ambassador trips

800-989-9000 [email protected]

415-357-9876

Your travel experts since 1955.

The story of Ambassador Tours is one that endures and evolves, with a solid foundation in education, empathy, and excellence. What began in 1955 as a novel approach to travel – making travel easy, accessible, and affordable for everyone – has grown into a legacy of providing unparalleled service and knowledge, combined with savings and amenities exclusive to clients of Ambassador Tours. We take great pride in our reputation as a travel industry success story – one of the oldest, largest, and most successful family-owned-and-operated vacation-planning businesses in the country. Now 3 generations strong, our passion for travel is only equaled by our desire to continue to learn, grow, and become the most valued resource for our clients on all things travel, and ensuring all you need to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy your well-deserved vacation.

While the impact of the pandemic has certainly kept us on our toes, we have worked tirelessly to not only weather this unexpected storm, but to take this opportunity to wonder about new and creative ways to serve our clients and keep our travel dreams vivid and within reach. Our roots are deep, and our resilience strong. We’re not going anywhere, and we look forward to making your travel dreams come true for decades to come.

Travel is important. It’s important to get out there and experience what this amazing planet has to offer. Traveling is FUN. It’s educational. It’s healthy for you. It gives us the opportunity to disconnect from the daily grind, take a breath, and recharge. Travel increases our knowledge and widens our perspectives. It creates life-long memories, and gives us the potential to create exceptional experiences. As a traveler, you discover new beautiful, interesting places that make you want to come back and experience different cultures that you weren’t aware of.

Ambassador Tours is your one-stop-shop for all things travel. From customized culinary tours of Italy to all-inclusive cruise vacations to thrilling African safaris and Walt Disney World trips for the entire family, we can help you plan your dream vacation from start to finish.

We're here to show you the world. And it's spectacular.

Experienced Team

Since 1955, we’ve been creating dream travel itineraries for all interests and budgets

Travel Specialists

Together with you, we create the unique travel plan that considers all of your needs.

Professional Travel Agents

We meet the highest standards of professionalism, and use only accredited travel agents.

Competitive Prices

As an Ensemble member, we have access to the highest quality partners and services, at the very best prices. 

Don't just dream it, live it! Call us to book your ultimate vacation experience.

Call us at 415-357-9876 or email us for your free quote., our travel experts .

Gary Pollard, CTC

President & CEO

Bryan Pollard

Manager/Travel Advisor

Maureen Menezes

Senior Travel Advisor

Peter Flanders

Your Travel Adventure Starts HERE.

[email protected], foster city, ca 94404, united states of america.

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Travel the world as a Brand Ambassador

In the office, on campus, or after hours—pick up the perfect side hustle that lets you earn a free trip while helping your friends and followers travel. A win, win.

Who you are

A travel-obsessed 18–35-year-old who partners with us to spread the word about our amazing trips

The go-to friend, classmate, or co-worker for recommendations and travel advice

A social media maven who knows how to keep their followers coming back for more

How it works

We’re the #1 way to travel for anyone 18–35. With 120+ trips to amazing spots around the world, we handle everything from accommodations to food to effing awesome local guides. All you need to do is pick where you’re going and...go.

Fill out this form to apply

Sit tight while we review your application (make sure your social accounts are public!)

Once approved, earn a free trip by getting people to book with your unique promo code.

Get the word out. See the world.

It’s simple: Get 15 people to use your unique $100-off promo code, and your next trip is free. Plus, you’ll be eligible for Ambassador-only retreats and lots of trip discounts.

What we’re all about

The best way to travel for anyone 18–35.

So. Many. Trips.

We’ve got 120+ adventures for all kinds of travelers. All over the world.

Everything included

We handle it all: accommodations, planned activities (plus free time!), a rockstar Tour Director—and that’s just the beginning.

Payment plans

Taking a once-in-a-lifetime trip shouldn’t be a financial burden. That’s why we let you pay over time. No interest, no fees, no drama.

This is no ordinary brand ambassador program

Get 15 bookings, travel for FREE. Not a typo.

Feel support from us every step of the way.

Join a community of travel-obsessed people, just like you.

Travel on exclusive Brand Ambassador retreats around the globe.

Snag some swag from your favorite travel brand.

Be first to know about sales, deals, and new trips.

Up your game with monthly Ultimate Classes

AMA: A Career in Social Media

LIKE & SUBSCRIBE

A YouTube crash course w/ @emmaatopp

How to become a travel influencer

FEAT. @MARISSA.DAILY

Ambassador Travel Service

Call to talk to an experienced travel counselor, or to schedule an in person appointment.

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Welcome to Ambassador Travel

Pittsburgh's favorite leisure travel agency, friendly, personalized service since 1972..

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Review Highlights

“ Maureen 's professionalism and compassion made our every travel exciting, worry-free and wonderful in every way. ” in 19 reviews

“ I've been working with Gary Pollard for about 2 yrs and he has always been responsive and helpful. ” in 2 reviews

“ Peter Flanders was so helpful and made our cruise to the Caribbean so wonderful! ” in 2 reviews

Location & Hours

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San Francisco, CA 94108

Union Square, Financial District

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About the Business

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Business Owner

Ambassador Tours is a full service travel agency specializing in vacation travel to all parts of the world. What makes Ambassador Tours unique? 55 years of selling all things travel! From cruise vacations to African safaris to Walt Disney World trips for the entire family, we can help you plan your dream vacation from start to finish - no detail is too small. Our service and knowledge are unparalleled in this industry and something that you just cannot find on the Internet. Our offers range from INCREDIBLE DISCOUNTS OFF VACATIONS to FREE AMENITIES at hotels or on cruise ships, EXCLUSIVE PERKS, and MUCH MORE. With a total of more than 220 years of industry experience, Ambassador Tours' travel counselors are known for offering unique and affordable vacation packages and itineraries, as well as their exemplary customer service. We offer fantastic service combined with savings and amenities only Ambassador Tours can bring you. That's why we say: "You'll Travel Better For Less." …

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They organize it all and make travel fun. We can just relax and get to know our fellow travelers They have thought of everything. This is the only tour group I have used but I can't imagine anyone doing it better.

We worked with Maureen to book our trip. She went above and beyond!! The trip was amazing and well planned. When things went wrong at a hotel, we called Maureen and she made everything right. And even got us money back! We booked the trip of a lifetime and it was the best experience!! Highly recommended!

Soaking in the natural hot springs. So relaxing!

The view from our hotel room when we woke up each morning. This is the volcano in Arenal.

This review is long overdue. My family and I have been using Ambassador tour for over 10 yrs now. Maureen is the best agent, she plan our tours meticulously from start to finish. She made sure our travel is comfortable with no hassles. I love the hotels that she picks which are centrally located and safe enough for us to move around. I highly recommend Ambassador tour.

I've cruising and land touring through Ambassador Tours for so many years now. There is no reason to go else where. They really take care of you personally specially with Peter Flanders. Peter is always there for you no matter what. He'll go above and beyond to please you. This last Land Tour was called American National Park. It's a 10 days tour but stayed 1 day pre and post tour. Enjoyed all the tours sight and learned a lot. Attached picture was taken at Deadwood SD

Ambassador Tours represented by Gary Pollard and Maureen Meneses is a tour company I would recommend to anybody who is looking for a group or a custom tour. Maureen's professionalism and compassion made our every travel exciting, worry-free and wonderful in every way. She cares for your safety, enjoyment and cost. She does an extra mile to make each trip a memorable one. We have been booking our travels through them since 2011. We are extremely satisfied with them. The latest vacation was our cruising through the Balkan countries and a private, custom tour of Milan , Lake Como, Bellagio, Maggiore and Lugano. I would say from hotels, airport/ train transfers and the private driving around was flawlessly fantastic. I hope they are not thinking of retiring yet or my husband and I will retire from traveling as well.

My husband and I are fond of traveling either by land or by cruise. We have been dealing with Maureen of Ambassador Tours for the last 11 years. All our travels has been wonderful! There are many travel agencies here in Chicago where we live, and Maureen is based in San Francisco. Regardless of the distance, we chose to deal with her. She is very knowledgeable of the ins and outs of travelling and raises the bar of expectations from a travel agent. Any issues,they are solved in no time. She treats her client like a very close friend and always goes a extra mile to assist us in our travels. Her expertise makes a big difference in choosing and deciding where to go. I commend her for her professionalism and therefore I recommend her and Ambassador Tours to be your travel guru as well.

I've been working with Gary Pollard for about 2 yrs and he has always been responsive and helpful. They are well versed in cruising and have good insights. Traveled most recently on Regent and had a wonderful trip.

Maureen menezes, Ambassador Tours, has booked/scheduled, arranged thirteen Princess cruise for me. She is thorough, detailed and strive to provide the best accommodation I have truly enjoyed and appreciated. Ambassador tours is an outstanding travel agency. Plaudits!! For Ambassador Tours. Highly recommend.

Very helpful and friendly. Maureen was great. She took care of our cruise booking from start to finish. I highly recommend her for booking your next get away!

