Eight students from West Albany, along with a teacher and two parents,spent 12 days in Europe last summer, mainly in France; here are some observations

Playing Canadian

Going on this trip, I wasn’t quite sure how all eight of us students would get along because none of us had really hung out or talked before this trip, but what made the trip even better was getting closer to people you never really were close to.

When we arrived in London we didn’t really use our French skills all that much because most of the people spoke English, but after arriving in France we used French everywhere.

In Dinard, we met a group of teenagers around our age and tried talking to them; they didn’t speak any English so we were forced to try to understand what they were saying. It really helped having French lessons being there; I would have been really lost without knowing any French.

In our group we had an inside joke about being Canadian. We came up with it because people think that the French don’t really like Americans so we thought it would be funny to pretend we were from Canada.

This trip was a really good experience because I ended up learning about another culture and living a different kind of lifestyle.

Brooke Foss is a junior in French 3.

Lightbulb in the night

This summer was my craziest, busiest and most amazing summer yet. This was mainly because of the big highlight, my trip to Europe. The whole experience was life-changing, and there are a few events that really stood out.

One of these events, naturally, was going to the top of the Eiffel Tower. It was so unbelieveably beautiful I wanted to cry. Having all of Paris spread out in front of me, I felt like I was on top of the world. The streets were all lit up and the city just looked like a giant lightbulb in the night.

Another thing that I really enjoyed was the little fishing village Dinard. It’s a really quaint little town on the English Channel. While we were there, we students went on a long walk around the whole town and down by the beach. There, we met a few locals who spoke no English at all. It was a really neat way to have to use the French that we learned in school. Being only a French 1 student, I was a little limited with my conversation topics. But it was still really fun to talk with them.

Nice was another huge highlight. The Mediterranean Sea was almost as warm as bathtub water and nothing beat lying on the warm pebbles on the beach. I also loved, as any other normal teenage girl would, the immense variety of French clothing stores.

All in all, the 2008 Europe trip was amazing. I really hope that I have the opportunity to go again when I’m a junior. I would recommend this trip for anyone, and not just the French students. Europe is a truly spectacular place and I hope everyone will get the chance to travel to a foreign country.

Audrey Frazier is a sophomore in French 2.

Sea of crosses

This summer, I had the privilege of spending two days in London, and then 10 days visiting several parts of France. Every moment of the trip was memorable, from the museums to the Eiffel Tower. But my favorite part was being immersed in the French language.

I got to use French on almost a daily basis. When ordering food, it was expected that we would order in French.

In stores or shops, I would try to communicate what I needed or was looking for if I could. But the most exciting part, was walking around the area, and hearing French everywhere. I tried to pick up on what the local people were saying, but they normally talked too fast. Being completely surrounded by another language made me appreciate the different culture I was visiting.

Our trip covered all of the common tourist activities, such as Versailles and the Louvre, but one of my favorite memories is of a more private location that we visited. On the way from Paris to Normandy, the group stayed overnight in the town of Dinard.

It’s a beautiful, quaint coastal town on the English Channel. The area was like out of a storybook, with the little ships in the bay, and the classic-looking houses.

It seemed an extremely safe area, so after dinner, we were allowed to wander in small groups. My group walked all around the area. We followed a trail that went out over the water, and the waves splashed up onto the rocks as we walked.

We made our way down to the beach, passing a group of locals as we went. Next thing I knew, I was standing on the beach, talking to about five French teenage boys.

I was the most advanced French student in our group, so the other girls were dependant on me to ask questions and interpret answers for them. I did the best I could, and I was proud that they understood maybe 60 percent of what I was trying to say.

However, the locals kept repeating this one phrase and word I couldn’t figure out, but I continued to pretend I did anyway.

Later that night, after finally saying goodbye and exchanging e-mail addresses, our group headed back to the hotel. The next morning I asked Ms. Godby what the word meant that the French boys kept repeating to me. Much to my dismay, she informed me that the boys had been calling me crazy all night. Well, I figured, at least I tried.

When we got to the south of France, we stayed in Nice to finish off our trip. This was the most beautiful place I had ever seen. I had never seen water as blue as the Mediterranean. The houses were crafted so perfectly, and there was just the right amount of green trees and cactus. We saw some of the most fantastic views in Nice.

