En Français S’il Vous Plaît

We made it!

   The chaperones and I want to thank all the parents for sending a wonderful group of kids with us to France.  They represented the school very well and we couldn’t have asked for a better group of students.  Although we sometimes got grumpy and strict with having the students “count off,” they impressed us all with their behavior and attentiveness. 

   The last two days in Normandy were spent visiting the American Cemetery at Brittany, taking a hike along the English Channel, and visiting Mont St. Michel.  Starting with the American Cemetery, we were able to pay tribute to some of the veterans who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of many.  The grounds are beautifully groomed and treated with the utmost respect.  Although it is sometimes difficult to fathom the casualties suffered during WWII, it was pleasing to know that the families were allowed the choice to bring home the soldiers or to lay them to rest there.  The director of the facility said that for many, the choice was difficult but it allowed a sense of closure to the families. 

   Our hike along the coast was unbelieveable to say the least.  We walked the path along grass, cliffs, and sand.  One of the most remarkable thing about our hike was the color of the water.  The different variations of the blues almost made it seem a little tropical.  We were extremely lucky to get the chance to hike those four kilometers!

   The final destination in Normandy was to Mont St. Michel.  Mont st. Michel is a combination of a fortress, village, and monestary.  Our fantastic tour guide gave us an in-depth history of this place and brought us to each nook and crevice.  She knew everything about Mont St. Michel and gave us an interactive lesson on the architecture… (see pictures)!  Although we did encounter some rain, it did not damper our spirits!

   I just need to add that we had the most amazing bus driver accompany us on our four day excursion to Normandy.  Adonan (not sure of the spelling) is a mid 20’s, very professional and outgoing driver.  Unlike last year, we were never lost and just had a great time! 

   Before we concluded for the night, we were given a welcome party at the town hall of Montrouge.  Unfortunately, the mayor was not able to attend, so he sent us his well wishes and thanked us for continuing the exchange program where people from both countries are able to learn from each other. 

   This concludes another chapter for Peace Program and the blog for this year!  A few more pictures will be uploaded so please check back for them!  Thank you again for reading and commenting!  It was a pleasure to have you live vicariously through us on our adventures.  Take care!

We will always remember…

            It is Tuesday and we have a lot on our agenda today.  Our first stop on today’s trip is to the World War II museum in Caen.  This museum gives us insight into what happened during the war, the causes and the aftermath.  What was great about this memorial museum was that the tour was done chronologically.  At each important date, there was some sort of artifact to help us paint a picture of that time.  For some, it was difficult to see all the tragic things that took place during the war because it hits close to home.  

            The next stop on our trip was to Gold beach in Normandy.  Although it was not as significant as Omaha beach, it still played an integral part in the events leading up to D-day.  Here, we were able to see the artillery batteries which were used to attack the soldiers and vessels coming from water to land.  There were many batteries which were destroyed but a few remain almost completely intact.  Their size is massive and the destruction caused by these artilleries was extremely devastating.    

            The third stop on this day led us to the Tapestry of Bayeux, which is almost 1000 years old.  It stretches almost 70 yards long and tells the story of the 1066 Norman invasion of England.  The detail and color of the tapestry is still vibrant and clear.  It really is amazing to see something this delicate last so long.  

            The last leg of today’s journey led us to our hostel.  Like yesterday’s hostel, this one was also on the beach.  However, this hostel is also a sailing school.  The location, sights, and sounds of this place were fantastic!  We unpacked, ate dinner and then took a walk into town.  The views from our walk were worth a million dollars… Everything was perfect and pristine with a mix of classic traditional French architecture to modern buildings and apartments with water views.  

            It is actually day 11 for us and this is the first time I have been able to get internet.  The rest will be updated at another time and the pictures will hopefully be uploaded in 24 hours.  We leave for Paris tomorrow afternoon and will visit the mayor of Montrouge.  Time has been flying by and we will see you in a few days!

Easter Sunday in Giverny…

   We begin day 9 with a beautiful tour of Giverny (the home and gardens of Claude Monet).  Maybe because it was Easter Sunday, there were only a few number of visitors.  This allowed us to take colorful and perfect pictures.  Our first stop brought us to the Japanese gardens where the infamous, “Le Bassin aux nymphéas”,
 bridge painting takes place.  I was fortunate enough to get a picture with no one on the bridge!!!  This garden comes equipped with a pond, beautiful flowers and even bamboo trees!