Kauai Vacation Grand Hyatt, used Maureen to book our hotel room which was through Classic Vacations and the resort was very tropical and pretty and good service. But the room was misled and did not give us much happiness with a view of guest parking lot as we were there celebrating our birthdays ! The rooms across from us had a great view and could not even upgrade us due to a full house and my Husband and I will not use Classic Vacations again through Ambassador Tours. No compensation or could have even waived the resort fee for us from what I found out ! We even booked this a year out so we should have been put into a nice room .

Maureen did a great job on arranging our recent tour of Turkey and Greece. She was efficient, informative and very responsive to our requirements She also did a fantastic job getting us super low round trip air fares on Turkish Air. I would definitely recommend Maureen to anyone wishing to travel to afar away places.

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• Mission Trips
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Ambassador – Mission Trips For Teens

Experience firsthand the voice of God, serve others in high -need ministries, and make a real, tangible difference in the lives of others!

AGE RANGE:   14 – 18 LENGTH :   2 – 4 WEEKS

Ambassador might be a good fit for you if:

• You have a strong desire for an intimate relationship with Jesus
• You want to live an epic story

The Ambassador Program is designed specifically for high school students with a high appetite for spiritual growth and a desire to get more involved in missions.

Upcoming Ambassador Mission Trips

Ready to book trips:, god has a plan for your life that’s daring yet good., ready to take the leap.

It’s anything but safe, yet it’s completely safe, because it’s right smack dab in the middle of His plan for your life.

It’s the kind of calling that spreads a love that changes things forever.

And it’s this kind of Kingdom bringing awesomeness that makes Jesus famous among the nations. Maybe you’re being called to share this kind of love with a hurting world.

Are you ready to make a difference? It’s time!

LETTER TO PARENTS

While your son or daughter may believe they are the only ones setting out on this adventure, we know you are also on a journey! Sending your son or daughter on a mission trip, away from home and possibly to the other side of the world, is likely an exercise in faith for you, too.

We believe in your kids and the impact they can make around the world. And we believe in you. We believe in the calling God has given you to help your student navigate through this world.

We’ve put together this Parent Packet to introduce you to Adventures in Missions and our Ambassador program, as well as connect you with our Parent Ministry department!

We hope this will answer some common questions you may have. Our admissions staff is available to talk with you about any further questions or concerns. We are excited to walk you through the next steps to get your students to the field! Blessings,

Ambassador Staff

More questions? Call our main office at (770) 983-1060

Click here to read our parent packet

Ambassador trips are 2 – 4 weeks, depending on location.

Ministry looks different on every trip we offer. You can check out the trip descriptions to get an idea of what ministry might look like in each country. We believe ministry is a way of life, not just a daily assignment to complete. Some of your ministry is determined by asking the Lord what He is calling your team to specifically. You may see a need we don’t even know exists—and we want you to have the freedom to meet that need!

And remember, the most impactful ministry you’re a part of might be the relationship you build with your translator or the vendors at the market where you buy groceries. Or it could be with your trek guide while you climb a volcano in Guatemala or the safari driver in Swaziland.

If you come with an open mind about what God has for you, you won’t be disappointed!

Training Camp is the first 3 days of your trip. You will fly/drive to Gainesville, GA (where the Adventures in Missions headquarters is located) on the first day of your trip. Those flying will meet in the Atlanta airport and be shuttled to our headquarters. You’ll be there for 3 days of training, team building, and preparing for your trip spiritually, physically, and emotionally. It’s fun, we promise! By the time you leave for the field, you’ll feel like you’ve known your leaders and teammates for months instead of days.

Debrief is a time to reflect on what God has done in your life, your teammates’ lives, and the lives of those you met on your trip. Your team will have a short debrief in country led by your leaders; then you will fly back to Atlanta for one night and stay in a local hotel.

During this debrief time, you will have the opportunity to share what God has done on your trip with the Ambassador staff. We love to hear your stories! At the end of debrief in Atlanta, you will fly/drive back to your home.

NOTE: Training Camp and Debrief are included in the dates of your trip.

The heartbeat of Adventures is simple: deeply connecting to Jesus and His movement. We want to go where He leads and join in whatever He is doing.

The primary way we do this is through discipleship, following the model Jesus used while He walked the earth: raising up disciples to make disciples. Every student on an Ambassador trip is encouraged and mentored in their faith, all while they do the same in ministry. They are discipled while on their own journey.

At a time when students are growing in and forming their faith, this is an opportunity for students to discover how real God is, to freely ask questions about their faith, and to explore God’s calling for their lives, all while serving a hurting world and living out the Gospel. We want to equip them in servant leadership and missional living for their return to their churches, schools, and even their homes.

The cost of the trip includes airfare from Atlanta,GA to/from your ministry country, housing, meals, and the cost of any ministry opportunities while in country. In addition to the trip cost, you will need to raise funds to cover the cost of a required medical insurance plan through MissionSafe. The estimated cost of this plan is $3.82 per day for trips less than six months and will be included in your overall fundraising goal.

Fundraising Goal = Trip Cost + Insurance

Additional costs may include your passport, luggage and visa fees (if needed), and transportation from your home to/from Atlanta, GA, etc.

You’ll find more information about support raising on your profile once you apply.

We are not doctors and are not qualified from a medical perspective to say you should or should not get certain shots. We suggest you determine which shots you may need by visiting the CDC website or consulting your local travel health specialist and reviewing their recommendations based on the country(ies) you will be visiting. Pay particular attention to countries requiring a Yellow Fever Certificate to enter. You may or may not choose to receive all the immunizations recommended by the CDC or your physician. It is your personal decision what immunizations you receive, but we recommend you seek a medical professional’s advice concerning this decision.

Be prepared for food that may be outside of your comfort zone. You will be fed three meals a day and you are expected to eat what is prepared for you, even if you may not prefer it.

At Training Camp, you will sleep on mattresses. On the field, you may sleep in a tent, on the floor, in a bed, or in a hammock. Bring a sleeping bag and a pillow. Trip specifics will be posted on your team blog.

Yes, but it may not be in a traditional shower. You will have access to water, but you may not be able to bathe on a daily basis, and it might be from a bucket.

You may or may not have electricity at your location, so please leave the flat irons and hairdryers at home.

You will have designated times throughout the trip to access a phone and/or the internet (depending on your location), and your trip leaders will have phone access for emergencies, so there is no reason for you to need calling or texting abilities. While there will be opportunity to use your phone for pictures, you will need to use an alternative device for an alarm clock, music, etc as you will have limited access to your phone throughout the trip.

Please evaluate your reasons for bringing phones or electronic devices on this trip. You are on the trip to minister to others, to serve God, and develop a deeper relationship with God. Phones and other electronic devices may be a distraction to what God is trying to tell you. We ask that you make wise choices with the music you listen to and play out loud while on the trip. If a smartphone is used outside of times specified or becomes distracting, it could be confiscated by a leader until the end of the trip.

That being said, we also realize phones can also be great ministry tools! We want you to take pictures and video of your trip. And don’t forget to tag them with #goAMB and #adventuresinmissions when you post them to social media. Please note: Adventures is not responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged electronic devices. No laptops allowed.

How much money you will want depends entirely on your personal spending habits and financial situation. A moderate amount would be approximately $100. Remember, all your meals will be covered by Adventures so extra personal money would be used for souvenirs, extra internet time (if applicable), personal items, additional snacks, etc.

It is important to remember when you are on the field ministering, you represent God, Adventures in Missions, and local missionaries. Modesty is the key to all clothing you decide to bring with you. If you are questioning whether or not you should bring it, then leave it at home.

Here are a few guidelines for clothing choices:

• Bring something modest to sleep in.
• No short, tight, or clingy clothing is permitted. Wear one size larger in tops to ensure your shirt is not too tight.
• No sleeveless shirts or tank tops are permitted for girls or guys.
• If you cannot raise your arms above your head or touch your toes without showing your stomach or lower back, leave it at home.
• Shorts must come to the top of the knee.
• Skirts and dresses should be below or close to the knee. Depending on location, skirts should be to the ankle.
• Bring a one-piece swim suit and think modest. Guys, normal swim trunks should be fine. Girls, be prepared to wear shorts and a shirt over your swimsuit. NOTE: a tankini is two pieces, even if it is a modest one!
• Men need long pants in most cultural situations.
• Make sure clothes are not stained and/or torn. You do not have to wear your best clothing but make yourself presentable. It may be offensive to the locals if you look sloppy.
• Bring clothes for church services. Boys should bring khakis pants and a collared shirt. Girls should bring skirts below the knee and loose blouses.
• Bring closed toed shoes for ministry opportunities. You may bring flip-flops, Chacos, or other shoes for recreation time.

Depending on your location and the cultural norms, we may need to adjust the dress code. In some countries it will be necessary for women to be in long skirts all the time. Some cultures view men in shorts as little boys and you will not receive the respect of an adult.

Any tattoos or piercings may need to be covered at times if it offensive to the cultures or ministries. Your leaders will let you know this when you get in country. You may be asked to cover the tattoo or take the piercings out while involved in ministry.

You will be able to hand wash your clothes. Please bring small travel laundry packets for laundry. Be prepared to wear your clothes more than one day between washing.

Yes, but the times and methods will depend on the location of your trip and how long you are on-site in the country. Internet access is not available in every country.

