence, "I HAULED ASS". For the time, it was really cold but I managed to pull through. Same goes for the other swim. I also only shivered for about a little under an hour and I had a blast. The next day which is today, we simply did our ceremony and collected all the "medals", really I only got one but it is still means something. Before this, we went to this really old pub and signed both team A and B's names. We also left our signature anarchy sign to show who we really are. Tomorrow will also be another great adventure, which is a trip to Canterbury and a ghost thingy. Wo000000000000000000000000000000o-HOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

CJ
D-Day
Zombie B is the best. Why do you ask? Because of the B. The day began at 2 or 3 I forgot time specifics, but then we arrived at the dock where we met or captain and began the swim. A culmination of years of training lead up to these 13 hours. There were many ups and acts of anarchy. The experience was something unforgettable. and because John is awesome, I got to finish the swim with Matt. Today, we signed our names in the White Horse pub and were awarded our medals. At this point I never wanna see Dover again because there is literally nothing to do here. So...yeah. We're going to Canterbury tomorrow. Also Zombie B was the fastest (beating several teams who all had head starts,) and we got a trophy. 0

Matt
Swimming. Eating. Sleeping. Motivating People
I was on a boat yesterday and literally all I did the whole time was do that. So I'm sure you have heard enough about on the boat. I have the amazing opportunity to tell you what it was like on the shores of Calais, France. The pirate pilot followed me on a dingy because it was too shallow for the big boat. I was kind of sad that Betzi couldn't have the satisfaction of touching that beautiful sandy French beach, due to the fact that she had to swim three full hours, but that's okay. I am happy that I was able to finish it and get rocks for all the people I could get rocks for. I will never forget the excitement I felt when I touched that beach. I don't think the French people that were staring at me will ever forget the kid in the speedo yelling profanities at France. I got rocks for everyone and I was thinking of everyone when I touched that beach. Today was a lot of relaxing and doing nothing. Thank You for sending me and I don't know if I am going to make any videos any more. Thank You for watching. Thank You John. Thank You Mike. Thank You Cheryl. Thank You to my parents. Good night Cheryl told me I have to go.

Lauren

The English Channel Conquerors 

We did it. We swam the English Channel. Can you guys believe it? I still can’t and I was actually there to witness the last swimmer touch land. Getting on the boat at 4:30 AM was the scariest feeling I have felt. There were knots in my stomach. Thankfully, later on in the swim, I became more and more confident that we would succeed, and we did! We did it. We swam it. I didn’t get sea sick or throw up at all which surprised me because I get really sea sick on boats. If you saw me on Catalina, then you would know that I get REALLY sea sick. But this isn’t anything like Catalina. This is the English Channel. The big E.C. I cannot get over the fact that we did it. Also, our two Zombie relays were 4 minutes apart in time and Zombie B was the fastest out of all the relays. (Including the Australians) Way to go, Zombie B! I have never been more proud of myself and my teammates as much as I am now. We’ve conquered the fear, the cold, and we killed it during the big English Channel swim. Oh my god. We actually did it! Today was pretty relaxed because we slept after a day of being on the boat and swimming in the ocean. We wrote our names on the famous wall where all swimmers who swam the English Channel do the same. Then, we were presented a medal and, let me tell you, these medals weigh about a pound. But overall, as a team, we did it. I feel on top of the world, as if I can conquer anything. We did it in 13 hours and 8 minutes.

Maddy

Longest Hour of Your Life

The day started at 3:00am and Betzi was the first in the bone chilling water at 5:17. I was third in the lineup which meant that I would be in the water at 7:17. This was the scariest, coldest, most honorable thing I’ve ever done and probably ever will do. I must say, I have never taken witness to an hour as long as those hours I spent in the water. However, every minute in that water was a blessing and every stroke took us a little closer. Program can teach you to tame your addictions, but it can also get you across the English Channel. I chanted “This Too Shall Pass”, “One Stroke at a Time”, “By the Grace of God”. It wasn’t comfortable, nice, easy, warm, fast, or enjoyable. However, the kids that were high school drop outs, at risk, rude, sad, depressed, addicted, and were looked at as failures did something not a lot of people would ever think to do. (and we did it faster than all 9 relays.) This swim symbolizes the fear in our lives and when we finished, it symbolized our ability to conquer anything that’s thrown our way. Now, we sit in the Dover Marina Hotel with gold medals around our necks and resting on our cores, knowing we’ve done it. We conquered another monster in our way.