   Next we headed over to the English garden which is located directly in front of his house.  These flowers are arranged in a much more organized manner where as the Japanese garden was kind of free flowing.  Among the flowers, it was also interesting to see several chickens roaming around in a coop.   

   After we finished exploring the gardens, we took a nice tour of the vibrant rooms in his house.  His color palate came into full use because each room had it’s own color theme.  It was a little sad because we were not able to take pictures of the inside of his house. 

  Once we finished our lunch in Giverny, we went to this amazing little town called Honfleur… At first, we were a little disappointed to see what looked like a few buildings, some water and a boat.   However, when we took that first turn around the bend, our jaw almost dropped at how beautiful and lively this town was.  One of the things that this town is known for is their boating.  Inside this town, there is even an old cathedral  of about 500 years old, where the ceilings are made from a ship’s hull! 

   We finally concluded our night arriving at our hostel (which was on the beach) and taking a well deserved rest.

Napoleon and Neopolitan…

   Today we begin with a tour of the Pompidou Center, which displays some of the most intriguing modern art.  We were led there by an English teacher from the French High School, Madame Voisin.  Inside the Pompidou, there were massive sculptures and tiny sculptures, paintings by Picasso and Dali and everything else you could imagine in a modern art museum.  Once again, we had a tour guide with us and I thought he did an excellent job explaining the pieces.  He really got me hooked on a Salvadore Dali painting. 

  After the Pompidou, it was time for lunch and shopping.  My host mother packed me 4 sandwiches… It was at this time, our second English teacher arrived, Malory.   Malory is actually an American, doing an exchange teaching program for the year.  Her last day was today and is heading out to London for graduate school this fall. 

   The next stop on the agenda was a memorial built by Napolean, L’Arc de Triomphe.  The monument is massive in size and shouts out, “I am glorious, look at me!!!”  The Arc de Triomphe also houses the tomb of the unknown soldier.  One of the best parts of the monument is climbing the  284 steps to the top.  The sight is amazing and you have a 360 degree view of Paris. 

   After the Arc, we took a stroll down the Champs Elysees.  We gave the students some free time to explore the expensive stores like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Mercedes…(Don’t worry parents, I don’t think I saw any shopping bags).  The teachers and I ended up having ice cream at a cafe.  My neopolitan banana split was 13 euros, which comes out to $17.15…  It was very nice to say the least…

  Our final event was a boat ride on the seine river during the night.  We were able to see all the famous monuments lit up and spend some time with the students, their host families and teachers.  It was a perfect night and a perfect ending before we head to Normandy. 

   On Sunday, we head to Normandy for 4 days and 3 nights.  I am not sure what the internet situation will be, so I will try to update the blog if possible.  Until then, Joyeuses Pâques!!!!

I’m back…

  Thankfully, I got my laptop to connect to the internet so I’m back in action.  Versailles was once again an amazing trip.  The tour of the inside of the palace was beautiful (a bit overly done with all the gold) but also packed with a lot of tourists.  Of course, the hall of mirrors was probably one of highlights of the palace. 

   After the tour, we headed to the gardens to have lunch and to walk around.  The landscape is an awesome sight to see.  As a geometry teacher, it was neat to see all the different patterns of the grass and fountains.  Once we reached the end of the gardens, about 2/3 of us went on a bike ride and the rest went for a walk.  Riding a bike on beautiful paths in front of sheep, fields, and water was a blast.  I think the kids enjoyed it very much. 

  Finally, we headed back to our hosts in anticipation for Friday’s events!  Today was our first real day here spending time with both the HSW and HSE kids.  We all got along well and had a great time.

Hello… Goodbye…

I just moved in with a new host family and had difficulties updating the blog.  Today we had an amazing trip to Versailles.  In a few words, Palace, picnic, gardens, bicycle ride, home!  I will update with pictures tomorrow!  je suis desolee

Hi Mom and Dad…

   Can you believe that we have been away for 5 days?  We have done so much and yet there is still so much left to do.  A lot of the kids that I have talked to miss their families very much.  They also wanted me to give their parents a shout out so “Hi Mom and Dad… I miss you!” from Shelby, Nate, Dan, Michelle, Jenna G, Crista, Bridget, Gina, Jenn, Leigh, Sarah, Andria, Michelle, Chris, Lauren, Hillary, Chloe, Danielle, Jenna I, Elyse, and Emma.  Whew!!