For information on applying for a passport for the first time, visit this  website  or make an appointment at your local post office. Generally, it takes approximately 4 – 6 weeks from the time of application for you to receive your passport. We must have your passport information before airline tickets are purchased, so please get your passport ASAP. Sometimes it may take longer than 6 weeks to receive your passport, so apply now.

Once your plane arrives and you have claimed your luggage, please meet Adventures in the center Atrium on the main level of the Atlanta Airport. You will be met at the Atlanta Airport by Adventures staff wearing the Adventures in Missions staff T-shirt at the Clock Tower. Upon arrival, we also ask that you contact your parents to let them know you have arrived safely. You can use a staff member’s (or your leader’s) phone if you have left your phone at home.

You may be dropped off in Gainesville, but you may not leave your car at our office for the length of your trip. If you are dropped off in Gainesville, you need to be picked up in Atlanta after debrief. Your team will not be transported back to Gainesville after your trip.

No, we are not able to provide any financial assistance, but you can raise support to cover the costs of your trip.

We require all participants to send a support letter once they are accepted to our programs. The support letter is used to help you raise financial support and build a prayer team. The reality is God has called you to serve Him and you can be sure God will always provide what you need to accomplish the things He calls you to do.

We at Adventures In Missions take the responsibility and care of our participants very seriously.

The reality is the world can be an unsafe place. That truth is not limited to overseas travel. While we cannot guarantee safety, safety and security is a top priority for our programs. We set protocols to minimize risk while expanding each student’s exploration of God’s Kingdom.

Our staff monitors safety concerns and issues around the world, including organized protests, political uprisings, medical alerts, and natural disasters. We maintain active communication with our international contacts and will change locations if we believe the risk level in an area is no longer appropriate for our participants.

Generally, leaders are 21 years old or older. Most have led or participated in previous Adventures trips in the past and all have gone through leader training with us. We perform background checks on all leaders prior to their acceptance. A target of 6 students to 1 leader is what we desire for Ambassador trips.

Some examples of past Ambassador leaders include Adventures staff, prior Ambassador leaders, and Semesters and World Race alumni who exemplify desired leadership qualities.

A desire for your son or daughter to succeed

Our desire is for this trip to be the best possible experience for your child. Our core values exist because we want to see every student reach their fullest potential. Our leaders are committed to investing in each of the participants. As staff, we read the blog posts, pray for the teams regularly, rejoice in their victories, and mourn in their losses. While we may only spend a short time with them, we care for and believe in them and in their potential!

Communication

We are committed to keeping you informed in case of an emergency. Should your child become seriously sick or involved an accident, you will be notified as soon as possible. In the case of an emergency in country (such as a natural disaster), the team leader will update us as soon as possible and we will communicate information to you.

Should you need to get in touch with your child in case of an emergency at home, you can reach us at 770-983-1060.

Emergency Travel Arrangements

On rare occasions, a participant may need to return home early. Reasons include but are not limited to: sickness on the field that needs to be treated at home, an emergency at home requiring the participant’s return, or a participant’s inability or unwillingness to engage with the team or ministry on the field. (Please note, MissionSafe must be involved in all medical related travel needs.) Whether an early return is voluntary or not, we will communicate with you to arrange travel plans and rebook flights as necessary.

You will find an Ambassador Parent Packet and other resources at adventures.org/parents

Are you interested in leading this generation of high school students, to serve with us through encouraging, empowering, and equipping teenagers for life both on and off the mission field?

Qualifications

• Integrity, spiritual maturity, and passion for high schoolers
• Attend an additional 3-day Leadership Training right before your trip
• Previous leadership/missions experience

Application Process

All leaders will fill out an application, submit references, and go through a phone interview. Once accepted, in addition to the Spring Leader Retreat, you will be required to attend an Adventures Leadership Training a few days prior to the launch of the trip you are leading.

To apply: email   [email protected]

Will you share the love and hope of Christ in a world hungry for Him?

Make a difference today.

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Ambassador Travel Service

Call to talk to an experienced travel counselor, or to schedule an in person appointment.

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1409 Duncan Avenue Pittsburgh PA 15237 Phone: 1-800-924-4300 or 412-366-7200 Call to talk to an experienced travel counselor, or to schedule an in person appointment.

Ambassador Travel is a full-service travel agency operating in Pittsburgh since 1972. Our travel agents have an average of 25 years of experience in the travel industry.  Meet our travel agents .

We are centrally located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh near the McKnight Road corridor.  Click for map .   Contact us .

We specialize in leisure travel arrangements - cruises, tours, individuals and groups. We handle many  Destination Weddings  each year.  River Cruises  worldwide are among the most popular vacations we sell. Our group trips travel to Italy and Medjugorje, on ocean cruises worldwide, and anywhere else you may want to travel.  Form a group, you may travel for free!  Each of our travel agents has their own specialties and interests. There is virtually no part of the world that one of our agents has not visited. Two of our travel agents have earned the Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) designation, which is awarded upon completion of an intensive course in travel management and five years experience in the travel industry.

Our travel agents have also earned Destination Specialist (DS) certifications after completing programs of study for specific destinations. Visit the   Travel Institute  homepage for more information on these certificate programs and the professionalism they represent. Two of our travel agents have earned special Cruise Counselor designations from the Cruise Lines International Association (visit  CLIA  for more information).

Ambassador Travel is a Member of Travel Leaders Network

Meet Ambassador's Travel Agents:

Charles Wysor , CTC (Certified Travel Counselor). President of Ambassador Travel, he is the son of Ambassador's founder Rufus Wysor, and joined the agency in 1976. He has earned a Destination Specialist (DS) certification in travel to Europe. Chuck has traveled to France more than 10 times and experienced attractions from Mont St. Michel to Nice, Chamonix to Bordeaux. A very special trip included a self-drive barge rental on the Saone River in Burgundy. Recent travels include Greece and Italy , as well as Croatia.

Chuck has traveled extensively in virtually all countries in Western Europe and recently took a Viking River Cruise on the Danube. Other international travel includes Argentina, China and Hong Kong . He has also traveled extensively in the US, including Alaska and Hawaii, and has a special interest in skiing vacations. Email Chuck:  [email protected]

Robert Thompson , CTC (Certified Travel Counselor). Executive Vice President of Ambassador Travel, has been with the agency since its opening in April of 1972. Bob's expertise is worldwide. He has taken part in many in-depth specialty training programs, including Europe, the South Pacific, the Caribbean, the cruise industry, Austria and Holland among them. Bob recommends Tauck Tours as the top of the line tour company. Bob is a member of SKAL , the international association of executives in the travel industry. Email Bob:   [email protected]

Bonnie Johnston  Bonnie's love is cruising, and she has earned the  Accredited Cruise Counselor designation (ACC). Bonnie has been on more than 50 cruises herself, on a wide variety of cruise lines and ships, as well as varied itineraries, and is most capable in providing personalized information and counseling to her clients. Bonnie recommends a cruise for a fantastic honeymoon. Email Bonnie:   [email protected]

Leslie Hughan  Leslie is our  Hawaii  expert, having traveled there several times and attended a destination course in the islands. She knows  Alaska  well and specializes in independent trips to the 49th state. She has coordinated many  Destination Weddings  to Riviera Maya, Jamaica, Punta Cana, and any Sandals Resort.  Most recently Leslie traveled on a Seabourn cruise to Antarctica. She is also experienced in handling individual and group ski packages, as well as group air travel to any destination. Leslie has also traveled to Kenya and the Galapagos Islands , and previously to  Nepal and Bangkok, Thailand, and has also been to Italy and France. Leslie is a  Certified Sandals Specialist  and recommends Sandals and other fine resorts for your special honeymoon trip. Email Leslie:   [email protected]

Mary Ann Sarver  Mary Ann coordinates travel for the Der Sitzmark Ski Club. Her trips include skiing and other destinations such as Italy, Aruba and Cancun . Recently she hosted a group on a river cruise in Portugal, and has just returned from Costa Rica. She hosted a group tour to Greece and also a group to Australia and New Zealand with Collette Vacations. Email Mary Ann:  [email protected]

Lucy Shields  Lucy joined Ambassador Travel in 2002 with 25-years of travel agency experience. Her favorite travel options are worldwide honeymoon destinations, Caribbean islands, and cruises . She has most personal experience with luxury travel products such as Crystal Cruises and Tauck Tours.

The New York Times

Politics | mueller report: who and what the special counsel investigated.

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Mueller Report: Who and What the Special Counsel Investigated

By LARRY BUCHANAN and KAREN YOURISH UPDATED APRIL 17, 2019

After more than two years of criminal indictments and steady revelations about contacts between associates of Donald J. Trump and Russia, we already know a lot about the work done by Robert S. Mueller III , the special counsel who investigated Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. This is everything we knew before the release of the special counsel’s report.

The investigation revealed a range of events related to Russian interference and the 2016 election.

Russian Hacking and WikiLeaks As part of a complex effort to sabotage the campaign of Hillary Clinton, Donald J. Trump’s 2016 rival, Russia’s top military intelligence service hacked the computer networks of Democratic organizations and the private email account of the chairman of the Clinton campaign and released tens of thousands of stolen emails through WikiLeaks to the public, according to an indictment filed by Mr. Mueller . Only the Russians have been charged.

