"You cannot top this leadership. The professors know the culture and people. They know the geography of the country, they get you to places you'd never go yourself. The leadership of these professors is profound. Their expertise is all we need."
"I had the trip of a lifetime. This is the best way to do it. On my own would have been exhausting. This way I had more time to enjoy myself and I was less stressed throughout."
"Combining study with travel is fantastic. The combination of class time and performances spoke to the kind person I am."
"As a single person it's great to have people to travel with. The other thing that's fun . . . is that you're traveling with people who have similar interests, who are intending to travel in a way where they learn more than just surface-level sightseeing. I now have a group of friends that I continue to do things with after the trip."
"The diversity of the people on the trips is just great. There are a lot of St. Olaf ties, but not necessarily. There are professional people, retired people, students, young adults, all ages. Everybody blends in, melds together, and we all have a good time. And we form long-lasting ties."
"I was very impressed with the organization and flexibility of the leaders and the staff. The value (what I got for the money) was unbelievable! My understanding of European culture, the theater arts and the visual arts was greatly increased."
"It was a very enlightening learning experience, not only from Dr. May and our Greek guides, but from other participants in our group."
"We appreciated the 'off the beaten track' quality of most of the trip. We were in areas most tourists would never experience."
"This is the fifth St. Olaf program we have participated in, and by far the best. We heard glowing reports about previous years [programs] and were impressed by the number of repeaters. Now we understand why."
"I always feel blessed to be able to travel. And bang for buck, it's an excellent bargain."
"The people are extraordinary -- funny, interesting, curious, unselfish. The camaraderie of the group was remarkable. There were always people I wanted to talk to. This is an enriching and comfortable experience. There's room for reticent people, too. The group doesn't smother."
"The passion of the leader, the inclusive format of the tours . . ."
"The educational aspect -- guided tours, someone to teach [us] along the way -- was a component we were very excited about. Rod [Grubb] was tremendous. I respect Rod and Bev. They did a great job guiding us. Also, the group was fascinating. So diverse, from lawyers to retired academics to farmers."
"The leaders are wonderful -- their warmth, flexibility, caring and concern for the group are top notch."
"We trust St. Olaf to provide good leaders and good organization for other trips as well as Jim May's. We are now going to London with Pat Quade. We believe it will be another great experience."
"The cohesiveness of the group, the incredible number of things we were able to see and do."
"I enjoyed the people we traveled with, the educational component, the fact that all museums, plays and entry fees were included in the price."
"It is difficult to decide which is best: information, hotels, and the group members. Best of the four trips I have taken with Reidar [Dittmann]."
". . . going to non-touristy places, Dimitri's generosity . . . local food and tavernas. The members of the group were superb!"
"There's more to it than seeing the sites. There's learning about, in our case, Austrian history. It makes it interesting to have someone who is knowledgeable and can communicate as well as a professor can. You feel like you learn something."
"A strong selling point is the value -- a low price and so much in the program, high-quality hotels, food."
"I appreciated the opportunity to be entertained in a private home, thanks to the hospitality of Reidar's brother and his wife!"
"The cordial and friendly nature of the group, the abundance of educational info, experiences and 'surprises,' the ambience of Greece (people, food, scenery), and unique itinerary combined to make it extraordinary and memorable!"
"I appreciated all the small things (and large ones, too) that Pat took care of -- tips, tickets, tours. I also enjoyed the people in the group. The variety made for a great three weeks."
"The friendliness of everyone, the sharing and cooperation."
"All the planning and hard work that went into making it an excellent trip."
"There are always fun people on the trips that we have been on. That is a big, big aspect and memorable as well -- to meet people who have a similar interest in a particular location. But for me it's more that they are people who love pure experience."
