19 Nov 2018
The 2018 French trip was a very enjoyable trip where we were able to make many more friends and had the opportunity to experience a whole new culture. It was a bonding experience like no-other.
Throughout the trip everyone was talking with people outside of their normal ‘friend group’, and by the end of the French trip everyone was such good friends with everyone it was like a little family.
During the first week in Paris we visited numerous landmarks of the famous city, such as; Notre Dame, L’Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower and many more. These breath-taking sights were only made better by the people we got to experience them with. We also stayed in a youth-hostel with many people in the one room. Everyone got along so well, and at night (before curfew of course) we played fun games like mafia.
We also spent an hour in an escape room together which not only brought us closer as a group but also convinced half of us that we were destined to be detectives. We also visited Montmartre which was where many famous artists resided and were able to see all the artists painting in the square.
The second week of our trip was spent with a host family and one or two other students. Our host families gave us an insight into French culture and everyday life in France, with many of us trying traditional French foods such as; boudain, saucisson and of course crêpes.
We also attended the school of Saint Dennis and got to make friends after we gave a presentation about Australia. We also gave the students some Vegemite and Tim Tams. When at school we also had the opportunity to play with the kids during break times, and many of us played games like table tennis, basketball and soccer.
On the last two days we visited two theme parks, Disneyland and Parc Asterix. In Disneyland we visited the cool attractions and got to meet some of our favourite childhood characters. We also stayed till night time to watch the light show. It was mesmerising to-say-the-least. The whole night sky was lit up with fireworks and the large castle was used as a canvas for the projections of famous Disney clips. We all left that night ecstatically and talked all the way back on the bus to the hotel.
The next day we visited Parc Asterix, a famous theme park based on the French comics Asterix and Obelix. We queued in the morning to wait for the park to open, and when it did we all raced to one of two large rides. We all rode on the rides together and were absolutely blown away. Some people bought the photos that immortalised our shock as we went down some of the steepest rollercoasters we’ve ever been on. This was by far the best thing we’ve ever experienced and we can all confidently walk away now feeling like a little family.
This trip was so terrific and it was all thanks to the great teachers, Ms Tickner and Mr Thorncraft, and our chaperones, Glenn and Fran, who accompanied us on this amazing trip. With many of us taking funny photos at landmarks with them.
A big thanks to Ms Tickner for organising this once-in-a-lifetime experience that will always remain with us. For most, France was not just a trip with school, but an experience with friends to never be forgotten. La France nous manque.
Eric Y10