After dropping their luggage off at the hotel in Goussainville, a city outside of Paris, French teacher Ms. Marie-Françoise Dao Hodang and her 19 students wasted no time, boarding a metro to go visit the famous Roman Catholic Church Sacre Coeur in the bustling heart of Paris.
“Even though we encountered a four hour delay in Los Angeles before taking off for France, I was still overwhelmed that I was finally in Paris,” Senior Vivian Liu said. “I was about to experience everything I had seen in movies about France.”
One highlight of the trip was when the students climbed the stairs to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, and then they were able to see Paris from a whole new perspective as they enjoyed a beautiful view.
Another architectural wonder the students visited was the Palace of Versailles.
“The palace was really opulent and the grounds were enormous,” Junior Nathalie Schrans said. “I was astonished that the land and gardens outside stretched out for miles and I couldn’t even see the end.”
Besides the Eiffel Tower and the Palace of Versailles, students enriched their knowledge of French culture by visiting the Louvre museum, well-known for its changing exhibits that focus on a range of artistic styles and paintings.
During their stay, students enjoyed and learned about works by Mexican artists from the 17th and 18th century and drawings by David d’Angers, a major artist during the French Romantic time period.
Without a doubt, one of the most exciting parts of the trip was when students visited Rouen, which is famous for its shopping scene.
Students were allowed to roam free for a few hours in Rouen and shop around with friends as they enjoyed the large city, taking in the culture.
“Everyone was dressed in pants or tights with a coat because of the rain in France,” Schrans said. “Also I observed French people live a more relaxed lifestyle than Americans, enjoying the small things in life.”
During the ten day trip, students became comfortable with the French lifestyle, eating smaller portions during meal time and dealing with cold weather.