Twenty-four middle schoolers traveled to Montréal and Québec City over spring break.
In Montréal, a highlight was visiting the Notre Dame Basilica and sampling some Canadian sweets. In Québec City, students visited a maple syrup sugar shack, toured the fortified old city, went snowshoeing, walked across a suspended bridge over an icy waterfall, played in the snow, did an evening of improv, and learned what life was like in the 1800s.
JJ Kim '27 (an 8th-grade French student) and Maddie Yang '27 (an 8th-grade Mandarin student) shared some of their reflections.
“The Canada trip was a great experience! Not only did it let students bond together, but it also allowed us to try out daily life, such as: buying our own food, trekking off on our own, and just having fun. One of my favorite activities was improv. We all enjoyed it, and we were really tired after. I think the trip was a good, educational, and fun experience. I was able to explore shops and try speaking French without my teacher by my side. It also gave me the cool ability to show off what I’ve learned so far in French. The trip was well worth it!” - JJ Kim
"Oh, where to begin with the Canada trip! It was five days and four nights of adventure, sightseeing, tasting, and absorbing the beautiful sights and sounds of Canada. We had an awesome tour guide named Sarah, and as a native, she was incredibly knowledgeable about the history and culture of Quebec. She helped us with our developing French skills, and by the end, we all became friends with her. My personal favorite activity was snowshoeing. It was my first time, and I loved the peaceful energy of walking through the snow-covered forest. At the end of our walk through the woods, we had a small campfire and got to roast marshmallows while sipping on some hot chocolate. On the topic of food, we had lots of crêpes, croissants, and, of course, maple syrup. It was SO delicious! If you ever have a chance to go on this trip, I highly recommend it!" - Maddie Yang