Students and parents made their way into the Craft Theater after CHS’s capsule night on Tuesday, Sept.17th. Community’s French teachers, Marci Harris and Danelle Mosher, held an important meeting to discuss the upcoming summer trip to France. Madame Harris and Mosher led the discussion and gave all the details about what to expect.
With a tentative date of departure on June 11th, 12th, or 13th, the trip will include an unforgettable visit to Paris and a homestay with a host family in southern France. The first three days in Paris will consist of plenty of sightseeing and the students will stay in a centrally located hotel. The Eiffel Tower, Louvre and Seine— with a scenic boat ride to appreciate the city’s beauty—will be a few of the main attractions during the excursion.
Jeff Brown, CHS parent, shared his lack of international travel in high school and how he is ecstatic for his child to be a part of the trip.
“Flint [Central High School] maybe didn’t have the financial resources, but I think I would have loved the opportunity,” Brown said. “Traveling is just so wonderful for young people, just to broaden your mind and your experiences.”
Once the group departs from Paris via train, they’ll head to the south of France for a more personal experience: a homestay with French families. This is an essential part of the trip, as it includes language and culture immersion. Mosher explained that staying with a host family will allow students to practice their French, learn about the local culture, and experience daily life in France. It’s a chance to immerse themselves in the language and the way of life in a completely different part of the country.
While this is a point of concern with many students because English won’t be the main language, it’s an exciting opportunity for French III sophomore, Felix Brown.
“What makes me feel better is that Marcy and Danelle have done this trip before, and nobody’s had a bad experience,” Brown said. They all signed up to do this, so they’re all going to be really excited to show me all their French things.”
Following the homestay, the group will then travel around the south of France and end in Monaco, which is based on student feedback from previous years. These extra three days will allow more time for students to continue exploring within the group.
“In the south, after the homestay, we’re going to be with somebody who’s going to be a tour guide for those cities. And that’ll be interesting to see how that goes, but I think it’ll be really fun,” Mosher said. “We loved it in Quebec to have somebody who can kind of guide you around to take some of the stress off of me and Marci.”
The trip meeting was able to not only give parents and students a glimpse of what France will be like and how everything will operate, but a chance to look forward to the international journey.
