After many months of anticipation, twenty-one ISM secondary students accompanied by Michele and Lloyd Curley, teachers in ISM, left Kilimanjaro airport bound for Paris.
The level of excitement was pretty hard to contain as we packed our valises and headed towards l'aéroport. For most students (and Mr Curley!) it would be our first time visiting Paris. And what a trip it was! Fantatstique!
For four mornings our group attended classes at École PERL in downtown Paris. These classes, which were tailored to our group's diverse needs, helped us to develop our speaking, listening, reading and writing skills in the language of Molière.
But it wasn't all work and no play. Mais non! We definitely enjoyed la joie de vivre that France has to offer.
Afternoons were spent exploring the City of Lights and its famous sights: the Eiffel Tower, Sacré-Coeur, the Louvre Museum, Montmartre, the Champs-Elysées and the Château of Versailles. Fortunately for us there was time to squeeze in some shopping as well... a must in one of Europe's largest fashion centres!
The real test, of course, was using our French in authentic situations while living with host families. Whether it was purchasing un billet de métro or asking Où sont les toilettes? everyone displayed great communication skills while being able to laugh at our own linguistic faux-pas. (N'est-ce pas, M. Curley?)
Is there another ISM Paris trip in the future? Bien Sûr!
- Michele Curley, professeur de français ISMAC
