Language students celebrate a successful trip to Spain and France

On May 7, language students, along with their parents, enjoyed a tapas-style dinner as their culminating activity of their immersive trip to Spain and France. After dinner, which was held outside in deference to the weather and to the European habit of eating al fresco, the group watched a slide presentation of photos of the trip.

Students prepared for this educational experience by attending “immersive” lessons twice a month, every month, beginning in September. These meetings were organized in such a way that students would be familiar with both the geography and culture of the sites they visited. The goal was for the students to be able to maximize the travel experience by having some knowledge of what they were doing and seeing.

The cities of Madrid and Paris were chosen as the center pieces of the trip because the student group was made up of upper level French and Spanish students. Many of them were scheduled to travel in April of 2020, but that trip was canceled due to COVID-19. Going to Spain and France offered these students a last chance to travel together before heading off to college! And for some, the trip may turn out to be a preview of a study abroad experience they may embark on in the future.

The 12-day trip began in Toledo, Spain, which is located about an hour southwest of Madrid. The city is known for its beautiful medieval architecture. Toledo was once home to Christians, Muslims and Jews, therefore the architecture reflects this confluence of religion and culture. In addition to touring historical sites, students (and the “Madames”) got an aerial view of the city on a zipline over the Tagus River. From Toledo, the group went to Madrid and visited many of the city’s iconic sites, such as Sofia Reina and the Prado. Mr. Villaneuva helped the group organize a two-day visit at the Colegio Salesianos. The visit gave Woodstock students the opportunity to experience a sense of school life in Spain. They also participated in activities in both Spanish and French classes.

After a week experiencing the life of a Madrileno/Madrilena, the group flew to Paris and started the day with a pretty comprehensive tour of Paris. Based in the 18th arrondissement, on the right bank of the Seine, and just streets away from Montmartre and Sacre Coeur, students moved through a very busy Paris by bus, metro, train and foot. The group visited such iconic sites as the Louvre, the Musee d’Orsay, the Tour Eiffel, and Versailles. They made a significant dent in the consummation of and other fine French foods! Students were also able to visit a school just 20 miles southwest of Paris. They spent the day at Sophie Barat, a private school with a wonderful climate and welcoming teachers and peers. Students participated in French and Spanish classes and had a typical French lunch thanks to the teachers who organized the visit. Sophie Barat school is the future partner of the Woodstock French Exchange Program.

In a quiet moment during the trip, Marie Anderson and Colleen O’Connell, reflected on the students traveling with them. Their thoughts were as follows: this group was fully engaged and we enjoyed seeing them squeeze every ounce of experience from everything we did. There was a good bit of history, art and culture; there was street life and food. No matter what we did, no matter how far we had to walk, the students were cheerful, adaptable and very much in awe of what they were seeing and doing. We could depend on them to meet us at designated times and designated places. They made their way through Madrid and Paris without any problems or fears. They listened to our advice about precautions to take when traveling in a city, and they shared with us their own small adventures as they made their way on their own. They rallied despite a few being sick, some family concerns; they rallied at the schools and showed the very best that Woodstock has to offer. They participated in classes, in the target language, and they made friends in both Madrid and Paris. We are grateful to have had such a wonderful experience together.