   Today, we started our travels with a new English teacher, Mrs. Anne Coulon.  Mrs. Coulon was super nice and safely showed us around Paris.  In the morning, we were greeted by light rain showers as we traveled to Sainte Chapelle.  Sainte Chapelle was created in the early 13th century to house about 30 Holy Relics like the crown of thorns and the holy cross.  Now, whether these were the actual artifacts is in question, but a lot of effort, money and turmoil was incurred because of them.  The most spectacular thing about  Sainte Chapelle, is the upper floor which is almost completely surrounded by stained glass windows.  Each piece tells a biblical story and over the past 800 years, almost 75% of the windows remain original.  One can only imagine the genius that has to go into designing and constructing a gothic cathedral with this much beauty. 

  After some free time for shopping and lunch, (beware parents… I saw many shopping bags!) we headed to one of my favorite spots, Cathédrale Notre-Dame!   It still amazes me how beautiful this building is.  The gargoyles, flying buttresses, stained glass windows, columns, arches…  all of these have amazing details and I wish I could have been there back in the day.  Words really do not do justice when it comes to Notre-Dame. 

   We concluded our adventure with a stop in the Latin Quarter to do some more exploring and shopping.  Tomorrow, HSW and HSE come together and travel to Versaille.  Activities include viewing the Palace and gardens, bike rides, and eating cake.

American Idol…

   I wanted to start off by thanking everyone who reads and comments about this blog.  The chaperones and I are extremely happy that we are able to share our experiences and excitements with you.  Since most of our time, so far, has only been with the HSE kids, I’m sorry I have not been able to get as many HSW pictures.  When we head out to Versailles and Normandy, I will do my best to catch up! 

   Ok, I need some wood to knock on because we have been very lucky with such beautiful weather!  Today, we were expecting rain and heard a strong storm over night.  However, we woke up to a cool/slightly drizzly morning, but nothing to worry about.  Around noon, the skies started to clear up and the sun decided to peek at us.  Towards late afternoon, the sun was out full blast and the most perfect weather hit us.

   Our first destination was the Musée d’Orsay (http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/home.html).  This train station turned museum, houses all types of art work from early 1800 to the modern art era.  We were given the morning to roam about on our own and discover pieces from Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Rodin, etc…  The vast works of art in this museum takes a person’s breath away!

   Once we were done visiting the museum, we had a nice picnic lunch in the jardins de tuileries. 

   Our final destination was a place called Montmartre.  Montmartre is a very high elevated town where there are many street vendors (portraits/drawings, shops, food).  When we first arrived, we made our way up to the top and found a musician playing in front of a large sized crowd.  We all decided to take a seat on the steps and listen to him perform while we relaxed for a few minutes.  It was quickly evident that we were Americans and the musician spotted us in a heart beat!  He asked if anyone wanted to sing and without much coercion, got two volunteers.  The girls were great and performed a couple of songs!!!  Much kudos to them for singing in front of a few hundred people.  After a bit, another one of our students went up to sing and with a lot of grace and strength, “Love Song.”  Everyone got great applause and ovations from the crowd… These girls made America proud!!

   After another great day in Paris, we concluded with a dance at the school.  The kids got to mingle, dance, eat and relax.  Tomorrow we head back to Paris to see Esmeralda and Quasimodo aka “hunchback.”  Until tomorrow…Bonne soirée!

A walk in the park…

Today was an amazing and beautiful day in France.  The sun was shining, the weather warm with a slight cool breeze and around each corner was a fresh aroma from the young flowers in bloom.

Since we did not meet up with the kids today, the HSE chaperones spent the day visiting the Royal  Basilica of Saint-Denis.   This amazing necropolis was filled with statues and tombstones of French Royalty.   The history behind Saint-Denis is simply amazing to say the least.  It has gone through such turmoil from vandalism to severe fire damage and even houses a pickled heart of Louis XVII.  Sadly, the majority of the tombstones do not actually have their buried counterparts.  During a period of terror, many of the bones were dumped together in a single grave.  They left the bones like a box of unsolved puzzles.

After spending time at the Basilica, our little entourage spent the rest of the evening in Paris visiting several gardens, an ancient battle arena of sorts and a Mosque.  Each place was incredible and it was amazing to be surrounded by such liveliness. 

On Monday, we will spend the first half of the day visiting classes at the high school.  The second half of the day will be spent visiting the Louvre and checking out all the amazing art work there.  Until then, a tout a l’heure!!