Kaylee

“A moment of pain is worth a lifetime of glory.”

We woke up at 3 am and got all of our stuff together so we could walk over to the dock. The boat ride to the white cliffs at 4:30(ish) am was such an incredible way to wake up. The sunrise was gorgeous. Thankfully no one on our boat got sea sick. We were able to swim on a very beautiful day. Although the day was beautiful, the water was COLD COLD COLD!!!! It was such an intense experience. Betzi swam first for an hour, then Matt to Maddy, and then I was up. Once I jumped in the water, it was hard not to scream, in fact I’m sure I did lol. The hour felt very long and I had to constantly keep distracting myself from the fact that I was freezing my butt off. After me, Noah and Cheryl went. We all cheered on the side of the boat as each swimmer was in the water. John was SUPER SUPER helpful by getting us all out of the water and making sure we were warm, dressed, and taken care of. Getting in the second time was probably the hardest. I thought I had swam for 30 minutes, just to look at my watch and see that it had just been 10. I just had to keep swimming, and that we all did. We all swam like there was no tomorrow. As I was in the water, I kept telling myself “This is temporary, and a moment of pain is worth a lifetime of glory.” The struggle to get warm was real and people who usually weren’t cold were FREEZING. Once we finished we all had smiles tattooed to our faces and were so STOKED!! WE DID IT!! WE ACTUALLY DID IT!!!! The pain and everything was SO WORTH IT because WE DID IT!!! I am so thankful for EVERYONE who made this possible!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! Such an amazing experience that not a lot get to do (or even would do if they had the choice.) Today we received our medals and Zombie B received our trophy for having the fastest time. We came here to do one thing, and that we did. :)

Paul

Salted Pretzels

Yesterday, we swam more than we usually do.

I found it fun to utilize the fine zooming capabilities of our camera to look at distant locations on the horizon. It was challenging and fun to counter the rock of the boat with the object in the reticle. Diana forgot to bring her mp3 player, which included everyone’s choices of music, and so we had to resort to Parth’s mp3 player, which included classical music, Queen, and Star Wars soundtracks. However, this had better results and was fun to listen to, and I realized that the former music actually may have stressed me out. The conditions for the swim were probably the best they could have been. The only thing I felt was missing was the theme that played at the helicopter scene at the end of Jurassic Park. It would have gone perfectly with our ride back from Calais.

Today, we rested in the morning and celebrated in the afternoon. Wesley, Parth, and I shaved our beards off. Apparently my haircut was good looking, so I think I might go for this style more often. I noticed that most of these restored old buildings include fuses along some of the wiring, which probably reveals that there isn’t a fuse box for them. I also noticed that some of the columns in our hotel have painted over hinges on the panels… I wonder if they still have stuff inside. It gets dark very late, by the way; it’s still fairly bright out at 9:30.

Diana

So Much FUN!!

I woke up at 3:00 am to the phone wake up call. I grabbed my bags and went downstairs and was with the other teammates. We were at the dock waiting for a few minutes for the captain. When we got on the boat I was pulling out the speaker and iPod, however I did not have my iPod because I had forgot it charging. Parth had his iPod and we listened to classical music and some Black Eyed Peas. When I got in the first time I had to swim to shore in Dover and then swim by the boat towards France. It was cold and I was shocked. I got out and I could not stop shaking. Faith and Lauren and Mike helped me get warm. The captains loved me because I was really funny. We also had pizza which was really yummy. The second swim I was waiting for 20 minutes to be left and the captain came out and showed me the pizza over the side and I yelled cook the pizza. The second time Faith went in she was told that there were no more jelly fish and so when she saw a big jelly fish, she got scared and started crying, however she pulled through it like a champ. It was amazing to see her push through her fear and finish it; this really showed she was thinking of the team and she did amazing. I knew I had to go a third time so I told Zach to give it all you got because it will be your last swim. He did amazing and covered at least two and a half miles. When I went in the third time I swam as fast as I could and pushed it to get as close to shore as I could. When my hour was done Wesley went in and finished the race. I am very proud of Wesley and the rest of the team. Everyone did great and did it. When we came back to the hotel we ate pizza and then took a shower because I had lumps of Vaseline on my entire body except my face. Today I woke up at 9:36 with my arm hurting. I knew that I over worked it but it feels a little better. I went into town and came back to go to a meeting with medals and pictures. Dinner was not good. It was the same thing practically in a different form and a different waitress. We all went to a pub where people who swim the English Channel sign the walls, which was really cool. There was one on the wall that said, “Training sucked, Waiting sucked, Swimming sucked, but the memories were all worth it.” Thank you so much for everyone who made this possible. Thank you to all the donors, to Dan, dad and papa, Cheryl, Lisa, Heather, Lin, everyone else. YAAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wesley

