Below, please find my summary and my favorite photos from Brest, 2019.
C'est vrai que chaqu'un de vous me manquent déjà. Vous m'êtes tous spécials. Vous êtes parties de mon cœur.
The first day was the
students’ first challenge; flip phones! They caught on quickly. A camaraderie
also developed quickly. The first days were spent getting to know one another
and the host families, which also happened quickly.
The reception at the
city hall was just a few days after we arrived, and five brave students gave
short speeches in front of family, teachers and city officials. And we got our
picture in the paper!
The weeks were full of
studies, sports, theatre, dance and music - and that was all before 3:30 pm.
Students spent their free time exploring the city and developing friendships. Then it was back in the bosom of their French families by 6:30.
Our first excursion
was to the Île de Batz, just off the northern coast of Brittany. The island was
sun-drenched and lush, and we walked the length and breadth of it. (24,000
steps, almost 10 miles.)
In Brest, there were
bike rides, trips to the movies (Spiderman and Toy Story 4), and Océanapolis,
the aquarium. The French celebrated July 4, just for us! We will never forget
the Breton dancing - what fun, but what work!
We had a two-day trip
to Normandie; St. Malo, the American Cemetery at Utah Beach and the Memorial at
Caen.
We visited the cliffs
of Pointe des Espagnols and Pointe de Pen-Hir, the cities of Concarneau and
Quimper. And we saw how to make the Breton pastry kouign-aman in Locronon. Oh,
là-là!
Paris was a whirlwind
two and a half days of; Père Lachaise Cemetery, the King Tut exhibit, lunch in
the shadow of Tour Saint Jacques, the Sainte Chappelle, the Consiergérie, an
incredible boat tour on the Seine, the Arc de Triomphe, Versailles and climbing
the stairs to the second deck of the Eiffel Tower. Whew! (32,000 steps, 13.2 miles - a marathon!)
An incredible summer
with incredible people!