Russian Social Media Manipulation The Russian government also directed a network of Internet trolls who used fake accounts on social media to manipulate potential voters and influence the election, according to the special counsel.

Trump Tower Moscow Mr. Trump and other Trump Organization executives were involved in discussions throughout the 2016 campaign to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. During the campaign, Mr. Trump repeatedly denied having any business interests in Russia, but has since admitted that discussions took place.

Trump Tower Russia Meeting Donald Trump Jr. arranged a meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer after being told that the Russian government wanted to share damaging information about Mrs. Clinton. After the meeting was uncovered by The New York Times , the Trump team pushed a false narrative about the reason for holding it.

Russian Contacts All told, Mr. Trump and more than a dozen of his associates had more than 100 contacts with Russian nationals and WikiLeaks, or their intermediaries, during the campaign and transition. These included multiple offers of dirt on Mrs. Clinton, attempts to arrange “back-channel” meetings between Mr. Trump and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, and private messages with WikiLeaks and other Russian fronts . At least 10 other advisers were told about these interactions but did not have any themselves.

Russian Sanctions Several people close to Mr. Trump engaged in discussions about deals to give Russia relief from economic sanctions. Paul Manafort, Mr. Trump’s onetime campaign chairman, had repeated conversations with a Russian business associate about a plan to end a guerrilla war between Russia and Ukraine that might have led to sanctions relief. Michael D. Cohen, the president’s longtime personal lawyer, delivered a sealed proposal to the office of Michael T. Flynn, the president’s first national adviser, for the same purpose. Mr. Flynn also spoke with the Russian ambassador about sanctions (court documents show that Mr. Trump’s presidential transition team knew about these calls and coached Mr. Flynn on how to respond).

Other Foreign Contacts Other foreign officials also reached out or offered assistance to the Trump campaign. An emissary for the leaders of two Arab nations told Mr. Trump Jr. that the princes were eager to help his father win election . An Israeli company was asked to provide a proposal for using social media manipulation to help defeat Mrs. Clinton. And an informal adviser to Mr. Trump’s team during the presidential transition attended a meeting in the Seychelles that was convened by the crown prince of the United Arab Emirates.

Obstruction Inquiry Mr. Trump’s public and private attacks on investigations have exposed him to accusations of obstruction of justice . These include efforts to pressure the director of the F.B.I., James B. Comey, to end the bureau’s investigation into Mr. Flynn, firing Mr. Comey and Attorney General Jeff Sessions and attempting to fire Mr. Mueller.

Other Charges Mr. Manafort and his longtime business associate, Rick Gates, were convicted of fraud and other crimes related to their work for pro-Russian Ukrainian politicians before joining the Trump campaign. Mr. Manafort and a Russian associate were also charged with witness tampering. Several others, not shown here, have been charged in spin-off investigations.

Six people connected to Trump were charged. Five were convicted or pleaded guilty.

Michael T. Flynn Mr. Trump’s former national security adviser pleaded guilty to lying to the F.B.I. about conversations he had with the Russian ambassador during the presidential transition.

related events Russian Contacts Russian Sanctions

Michael D. Cohen Mr. Trump’s former lawyer pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about negotiations to develop a Trump Tower in Moscow during the campaign. He has also been sentenced to prison in a different investigation related to hush-money payments he made on behalf of Mr. Trump.

related events Trump Tower Moscow Russian Contacts Russian Sanctions

Roger J. Stone Jr. A longtime friend and adviser to Mr. Trump, Mr. Stone was indicted on charges of lying to Congress about his efforts to contact WikiLeaks.

related events Russian Hacking and WikiLeaks Russian Contacts

Paul Manafort A longtime Republican consultant and lobbyist, Mr. Manafort served on the Trump campaign from March until August 2016, including three months as chairman. He was convicted of financial fraud and conspiracy stemming from consulting work he did in earlier years in Ukraine on behalf of pro-Russian political figures. He also had multiple contacts during the campaign with a Russian associate believed to have ties to Russian intelligence and shared private Trump campaign polling data with him. Mr. Manafort lied to the special counsel’s office after pledging to cooperate with its inquiry, a judge found.

related events Trump Tower Russia Meeting Russian Contacts Russian Sanctions Other Charges

Rick Gates Mr. Gates, a deputy campaign chairman, was Paul Manafort’s longtime right-hand man in Ukraine. He agreed to cooperate with the special counsel inquiry after pleading guilty to financial fraud and lying to investigators.

related events Russian Contacts Other Foreign Contacts Other Charges

George Papadopoulos A former Trump campaign adviser who had multiple contacts with Russians and repeatedly told campaign officials about them. He pleaded guilty to lying to the F.B.I. about his contacts.

related events Russian Contacts

Twenty-eight others — including 26 Russians — were also charged .

Alex van der Zwaan A lawyer who worked with Mr. Manafort and Mr. Gates and who pleaded guilty to lying to investigators about conversations he had with Mr. Gates over work they did together for a pro-Russian Ukrainian political party.

related events Other Charges

Konstantin V. Kilimnik A longtime Russian business associate of Paul Manafort who had multiple contacts with Mr. Manafort while he was the Trump campaign chairman and who received private Trump campaign polling data. He was charged with conspiring with Mr. Manafort to obstruct justice by trying to shape the accounts of prospective witnesses in Mr. Manafort’s case.

related events Russian Contacts Russian Sanctions Other Charges

Richard Pinedo A California man who sold fake bank accounts and was an unwitting participant in Russia’s scheme to influence the election.

related events Russian Social Media Manipulation

Twelve Russian intelligence officers Charged with hacking the computer networks of Democratic organizations and the private email account of the chairman of the Clinton campaign and then releasing tens of thousands of stolen emails through WikiLeaks to the public.

related events Russian Hacking and WikiLeaks

Thirteen Russian nationals Charged with manipulating social media to subvert the 2016 election and help the Trump campaign.

Dozens of others were swept up in the investigation, including campaign and administration officials, family members, Trump Organization executives and members of Mr. Trump’s legal team .

Donald Trump Jr. Mr. Trump’s eldest son arranged the now-famous Russia meeting at Trump Tower. He also exchanged private messages with WikiLeaks and was aware of negotiations to develop a Trump Tower in Moscow.

related events Trump Tower Moscow Trump Tower Russia Meeting Russian Contacts Obstruction Inquiry Other Foreign Contacts

Ivanka Trump Michael D. Cohen said he briefed Ms. Trump and Donald Trump Jr. on the Moscow Trump Tower project during the campaign. She was also contacted by a Russian woman whose husband offered to help her father develop a separate real estate project in Moscow.

related events Trump Tower Moscow Russian Contacts

Jared Kushner As a senior campaign official, Mr. Trump’s son-in-law attended the Trump Tower Russia meeting. He was also told that a campaign aide had been approached about setting up a back-channel meeting between Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin, and that Donald Trump Jr. received a private message from WikiLeaks . As a senior transition adviser, Mr. Kushner met at Trump Tower with the Russian ambassador and discussed setting up a way to communicate with Moscow during the transition. He also met with a Russian banker close to Mr. Putin in an attempt to establish a direct line of communication to the Russian president.

related events Trump Tower Russia Meeting Russian Contacts Russian Sanctions

Hope Hicks A fixture of Mr. Trump’s inner circle throughout the campaign and in the White House, Ms. Hicks was involved in the drafting of a false statement in response to questions about the 2016 Trump Tower meeting arranged by Donald Trump Jr.

related events Trump Tower Russia Meeting Obstruction Inquiry

James B. Comey Former F.B.I. director who alleged that Mr. Trump pressured him to drop the investigation into Michael T. Flynn.

related events Obstruction Inquiry

Rod J. Rosenstein Deputy attorney general who appointed the special counsel to investigate Russia’s election interference.

Robert S. Mueller III The special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and the possible involvement of Mr. Trump’s campaign.

Alan Garten The Trump Organization’s general counsel was involved in the drafting of the misleading statement about the 2016 Trump Tower meeting arranged by Donald Trump Jr.

related events Trump Tower Russia Meeting

Stephen K. Bannon Mr. Trump’s former campaign chairman and chief White House strategist emailed Roger J. Stone Jr. in October 2016 for insight into WikiLeaks’s plans to publish documents that could damage the Clinton campaign.

related events Russian Sanctions

Rick Dearborn A campaign adviser who was approached by a Russian intermediary about arranging a back-channel meeting between Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin.

Donald F. McGahn II The former White House counsel threatened to quit after Mr. Trump asked him to fire Mr. Mueller.

Jeff Sessions Weeks after he was confirmed as attorney general, the former senator recused himself from any investigation into charges that Russia meddled in the election after revelations that he had failed to report encounters with the Russian ambassador during the campaign.

related events Russian Contacts Obstruction Inquiry

Carter Page Russian intelligence operatives tried to recruit Mr. Page , a foreign policy adviser to the 2016 Trump campaign, in 2013. During the campaign, Mr. Page gave a speech in Russia and met with at least one Russian government official in Moscow. He told at least four members of the campaign about his trip.

