Over the March break, a group of high school students traveled to France and Switzerland. The trip started in Geneva, Switzerland with a scavenger hunt that took the students through the town to learn about its history and culture. Students visited important sites like the Floral Clock and the famous Jet d’eau, soaring 140m in the air. The afternoon was spent touring the United Nations Headquarters - a treat for the Model United Nations members on the trip: Rhea, Daphne and Wahaj! The following morning, the group headed to Annecy, France and then back to Geneva to visit Le musée d’art et d’histoire.
A quick flight on Day 3 took the group to Paris for a 2-day whirlwind tour of the city’s most famous sites: Le Panthéon, Le Jardin de Luxembourg, Le musée du Louvre, L’Opéra de Paris, Les Galéries Lafayette, La Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, and Le musée de l’armée, where Napoléon Bonaparte is buried. The students also became experts at using le métro and did a little dancing in the streets with a local street performer. The tour ended with a riverboat cruise along La Seine to view the city at night and to see La Tour Eiffel lit up in all its glory!
In Southern France the group was immersed in French language and culture with daily French classes. Students learned a fun game called Pétanque and visited a local school, École Roland Garros. The French students presented their town and prepared interactive games to help our students learn about its history. Afternoons and evenings in Nice were spent doing pottery and visiting the homes of Nice residents who graciously hosted the members of the Mentor group. For Grade 12 student Tiffany, “the last few days in Nice were my favourite…it was kind of scary at first being expected to speak French all the time, but the people in Nice were so friendly!”
On the last day, the group travelled by bus to Monaco, Èze, and Saint-Jean Cap Ferrat - where students went on a beautiful hike along the Mediterranean Coast. For Grade 12 student Synah, “it was the perfect way to end the trip…that view was incomparable to anything else!” There was a chance to dip their toes in the sea before heading back to the hotel. Perhaps friend Hanjin summarizes the trip best, “the trip was not only fun but educational…we learned a new way to travel – it’s the difference between being a traveler and a tourist!”
Thank you to teachers Mme Zorec, Mr. Shapcott, Mrs. Moosa, and Mr. Hall for making this trip possible!
