Au revoir

We have just returned from our final excursion into Paris. It was a beautiful day - the best weather we've had yet. In the morning we visited the Louvre and this afternoon the Champs-Elysees and Arc de Triomphe. We had a magnificent snack at one of Paris' most famous patisseries, La Duree. Check out our final photos below.

I am very proud of these three students. They have really learned a lot about language, culture, and themselves. They were a pleasure to travel with.

Tomorrow we will arrive in Chicago at 3:26 PM on United flight 943. Our arrival in Cedar Rapids will be at 6:39 PM on United Express flight 5843. See you soon - A bientot!

Louvre & Arc de Triomphe

Soon we will be off on our last daytrip to Paris. Today it's the Louvre Museum and the Arc de Triomphe. We will climb the 384 stairs for a fantastic view of the city. Then a stroll down the Champs-Elysees.

Sunday in Paris Part II

It's a cool day in Paris, but the sun is out! The students and I are with our host families today, and will meet up again tomorrow.

Weekend Plans

I spoke with an English teacher today who had Caroline in her class. She said that Caroline spoke very well and shared Price Lab school with the students here using the website. I participated in an English class in which Colton's host brother was a student; he said things are going very well and the family is enjoying getting to know an American. In this class, the students had been studying Iowa in preparating for our visit. They had made large posters about our cities, the Amish, and Iowa history.

Here are the weekend plans of the students as far as I've heard:

Colton: He will be going to the north of France (Trouville/Deauville) and will try out a beach sport that is popular on the north coast called "char a voile". It's a small vehicle with a sail to control the speed. Check out the pictures on this link (the text is in French!). http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Char_%C3%A0_voile

Lauren: She will attend her host sister's iceskating competition in Valenciennes.

Caroline: she will be traveling to Normandy to celebrate several family members' birthdays at a relative's home.

Versailles Palace & Montmartre

Today we visited the inside of the Versailles Palace, with its breathtaking decor. The students really showed great interest! There was a special science exhibit at the Palace that showed contributions of the French royalty to hydraulics, astronomy, botany, pharmacy, physics, and more. The students are excited to share what they learned with the science and math teachers at school.

We then went to Montmartre, the highest point in Paris, where we had lunch at a creperie and then took time to see the street artists this neighborhood is famous for. Lauren actually had her portrait drawn (see photo)!

I asked the students to write an example of something they have learned on their trip so far, and this is what they wrote:

Lauren: "I have learned that the French, even with cramped cities, fantastic food, grand monuments, boutique after boutique, and bakeries on every corner, are much like us Americans. They laugh at the same things, and treasure life the same way we do. We also share many favorite popstars. All in all, it's a small world after all! =) (I was on a ride at Disneyland with that song.)"

Colton: "I have learned that fashion is extremely important and that they really like American things. They also have longer school hours, and they take their time when eating."

Caroline: "France has taught me a lot about the differences between schools, food, and culture. I have had the opportunity to attend class entirely in French, try cuisine that is new to me, and experience French culture firsthand - something I wouldn't be able to do if taking a tour. I have learned even more French and am pretty sure I can speak and understand the language even more clearly. This experience has been wonderful and I can't wait for another chance to explore the world!"

Tomorrow we will have our last school day. Colton and Lauren have already helped out in English classes and tomorrow will be Caroline's turn.

Wednesday in France

In many French schools, Wednesday means either a half day of school or no school at all. The school that we are in has a half day, and we all attended this morning. I bumped into Caroline on my way to class (photo below).

Tomorrow we meet in the morning and will visit the Versailles Palace and then the Montmartre neighborhood, which is known for its street artists.

A Day in Enghien

The students and I had a great day in Enghien today. We visited a primary school. The director explained the French education system to us and we contrasted it with the American school system. We had the opportunity to drop in to two different elementary school classes to see what they were working on, take note of the classroom environment, and see some student work. It was very interesting, and I was very proud of my students' behavior and curiosity.

We then headed to the center of town where we had lunch at a very pleasant and chic tearoom. Colton had a salmon and creme fraiche crepe, the girls had gourmet pizzas, and I had a goat cheese salad. We all chose a beautful dessert from the magnificent array of pastries! After that we saw the French film "Le Marquis" which is a comedy/action film in French (without subtitles, of course!). We ended up our day with a little bit of shopping and a cold Orangina.

Tomorrow is a half day at school, and then the students will spend time with their host families in the afternoon and evening.