There are three children currently enrolled in schools near their home in Portland. The family are warm and welcoming, and the children are polite, thoughtful, intelligent, personable, and sociable. This combination makes for a pleasant and fun teaching opportunity, while remaining challenging and fulfilling for a tutor.

A girl, aged 16
The girl takes her studies very seriously and has excellent grades. She will be in her Junior year at High School from September 2007. It is important that her grades remain high, with college applications fast approaching. The girl loves sports, especially skiing, lacrosse, running and surfing. She cares about her role in the community at large, is adventurous and enjoys trying unfamiliar activities and new situations.

This is perhaps the most important school year for the girl, and it is therefore essential that she maintain her academic track record while travelling. It is likely that she will be enrolled in an online High School program for the semester away (and possibly for the whole year).

A boy, aged 14
The older boy is also at an important stage in his school career. In 2008 he will be starting High School and his grades this year will play an important role in determining which schools he is accepted for next year. His favourite subjects are History and Geography, and he loves to immerse himself visually in the historical contexts he is studying. He also likes many sports, especially skiing and lacrosse, and role-play computer games.

Although the older boy is going into eighth grade and the online program starts from ninth grade, he will also be enrolled in some of the online classes. It is hoped that earning credits and good grades from courses that are a year above his grade level will more than compensate for any disadvantage that missing school might otherwise have.

A boy, aged 10
The younger boy likes school now, but this was not always the case. He has some non-specific learning style that has been impossible to assess accurately. He enjoys reading and dislikes Maths, but this seems to be more about the teaching content than the subject itself. His academic path will be the least affected by a temporary break from school, and this offers a creative teacher plenty of latitude for developing a fun and educational program for him. This boy also loves lacrosse and skiing, and the same computer games as his older brother.

The plan is to begin in Egypt, then on through Turkey and Greece, before heading to Italy for a longer stay. From there the family will move on to France, terminating in Paris in December.

The main goal of the journey is not simply to see the tourist attractions, though this will almost certainly be one component. It is hoped that progress through Europe will be sufficiently unhurried that it will be possible to pick up some of the local culture, and to gain a taste for what it might be like to live in the countries along the route.

This means that the tutor will need to enjoy travelling and not be fazed by any sudden or unexpected changes of plan. Indeed, it is essential that the tutor be independent and able to look after themselves, to be one of the responsible adults travelling with the party, rather than an additional burden on the mother. The tutor must have sufficient experience to be able to handle the unexpected calmly, with reassurance and confidence.

To support online courses, the tutor will need to be IT literate. The tutor will be given adequate time and access to appropriate resources for preparation. The course materials can printed in advance - and therefore accessed when an Internet connection is not available - but many of the assignments and all the quizzes and tests are submitted online. The courses can be completed at any pace, from 4-16 weeks, and this provides plenty of freedom to weave the work around the travel without impinging on either.

The family plan to maintain and regularly update an online travelogue of their adventure, including writings and photographs, and it will be one of the tutor�s responsibilities to help with this.

All three children will respond best to a patient and easygoing tutor, someone who has a good sense of humour, is not stuffy, but who does have rigorous academic standards, and is well-organized and resourceful.

The ideal tutor will have more than one European language, preferably French, plus Italian or Spanish.

The route that is being planned is not accidental. It follows the development of modern Western civilisation from the Egyptians through the Greeks to the Romans. Expert guides will accompany the group often throughout the journey, but it is hoped that tutor will be grounded in the Classics and History, and be able to offer additional insights and perspectives.

The tutor will need to support the eldest girl�s learning through online courses in Chemistry, Pre-calculus, English, and History. In addition, she is studying French Literature, and the ideal tutor will therefore need be a competent Francophone.

Hours
The tutoring hours will average 7 hours a day, 5 days a week. Given the nature of the family�s travel plans, considerable flexibility will be required to make sure that the travel goals fit well with the academic requirements of the online courses. Time off at weekends may not always coincide with the traditional Saturday and Sunday, and once again the tutor will be expected to be flexible and understanding in this respect.

Meals
The client will cover all meals that occur when the tutor is with the family, but the tutor should anticipate that they will not always be eating at restaurants � indeed, exploring the local cuisine is part of the purpose the journey.

Holidays
In the short term, from September to December, the tutor will not be entitled to any vacation time. However, it is likely that many of the family�s friends or relatives will join the party at intervals throughout the journey, and at these times the tutor should anticipate some periods when they will not be required.

Should the contract be extended for the remainder of the year, the tutor will be entitled to the full quota of nine weeks paid vacation to be taken during the remaining nine months of the assignment at times convenient to the Client.

Accommodation
The client will provide furnished accommodation, for the tutor throughout the term of the contract. This may be quite basic at times, depending on where the family�s travels take them, but it will at all times be appropriate and safe.

Driving
It would be helpful if the tutor holds a clean driving licence, and would be willing to share driving with the children�s mother if asked.

Expenses
The tutor�s expenses when travelling with the family will be met by the client.

Pets
In Portland the family have several pets and so the tutor will need to comfortable around animals.

The family have a relaxed lifestyle and hold liberal views on many subjects. Nevertheless, the tutor must be careful not to be too informal - the relationship between the tutor and the family should remain respectful, at all times, with appropriate private service professionalism.