Orsay, Les Jardins du Luxembourg, La Sorbonne, Les Arènes de Lutèce, La Mosquée de Paris et du thé à la menthe

Today we went to the Musée d’Orsay! 
We were lucky enough to see a
 temporary exhibition called “La 
Figure noire de la peinture: de Géricault à Matisse,” which 
showcases art byand/or featuring black and mixed race people of 
the 18th to 20th centuries.The exhibition featured works by a variety
 of artists, but devoted about three rooms to Manet’s Olympia and its
 many reincarnations (tea...). similarly, there was a temporary installation 
by contemporary artist Glenn Ligon attempting to spotlight the identities of 
forgotten black artists by projecting their names onto a big wall along the
 opening walkway of the museum. the museum also exhibited many famous
artworks, which excited my little art history nerd brain to no end! we saw
 “Luncheon on the grass”, Van Gogh’s 1889 self portrait, and “Hope” by
 Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, among other things. It was quite fun! although
 i have some thoughts about the layout and design of the museum.
 The 20 minutes we (me, dragging around a reluctant Liv and Maddy) spent searching for Symbolism (capital S)
 significantly detracted from my~art~ time, but i managed to pop in a  quick sketch!--Sarah C.

quick sketch!

Yesterday, the group visited the Musée d’Orsay and viewed the works 
of famous artists such as Van Gogh and Monet.We also visited 

a thoroughly interesting exhibit called Black Models:  from Géricault 

to Matisse. After our visit we met up with our correspondents and went

our separate ways. Paul and I walked along the Seine with some other 

kids and watched the beautiful sunset. Then we looked on as the Eiffel 

Tower’s lights began to sparkle. It was truly surreal. --Andrew D.

Duruy-Poly exchange amis!

Salut!

Chiara, my correspondent from Paris, took me and a few others on a beautiful stroll along the Seine while watching the sunset. Once the sun went down and the Eiffel Tower lit up, they took us to the Palais de Chaillot to watch the light show. It was beautiful and an amazing view in Paris.--Lily K.

Hello and Salut! 

Yesterday, we went to the Mosquée de Paris. It is a huge Mosque in the fifth arrondissement in the Quartier Latin. The decor was gorgeous and meaningful. For me, my favorite part were the colors in the mosaic that covered all the walls. After our tour, we got mint tea and pastries in the café of the Mosque. It was delicious. --Ava

 

 

Notre guid

Le TGV, la voiture, le bus, le métro, le RER and les pieds dans une seule journée

We had quite a day today.  The SNCF notified us late last night of a mechanical issue on the TGV to Paris, so we had to meet at the station for an earlier train.  When we arrived at the station, we were told that the later train was back in service. Since we were already packed and ready, we boarded the 7:30am train for Paris.  Though we did not have reservations for that train, we found some fun in improvising our own seats. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by Johanne Koskas, our host in Paris, who gave us croissants and our Pass Navigo, to give us unlimited transport around this great city.  We hopped on a bus that took us near Duruy, where we were greeted by Gérard Koskas, who showed us around the Lycée Duruy and told us about its rich history. We had the chance to picnic in the Musée Rodin and then see the sculptor's former home and chefs d'oeuvre.  We then hopped on the metro to see Notre Dame, the Mémorial to the Deported Martyrs overlooking the Seine behind the cathedral.  We snuck a yummy Berthillon ice cream on the Ile Saint Louis before heading over to the Institut du Monde Arabe, where we learned about North African languages and cultures and enjoyed a spectacular view of Paris. A breathtaking parade of men in military men on horseback appeared as we walked along the Seine! On our way back to Duruy, we stopped in an enjoyed Shakespeare & Company, the bookstore formerly frequented by F. Scott Fitzgerald, James Baldwin, Ernest Hemingway, Anaïs Nin, and Gertrude Stein (among others).  We were able to play some piano and go back in time!  We finished our walk in the Place Saint Michel where we took the RER and the metro to Duruy, where we met up with our new host.  The reunion between the Duruy and Poly students was priceless and we look forward to a lovely four days ahead of us in this incredible city.  Stay tuned for comments! ---Mme. Diederich

