On Thursday, March 16th, all the French 8th graders headed on a journey to Paris, France. They remained there until March 24th, right before spring break. While they were on their trip, they went to some magnificent places all over Paris and got to experience the cultural and social magic of this cosmopolitan city.

On the day they arrived, they went on a boat tour through the Seine river. They got to see many beautiful sights of Paris while cruising through the city. On Monday they went to two different workshops that had to do with the cinema and theater in Paris. Then, on Tuesday, they went to Honfleur which is a city by the sea in Normandy. On Wednesday they went to the Institut Monde Arabe (IMA) and learned about the Arab culture in France. The next day, they visited the Jewish neighborhood of Paris and the Sacre Coeur. Finally, they departed back to DC early Friday morning.  Throughout the weekend, the families who hosted the 8th graders showed them around Paris and local touristic attractions. Some went to the Louvre, others went to the Eiffel Tower, went to their correspondent’s houses in the countryside, and many other great experiences. This trip was an amazing opportunity to see the wonders of Paris as well as experiencing a new culture and language, and made students leave their comfort zones and take risks. We will see what’s in store for next year’s trip to Paris!

By Elena Valente