Normandy Exchange: Saints and their French Exchange Partners

Normandy Exchange: Reflections on Normandy

Catherine Fonveille ‘13

Bayeux is a dream, especially for a French-speaking art history student/lover like myself !  My host family has balanced giving me a taste of family life with showing me the beautiful sights in Normandy.  After classes one day, it was amazing to see the Bayeux tapestry.  Leila (’13) and I reveled in every scene, talking about what we already knew (from our Art History class at SSSAS) and what we were learning.  The best part of the trip, though, is how comfortable I’m beginning to feel speaking French.  This experience has been priceless !

Leila Malikyar ‘13

This exchange has been one of the most rewarding and enjoyable experiences of my life !  Not only have I formed wonderful relationships with the French students, my French has also improved greatly.  The students’ welcoming and warm nature have allowed me to feel confident in my speaking abilities, even if I still have to practice.  In addition, I have seen and admired some of the most gorgeous art and architecture in Europe.  Apart from the hospitality and history though, I’ve experienced French laser tag, billiards, and high school.  It has all been so fascinating !

Normandy Exchange: Reflections on the 23rd Annual Normandy Exchange Trip

 Monika Damman ‘13

This trip has been the trip of a life-time, in short.  My "correspondant," Pascaline, and her family, are so loving and generous to me :  basically, they’re my family for the week.  I can’t possibly wait for her to come the US.  The family took me to see Port-en-Bessin, Ste Mere Eglise and Chef du Pont.  Also,  her family has a history of cider-making, so we visited the family farm where the grandparents live.  This week, we have gone with our buddies to school each morning, and on Monday, we visited Bayeux.  The next day, we visited the Normandy Beaches and American cemetery.  It has all been exciting, the people are wonderful, and of course, the food is too !

 John Carter-Hirt ‘14

My stay in France has been amazing so far.  There is always good food and lots of it !  I have yet to have a meal with less than three courses !   We took a long walk around his neighborhood where we saw lots of animals , especially horses, and I learned that this region is famous for horse raising.  In walking distance from my family’s house is a very old church which was built in the 11th century!

Luke Markham ‘14

France is an extraordinary place!  The laid back nature of the French is the best part.  The Mont-St- Michel was excellent and actually seeing the sun for the first time in days was an added bonus.  My "correspondant," Paul, and his family, have been extremely kind and caring.