The time for Abby's second part of her exchange program has arrived, and she was MORE than ready to leave on her adventure to France. It's been a long time planning, and she couldn't be more excited!
If you can read French, here was her itinerary with the school for the 2 weeks she would be there:
We met up at the airport with all the other students and parents we've been getting to know on this journey, and everyone was really excited!
Abby had to complete a "Flat Stanley" project while on her adventures, and Emily kindly made her a Timothee Chalamet look-a-like to accompany her!
They had an overnight flight on the way out...
They finally arrived in Paris & took a bus trip 40 minutes to Pontoise, France, where they toured the school and met up with their exchange students for some happy reunions!
After the school day, Abby arrived at Tya's house where she finally met her family & shared some American goodies with them! I had also bought matching necklaces for the girls to open there, so they would always remember their time together.
She brought some local NC goodies to give them, and of course, she came armed with American peanut butter and chocolate snacks that they don't have there...
They enjoyed a family dinner out together, for Abby's first French Bistro experience!
After a late night and some MUCH needed sleep, she was up bright and early to head into Paris for a river cruise of the Seine, and a trip up in the Eiffel Tower.
Someone seemed to have a crush on my American daughter and got up the nerve to ask her for a picture together on the boat! It made memories for sure!
It was a BEAUTIFUL day, and I was so thankful that Abby's teacher liked to take group pictures to send to the parents! It made me wish I was there!
The next day was an exciting return to Paris to experience the Louvre, a stroll on the Champs de Elysees, and some views of the Arc de Triomphe!
The following day was a trip outside of Paris to "Auvers-Sur-Oise" which is the commune where Vincent Van Gogh spent the last years of his life. They toured the famous Château de Léry, the Church of Auvers-Sur-Oise, the gravesite of Van Gogh and his brother, and the gardens of inspiration for many of his paintings. It was another picture-perfect beautiful day!
Abby spent the weekend away from the school with Tya's family, where they took her to a place they have in Normandy. They explored the town and spent some time on the beach, as they rested up between two very busy weeks in France! I think the change of scenery and the quiet downtime was perfectly planned!
Once back with the big group, they started week two with a tour of the medieval town of Rouen, which is the capital of Normandy. They visited the famous Rouen Cathedral, explored the beautiful streets in town, and walked the path of Joan of Arc.
The students enjoyed a tour of the town they were staying in, Pontoise, which is rich in history. They look in beautiful views and loved exploring the underground mining caves and cellars that date back to the 12th century!
In between all of their historical tours, they found plenty of time for fun with shopping trips to the mall, picnics outside, and even a fun game of bubble soccer!
A day was spent exploring La Roche-Guyon, which was built by Napoleon Bonaparte around the Chateau in the 12th century.
The views from the top of tower were beautiful!
Later that afternoon, they travelled to the village of Giverny to see the beautiful gardens where impressionist painter, Claude Monet, lived and worked. It was amazing to see the inspiration for his famous "Water Lilies" painting.
The group loved the downtime they got to do some shopping on a couple of different days in Paris, and this day, they had fun at the Grands Magasins!
Their last official tour as a group was to the Palais Garnier- the iconic Paris Opera House, which was used for inspiration in "The Phantom of the Opera". It looks breathtaking!
On her last weekend in France, Abby was so lucky to take a trip with Tya and her mom to see the Palace of Versailles! She's always wanted to see it, and I'm glad she was able to check it off her bucket list!
The girls' last day together was spent with many of the other students at an amusement park, where they were able to let loose, catch up and have fun together. What an awesome time they all had together, and a great way to wrap up an amazing trip!
These girls had such an amazing time getting to know each other the past few months, and they have been given the gift of becoming lifelong friends! We hope to see Tya again someday here, and we would love to travel to meet her family as well! The experience for the girls, all the students & teachers, and even the families, was a once in a lifetime memory! Thank you to everyone who made it so special!!!
