POLAND

We will be staying at Hotel Tarnovia in Tarnow, Poland. The hotel is very safe and will have locked doors with keycards similar to other hotels. We walk as a group to all locations and students are not allowed to go anywhere without an adult leader.

The Johnson Ferry Global Ministry suggests looking at this website for everything related to passports: First-Time Passport Applications

Students are rarely given the opportunity to unplug from the constant stream of distractions, drama, and temptation that go hand-in-hand with smartphone use. We believe that God wants to use this week as a unique period of time in each of these student’s lives where they can focus on what God is doing. In order to ensure that every student is in the best possible position to receive that message, we are restricting all cell phone use and possession during this trip. Here are important details:

• Students may bring their phones, but they will be taken up, bagged, labeled, and stored in a secure office at the hotel from the time we arrive in Tarnow until we depart for the airport.
• Family group leaders, staff, and the media photographer can capture all the pictures from the trip.
• Family group leaders can relay any important information from students to their parents.
• The Student Music Staff can be contacted if there is an emergency at home.
• This policy includes other devices that can access apps and the internet (iPads, laptops, smart watches).

While this may seem extreme, we want to assure you that your students will be safe. From our experience, most students will be relieved to have an excuse to take a break from all the “noise.”

We will meet at Johnson Ferry on May 28 and depart from the church in charter buses to the Atlanta Airport. When we return to the Atlanta Airport on June 7, students will need to be picked up FROM THE AIRPORT.

Safety is of the utmost importance on this trip. We will have two full-time nurses traveling with us that will be available at all times.

Johnson Ferry is a very generous church, and the Poland mission trip is already subsidized 50% by our Global Ministry. We also held our yearly choir fundraiser, the Polar Bear Run, in January which is a huge opportunity for students to raise money towards Poland. If you need additional financial assistance, please contact the Student Music Office at [email protected] and we will reach out to you with next steps.

Rehearsals are MANDATORY for this trip. Starting January 12, students must attend 80% of choir rehearsals in order to go on the trip. See above for rehearsal date information.

We eat our meals at Hotel Tarnovia, Soprano, and from a local caterer and they always have plenty of options for those with dietary restrictions/allergies. We cannot guarantee an allergen-free environment, but we do our best to communicate ahead of time and will have an adult allergy advocate on the trip. For any further information or concerts, please reach out to [email protected].