Tour Etiquette

When we recently went on a tour of Russia, I realized that some people don’t know about etiquette when taking a tour. Sometimes people are rude and don’t realize it because no one mentioned the things you should do or not do so I thought I would bring it up. This works for tours locally or far away.

When you are given a description about the tour, take it seriously. If it says there is fast paced walking over distances, think about your ability. If you don’t think you can keep up, don’t go and hold up the whole group. There may not be places for you to sit and rest if you get tired. Staying on the bus might not be an option.

When getting off the bus, let the people in the seats in front of you off the bus first. Remember which bus and what seat you were on and return to the same bus and seat when you get back on.

Ask the guide if it is safe for you to leave things on the bus first before leaving anything. The guide will let you know if the bus driver is staying with the bus and if the bus will be locked. Never leave anything valuable like your wallet.

When the guide is speaking, be quiet. Even if you aren’t interested in what the guide is saying, other people are and may be distracted if you are talking. They also might not be able to hear the guide over your speaking.

Keep your eye on the tour guide. Don’t wander away and get lost. The group doesn’t want to waste valuable time (that they paid for), looking for you.

If you are given time to wander and given a meeting time, plan on being at the meeting place five minutes early. Do NOT arrive late. This is not fair to everyone else and this cuts into the time you can be exploring other places.

If you are in another country, learn how to say thank you in the local language. The local people appreciate your effort.

These are just some helpful hints that that I think all people (including students) need to learn to do when on a tour. It will make the trip more enjoyable for everyone and keep you from being “those people” that others talk about after the trip!

Original photo by Pat Hensley

Sanford Underground Research Facility

Last month on our trip to the Midwest, we came across the Sanford Underground Research Facility http://www.sanfordlab.org/in Lead, SD. There was a visitor’s center and we were able to take a tour. Since we had never heard of this place before, I thought it would be a fun thing to share with others.

This facility is located at the former Homestake Gold Mine. It was supported through state funds until 2015 and now is funded by the Department of Energy. It cover 188 acres on the surface but goes so far underground that it covers 370 miles underground.

The main level for science research is at the 4850 level. Sanford lab maintains about 12 miles of area for science activities.

According to the website:

“The Yates Shaft, which was raised in 1939 and descends 5,000 feet, is the primary access point for scientists and others who work underground at Sanford Lab. The hoists convey equipment and materials used to build and maintain experiments, enhance infrastructure and excavate caverns.”

and

“In 2014, the Department of Energy's High Energy Physics committee prioritized physics experiments, giving neutrino and dark matter projects high-priority. Sanford Lab houses two experiments named in the P-5 report: LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) and LBNF/DUNE. 

LZ, a second-generation dark matter experiment, will continue the search for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), while LBNF/DUNE, the largest mega-science project ever on U.S. soil, will study the properties of neutrinos.”                     

On our tour, we were unable to go underground but we learned about the history of the Homestake Mine and we were able to see the elevator that takes the scientists down below the earth.

It was a fascinating tour and if you ever get to go on it, you will find it very interesting.

Have you ever been to this location? If so, please share your thoughts.

Echoview Fiber Mill Tour

(click here for pictures of the tour)

This past weekend was the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair (SAFF) which I always look forward to going. In the mail I received an invitation to the Echoview Fiber Mill which is still under construction. They shuttled us to the mill and even fed us lunch which I thought was really thoughtful.

The building (as seen from the model and drawings from the architect who explained it all to us) will be very lovely when finished. In fact, it was a huge building and much larger than I expected. There is a large reception area with a retail area on the side. There will be meeting rooms for community groups as well as a library with internet capabilities for those who need it. Julie (the owner), Didi (The marketing director), and Gwen (the mill manager) were very welcoming!

As a beginner spinner, I really don’t know much about processing fiber so felt this was an excellent opportunity to learn. I thought I would take the time to share pictures of the mill and the process as it was explained on the tour and in their brochure.

Here are the steps:

1. Washing/Scouring which involves cleaning the fiber of dirt, veggie matter, and other debris.

2. Opening/Picking which eliminates tables and clumps.

3. Dehairing separates coarse fibers from softer fibers and eliminates any remaining debris.

4. Carding to get fibers separated and aligned.

5. Roving/Sliver and Batts are created.

When you want your fleece processed, you would call customer service and they send you what is needed to send the fleece to them. They mark it with an RFID number so the customer can track it through the process. They also plan on putting some kind of dye in it so they know exactly what your fleece is so it doesn’t’ get mixed up with anyone else’s fleece.

I never miss an opportunity for a tour if at all possible. Sometimes our students can’t always go on tours so with pictures and explanations, it is the next best thing. As a visual learner, it helps to see things rather than just read about them. Even my husband who is not a spinner or a knitter found it very interesting.

Have you ever gone on a fiber mill tour? What other tours have you found interesting? Please share.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Image: Pat Hensley

A Super Duper Tour!

A few years ago I met the people from Super Duper at our Council for Exceptional Children’s annual conference and they always had the best big bags. Now, these were not just regular tote bags but really big bright colored plastic bags that could be used as an overnight bag. Everyone couldn’t wait to get in the exhibit hall to get one of those bags and you could see them everywhere we went. In fact, when we arrived home to Greenville, I was surprised to see one of the bags at a meeting I went to and the owner told me that she got it from the conference. I loved to stop by the Super Duper booth and talk to all of the people working there because they were so friendly, helpful, and just plain happy. Imagine my surprise when I found out their company was located in my own home town in Greenville, SC! I talked with one of the editors, Becky, who offered to give me tour some time and she was so welcoming and nice that I planned to do that. I am embarrassed to say it took me a very long time to get up enough nerve to contact her to finally ask for a tour. Well, the other day I took it and it was fantastic. If you go to the Super Duper website, you can take a virtual tour of the meeting rooms and restrooms. All of the rooms are decorated according to a theme and brightly colored as well as interesting. You could spend hours looking at the collection of things in each room.

When I arrived, my first impression was this huge white castle in front of me. It was almost like a fairy tale story unfolding in front of me. The lobby area was so brightly colored and gave off this happy feeling and the receptionist was waiting for me to arrive. Then Becky arrived to take me to the different rooms. I can see how the meeting rooms would stimulate creativity because they are like entering a whole different world. It’s amazing to say that even the restrooms would help spur creativity but some people say that is where they do their best thinking. I also saw the research library and where all products were kept. I saw people in different departments working hard but I also saw that people seemed happy at their jobs. There were people smiling and laughing and I could see the atmosphere was a great one for creating and collaborating.

It was interesting how much work is put into the items that they sell. They don’t just spit things out in order to make a profit. Many of their products go through proof after proof after proof. Their goal seems to be quality more than quantity. I was very impressed by seeing how conscientious everyone seemed to be about the product they were producing. I even saw how they set up for exhibits when they go to conferences. I never realized that the set up the table for different size booths and everything is carefully labeled before it is all packed up. Then the table is set up at the conference exactly like the demo back at the castle. It looks like a lot of research and planning go into everything, including their booths.

If anyone lives near this place, I would highly recommend that you check it out. I have a new respect for all that is involved in making educational resources and would definitely buy things from this company. I’m so thankful that I was invited for a tour or I would never have realized what a treasure this is. If you check out the Super Duper website or catalog, I think you will be able to find resources that will help you be more successful in the classroom.

Original images from the Super Duper website.