Jenn

My experience in France was extremely enriching. The culture, the language, and the country have inspired me to continue my studies in learning and mastering the language. It has also helped me in understanding and accepting the different cultures and appreciate their uniqueness. This trip has helped strengthen me in the ways I feel about my own native tongue and culture, and I have grown to love them more than I ever thought I would. The history I learned on this trip has helped me get a sense of how France has developed as a country and all of the beauties it has within itself. The values the country carries shows me what they care most about. The people reminded me of the pride the country has. The school taught me of the emphasis France puts on education. The French students showed me what they care about most and their daily lives as teenagers in Europe. If anything, this exchange has pushed me to continue to indulge myself in trips such as these and to make myself uncomfortable because those are the true moments in which we learn the most. 

Rishabh

Looking back, the week and a half I spent in France was an amazing time. The food, people, atmosphere, and location all added up to be an astonishing experience. However, this would not have been able to be achieved without the amazing family of my host, Loïc. Whether it was his mother's food, his father's stories, or going for a bike ride, Loïc and his family were able to make my time in France extremely memorable. The vies in and around Pfaffenheim were amazing, and the view of the Rhine Valley from the Vosges Mountains will be one I never forget. I can't wait until the French students come to America!

Home Sweet Home

We all made it back safely last night after a long plane ride back from Paris. Stay tuned for more reflection posts from students!

Des photos de Paris (Partie 2)

Le petit-déjeuner!

Notre-Dame 

Climbing to Montmartre!

La Basilique du Sacré Coeur

La Tour Eiffel!

L'Arc de Triomphe, before some shopping on the Champs-Élysées!

Courtney

Bonjour de Paris!

The trip is finally coming to a close, but it feels like yesterday that we were boarding the plane at Logan airport. Paris was incredible, but I think the lasting memory of France I will have is how different the culture is regarding daily life in Colmar. Looking back on my stay, I am so glad I got to experience living in Colmar, rather than staying in a hotel as a tourist. While I was staying with my French family, I noticed that more time is spent relaxing and talking about the day's events. The French culture I experienced was much less focused on following a time schedule than we are. If my host family was ever late arriving somewhere, my exchange student would sigh and say: "we're late, just like the French." The students were given less homework, and more free time to relax. On school nights, my host family would often talk and eat dinner for hours. It was nice not having the pressure of work and school to be able to fully enjoy France and to be completely immersed in French culture. It was an experience I will never forget and I'm so glad to have had this opportunity. 

Ella

Saturday, the 21st, was our last full day with our host families in Colmar.

Thinking back, the week with the family was truly an amazing opportunity. I learned so much about life in France, and many things I did not expect - they actually eat a lot of food (mostly bread and other carbs) and really quickly too!  I was always the last one eating, and often was so full I could not finish the 4 course meals they served me. Also, my family actually eats cake with spoons, but knowingly always gave me the option to use a fork.  Aside from food, I just had a wonderful time getting to know the family well, improve my French, and learn about their culture and history.

Les pensées de Prashasti

France is easily one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. Every day that I woke up in Colmar I was in awe. The colorful buildings and the cobblestone were gorgeous. Every moment was a picturesque one.

Yesterday was our final day with our hosts, so a group of ten of us (5 French and 5 Americans) decided to spend our last day together. We went to the downtown of Colmar and walked around the streets and shops. We went to have a small lunch of bagels. One of my friends ordered a bagel with peanut butter, and the server laughed and asked us if we were American. We took our lunch to a beautiful park. We then took the bus to go play laser tag. It was a great activity to do on our last day. Afterward, we went back to downtown Colmar and met with almost all of the rest the exchange partners. We enjoyed coffees and teas at a café. I then bought a fountain pen because I love to write. For dinner, I had a traditional Maroccan meal with my family. 

Now we have to say goodbye to our host families and friends, and are on a train through the French countryside. Saying goodbye was very sad, but I am excit d for what Paris will bring.

Des photos de Paris

Bonjour à tous de Paris! We made it safely to Paris and had a great experience on the train. After dropping off our bags at the hotel, we took a stroll around Paris and saw some of the sights! Here are a few pictures!

Saint Michel - Le Quartier Latin

Notre-Dame de Paris

The lock bridge!

De la glace à Berthillon

L'Hôtel de Ville

Quel groupe magnifique!

À la Gare de Colmar

Quelques photos de nos derniers moments avec les familles françaises!

Rachel: Le dernier jour à Colmar

Salut!