Fun, cold, cuddles

When we got on the boat, I was very excited to get in the water. After my first swim I got out freezing. I went inside the cabin of the boat, and the captain said in his English voice "cup of tea mate?" I said yes. It warmed me up. After that I ate a ham sandwich, and me and the other guys that were not swimming all cuddled on the deck just like brothers and sisters. Then I went back in the water. On my second swim I was both tired and cold but I still swam hard. When I got out I went inside, and the captain gave me a brownie. Then I took another nap with my pals again. Then Diana had to swim a third time, and then we were 15 minutes away from land, so I was the one that swam, and touched the land. When I first got on the land I could not believe what I have done.  When I got on the beach a guy came and high-fived me, and I said to him bonjour, and he said it back, and then he ask Dan to take a photo of him and me. When I got back on the boat, all of my pals all cheered for me, and hugged me. I told Faith, Diana, and Lauren that I was the one that finished the swim, and did a good job in the English Channel because of my beard, and what I told Cheryl which was since they stood up for me with CJ, it warmed my heart, and gave me warmth in the English Channel. It was so nice on the boat. None of us got sea sick, I got two cramps but that was not so bad. I liked it that me and my pals were close together on the boat just like brothers, and sisters. When we came back to Dover, I was so excited I had to call The La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club, and my two surfing buddies Jeremy and Fay. Today I woke up and had breakfast. Then I went for a walk, and to say thank you to Betzi, and Diana, I bought them some candy. I got Betzi, a ring pop, and Diana a huge lollipop. Then I ate some lunch. We got our medals today. We got a group photo with the Australian team. One of the girls said to me Wesley stand by me for the picture. That felt good. Dad, I wanted to ask you if you ever get a chance please tell Jeremy that I miss him so much. Would you also tell him that I have been to scared to tell him this but I consider him my best friend. I have been getting a lot of hugs on this trip. I have more fun to come. I hope to see a bobby in London. 

Betzi
*Epoch-Making*
On June 25, 2015, two teams from The Arch Academy complete the swim across the entire English Channel, landing with just a four minute time difference between them. Zombie A finishes in 13 hours and 8 minutes, and Zombie B finishes in 13 hours and 4 minutes. I will try to express to you how proud I am of us, but, as is typically said in monumental situations such as this, I highly doubt words can ever accurately convey all that this means to me. You guys are awesome, and I love every single one of you. I sat under the deck of *Viking Princess* with Cheryl, lying on soggy clothes and energy bar wrappers, listening to the shrieks of victory from above, feeling sore and tired and cold and propping up my busted leg with some expired heat packs. I suddenly was overwhelmed with joy, happier than I have ever been in my whole life. I looked back to make sure my consciousness hadn't been switched to an entirely different person (it's been known to happen in science fiction novels) and I *did* remember what life was like five years ago- but instead of the memories being painful, they only amplified my feelings of ecstasy in the moment in light of what I have overcome. What all of us, what Cheryl and the rest of Arch, have achieved despite our challenges. My face must have made evident what I was thinking, because Cheryl lifted her head out of my wadded Milwaukee Tool jacket on the cabin bench and told me to soak it all in. She did an amazing job in the water, battling the 54-degree water and the jellyfish. Noah's legs were completely numb and stiff, but when we screamed at him to shut up and keep swimming, he powered through. Maddy was shivering and crying in her dog suit, but she got back in a second time, and still maintained her sense of humor so as to moon the
swimmers over the side of the boat. Matt went through his hours in the water with the consistency of a pendulum and turned white with cold. Kaylee was extremely positive and supportive of everyone the whole time, and somehow managed to avoid nausea on the boat and in the ocean without taking
any medicine. John and CJ helped every person get dressed and warm, made sandwiches, and were running around on deck throughout the entire 13 hours. CJ got out on the Calais shore with Matt, and the two of them looked insane as they were transported, cheering, back to the boat. Our names are in the White Horse pub on one of the door frames, and we each have a heavy gold medal. This is so surreal. I am sure that no one was thinking we would beat two Australian teams in a swim across the English Channel when we started the Zombie swim team, but then, Arch is great at the unexpected.
Thank you everyone, again- we could never have done this without you. Who's "at risk" *now*, f*ckers!!!!

