This time next month several Bloomington South students will be trading in Bosco sticks for fresh baguettes and croissants. The reason? The French exchange.
On Mar. 10th, students that hosted French exchange students last October will leave for France. Their first stop is Paris where they’ll visit Versailles, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and other tourist attractions. After exploring Paris they’ll travel to Le Mans where they’ll stay with their exchange students and their families. They’ll attend school with their students at Lycée Notre Dame. The next stop is Normandy where they’ll visit World War II historical sites such as Caen World War II Museum, D-Day beaches, and Pointe du Hoc. On Mar. 24 they will fly out of Paris and come back home to Bloomington.
Senior Maya Mills is one of the students going to France. This will be her second time going to France so she is less excited about seeing the typical tourist attractions, and more excited to learn about daily life in France. Mills is especially looking forward to seeing her exchange student Marie Dumont-Besse who she keeps in contact with on a daily basis.
“We talk everyday on Snapchat. We became best friends.”
Overall, Mills is mostly looking forward to going to school at Lyceé Notre Dame to learn about France’s education system and try their cafeteria cuisine.
Senior Olivia Karaboja is another student travelling to France with the exchange program. She is excited to reunite with her exchange student Camille Perrault. They’ve kept in contact through Snapchat and Instagram DMs.
“We update each other on what’s happening in our lives, it’s really fun.”
Karaboja is looking forward to exploring France, but more specifically Normandy due to its historical significance. She is a history buff so visiting the World War II attractions and other historical sites are at the top of her list.
Of course this exchange between South and Lyceé Notre Dame is about much more than just sightseeing, though. It’s about building international friendships and learning about other countries’ cultures.
“Exploring other cultures and traditions is essential for people to learn and be respectful to each other,” said Karaboja. “It’s also really fascinating learning the similarities and differences between different cultures.”
