End of tour Concert and Awards

After enjoying our final Italian meal together at a nearby restaurant, we gathered in the Boardroom of the Albert Hotel to celebrate the end of the tour with a stunning concert, party and Award presentation.

Concert

An amazing collection of performances was prepared on the final days of the tour by the boys. The items included such gems as:

Salted peanuts
Foreign Affairs
Thank God you're here
When vendors go bad
O Mio Dio
Rav Sckerzo
Italian Feud


After the concert the following awards were presented

Lachlan Smith - Rainbow Warrior Award 

Dylan Glover  - Armani Award 

Paul Gordon- Kodak Award 

Gus Miles- Smith and Wesson Award 

Tim Keys- Rumoroso Award

Luis Alarcon- Casanova Award

Jamie Hawke - Gelato Appreciation Award 

Nat Smith - Eddie McGuire Award

Mark Woodfield - FIFA Ambassadors Award

Dom Gunning - Good Companion Award 

Ben Ackhurst - Nokia Award 

Nick Wood - Duracell Award 

Dom Thompson -  Economic Stimulus Award

Ben Hedditch - Ian Thorpe Award

Jacob - Rupert Murdoch Excellence in Publishing Award

Matt Clarke - Andrew Demetriou Award  

Matt Towicz -  The Lonely Planet Award 

Kieran Kirk- Firenze Merchants' Award 

Kieran Russell -  Purple Heart Award

Lachlan Lennox -Plato Award 

Pat White - Bill Gates Award 

Rylan Gibson- Bondi Icebergs Award

Marco D'Amico- BP Award 

Liam Glew- Shannon Ponton  Award 

Jonathon Leyton- Bob Marley Award 

Campbell Hall - Coca Cola  Award

Andrew Wood- Google research Award

The group flew out of Milan on Saturday April 30 at 2 pm and arrived at Marist 26.5 hours later at 12.30 am on Monday morning.

For the touring group, this was a trip of a lifetime and a taster for future travel adventures.

Arrivederci Italia 

Happy 14th Birthday Nick

Ode to the tour

Andrew Wood's contribution to the End of Tour concert

There were 26 lads from Marist College,

Who decided to improve their Italian knowledge.

So they travelled afar for many hours on Thai International, Only to discover it was hard to speak Italian that was fully functional.

They did persevere through Rome, Sorrento and Pompeii, While consuming large quantities of pasta and tomato puree.

Then on through Assisi, Florence, Venice and The Lakes, And to be fair, their pronunciations did start to sound better than fakes.

The lads ended their trip in Milan at the Albert Hotel, After many interesting moments, some of which I cannot tell.

Because what happens on the tour must of course stay on the tour, Instead read their many blogs, or your view of the trip may be premature.

I will say though, despite a pair of innocent whales in Venice getting slaughtered, And a mascot turtle was tossed around, often abandoned and never properly watered...

And though eight gypsies were observed breaking into a riot at Pisa, Following their interaction with one Marist lad who was a bit of a teaser...

And though the locals were nearly converted to new forms of  football, The Italian culture  knew anything but soccer is of course sinful....

The lads learnt new road rules like maintaining maximum speed, And a funny version of Roman history based on The Assasin's Creed.

Despite what all these tales I could tell might reveal, The truth is these Marist lads were very much full of zeal.

They completed their tour of Italy with good humour, commitment and pride, And now return to their families with new Italian skills that cannot be denied.

The memories, friendships and experiences are something the lads will treasure.

Thank you Assunta and Chris for the success of this Italian venture.