Illustration by Khang Doby Kyle Nguyen, staff writer
This past summer, a group of students accompanied by French teacher, Ashley Houlette, had the opportunity of traveling to France through Barons Abroad, a 15-day program organized by Walking Tree Travel.
Over the duration of the trip, the group made their way through various regions of the country, spanning from the Ile-de-France, Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley. From visiting Notre Dame and the American Cemetery to their lunch of kebab and falafel in Paris, the group created many memorable moments that they would not have gotten to experience otherwise.
“Once we started moving through the countryside, the students all stayed in a refurbished farmhouse where there were horses and fields of sunflowers and overall, it was just a wonderful and new experience for most of them,” said Houlette.
As they were traveling through France, one of the most notable cultural differences they witnessed was how polite everyone was. Most often, people spoke in a whisper in public spaces, especially on the metro. They also noted that formalities like “please” and “thank you” were used more frequently in France compared to the United States.
“It’s so cool to see how different people are all over the world like the way they dress, speak or just go about their days. In France, they eat tons of bread, and they typically have three course meals every day,” said Elizabeth Johnson (‘18).
Overall, the trip was an eye-opening experience for many. It brought out this sense of self-awareness, tolerance and respect for another culture as the students were always surrounded by people who were much different than them.
“A lot of times, students are very surprised at how nicely they’re treated when traveling abroad. And obviously, there are undeniable linguistic advantages and opportunities to be immersed in the culture and to use their language,” Houlette said.
If anyone is interested in participating in this year’s trip to France, please see Madame Houlette in room 207.
