Spain

 From the plazas of Barcelona to the streets of Madrid, Upper School (US) students explored Spain through an immersive spring break exchange. In March, students learning Spanish swapped lives with peers from Colegio Zola and later hosted their exchange students at the US in April.

 The journey began in Barcelona, where students strolled along Las Ramblas, a famous pedestrian area, and visited La Sagrada Familia and Park Güell, iconic works by architect Antoni Gaudí. In Madrid, students traveled to the city’s landmarks, such as the Royal Palace, Spain’s national art museum and the Real Madrid soccer team’s stadium.

 “It was definitely unique seeing Spain from a different and local perspective,” Seth Kim ’27 said. “I learned a lot about responsibility, especially since I’m an only child and had to live with others almost as if they were siblings. Culturally, I also noticed they have a lot more leisure time, particularly after school, and don’t have much homework.”

 Chaperone and US Spanish Teacher Carrie Rose observed the Spanish students say goodbye to their US hosts.

 “When watching the group of kids in The Commons when they were leaving, they were crying, and kids were hugging. A lot of kids said, ‘Oh, we’re gonna see each other again. We’re gonna come back.’ That is so meaningful for me, and that shows me that the trip overall was a success.”

France

 “I wanted to see the culture of the language I was learning in school,” Ahna Jung ’27 said, reflecting on her time in France through an exchange trip. “A lot of stereotypes I had about France were both true and not true. Even the vocabulary that seemed useless when we learned it actually turned out to be relevant.”

 Over spring break, Upper School students on the French language exchange trip explored iconic French cities. Through museum visits, city tours and stays with host families, classroom learning came to life, Ahna said.

 After settling into Paris and getting to know host families, the students embarked on tours of Luxembourg Gardens and the islands of the Seine River, where they visited Notre Dame Cathedral and the Holy Chapel. Later in the trip, the students visited the Musée d’Orsay and Louvre art museums in Paris. They then traveled to the city of Avignon in Southern France after spending a week in the capital.

 “I found the best way to understand the language is to immerse yourself in it,” Romir Vishwanath ’28 said. “Every day, we got home, and we ate dinner with the hosting family … As the days went on, it didn’t even seem that different from home.”