Today was our last full day in Colmar. I'm so not ready to leave my exchange family, but I'm glad I can look forward to our correspondents coming to America in just a few weeks! Already knowing them, I am no longer nervous but only excited for them to come.

For my last day, my correspondent and I went to Germany with a few others. We walked around downtown Freiburg and shopped. What jumped out at me most were the street performers. They were so unlike those I have seen in Boston. Whole groups of violin and cello players formed small orchestras in front of stores. One man had an entire array of moving animals. As he played the accordion, they danced. Another had a set of long tubed instruments. The coolest one was a puppeteer. The man had a miniature easel, canvas and paint set to go along with his marionette. He could make the puppet mix the paint, walk over to the painting and paint different pictures. In contrast to the dancers or pot and pan drummers in Boston, I was fascinated by these different performances. When I pointed this out to my correspondent, she told me to look out for the performers in Paris, who would have another array of talents. I can't wait to see what's in store for us there!

La dernière soirée à Colmar

As we prepare to leave tomorrow morning for Paris, I thought it may be nice to share a few more photos of our time here! We all send our sincerest thank yous and mercis to our lovely, generous hosts! I know we are all looking forward to seeing them again in April. 

Dans le bus!

Le Conseil de l'Europe

À Strasbourg

Le Château de Haut-Koenigsbourg

Au Zoo de Mulhouse- un ours polaire!

Les pensées de Jenn

Today, the Pingree and French students visited the Château de Haut-Koenigsbourg. It's a castle that was owned by many owners, it was destroyed and rebuilt many times. All in all, it still survives as a great piece of history. The tour guide explained to us the entire history of the castle and gave us a complete tour of the building. The castle even had a Trophy room like Pingree does. It was fun to compare and contrast the rooms. Afterward, we had a fabulous lunch together at the castle's bookstore. Our next adventure was the Mulhouse Zoo. It was scary and interesting to discover the amount of birds the zoo has. The zoo was huge and had many animals that I have never seen before like the wild yak and a white fox. It was a successful, busy day made up of two great trips.

Les pensées de Jasmine

Salut!

Today, I went to school with my exchange student, Amélie, and spent some time exploring the beautiful town of Colmar even more. After we had just gotten out of school at 6, the exchange group went to dinner. The dinner we experienced tonight was not a typical restaurant dinner. For dinner, we went to a pasta place, Mezzo. For their order, a person got to pick their preference of pasta, sauce, and cheese. After we ordered, we took our food and went to a little park in the town to eat it. Even though the sun was going down, we were still enjoying it very much. Once we got there, we all sat in one group, all of us talking to each other, enjoying each other's presence. The chemistry between the American and French students grew and we were comfortable with each other. I enjoyed tonight a lot because I really communicated with people I did not really talk to that much before and I made memories that would last a lifetime.

Notre visite à Haut-Koenigsbourg

Today was an exciting day! Not only did we visit the Château de Haut-Koenigsbourg, but we did so during a solar eclipse! The Château was originally built in the 12th century, destroyed in the 15th century during the Thirty Years War, and was eventually rebuilt between 1901 and 1908. As was the region of Alsace, the Château de Haut-Koenigsbourg changed ownership many times over the years, and today houses the Museum of the Middle Ages.

Nous montons à l'entrée!

Le groupe et la maquette!

Notre guide, Agnès.

Quelques élèves de Pingree.

La salle à manger.

Les pensées de Rishabh

My favorite experience so far in France has been tasting the different kinds of cheeses after dinner and for lunch. What surprised me the most is that the French have two desserts! Cheese and then something sweet! Out of all the cheeses I have tried so far, my favorite is called "pavé d'affinois". It is a very soft cheese which is eaten like butter is on bread. It was purchased and eaten fresh. In fact, it was so French that the rind was not plastic, but natural and edible. The baguettes that Loïc's family purchases come from a baker Ina neighboring town called Rouffach. Purchased fresh daily, the baguette is the staple of the French lunch and dinner. I have already eaten it with soup, cheese, butter, gravy, and even mashed potatoes. Costing less than a euro each, the baguette is the best bread I have eaten. After dinner, we have cheese with bread. The different kinds of cheese include comté, chèvre (goat cheese), Camembert, and Brie. If I could, I would eat cheese and bread all day. But it's bad luck to have cheese in the morning. When we go out for lunch, I usually have a sandwich with cheese and vegetables with an espresso. My favorite bread has been Moricette, a local Alsatian bread with different fillings. 