Stephen Miller As a top adviser to the president, Mr. Miller helped draft a letter, which was never sent, that explained why the president wanted to fire James B. Comey. During the campaign, Mr. Miller was among top campaign officials whom George Papadopoulos told about his Russian contacts .

Sam Clovis Mr. Clovis was among the Trump campaign officials whom George Papadopoulos told about his contacts with Russians .

related events

J. D. Gordon Mr. Gordon met briefly with the Russian ambassador during the Republican National Convention. He also had contacts with Maria Butina and was among the Trump campaign officials who knew that Carter Page would be traveling to Russia in July 2016.

Thomas P. Bossert Mr. Trump's former chief homeland security adviser was aware of conversations about sanctions that occurred during the presidential transition between Michael T. Flynn and the Russian ambassador.

Corey Lewandowski Mr. Trump’s first campaign manager was among the Trump campaign officials who knew that Carter Page would be traveling to Russia in July 2016. He was also told about George Papadopoulos’s contacts with Russians. In 2017, Mr. Trump asked Mr. Lewandowski to pressure Mr. Sessions to resign, but Mr. Lewandowski did not act on the request.

K. T. McFarland A senior transition official and former deputy national security adviser who was aware of conversations about sanctions that occurred during the transition between Michael T. Flynn and the Russian ambassador.

Reince Priebus A senior transition official and former White House chief of staff, Mr. Priebus was forwarded an email exchange during the transition that said Michael T. Flynn was discussing sanctions with the Russian ambassador. In a December 2017 meeting in the West Wing, Mr. Trump asked Mr. Priebus how his interview had gone with the special counsel’s investigators and whether they had been “nice.”

Sean Spicer Former White House press secretary who was forwarded an email exchange during the transition that said Michael T. Flynn was discussing sanctions with the Russian ambassador.

Avi Berkowitz A White House aide who works for Jared Kushner, Mr. Berkowitz met with the Russian ambassador at Mr. Kushner’s request during the presidential transition.

Mark Corallo A former spokesman for Mr. Trump’s legal team who told Mr. Mueller about a conference call with Mr. Trump and Hope Hicks in which, he said, Ms. Hicks said that emails written by Donald Trump Jr. before the Trump Tower meeting "will never get out."

Donald J. Trump The president has repeatedly sought to dismiss the special counsel’s investigation as a “witch hunt.”

related events Trump Tower Moscow Trump Tower Russia Meeting Russian Contacts Obstruction Inquiry

Sarah Huckabee Sanders Ms. Sanders, the White House press secretary, initially said the president “certainly didn’t dictate” the false statement issued by Donald Trump Jr. about the Trump Tower Russia meeting.

Jay Sekulow Mr. Trump’s private lawyer initially said the president was not involved in a false statement about the Trump Tower Russia meeting. Separately, Mr. Cohen has alleged that Mr. Trump's lawyers, including Mr. Sekulow, helped with Mr. Cohen's false testimony to Congress about a proposed Trump Tower project in Moscow.

These Russians or Russian intermediaries were also of interest.

Aras Agalarov A Russian real estate developer who co-hosted the 2013 Miss Universe pageant with Mr. Trump in Moscow. He set the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting in motion after being told by a Russian government official that Russia wanted to share damaging information about Mrs. Clinton with the Trump campaign.

related events Trump Tower Russia Meeting Russian Contacts

Emin Agalarov Aras Agalarov’s son and a Russian pop star who helped Donald Trump Jr. arrange the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting.

Rob Goldstone A British-born publicist who served as an intermediary between the Trump campaign and the Agalarovs.

Sergey N. Gorkov The head of a Russian bank who is close to Mr. Putin, Mr. Gorkov met with Jared Kushner during the transition. The bank, Vnesheconombank, is under American sanctions.

Sergey I. Kislyak The former Russian ambassador to the United States who met with multiple members of the Trump campaign and transition.

Felix H. Sater A Russian émigré and Trump business associate who was involved in negotiations during the campaign about developing a Trump Tower in Moscow.

Maria Butina A Russian who admitted to being involved in an organized effort to open up unofficial lines of communication between Russians and Americans in the N.R.A. and the Republican Party. She posed for a photo with Donald Trump Jr. at a 2016 dinner hosted by the N.R.A. in Louisville, Ky.

Andrii V. Artemenko A pro-Russian Ukrainian lawmaker who pushed a plan to end a guerrilla war between Russia and Ukraine that might have led to sanctions relief. Mr. Cohen and Mr. Sater were also involved.

Alexander Torshin A former Russian government official close to Mr. Putin who made contact with the Trump campaign and appears to have been behind efforts to use an N.R.A. meeting to arrange back-channel communications between Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin.

Ivan Timofeev A Russian who said he had connections to Russia’s foreign ministry and who had repeated contacts with George Papadopoulos about setting up a meeting between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Viktor F. Vekselberg A Russian oligarch who met with Mr. Cohen at Trump Tower .

Irakly Kaveladze An executive at Aras Agalarov’s real estate development company who represented Mr. Agalarov at the 2016 Trump Tower meeting.

Paul Erickson A Republican operative who reached out to the Trump campaign about arranging a back-channel meeting between Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin.

Rick Clay An advocate for conservative Christian causes who reached out to the Trump campaign about arranging a back-channel meeting between Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin.

Rinat Akhmetshin A Russian-American lobbyist who attended the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting.

Arkady V. Dvorkovich A Russian deputy prime minister who met with Carter Page in Moscow and expressed strong support for Mr. Trump.

Kirill Dmitriev A Russian investor who is close to Mr. Putin and attended a secret meeting in the Seychelles that was convened by the crown prince of the United Arab Emirates.

Olga Polonskaya A Russian woman originally introduced to George Papadopoulos as the niece of Mr. Putin (she was not).

Dmitry Klokov A former Russian Olympic weight lifter who offered to help the Trump Organization develop a real estate project in Moscow.

Elena Klokov A Russian woman who reached out to Ivanka Trump on behalf of her husband, Dmitry Klokov, about helping Mr. Trump develop a real estate project in Moscow.

Natalia Veselnitskaya A Kremlin-connected lawyer who attended the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting.

Joseph Mifsud A London-based professor with connections in Moscow who told George Papadopoulos that Russia had “dirt” on Mrs. Clinton in the form of “thousands of emails.”

Dmitri Peskov Mr. Putin’s spokesperson who Michael D. Cohen contacted about Trump Tower Moscow.

The head of WikiLeaks and people who are connected to Mr. Stone .

Julian Assange The founder of WikiLeaks, which released tens of thousands of Democratic emails stolen by the Russians during the 2016 election.

Jerome Corsi A conspiracy theorist and political commentator who was asked by Roger J. Stone Jr. to be an intermediary between Mr. Stone and WikiLeaks .

Randy Credico A New York comedian and former radio host who may have acted as an intermediary between Mr. Stone and WikiLeaks in 2016.

Other foreign officials or intermediaries.

Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan The crown prince of Abu Dhabi and de facto ruler of the United Arab Emirates who convened a January 2017 meeting in the Seychelles that brought together a Russian investor close to Mr. Putin and Erik D. Prince.

related events Other Foreign Contacts

Erik D. Prince The founder of Blackwater and an informal Trump adviser who arranged a meeting in August 2016 between Donald Trump Jr., George Nader and Joel Zamel. He also attended a meeting in the Seychelles that was convened by the crown prince of the United Arab Emirates. He is the brother of Betsy DeVos, Mr. Trump’s education secretary.

related events Russian Contacts Other Foreign Contacts

George Nader A Lebanese-American businessman who told Donald Trump Jr. that the leaders of Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. wanted to help his father win the election. He is cooperating with the special counsel.

Joel Zamel The owner of an Israeli firm that put together a proposal for the Trump campaign to manipulate social media.

Mohammed bin Salman Crown prince of Saudi Arabia who was among the Arab leaders George Nader said wanted to help the Trump campaign.

More on NYTimes.com

U.S. aid to reach Ukraine 'within days,' ambassador says during Michigan trip

Washington — A pending $60.8 billion U.S. aid package for Ukraine, which passed a contentious but bipartisan vote in the House over the weekend, could result in supplies and financial assistance reaching the war-torn country “within days,” according to the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.

“The assistance couldn't come faster, sooner or at a better time,” Bridget Brink, the ambassador and an East Grand Rapids native, said Tuesday during a visit to Michigan.

The package still needs authorization from the Senate and President Joe Biden, but Ambassador Brink and other officials expect swift approval. The Senate could pass the bill as soon as Tuesday night, and Biden has publicly pledged to sign the bill immediately. 

Ukraine had built some momentum in its counteroffensive against Russia by the end of 2022, but that effort has largely stalled out. Since then, U.S. aid for Ukraine has gone from a uniting, consensus issue to a divisive one. The political breakthrough — and the aid package it yielded — represents a critical moment in a war with effects that have rippled across the world, including Michigan.

"Ukraine is losing territory. It's losing its energy infrastructure and it's losing its people. And without our assistance, I do not see a path for Ukraine to prevail," Brink told The Detroit News. "In fact, I see Russia being able to take back all the gains that the Ukrainians have made over the last two years..."