We went to the beach, and this was where I noticed a huge difference between France and being home. When you went to the beach at home, it was common to see families running around with their dogs, playing with Frisbees and flying kites.

In Nice, people really just took advantage of the sun. The beaches were all rocks instead of sand, and the locals spent their time reading or sleeping, with frequent trips into the ocean to swim. The contrast was interesting, as back home, the beach was commonly full of activities, where tanning seemed to be the main event here.

As we traveled, I realized that Europe was an extremely unique place. It was the only place I had ever been where I could walk down the street and see not only current local businesses but also cathedrals that had been crafted hundreds of years ago.

In America, our history is amazing, but it is obviously not as old Europe’s. The castles were all fantastically beautiful, and I was lucky to have seen the five or so that we visited. To be walking the hallways that Catherine de’ Medici and Marie Antoinette once lived in was an awe-inspiring experience for me.

The most moving time for me was when we visited Normandy and the D-Day American cemetery. It was unfathomable that so many Americans had died, protecting people who didn’t even speak the same language as them. When I looked across the land where the soldiers were remembered, all I could see was white crosses. I can’t even explain how overwhelming the amount of crosses was. I was honored to be American while I was in France, as there are so many monuments that show how the French appreciate our contribution in wartime. It gave me chills to see the Canadian, French and American flags flying in unison over the cemetery. I was proud that people from my country had made the ultimate sacrifice for another nation.

This trip to Europe was one of the best experiences of my life. I not only witnessed European history, but I can now relate to foreigners who come to America as I know what it feels like to not understand anything when people talk to you. I truly cannot wait to go back to France, and I will work on my French a little more for next time.

Laura Frazier is a senior in French 4.

Chided by a 6-year-old

France reminds me of Oregon — overcast and rainy.

There was one difference, however: France was chock full of monuments, cathedrals and giant stone arches that made me realize how young our nation really is.

The Notre Dame de Paris especially gave me a sense of awe and amazement. As I stood there, I began to wonder how many generations of people over the centuries had stood there before me and felt that same sense of admiration.

I didn’t go into France with a strong grasp of the French language, having only two years under my belt. I thought my simple words and phrases that I had previously mastered would get me by.

Leave it to the young, very young, to point out I knew less than a 6-year-old. There’s nothing that puts you in your place quicker than a 6-year-old who has a greater mastery of the language than you do. Telling the little half-pint that you are champion de lutte (wrestling champion) and then offering to show him some moves quickly restores the balance of power.

Other than being bested by a French boy, not too many things were a real shocker to me, but there were a few. My first hotel was a bit of a hassle, 30 minutes of waiting interrupted by moving my luggage up and down nine stories as they had apparently double booked my room.

I unlocked the door of my first room, only to find that someone still had his suitcases and clothing strewn across the floor. In a quick flash of a cold sweat, I thought it might be another strange European custom. Like the one from “Moby Dick,” and sharing a room with Queequeg. Being one of only two guys, the other rooming with his mother, I had expected a room to myself for the whole trip.

I have many fond memories and favorite places, including an overnight train ride, a pizzeria in Paris, Monet’s garden, and two days spent on the beaches in Nice. Yes, they were topless beaches. No, nobody from my group went topless … except for me. Yeah, I’m just gonna come out and say that Nice was my favorite part of the trip. I really hope my mother doesn’t read this.

Lewis LaBrasseur is a senior in French 3.

Notre Dame’s intricacy

My trip to Europe was, without a doubt, the greatest time of my life. It felt so surreal to actually achieve one of my life’s ambitions. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it. Even though there were a few bumps along the road, I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

Notre Dame was definitely my favorite location. I was blown away by how ornate and regal it is. Every arch and doorway depicts a story with extremely intricate sculptures. The cathedral also has a peaceful atmosphere that hit me the moment I walked through the door. The feeling was overwhelming. I could have stayed in that one place all day.

Since I’ve been home, I think about going back to Europe every day. I loved the feeling of being surrounded by history. The entire experience will play a large role in deciding what I do for the rest of my life. I will take any chance I can get to travel and see more of the world. The trip meant more to me than I could have ever imagined and I won’t forget that.

Bailey Ponce is senior who has studied two years of Spanish.