The Big Day

Everyone is fed and in bed, finally resting after an intense day both emotionally and physically. They are a little sunburned, a little stinky, and riding an incredible high from conquering the seemingly insurmountable goal they had set for themselves. They were fortunate enough to have wonderful conditions today. The sun was shining and the wind had died down. The water was cold but the waves were calm. The current was strong but less so than yesterday. They woke this morning before the sun without (much) complaining, gathered their gear, and walked to the docks. I didn't hear from them again for an agonizing 13 hours. I sat in the lobby of the hotel for hours, supported by the parents who were able to be here as well. We checked the tracker constantly, waiting for the periodic signs of progress. As the markers got closer and closer to shore, our anticipation grew. Our own nerves set in. Some paced, others tried to busy themselves with tasks to make the time pass, some of us just chatted about the 13 incredible "kids" (plus Cheryl, John, Dan and Mike!) about to accomplish something so few ever will. And as the moment came where the marker sat just off the shore of France, we all held our breaths. The text came that the first boat had made it, and we all cheered and a few cried. And shortly after the first, a second text came that the second boat had made it as well. Another cheer, more clapping, and more tears. We may have made a tiny scene in the lobby, but would it be Arch any other way?? We were speechless in many ways. How do you put into words the feeling you have experiencing someone else's triumph? Pride? Joy? Happiness? Elation? Nothing seems to quite sum up just how incredible we think this accomplishment is. I thought to myself, if I feel this way without even participating how must the Zombies feel? Tired. Sunburned. Hungry. If I can't explain how those of us on land felt, there is no way I can possibly describe how they must have felt. I can say, however, that I could hear their cheers as they landed back in Dover all the way from the hotel, a good 5 minute walk away. I'll let them tell you about it tomorrow, no need to steal their well-deserved thunder. So, many thanks go out to the supporters out there. The parents, the sponsors, the family and friends who believed in the goal, and without whom this may never have happened. And a big thanks from me, because I know I will never forget the experience I have had and the impression these incomparable "kids" have left on me in just a few short months.

-Lisa

Day 6- One last swim and lots of prep

Paul
Backscratcher
Today we shopped for the lunch that we'll eat on the boat. I packed my water bottles, sweatpants, jackets, swim equipment, drawing materials, and other stuff for the boat trip. We played Texas Hold'em in Matt's room, using Uno cards as chips. We'll go to bed early tonight in order to wake up at 4:00 AM.

Wesley
Preparing
Today I woke up, and I ate a very good breakfast. Then I went for a swim, it got me all ready and excited for tomorrow. During breakfast some negative thoughts came to my mind, and to let them go I went and chatted with one of the Australian mates. Then we went shopping to get stuff for tomorrow just like a family going to the store together. Then we went and had lunch I had fish and chips. For dinner tonight we had Italian food, and we have to get up real early tomorrow, so I have to go to bed good night.

Zach
Preparing for Departure
Today we simply collected our 12 hour lasting picnic for the boat. We went to the super market or food store, or just a store that sells food, and when it came to check out, we got this really long list. Afterwards we packed our bags and we packed everything and organized what we were going to take on the boat. These were the main events that took place and I can't wait for departure. End of blog.

Lauren
BLAST OFF!
I woke up today feeling indecisive about whether or not I should practice getting in the water today because I still was not feeling my best. However, after about three hours, I decided that it might be best to just get in but not push myself too hard. I swam for 30 minutes. Well, I guess you could say that I paddled rather than swam. But afterwards, I felt a lot better. Anyways, the swim is coming up so soon and it is so amazingly unbelievable. We have waited so long for this very moment and now it is here. I have complete faith that we will succeed. Wish us luck as we take off!

Noah
English Channel swimming coming up
I woke up and ate breakfast in the morning. The beach is sunny outside. We did meditation at the beach in a circle around the flower. We swam a half-hour swim and I swimming well because I'm thinking I'm not feeling cold. I was thinking because the sun is making me warm in the water. After we did our half-hour swim we traveled through town to buy out food for the English Channel swim. We also have to pack our things in our backpack for the English Channel. Tomorrow morning, we're going to swim the English Channel. I'll see you soon when we're doing our English Channel swim.