Les pensées de Nicole

Since my first car ride on Sunday, when we drove from the airport, I have been captivated by the size of the cities and the amount of open country in Alsace. Where we live in the US, it is impossible to drive down the highway and not see neighborhoods through the trees. You might spot a field or a thick patch of woods, but you know that there are many people living past it. Here, in Alsace, you can drive for many miles and only see open fields and vineyards. And it is very clear when you leave town, because all of the towns are not grouped together. The cities are also very different here. Most of the cities in the US have tons of metal skyscrapers, streets constantly filled with cars, and there is an atmosphere that demands that everyone get to their destination quickly. Both Colmar and Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace, are filled with old beautiful buildings and cobblestone streets. Cafés spill onto the streets, and there are more pedestrians than cars. The tallest building  I saw was less than ten stories high. These aspects of Alsace show that the French are much more concerned with the environment, with preserving history, and just with beauty in general.

Strasbourg.

Les Pensées de Sydney

My exchange student, Emma, and I woke up at 8:00 AM today because our classes did not start until 10:00 AM! It was very nice to sleep in for a little after not getting much sleep the past few nights due to jet lag. The school schedule is very different than our schedule at Pingree. First of all, the French school day ends between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM which is far longer than our regular six hour school day. When a teacher at the French school is absent, the students do not have class, while if a teacher at Pingree is absent we usually have a substitute come to run the class.

The students at Lycée Saint-Andre have a lot more “freedom” throughout the day, as well. Emma and her friends often have two hours for lunch and are free to go wherever they want during these hours. Today, Emma, her friends and I went back to her house for a pizza picnic in her backyard. It was such a nice way to pass the time and get to know her friends.

I found that just by listening closely to everyone around me I am able to understand more and more French. Everyone speaks a little slower and clearer than usual to help all of the Pingree students understand and practice the language. But just as we are learning French, the students will often ask us how to say certain slang words or expressions in English! It’s very fun to be able to flip flop between languages and teach each other. I am looking forward to attending French school again on Thursday and learning even more!

Notre visite à Strasbourg

Today, we spent a full day in Strasbourg. Strasbourg is a large city about an hour north of Colmar. A number of teachers from St. André commute to and from there for work. Our first stop was the Conseil de l'Europe. We then visited the city center "à pied", including Petite France, before touring the Cathédrale de Strasbourg. We wrapped up the day with a ride on the Batorama, a boat cruise in the Lisle.

Le Conseil de l'Europe; map of 47 member states.

No debates today!

Petite France

Notre-Dame de Strasbourg was built over four centuries (1015-1439!) A true masterpiece of gothic architecture. 

Les pensées de Rachel

Salut! 

Today, in Colmar, I experienced my first day at a French school. In total, I went to three hours of French class (the equivalent to our English class) and an hour of Spanish class. I was surprised by the strict style of the classes and the freedom outside the classroom. In class, the students sit in rows of desks and the teacher lectures in the front. There are no posters on the walls, clocks, or decorations. At Pingree, the style of teaching is so different. Here, it feels very old school. Even so, it seems effective. For two hours at a time, the kids stay focused and listen attentively. (I did my best to do the same, although not understanding Spanish made for a confusing hour.) When they do not have class, they have free time to spend as they choose. If they want, they can walk down to the center of the town to buy lunch, or hang out at the park in front of the library. They have a degree of freedom that can seldom be seen in American schools. At first, I was surprised by this, but it seemed a great alternative to the American education system: less freedom during class, but more outside the classroom. Both cultures seem to have found their own effective way to balance work and leisure. 

Les pensées de Danny

I love being in France! It is very beautiful, the colors are vibrant, and the people are really nice. But one thing that strikes me the most and I appreciate the most is the architecture. I easily forget that France was a country way longer than the USA, and thus has older roads and buildings. However there is still a great balance between old and new. Here in France they do a great job of respecting history and preserving the country. However at the same time, you can still find modern furniture in almost any house, the technology is up to date. Nothing here is dated, and that is something I will take home with me. I think a lot of the time here in the US, we think that because something is old it is no good anymore. But here in France, I see people doing a great job of keeping what is old and blending it with what is new. For example there is a part of the school, that we are exchanging with that resides in an old German bank. It has a Mac computer lab and modern furniture, but at the same time, “la salle de travail”, where students do homework, was renovated to look exactly like what it used to before it was a school. My dad, once told me the saying, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.” I think that is something France does well, and I hope I can bring back some of that mentality to the States.

