Andrea arrived in Michigan on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, we drove to Springfield, Illinois, for the start of our Road Scholar adventure. Unfortunately I was only able to attend the first two days of the program, due to an unexpected family obligation. However, Andrea attended the full program, and I rejoined her in Springfield on Sunday, after the program ended. Therefore, this blog is actually a combination of our observations about our time in Illinois.
We arrived in Springfield a little earlier than we expected, thanks to the change to Central Time. So before checking into our hotel, Andrea and Ellie toured the Dana-Thomas House, one of Frank Lloyd Wright's largest and most elaborate Prairie-style designs. The house has many pieces of original furniture and lovely art glass windows.
We then drove the short distance to our hotel in downtown Springfield. After checking in, we met in the lobby to meet our fellow Road Scholars. Our group of 19 included participants from many states, including Indiana, Illinois, Arizona, Minnesota, California, Washington, and North Carolina. We enjoyed getting to know the group better during dinner in a meeting room at the hotel and when we all introduced ourselves afterwards. The program coordinators reviewed the week's program and acquainted us with the "listening devices" that we would use during the program. Each participant was given an earpiece connected to a receiver, worn around one's neck. Speakers use the microphone, allowing every participant to easily hear and understand everything -- even when guides spoke to the group as we walked to locations. These devices seem like an excellent addition to the Road Scholar programs.
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