On continue

Salut à tous!

We have continued to make the most of our trip in spite of the rainy weather we've had. Here's hoping that the sun stays with us...

Jour 7 (à Biarritz) - jeudi, le 17/6
Today we splashed our way to the Musée de la Mer, where our guide, Stéphane, led us on a fascinating tour of marine life in the Pays Basque. We learned everything from how some mammals' noses evolved from being what we would consider their faces to the backs of their heads, how they manage to breathe, what species of marine life are endangered, and more. We also learned marine vocabulary as we toured, which is great for our visual learners. Ask your child to tell you about the coquette fish - prepare for your jaw to drop. Our tour ended at the top of the museum where les phoques, or seals were. We watched them put on a show as they were being fed.

Jour 8 (à Biarritz) - vendredi, le 18/6
Today was our first trip to Bayonne as a group. We roamed around the Musée Basque du Biarritz, so that students could glean additional insight into Basque culture. The performing artists in our group were fascinated with Basque dance and music, whereas our athletes enjoyed la pelote Basque, which is played with a ball and a raquette that is wrapped around one's hands. Before returning home, the students wandered through the old ramparts of Bayonne.

Jour 9 (à Biarritz) - samedi, le 20/6
Pas trop de chance...We met at BLS early this morning to take a trip to La Rhune, one of the major mountains in the Pyrenees. It was charming to take Le Petit Train that was built in the 1920s to the summit. Unfortunately, it was too foggy to see anything. We still made the most of our trip. The students sipped hot chocolate and shopped at the Bentas. Some of them made use of their Spanish skills, since we were officially in Spain. As we took the train ride down, the sun started to come out (naturellement). We then drove to Cambo to view what is called La Petite Versailles, but it was closed. The students had the rest of the day to enjoy a bit more free time. Ainsi la vie.

Jour 10 (à Biarritz) - dimanche, le 20/6
Today was another jour de repos - a time for students to spend with their families. It was our first full day of rest and enfin du soleil!!!!

Mercredi à Biarritz

Greetings from the Pays Basque!

We are now on our third day here in Biarritz. Unfortunately, the weather hasn't been as pleasant as expected. It has been mostly rainy, with intermittent sun. Nevertheless, we are making the most of our trip as you can gather from below:

Jour 4 (à Biarritz) - lundi, le 15/6
Today was our first official day of classes. After school, we took our first bus ride to Biarritz to purchase tickets and see some of the attractions it has to offer. Students had time to take a rainy walk on their own before making their way home to dinner.

Jour 5 (à Biarritz) - mardi, le 16/6
What a day! After class today, we learned first hand about la grève, or strikes in France. Some buses were not running today due to drivers striking against the rising retirement age from 60 to 62. Fortunately, neither the strike nor the rain could affect our surfing excursion. The students had a blast during their first surf lesson in Biarritz with 2 French experts. They all look forward to returning next week with better weather.

Jour 6 (à Biarritz) - mercredi, le 17/6
Today is the students' jour de repos or day of rest. They plan to venture out in spite of the rainy weather. Quel courage!

de Paris à Biarritz (deuxième partie )

Jour 2 (à Paris) - samedi, le 12/6

We began our day at the Marché Edgar Quinet. How thrilling it is to shop with local Parisiens at this market! There we bought a few souvenirs (for ourselves and loved ones back home), as well as items for our picnic. The weather was ideal for lunch at the Jardin du Luxembourg, our next destination. After a bit of respite in the gardens, we took the métro to the Louvre. As you well know, it is impossible to tour the world's largest museum in such a short timeframe. Fortunately, we had Corrine to show us the highlights on a few key works such as La Joconde (Mona Lisa), Venus de Milo, the Sacré de Napoleon, and La Radeau de la Méduse. We were in awe of the scandals surrounding some of these oeuvres d'art which Corrine shared with us. The students had some time to shop at the stores in the museum after which, we boarded the crowded métro and headed to Montmartre. We spent a few hours seeing the Moulin Rouge, Moulin de la Galette, Bateau Lavoir, a major hub for artists such as Picasso, the Passe Muraille, and the stunning Sacré Coeur. Our séjour à Paris ended at the Eiffel Tower. We made it just in time to see it light up the Parisien sky. Quelle chance!

Jour 3 (de Paris - à Biarritz) - dimanche, le 13/6
Today was a day of travel. We stowed our bags on the TGV and enjoyed the bucolic views from the train. Our host families met us at the train station around 3. We spent the rest of the day getting to know them and our environs.

de Paris à Biarritz (première partie)

Greetings to you all!

I am pleased to report that we made it safely to Biarritz and that students are adjusting to their host families as well as to the first day of classes. In the two posts that follow you will find a recap of our séjour à Paris.

Jour 1 (à Paris)- vendredi, le 11/6
After depositing our bags at the hotel in Montparnasse and putting on our walking shoes, we were off to tour with Corinne, our local tour guide. We first marveled at the architecture of Notre Dame - a must for anyone traveling to Paris. We then strolled to the Conciergerie, where Marie Antoinette was detained and subsequently met her fate. From there we visited the Palais de Justice, the French equivalent to our Supreme Court. We took une pause to have icecream at Paris's most famous glaciers, Berthillon. Following Berthillon, we went to the Place Dauphine, crossed the Pont Neuf and ended our tour at the Palais Royal.

Later that evening, we returned to our hotel to freshen up before heading to the Crêperie du Breton. It was an immersive experience, as students ordered their meals en français, and conversed with two native French students of Corrine's who dined with us.

10 Things To Do Before You Depart

10. Learn more about France.
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/france-guide/

9. Register your travel with the State Department.
https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/

8. Sign and fill out emergency information page in passport.

7. View the current exchange rate.
http://xe.com/ucc

6. Make copies of passport, medications, credit/debit cards, traveler's checks, itineraries - anything that has paperwork.
**You should inform your bank or credit union that you'll be using your credit card(s) abroad.**

5. Check out the school where you'll be studying.
http://www.biarritz-frenchcourses-institute.com/

4. PACK LIGHTLY.
Carry On - Include one full change of clothes, toiletries, prescriptions, snacks, pullover or sweater.

3. PACK LIGHTLY.
Suitcase - Ask yourself "can I lift my suitcase over my head and carry it far distances?".

2. Buy a gift for your homestay.
Consider your favorite things, souvenirs of your home city/state, or collages of your family/friends. Dallas Mavericks fans, you may want to buy memorabilia. Allez, les Mavs!
Make sure that it is not too fragile and that it is easy to carry.

1. THANK YOUR LOVED ONES!!!
This includes but is not limited to a big hug, kiss, and pledge of your eternal gratitude for this transformative experience.