Jill Goforth's students couldn't be riding a camel with her in the Egyptian desert, but they could see the pictures she sent back and the descriptions of her exotic trip.

Goforth, principal of New Holland Core Knowledge Academy in Gainesville, returned last week from Egypt as part of a People to People Citizens Ambassador Program trip with other educators to visit schools and see how education operates in that country.

"I came away thinking we have so much more in common than we have different," she said.

Before she left for the weeklong, self-funded trip, Goforth had students do research on the kinds of foods she'd be tasting, weather she'd face and clothing she'd need to wear.

And while there, she kept an online journal of her adventures and shot many pictures. One of the student's favorite photos, she said, is of her perched on a camel with Egypt's pyramids in the background.

Her writings and the photos can be viewed at www.keepandshare.com. Type in "newholland" under user name and "goforth" as the password.