Youth choir reaches Italy, minus one member

The Yuma Youth Choir is in Italy, but with one less member due to a travel document snag. 

Choir member Jhamiel  is from the Phillipines and has a student visa to study in the United States.  On check-in Wednesday morning, it was found that she didn't have approval to travel to another country other than the U.S. with her visa so Jhamiel was not able to board the plane with the rest of the group. 

She traveled to the nearest embassy, located in Los Angeles, to try to get approval to travel to Italy but was disappointed to learn that she couldn't get an appointment until next month to clear up the matter.  Unfortunately Robles had to return to Yuma and will not be traveling with the choir on the tour. 

Choir members and director Dr. Beth Tibbs were highly disappointed that Robles couldn't attend.

Wednesday started early, barely as the day began with most choir members taking a shuttle bus up to Phoenix from Yuma at midnight, meeting at the airport at about 4 a.m.  The first leg of the 6 a.m. flight headed to Dallas/Ft. Worth, then New York and on to Milan, Italy on an overnight flight.

Understandably, many took the time to catch up on some much needed rest, and even some of the first-time fliers had no trouble nodding off.  Other participants were busy writing in journals and reading.

Right off of the plane the breakneck pace of the sightseeing begins, with a full day of tours in Padova and a bus ride over to Venice for a most welcome bed and pillow.