On the banks of the Loire River, in central France, lies the picturesque small city of Saumur. Its limestone architecture and its 10th century castle on a hill form a warm and inviting skyline. In June 2023, the city greeted our group of 18 high school students and two high school teachers from Indiana. The students committed to speak only French for the duration of the program. Students and teachers alike lived with French host families and lived the life of French people.
L’institution Saint Louis, a K-12 Catholic school that sits on a 10-acre campus welcomed us and offered us a two-classroom building, the only one on campus with air conditioning. They also provided us with amazing three-course lunches. The families showed us that a picnic (pique-nique, in French) does not involve blankets, baskets, or ants. Rather, it is tables, chairs, place settings, and fine dining. The students learned about French culture, literature, grammar, and linguistics from Monsieur Michel and Monsieur Isaiah. They learned about and visited amazing Renaissance-Era castles like Chenonceau and Chambord while also visiting the final home of Leonardo da Vinci.
The Indiana students went to Normandy and saw the D-Day beach Omaha, the American Cemetery on the bluff above, the German Cemetery, and the WWII museum at Caen. At the end of the program, the students performed a show for their host families, demonstrating their talents and creativity. The program ended with two amazing days in Paris.
Extraordinaire!
