I am thrilled to report that we are nestled in our host families' homes in Biarritz. Below is a recap of what we have experienced thus far:
Jour 1 samedi - Arrivée à Paris
Ah, Paris (sigh). After several adventures in the airport, we made it safely to this glorious city. We fought our jet lag, took a bus to the hotel, stored our bags, and immediately began our tour of Paris. We walked to the marché Edgar Quinet, where students were encouraged to purchase items for a picnic lunch in the Jardin du Luxembourg. The weather could not have been more beautiful. Corinne, our magnificent tour guide, told us that we were lucky that it was on 80 degrees, as it had been raining consecutively for over a week. Following the marché, we paused at the jardin to eat. Some of us had the pleasure of seeing a middle school band perform during lunch. We then headed to the Louvre to marvel at the three key works that any tourist must see: Venus de Milo, Napoleon Crowning Josephine, et bien sûr, La Joconde (Mona Lisa). We exited the museum and headed toward the Place de la Concorde, which is where we said our goodbyes to Corinne. We then took the métro back to the hotel for a bit of respite, as most of us had been up for over 24 hours at that point. That evening, we all turned in early after going out to eat.
Jour 2 dimanche - Paris/Biarritz
Today we woke up early so that we could spend a leisurely morning in Montmartre. Students mapped the way via the métro, which proved to be a great learning experience for them. We were serenaded by an accordionist on our way there. We got off at the Abbesses stop and walked up several flights of stairs to reach Montmartre. Students commented on the beauty of Sacré Coeur and enjoyed seeing the artists and live performers at every turn. After a few hours, it was time to head to la gare. We took the five-hour train ride to Biarritz, where students settled in with their host families.
Jour 3 lundi - Premier jour des cours
Qu'est-ce qu'il fait chaud! Today was officially the hottest day in Biarritz. It was over 100 degrees, which may not seem like much to some of us in the group, but this is not the same kind of sun. Following placement tests and classes, we walked to the beach so that students could cool off. It was their first jour de repos.
Jour 4 mardi - Deuxième jour des cours
How quickly things change! Today the weather was cool, in the upper sixties and rainy. It was another good day to give students time to walk around Biarritz, purchase warm clothing (there are great sales happening now!), bus passes, sim cards, etc. They had their second jour de repos.
Jour 5 mercredi - Troisième jour des cours
We took a bus to Bayonne once the students finished class today. As we made our way to the Musée Basque, we saw the Hôtel de Ville and stunning Cathédrale. Students were assigned some questions that they answered while walking around. This museum contains an in-depth ethnography of Basque culture. Each floor is dedicated to a specific aspect of Basque life, such as commerce, customs, art, and funerary practices. Based on the quality of their answers, the students have learned a thing or two.
Pictures from our picture gallery are on their way. Please stay tuned.
A+.
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