Summertime scenes from around the world

When the school year comes to an end quite soon, students and teachers will disperse their separate ways. Some, however, will meet back up for the chance to see the world. Teachers sponsors a few summer trips to some exciting places.

Fifteen world language students will be visiting France and Germany this June, spending nine days traveling throughout the two countries. Some stops include Paris, Munich, Berlin and more.

“One of my favorite things to do when visiting France is to sit down in a cafe in a typical French neighborhood and people watch, or see what the locals do. It’s cool for first time visitors to see how locals act in different settings, how people dress, how going to the bathroom works, that “a coffee” means an espresso. Some stereotypes are true, while others are way off, etc,” French teacher Ryan Foehlinger said.

This isn’t the only opportunity students have to travel this summer however. From June 28 to July 11 Spanish students will be traveling all over Spain, visiting cities like Madrid and Barcelona.

“I like that we get the chance to get out of the country for the first time,” Senior Matthew Meacham said.

It’s not just the trip that the school is providing, but the knowledge needed to travel in a foreign country. It is a high school requirement to finish at least two years of a foreign language, but now kids have a chance to use this knowledge in a practical situation.

“I think the main reason I’m visiting Spain is because it’s a Spanish speaking country, plus getting a chance to visit with a familiar crowd,” Meacham said.

Not only do students get a chance to use knowledge they’ve acquired, but the opportunity to learn more about the culture they’ve been studying from the source.

“I think (traveling) does more than all the lecturing in the world to show students how important culture and languages are,” World Language department head Bill Cunningham said.

Cunningham will be traveling with student to Spain, and also accompanying 10 students to Japan as well. They will spend June 1 through June 15 traveling to such cities as Tokyo, Shizuoka, Kumamoto, Osaka and Kyoto. Students will do more than just learn on this trip however.

“We do two scavenger hunts. In our sister city the students go out into the city with Japanese students to discover some things about Japanese life,” Cunningham said.

World language students have a lot of great opportunities to travel this summer, where they will get the chance to have fun exploring a whole new culture.