Brink spoke to The News by phone ahead of a speech she delivered Tuesday afternoon in Ann Arbor to students at the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy.

To date, the U.S. has provided about $77.7 billion in military, humanitarian and financial aid to support the war effort in Ukraine, according to data from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. That is more than any individual country, though European Union institutions have given $84.99 billion.

Much of the new package — about $13.8 billion — will go towards the purchase of U.S. weapons. The package also includes more than $9 billion in economic assistance in the form of forgivable loans.

Brink said President Biden has made it "an all hands on deck effort" to press Congress for passage of the new aid package. Brink said she gave an on-the-ground assessment to members of the House during a closed session last week and met with "basically every House member who was available" to communicate just how urgent the funding was.

She added that — beyond a responsibility to "fight for what's right" — there are two critical strategic reasons for the U.S. to continue its support for Ukraine. The first, she said, was to avoid a conflict between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Russia.

"It's widely assessed, and I personally believe this too, that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin will not stop at Ukraine, that he will be emboldened and will continue to try to grab territory following any takeover of Ukraine," Brink said. "It potentially brings our troops into the dynamic where we would have to respond to a direct threat to NATO."

The second reason is that "the entire world is watching, including China." Brink stressed the importance of showing American allies and enemies that the U.S. will vigorously defend freedom around the world.

Michigan lawmakers in Washington were split on supporting the aid package.

"Putin's game is to destroy, not to build. And what he is doing is destroying Ukrainian grain shipping, steel production, destabilizing global food prices," Brink said. "Whether it's the number at the gas pump, the price of cereal at the breakfast table or the cost of steel for making cars, Putin's actions actually affect all of us — including in Michigan — in our daily lives.

House and Senate votes

The aid package had mixed support from Michigan’s 13-member U.S. House delegation. All of the delegation’s Democrats who were present over the weekend voted in favor of the package. On the Republican side, five of six voted against it.

Rep. John James, R-Shelby Township, was the only Republican who voted for the measure, though others — like Reps. Tim Walberg of Tipton and Lisa McClain of Bruce Township — said they still support Ukraine.

"Right now, there are higher priorities throughout the world, and here at home, that need our attention and capital. We must focus on securing our border and combating crime before we do anything else," McClain said in a statement.

"But to be clear, that does not reflect my steadfast support for Ukraine during this awful war," she added.

Michigan House Democrats expressed unequivocal support for the aid package.

"This national security bill will provide Ukraine with the support it needs to fight back against Putin’s brutal invasion. America lives up to its word and stands with our democratic allies, " said U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, in a statement. "The United States and the rest of the world cannot let authoritarians attack or invade other countries without being held accountable."

The House also passed a series of other bills over the weekend that included military aid for Israel, humanitarian assistance in Gaza, funds for U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific region, and a provision that would ban TikTok unless its Chinese parent company ByteDance sells the popular social media platform.

The Senate approved a procedural vote Tuesday afternoon that tees up the aid packages for final passage later in the evening or on Wednesday. Both Michigan Sens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, and Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, voted to advance the bills toward final passage.

More: Trump continues his reversal on TikTok, accusing Biden of wanting to ban it

Human toll in Ukraine

Though much of the recent attention on Ukraine in the U.S. has been about the politics surrounding an aid package, Brink emphasized that the war continues to have a devastating impact.

"I have been now in Ukraine for two years, and the stories that I have heard about the violence and abuse that the Russian forces have subjected Ukrainians to is really hard to even imagine in this day and age," Brink said. "It's really something I can only imagine my grandfathers who fought in World War II would have ever faced, or things that I have only seen in museums describing the Holocaust and the horrors of that time."

Brink, a 28-year veteran of the State Department, said ten million Ukrainians remain displaced from their homes, while every day people are dying and more become displaced.

"These are huge numbers that are very destabilizing to Europe and to the world," said Brink, who also served as the U.S. ambassador to Slovakia under former President Donald Trump. "There have been over 100,000 war crimes and atrocities. These are war crimes and atrocities like I have never seen before. And I've been in conflict areas nearly my whole career."

She told the story of a Ukrainian grandmother in Bucha, a city near Kyiv, who tried to flee Russian forces with her 18-year-old grandson. Fearing the Russian forces would kill them, as they had others in the city, the grandmother took her grandson in the car to find an escape route, Brink said.

But they reached a street with Russian troops and got halfway through before Russian gunfire killed the woman's grandson, Brink said.

"It was with great pain that she told the story because I'm a mother myself, but she was not consolable," Brink said. "I think about all of these horrible stories and think about if I were in my hometown of East Grand Rapids and driving through the street and it were my son, or my relative who was shot.

"This is absolutely a fight for what's right. That's what President Biden has said, and it's what (House Speaker Mike) Johnson has said. In my experience on the ground, this is a clear fight between good and evil," she added.

[email protected]

@GrantSchwab

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Trains Moscow to Elektrostal: Times, Prices and Tickets

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Moscow to Elektrostal by train

The journey from Moscow to Elektrostal by train is 32.44 mi and takes 2 hr 7 min. There are 71 connections per day, with the first departure at 12:15 AM and the last at 11:46 PM. It is possible to travel from Moscow to Elektrostal by train for as little as or as much as . The best price for this journey is .

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How can I find the cheapest train tickets to get from Moscow to Elektrostal?

Prices will vary when you travel from Moscow to Elektrostal. On average, though, you'll pay about for a train ticket. You can find train tickets for prices as low as , but it may require some flexibility with your travel plans. If you're looking for a low price, you may need to prepare to spend more time in transit. You can also often find cheaper train tickets at particular times of day, or on certain days of the week. Of course, ticket prices often change during the year, too; expect to pay more in peak season. For the lowest prices, it's usually best to make your reservation in advance. Be careful, though, as many providers do not offer refunds or exchanges on their cheapest train tickets. Unfortunately, no price was found for your trip from Moscow to Elektrostal. Selecting a new departure or arrival city, without dramatically changing your itinerary could help you find price results. Prices will vary when you travel from Moscow to Elektrostal. On average, though, you'll pay about for a train ticket. If you're looking for a low price, you may need to prepare to spend more time in transit. You can also often find cheaper train tickets at particular times of day, or on certain days of the week. Of course, ticket prices often change during the year, too; expect to pay more in peak season. For the lowest prices, it's usually best to make your reservation in advance. Be careful, though, as many providers do not offer refunds or exchanges on their cheapest train tickets.

How long does it take to get from Moscow to Elektrostal by train?

The journey between Moscow and Elektrostal by train is approximately 32.44 mi. It will take you more or less 2 hr 7 min to complete this journey. This average figure does not take into account any delays that might arise on your route in exceptional circumstances. If you are planning to make a connection or operating on a tight schedule, give yourself plenty of time. The distance between Moscow and Elektrostal is around 32.44 mi. Depending on the exact route and provider you travel with, your journey time can vary. On average, this journey will take approximately 2 hr 7 min. However, the fastest routes between Moscow and Elektrostal take 1 hr 3 min. If a fast journey is a priority for you when traveling, look out for express services that may get you there faster. Some flexibility may be necessary when booking. Often, these services only leave at particular times of day - or even on certain days of the week. You may also find a faster journey by taking an indirect route and connecting in another station along the way.

How many journeys from Moscow to Elektrostal are there every day?

On average, there are 71 daily departures from Moscow to Elektrostal. However, there may be more or less on different days. Providers' timetables can change on certain days of the week or public holidays, and many also vary at particular times of year. Some providers change their schedules during the summer season, for example. At very busy times, there may be up to departures each day. The providers that travel along this route include , and each operates according to their own specific schedules. As a traveler, you may prefer a direct journey, or you may not mind making changes and connections. If you have heavy suitcases, a direct journey could be best; otherwise, you might be able to save money and enjoy more flexibility by making a change along the way. Every day, there are an average of 18 departures from Moscow which travel directly to Elektrostal. There are 53 journeys with one change or more. Unfortunately, no connection was found for your trip from Moscow to Elektrostal. Selecting a new departure or arrival city, without dramatically changing your itinerary could help you find connections.

Book in advance and save

If you're looking for the best deal for your trip from Moscow to Elektrostal, booking train tickets in advance is a great way to save money, but keep in mind that advance tickets are usually not available until 3 months before your travel date.

Stay flexible with your travel time and explore off-peak journeys

Planning your trips around off-peak travel times not only means that you'll be able to avoid the crowds, but can also end up saving you money. Being flexible with your schedule and considering alternative routes or times will significantly impact the amount of money you spend on getting from Moscow to Elektrostal.

Always check special offers

Checking on the latest deals can help save a lot of money, making it worth taking the time to browse and compare prices. So make sure you get the best deal on your ticket and take advantage of special fares for children, youth and seniors as well as discounts for groups.

Unlock the potential of slower trains or connecting trains

If you're planning a trip with some flexible time, why not opt for the scenic route? Taking slower trains or connecting trains that make more stops may save you money on your ticket – definitely worth considering if it fits in your schedule.

Best time to book cheap train tickets from Moscow to Elektrostal

The cheapest Moscow - Elektrostal train tickets can be found for as low as $35.01 if you’re lucky, or $54.00 on average. The most expensive ticket can cost as much as $77.49.