Parth
Onward to the English Channel
My awakening was pleasant this morning, and I managed to get a good night sleep.  I went to breakfast cheerfully, asking where everyone was on this morning.  I made my way to the ocean, finding it within myself to swim in the water one last practice, before the channel.  Shortly afterward, we went to our rooms to prepare for the channel.  After an hour and a half, we went to the blogging room from the night before, and we ate dinner.  Thank you to the Zombie's many supporters.

Betzi
Attempting Last-Minute Sleep
Well, here we go. In just nine hours, the teams will be on Viking Princess and Louise Jane, and Diana and I will be swimming to start off the relays. Lots of excitement right now, and strategizing- GPS tells us that one of the relays from the Australian team, Geelong Grammar, got blown way off course midway through the swim, hypothetically due to the boat/swimmer not going fast enough to fight the current. The swim this morning was relaxed and quick, and the rest of the day followed in a similar manner. I threw pretzel crumbs out onto the room balcony to try and get closeup pictures of this seagull, and sat on the floor (pretty much engulfed by the minefield that was, at one point, the contents of Lauren's suitcase) sketching in my notebook. We're all packed and ready. Wish us luck!

Maddy

This morning we went on our last pre-swim. We went into the water for about a half an hour and Kaylee, John, Betzi and I took a selfie in the water. Easier said than done. After, Kaylee and I filled our bathtub with hot water and made a makeshift hot tub. We rested while the boys, John, Mike, and Dan went into town to get food for the boat. Tomorrow we will be snacking on saltine crackers, grapes, bananas, apples, Gatorade, oatmeal, and peanut butter and jelly. We then had dinner together and had a long discussion about tomorrow. We are beginning to get more and more excited however, equally nervous. Tomorrow we have to meet in the lobby at 3:30am to make our way to the dock. Make sure to track us online by going to the Arch Academy website then go to About then Global Travels, then to Zombie A/B. Love you all, wish us luck. Over and out. J

Diana

Great Day

We swam for the last time before the actual swim. It was great and I feel like I can do it. We also mediated which was amazing because of the concept of worry. Later we went to town to order dinner and we got shakes. When I came back I received a back massage which was amazing. Thank you Cheryl. Later we chilled and then ate dinner. We had a team meeting and started blogging. YAYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!! GO ZOMBIES.

Faith

The Night Before

Today was a calm day. At around 9:30, we all went swimming for a half hour. We didn’t go longer, to be sure we don’t tire ourselves out before the swim. John gave another amazing talk about worry, and fear… and it really helps! I have to end this so I can get enough sleep, so, we mostly stayed in today and rested. We just finished dinner, had our last team meeting, and we are now blogging. I love you mom and dad, and everybody who has supported me throughout this whole process. YAHHH ZOMBIES!!!!!!!!! TOMORROW IS THE DAY!

Kaylee

3 AM WAKE UP CALL?? BRING IT ON!!!!

Today we woke up and saw a note that Chloe left us, giving us the green light for tomorrow morning. We have a wakeup call set at 3 am and will be on the boat by 4. I noticed my adrenaline has already started to incline once I jumped in the water this morning. We spent today (trying) to calm down. It was cool to be able to see the other relay’s boats and where their locations were. Super excited and probably won’t be able to sleep although it would help if I did. Can’t believe this is actually happening. Just have to keep telling myself: “a moment of pain is worth a lifetime of glory.” We’re ready!!

CJ

Day 4

The calm before the storm would be a good way to describe the way I am feeling right now. Today we woke up early for a nice swim at 9 in the morning. Soon after, Zach, Paul, Matt and I tried to remember the rules to Texas Hold’em. We kinda got it. Then we went into town to buy lots of food for the swim and then I had fish and chips. Still don’t really know how I feel about this. All kinds of thoughts keep spinning in my head. But, I feel in true ARCH style, we’ll make it, and no one will ever forget the experience.

Matt

Oh I’ll Show You a Swim

So today I woke up and I started noticeably breathing. After that I got out of my bed and I realized I am a person. So I went to swim and then when I went into the hotel and then there was this super hero with a super amazing body and this afro that was also amazing. He was running around the hotel saying he was Afro Matt. He claimed to be a Puller of women, amazing swimmer, super slamming man with a speedo and green flip flops. Who is he? Is he a myth? Is he an old English legend? Or is he just a normal man with extraordinary hair and an extraordinary body. I don’t know I am just a normal Matt and I have to go to bed so I can have a boat day tomorrow.