Our Saint Martin host families bidding us a bittersweet farewell

Our first day in Paris was very exciting! After an adventurous train ride from Calais, we arrived in the beautiful city of Paris. We quickly headed off to the Rodin Museum to eat a picturesque lunch in the garden accompanying the museum. After viewing the sculptures, we spent the remainder of the afternoon immersing ourselves in parisian culture. We took the metro, went to various museums and enjoyed ice cream. We finally returned to the lycée to once again be reunited with our exchange partners. What a fun day! 

-Willa H

Bonjour and Hello!

Yesterday, we arrived in Paris! Everyone is very excited to be in this wonderful city. We have already visited Notre Dame, le Musée Rodin, and l’Institut monde d’Arabe. We are all ready to continue our exploration and immersion. –Ava

Grace à Rassias, nos cours ont été un grand succès

We just finished a long but very rewarding day of teaching at Saint Martin.  Suffice it to say, I am beyond proud of our group.  They gave the Saint Martin kids all of their energy and joy. So many kids and teachers came up to me to tell me how impressed they were with the Poly assistants d'Anglais' preparation, confidence and maturity and how they wish we could be there longer.  Chapeaux to our group!   Mme. Diederich

Equipe Rassias-Poly in their new Saint Martin sweatshirts

Reflecting on the train heading to Paris, I am remembering the exciting weekend that I enjoyed with my host and the language immersion that has helped me become a better French speaker.  Yesterday, we had the amazing opportunity to teach children from the school English using the Rassias Method®. It was such an amazing experience that I will never forget. I also was able to enjoy a final meal of crepes with my host family with was delicious. As I sit on this train I watch the beautiful countryside go by and I feel sad because we are leaving, but I also am so excited to go to Paris.  --Margaret S

Currently I am packing my bag and preparing for my adventure to Paris. I am very sad to leave Calais. Calais is such a beautiful little town with amazing and kind people. I enjoyed my experience and my host family. I will always remember the magnificent experience of my stay in Calais.--Lily K.

Hello family and friends! Yesterday we spent the day teaching English at Saint-Martin using the Rassias Method®! We used skits, games, lots of pointing and yelling, and “Firework” by Katy Perry to help further the global spread of our beautiful language. We got to witness a French school in action for the first time yesterday, and we have Thoughts. First of all, the cafeteria served French fries for lunch. We were really surprised because we thought that was an Americanization of France. Second, they are all gymnasts! I(Olivia) went to their P.E. class and they were practicing dance performances in which almost all of them featured flips and somersaults. I (Sarah) arrived to this class approximately halfway through (it looked like a bunch of kids hopping around in a really big shed as some kind of massive interpretive dance/performance art piece, but clearly I missed some of the backstory there. These thoughts sound more like vague observations, but trust us, we are usually coherent people. Just not right now, because this morning we awoke at 5:40 to take the train to Paris. And it wasn't even the right train! --Olivia S. & Sarah C.

Our last in Calais was surely one to remember. We spent the the entirety of the day teaching English to kids at the Saint Martin School. Each of us taught 7 classes, each an hour long. We used the Rassias method for teaching. As the day went on, each of us built on our teaching skills. Although the day was tiring, it was filled with lots of fun.

-Willa

Singing and dancing to "Firework"!

Salut! As I prepare to travel to Paris, I am very sad to leave my wonderful host family in Calais. They are incredibly lovely people, and I hope to see them again someday. During our last day in the north, we had the opportunity to teach the younger French kids at the local school, St. Martin. It was an amazing experience for everyone, and one that I will never forget.  -Lucas A.

Bonjour!

We taught children English with the Rassias Method® on Monday in Calais. It was a fun learning and teaching experience. I especially bonded with the little kids in the first two classes. I really enjoyed this experience and I would love to do it again.--Lily K.