Find the best day to travel to Elektrostal by train

When travelling to Elektrostal by train, if you want to avoid crowds you can check how frequently our customers are travelling in the next 30-days using the graph below. On average, the peak hours to travel are between 6:30am and 9am in the morning, or between 4pm and 7pm in the evening. Please keep this in mind when travelling to your point of departure as you may need some extra time to arrive, particularly in big cities!

Moscow to Elektrostal CO2 Emissions by Train

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The Moscow Trials and the "Great Terror" of 1937-1938: What the Evidence Shows

Grover Furr July 31 2010

[To be added at the end of Part One of "Stalin and the Struggle for Democratic Reform" ]

Since my two-part essay "Stalin and the Struggle for Democratic Reform" was written in 2004-5, a great deal more evidence has been published concerning the Opposition, the Moscow Trials of 1936, 1937, and 1938, the Military Purges or "Tukhachevsky Affair", and the subsequent "Ezhovshchina", often called "the Great Terror" after the title of the extremely dishonest book by Robert Conquest first published in 1968.

The newly-available evidence confirms the following conclusions:

* The defendants at the Moscow Trials of August 1936, January 1937, and March 1938, were guilty of at least those crimes to which they confessed. A "bloc of Rights and Trotskyites" did indeed exist. It planned to assassinate Stalin, Kaganovich, Molotov, and others in a coup d’�tat , what they called a "palace coup" ( dvortsovyi perevorot ). The bloc did assassinate Kirov.

* Both Rights and Trotskyites were conspiring with the Germans and Japanese, as were the Military conspirators. If the "palace coup" did not work they hoped to come to power by showing loyalty to Germany or Japan in the event of an invasion.

* Trotsky too was directly conspiring with the Germans and Japanese, as were a number of his supporters.

* Nikolai Ezhov, head of the NKVD from 1936 to late 1938, was also conspiring with the Germans.

We now have much more evidence about the role of NKVD chief Nikolai Ezhov than we had in 2005. Ezhov, head of the NKVD (People’s Commissar for Internal Affairs), had his own conspiracy against the Soviet government and Party leadership. Ezhov had also been recruited by German intelligence.

Like the Rights and Trotskyites, Ezhov and his top NKVD men were counting on an invasion by Germany, Japan, or other major capitalist country. They tortured a great many innocent people into confessing to capital crimes so they would be shot. They executed a great many more on falsified grounds or no grounds at all.

Ezhov hoped that this mass murder of innocent people would turn large parts of the Soviet population against the government. That would create the basis for internal rebellions against the Soviet government when Germany or Japan attacked.

Ezhov lied to Stalin, the Party and government leaders about all this. The truly horrific mass executions of 1937-1938 of almost 680,000 people were in large part unjustifiable executions of innocent people carried out deliberately by Ezhov and his top men in order to sow discontent among the Soviet population.

Although Ezhov executed a very large number of innocent people, it is clear from the evidence now available that there were also real conspiracies. The Russian government continues to keep all but a tiny amount of the investigative materials top-secret. We can’t know for sure exactly the dimensions of the real conspiracies without that evidence. Therefore, we don’t know how many of these 680,000 people were actual conspirators and how many were innocent victims.

As I wrote in 2005, Stalin and the Party leadership began to suspect as early as October 1937 that some of the repression was done illegally. From early in 1938, when Pavel Postyshev was sharply criticized, then removed from the Central Committee, then expelled from the Party, tried and executed for mass unjustified repression, these suspicions grew.

When Lavrentii Beria was appointed as Ezhov’s second-in-command Ezhov and his men understood that Stalin and the Party leadership no longer trusted them. They made one last plot to assassinate Stalin at the November 7, 1938 celebration of the 21 st anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution. But Ezhov’s men were arrested in time.

Ezhov was persuaded to resign. An intensive investigation was begun and a huge number of NKVD abuses were uncovered. A great many cases of those tried or punished under Ezhov were reviewed. Over 100,000 people were released from prison and camps. Many NKVD men were arrested, confessed to torturing innocent people, tried and executed. Many more NKVD men were sentenced to prison or dismissed.

Under Beria the number of executions in 1938 and 1940 dropped to less than 1% of the number under Ezhov in 1937 and 1938, and many of those executed were NKVD men, including Ezhov himself, who were found guilty of massive unjustified repression and executions of innocent people.

Some of the most dramatic evidence published since 2005 are confessions of Ezhov and Mikhail Frinovsky, Ezhov’s second-in-command. I have put some of these on the Internet in both the original Russian and in English translation. We also have a great many more confessions and interrogations, mostly partial, of Ezhov, in which he makes many more confessions. These were published in 2007 in a semi-official account by Aleksei Pavliukov.

Anticommunist Scholars Hide the Truth

All "mainstream" – that is, anticommunist – and Trotskyist researchers falsely claim that there were no conspiracies. According to them, all the Moscow Trial defendants, all the military defendants, and all those tried and sentenced for espionage, conspiracy, sabotage, and other crimes, were innocent victims. Some claim that Stalin had planned to kill all these people because they might constitute a "Fifth Column" if the USSR were attacked. Other anticommunists prefer the explanation that Stalin just tried to terrorize the population into obedience.

This is an ideological, anticommunist stance masquerading as an historical conclusion. It is not based upon the historical evidence and is inconsistent with that evidence. Anticommunist historians ignore the primary source evidence available. They even ignore evidence in collections of documents that they themselves cite in their own works.

Why do the anticommunist "scholars", both in Russia and the West, ignore all this evidence? Why do they continue to promote the false notions that no conspiracies existed and that Stalin, not Ezhov, decided to execute hundreds of thousands of innocent people? The only possible explanation is that they do this for ideological reasons alone. The truth, as established by an examination of the primary source evidence, would make Stalin and the Bolsheviks "look good" to most people.

Collectivization of Agriculture Saved The World from Nazis and Japanese…

We have an example of this ideological bias in the way anticommunist scholars and writers treat the Bolshevik collectivization of agriculture. Anticommunists have long attacked it as immoral and unjustified. Yet collectivization provided the capital for the crash industrialization of the USSR. And only industrialization made a modern Red army possible.

Without a technologically-advanced modern army the Nazis would have conquered the USSR. Then, with the resources and manpower of the USSR and the rest of Europe behind them, the Nazis could have invaded the British Isles. Nazi armies would have been a far more formidable foe against all Allied powers. Meanwhile the Japanese, strengthened by the petroleum of the Soviet Far East, would have been a far more formidable enemy for the USA in the Pacific war.

Millions more Slavs and Jews – "Untermenschen" to the Nazis – and millions more Europeans and American soldiers – would have been killed. That this did not occur can be attributed, in large part, to the Soviet collectivization of agriculture. This is an obvious conclusion. There was simply no other way than by collectivizing agriculture that the USSR could have industrialized, and thus stood up to the Nazis and Japanese.

The only alternative was the one promoted by the Right and Trotskyite conspirators: to make peace with the Germans and Japanese, even if that meant granting them huge trade and territorial concessions. That would have greatly strengthened the Axis powers in their war against the U.K. and the USA.

For purely ideological reasons anticommunists cannot admit that collectivization made it possible for the Axis to be defeated.

… And So Did The Defeat of the Conspirators in 1936-1938

Whether they were able to seize political power through a "palace coup", or whether they would have to rely on a German and/or Japanese attack as they only way they might be able to overthrow the Stalin government, the Opposition conspirators were planning some kind of alliance with the Axis.

In fact they would have had no choice, as they realized themselves. A USSR weakened by internal revolt, with or without an invasion from abroad, would have had to make trade, territorial, and ideological concessions to its major potential adversaries simply in order to avoid invasion and inevitable conquest.

At a minimum, a USSR led by some combination of conspirators would have made treaties with Germany and Japan that would have provided the Axis powers with huge natural resources, possibly with manufactured goods as well. The military conspirators were contemplating going much farther than mere trade with the Axis. They were contemplating an outright military alliance with Germany. That would have meant millions more soldiers to fight alongside the German Wehrmacht.

Therefore, in foiling the machinations of the Rights, Trotsky and his supporters, and the Military conspirators, Stalin saved Europe from Naziism – again!

No doubt this is why anticommunist "scholars" insist, in the face of all the evidence, that there were no conspiracies in the USSR and no collaboration with the Germans and Japanese. Once again they refuse to admit these truths on purely ideological grounds because doing so would seem to justify Stalin’s actions.

Bukharin, Not Stalin, To Blame for the Massive Repressions

One interesting aspect of this is that Nikolai Bukharin, leading name among the Rightists and one of its leaders, knew about the "Ezhovshchina" as it was happening, and praised it in a letter to Stalin that he wrote from prison.

It gets even better. Bukharin knew that Ezhov was a member of the Rightist conspiracy, as he himself was. No doubt that is why he welcomed Ezhov's appointment as head of the NKVD -- a view recorded by his widow in her memoirs.

