Diane Arbus once said, “My favorite thing is to go where I’ve never been.” Over the course of several weeks, several Hastings High French and German juniors and seniors did just that: went someplace they’d never been before. The destinations? France and Germany.
French teacher Tamara Cecrle took her students to northwestern France where they stayed with a host family for five days. During this time they went to a French school with their host siblings for two days. Afterwards, the group spent three days in Paris. Cecrle says that they had a very busy few days while in Paris.
“We visited the Musée D’Orsay (impressionist paintings), the Opera (inspiration for the Phantom of the Opera), the Champs Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe, the Invalides (Napoleon’s tomb), the Rodin gardens (saw the Thinker), the castle of Versailles, the Sacré Coeur, the Sainte Chapelle, Notre Dame and the Louvre,” Cecrle said. “We also took a boat cruise down the Seine River and went up the Eiffel Tower.”
German teacher Eric Garchow took his students to northern Germany where they had a similar experience of staying with a host family for five days and seeing what daily life was like for a German.
“We also visited Berlin and saw many cultural monuments and sites important to history, such as the Berlin Wall,” Garchow said. “Sampling local specialties like Currwurst, sausage with ketchup and curry powder, was also a highlight. Another activity was visiting a concentration camp, where we saw first hand what conditions in Nazi Germany might have been like.”
Junior Kenzie Carson says that she had always planned on going on the French trip because she loves to travel and go on adventures outside of the country. She was excited for all of the new experiences she would get to have.
“I really wanted to experience a new culture and see all of the amazing monuments we learned about,” Carson said. “I was probably most looking forward to the food, which did not disappoint! I was very very excited about the trip, but a little nervous for the family stay. I enjoyed every minute of it though.”
Carson says that the French trip far surpassed any expectations she had beforehand.
“Everything about the trip was far more than I expected. Every minute of it was worth it, even the language barrier and the constant walking and the freezing rain!” Carson said.
Junior Ben Remmers was one of the members of the German trip and had similar reasons for choosing to have this experience.
“I love traveling, especially abroad, and I liked the idea of getting a host family for a week to really get into the culture,” Remmers said. “[I was] excited but nervous because of the amount of school I would miss. I was most excited for the host family stay.”
Remmers says that his favorite part was the German cuisine.
“Easily the food and candy,” Remmers said.
Both Cecrle and Garchow agree that going on the foreign language trips increases their awareness and broadens their horizons.
“Students are able to practice and improve their language skills, experience the French culture first hand and compare it to their own culture, and visit all of the monuments that we have discussed/studied in class,” Cecrle said.
Garchow said that learning history was another important factor in how valuable these trips are.
“Students gain a greater appreciation for and understanding of history, become more confident in the German language, and broaden their cultural and social understanding,” Garchow said.
Carson and Remmers say that they now have a greater appreciation for the language they’re learning and the culture and people that accompany it.
“I’ve taken away a great respect for the country and its culture, and I came home with some wonderful experiences and memories,” Carson said. “I know I will benefit from experiencing these things, and now I also have new French friends that I can keep in contact with!”
Remmers says that he received good educational benefits from going on this trip.
“[I’ve learned] some of the culture and improved my German skills,” Remmers said.
Cecrle says that she loves seeing the relationships the students make while in France.
“This trip for example, I had students that were in tears at the train station when they had to say goodbye to their host families,” Cecrle said. “To see the connections that my students make with their French families and their faces as they visit Paris makes all the hard work worth it. I often run into former students who tell me that they still stay in contact with their French family.”
Garchow said that his favorite part is just to be able to see his students discovering such new and exciting things.
“My favorite part is sharing these experiences with students, and being with them as they start to come to a broader understanding of the world outside of the USA,” Garchow said.