Quelques photos: le 17 mars

Today, Pingree students spent the day with their St. André hosts! Here are some pictures that were taken yesterday at the school.

Le voilà!

L'auditorium

Au lycée technique.

La cantine! 

Les pensées de Betty

The French really love their food! They love sharing it, explaining it, cooking it, smelling it, and especially eating it. I've only been here for two days but I've tried so much already. And the saying "don't knock it until you try it" is so valid here. My host sister had some meat that she wanted me to try with mashed potatoes. Naturally, I asked "qu'est-ce que c'est (what is it)?" and she said she wouldn't tell me until I tried it. I tried some and she told me it was rabbit. I didn't love it, but I never would have tried rabbit in the United States- and now I have. It's all part of a new experience, and even though it may seem strange, I'm glad I get to be part of the culture for a few days. Over the next few days, I'll be trying even more "strange" things, but I can't wait! Bon appétit!

Quelques photos!

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Devant l'entrée du musée Unterlinden.

Les pensées d'Ella

On the 15th we arrived in Colmar!  For the first day in France, I visited many local towns with my host family for the day.  Colmar and Munster (where my host lives) and in the middle of the country and mountains, which somewhat reminds me of suburban Massachusetts. However, the architecture and culture are amazingly different. The buildings are beautiful and look identical to the best pictures on Google.

A funny experience of mine occurred at lunch.  We all went to lunch at a small French restaurant in one of the small towns we visited.  I was already nervous being in France for the first time, but now I had to decipher the French menu and try to find something that my picky taste pallet would like. After a while of just sitting and staring, understanding little but not enough to fully make an educated choice, my host parents told the waitress I was American.  Seemingly out of thin air, she brought over a menu in English.  I wanted to challenge myself by using only the menu in French, but I greatly appreciated the effort to help me (and all other English speakers) understand and feel comfortable.  That event helped me understand better how much the French support the effort of trying to speak their language, but also want to help us comprehend and succeed while visiting their country. (No worries, I ended up ordering a dish I highly enjoyed!)

After being nervous about speaking and conversing in French, I have begun to adjust to the language change, and I now catch myself sometimes thinking in French rather than English (like right now while writing this!).  I am excited to see how much my French will improve during the remainder of the trip and what else I learn and experience while here.

Les pensées de Courtney

Bonjour from Colmar, France! 

      Today I woke up after a very long sleep and met the other Pingree students at my exchange student's school. On our short drive to the school, I saw a few things that surprised me. I definitely wasn't expecting the groups of high school students huddled outside smoking cigarettes, but I could recall hearing that smoking is more common in Europe. The biggest culture shock for me was seeing the scale of everything. The cars are all so small, and as a result, the roads are tiny. The houses, apartments, furniture, bikes, and even people, are noticeably smaller. Experiencing the scale of things here has made me realize that America really is "supersized". At first, I felt bad for the French students because they haven't experienced huge cars or other large American commodities, but then I realized that we don't necessarily need the large houses and cars to be satisfied. The people I have met thus far are very happy people, and they don't need the extra square footage or trunk space that we believe we need. Having just enough doesn't have to be a bad thing; it can sometimes be a smart thing. Since the cars are so small, they give off significantly less emissions, are easier to maneuver, and allow you to park twice as many cars along one street. I'm slowly becoming a believer in the saying "the best things come in small packages". 

Overall, it's been a great experience so far, and I'm so happy to have had this opportunity.

Au revoir! 

Nos visites: le 16 mars

Today we had a great first full day in Colmar! We had a tour of Saint André, including its new technology campus. We visited Le Musée Unterlinden and, after lunch, had a guided tour of the city. We also spent some time at Le Musée Bartholdi and saw models of our Statue of Liberty! The students were with their hosts all day today, and will be in classes all day tomorrow.

Visiting La Maison des Têtes!

La Liberté enéclairant le monde- un modèle de la statue de Bartholdi. 

In the Middle Ages, people were not able to read. Shopkeepers, therefore, made these beautiful signs and used them as advertisements above their stores to attract customers.

Qui veut du chocolat? Easter preparations in full swing!

Notre départ et notre arrivée!

Bonjour! I am happy to report that we all arrived safely in France. The students are now with their host families. We will meet tomorrow morning for a tour of the school and of downtown Colmar. It is quite springy here in Alsace! Pingree students are looking forward to spending time getting to know their hosts. Student blogging will begin tomorrow. 

Here they are at Logan! Look at the excitement!