In his first confession, in his now-famous letter to Stalin of December 10, 1937, and at his trial in March 1938 Bukharin claimed he had completely "disarmed" and had told everything he knew. But now we can prove that this was a lie. Bukharin knew that Ezhov was a leading member of the Rightist conspiracy -- but did not inform on him. According to Mikhail Frinovsky, Ezhov's right-hand man, Ezhov probably promised to see that he would not be executed if he did not mention his own, Ezhov's, participation (see Frinovsky's confession of April 11, 1939 ).

If Bukharin had told the truth -- if he had, in fact, informed on Ezhov -- Ezhov's mass murders could have been stopped in their tracks. The lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent people could have been saved.

But Bukharin remained true to his fellow conspirators. He went to execution -- an execution he swore he deserved "ten times over" * -- without revealing Ezhov's participation in the conspiracy.

This point cannot be stressed too much: the blood of the hundreds of thousands of innocent persons slaughtered by Ezhov and his men during 1937-1938, are on Bukharin's hands.

Objectivity and Evidence

I agree with historian Geoffrey Roberts when he says:

In the last 15 years or so an enormous amount of new material on Stalin … has become available from Russian archives. I should make clear that as a historian I have a strong orientation to telling the truth about the past, no matter how uncomfortable or unpalatable the conclusions may be. … I don’t think there is a dilemma: you just tell the truth as you see it. ("Stalin’s Wars", Frontpagemag.com February 12, 2007. At http://hnn.us/roundup/entries/35305.html )

The conclusions I have reached about the "Ezhovshchina" will be unacceptable to ideologically-motivated people. I have not reached these conclusions out of any desire to "apologize" for the policies of Stalin or the Soviet government. I believe these to be the only objective conclusions possible based on the available evidence.

I make no claim that the Soviet leadership was free from error. Stalin’s vision of a socialism leading to communism was obviously faulty in that it did not come to pass. During Stalin’s time, as during the short period of Lenin’s leadership, the Soviets made a great many errors. Error is, of course, inevitable in all human endeavor. And since the Bolsheviks were the first communists to conquer and hold state power, they were in unknown waters. It was inevitable, therefore, that they would make a great many mistakes – and they did.

However, any objective study of the evidence and the historical record shows that there was simply no alternative to forced collectivization and industrialization – except defeat at the hands of some combination of capitalist powers. Likewise, the fact that the Right, Trotskyite, and Military conspiracies really did exist but were snuffed out by the Soviet leadership, which managed to out-maneuver Ezhov and foil his conspiracy as well, proves that once again the USSR – "Stalin" – saved Europe from Naziism and all the Allies from an immense number of additional casualties at the hands of the Axis powers.

* Bukharin's two appeals for clemency, both dated March 13, 1938, were reprinted in Izvestiia September 2, 1992, p. 3. They were rejected, and Bukharin was executed on March 15, 1938. I have put them online in English here.

Additional Bibliography

Ezhov’s interrogations: I have translated all of Ezhov’s interrogations available to me as of July 2010 and put them online here:

http://msuweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/research/ezhovinterrogs.html (Russian original: http://msuweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/research/ezhovpokazaniia.html )

Lubianka. Stalin I NKVD – NKGB – GUKR "SMERSH". 1939 – mart 1946 . Moscow, 2006.

• Frinovsky confession of April 11, 1939, pp. 33-50. http://msuweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/research/frinovskyeng.html (Russian original here: http://msuweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/research/frinovskyru.html )
• Ezhov confession of April 26, 1939, pp. 52-72. http://msuweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/research/ezhov042639eng.html (Russian original: http://msuweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/research/ezhovru.html )

Petrov, Nikita, Mark Jansen. "Stalinskii pitomets" – Nikolai Ezhov . Moscow: ROSSPEN, 2008, pp. 367-379.

• Ezhov confession of August 4, 1939. http://msuweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/research/ezhov080439eng.html (Russian original: http://msuweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/research/ezhov080439ru.html )

Furr, Grover and Vladimir L. Bobrov, "Bukharin's Last Plea: Yet Another Anti-Stalin Falsification." http://msuweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/research/bukhlastplea.html - translation of Russian original published in Aktual’naia Istoriia for February 2009 at http://actualhistory.ru/bukharin_last_plea

Furr, Grover and Vladimir L. Bobrov, "Nikolai Bukharin's First Statement of Confession in the Lubianka" in English translation, Cultural Logic 2007 - http://clogic.eserver.org/2007/Furr_Bobrov.pdf

Furr, Grover and Vladimir L. Bobrov, "Pervye priznatel'nye pokazaniia N.I. Bukharina na Lubianke." Klio No. 1 (2007). http://msuweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/research/furrnbobrov_klio0107.pdf

Furr, Grover and Vladimir L. Bobrov, eds. "Lichnye pokazaniia N. Bukharina." Klio (St. Petersburg), No. 1 (2007). http://msuweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/research/furrnbobrov_klio0107.pdf

Furr, Grover. "Evidence of Leon Trotsky's Collaboration with Germany and Japan." In Cultural Logic for 2009. http://clogic.eserver.org/2009/Furr.pdf

Holmstr�m, Sven-Eric. "New Evidence Concerning the 'Hotel Bristol' Question in the First Moscow Trial of 1936". Cultural Logic 2008. At http://clogic.eserver.org/2008/Holmstrom.pdf

Furr, Grover.Khrushchev Lied: The Evidence That Every "Revelation" of Stalin's (and Beria's) Crimes in Nikita Khrushchev's Infamous "Secret Speech" to the 20th Party Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union on February 25, 1956, is Provably False. Kettering, OH: Erythros Press & Media LLC, 2011. At Amazon.com ; at Erythros Press & Media : at Abebooks.com ; at Abebooks.co.uk (United Kingdom)

Furr (‘Ferr’), Grover Antistalinskaia podlost’ ("Anti-Stalin Villanies"). Moscow: Algoritm, 2007. Home page: http://www.algoritm-kniga.ru/ferr-g.-antistalinskaya-podlost.html Brief summary in this interview: "The Sixty-One Untruths of Nikita Khrushchev" (Interview with Grover Furr). http://msuweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/research/litrossiainterv0608_eng.html (original here: http://www.litrossia.ru/article.php?article=3003 )

Pavliukov, Aleksei. Ezhov. Moscow: Zakharov, 2007.

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Laneige Appoints Travel YouTuber Won Ji as Cream Skin Ambassador

• Product Campaign for the Brand’s Bestseller, in Collaboration with a Representative Creator

Laneige, a functional beauty brand offering new beauty experiences, has appointed travel creator ‘Won Ji’ as the ambassador for its flagship product, Cream Skin.

Won Ji is a travel creator who runs the YouTube channel ‘Won Ji’s Day’. With over 850,000 followers, she has also appeared on various entertainment programs such as ‘World Dice Tour’. The secrets to her popularity have been cited with her firm tastes, unique tone, and captivating content without excessive elements.

The ‘Laneige Cream Skin Cerapeptide™ Refiner is Laneige’s flagship bestseller, boasting cumulative sales of 3.9 million units and ranking first in brand repurchase rate. Utilizing technology encapsulating a whole jar of cream into a toner, the product deeply moisturizes the skin from the first step of skincare after cleansing. Won Ji decided to collaborate with Laneige after personally using Cream Skin product for a month.

Through the collaboration with brand ambassador Won Ji, Laneige has redefined the slogan for Cream Skin as ‘Lazy, but not dry!’. They plan to further promote the comfort and superior moisturizing power of Cream Skin through various campaigns.

As Laneige’s Cream Skin ambassador, Won Ji expressed her excitement, stating, ‘It is my policy to only promote products that I am satisfied with enough to purchase, use, and recommend to others. I have been only using Laneige Cream Skin lately, as it relieves skin tightness with just a toner and leaves it fresh and moisturized. I fell in love with the product performance to the extent that I apply it generously on my makeup pads and sleep with it on, and even use it all over my body in place of body lotion.

A Laneige brand official stated, ‘Cream Skin is characterized by its excellent moisturizing power, making it easy for anyone to achieve moisturized skin without much effort. The reason we proposed Won Ji for the ambassadorship with Laneige was because we believed her motto of ‘Lazy, but not stupid’ resonated well with the attributes of the product. Using the product for a month and vouching for its effectiveness, we believe that she is a suitable ambassador as she can authentically represent it.

The Cream Skin ‘hlllo Sticker Pack’ edition, created in collaboration with Won Ji, will be available from today (22 nd ) on Naver Laneige Store and Zigzag. Additionally, Laneige conducted a photoshoot with Vogue Korea to commemorate Won Ji’s ambassadorship.

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Quick trip to Phoenix

The past year I’ve had the great honor of serving as The Paint Crew president. During my year of office I’ve created some amazing memories that will last a lifetime, but nothing will compare to finishing off the year by making it to Phoenix for the Final Four. The buzz around campus after beating Tennessee in the Elite Eight was something I’ve never experienced and will always look back on fondly. You couldn’t go anywhere on campus without someone asking if you were going to Phoenix and how excited we were for the game. 

Once in Phoenix it was a sea of black and gold everywhere you went. All the pop up shops were sold out of Purdue themed items and we were the only full student section out of the four schools. Even though we may not have won the whole thing, I’ll always be proud of the pride that Purdue fans had that weekend for their school. 

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