February break means travel to France and Spain for students

february 12, 2010

“You can only do so much with visuals and text books,” said Schuylerville Jr.-Sr. High School Spanish Teacher Andrea Willson. “You have to live it.”

And that’s exactly what 38 students will do—live within French and Spanish cultures as they travel with district staff members for 10 days. “This will be an unforgettable, invaluable experience for the students,” Willson said.

Of course, it also gives them an opportunity to practice their foreign language skills as they’re immersed in travel throughout France and Spain.

“Some of the students going on the trip have taken only Spanish and some have only taken French, so they’ll be helping each other out as we travel,” Willson added.


Itinerary
The Schuylerville travelers have a packed schedule. They’ll start off in Paris, where they’ll tour castles including the Chateau de Chenonceau and the Chateau de Chambord and also visit the Louvre Museum. They’ll also spend time with their French peers at a Paris school while Schuylerville staff members learn about the French educational system in meetings with school administrators and teachers. In addition, the group will take a boat ride in the Siene River and tour the Eiffel Tower and Versailles.

They’ll take a sleeper train to Barcelona, Spain. “The students are really looking forward to the adventure of that train ride. I think they’ll have a whole new perspective on the school staff members after that,” Willson mused, joking that they’re bound to find out that she’s not a morning person.

Immediately after disembarking from the train, the Schuylerville group will spend time at a Spanish school, learning about classes and other cultural aspects of the country. “Because our kids will be matched up with teens their own age in both Spain and France, they’ll really gain an understanding about both the differences and similarities in their everyday lives,” Willson said.

The Spanish leg of the trip includes a tour of the cathedral Sagrada Familia and a visit to the Dali Theater and Museum. Bus trips to smaller cities are also on the agenda, as well as some time spent on a Mediterranean beach. In addition, the Schuylerville travelers will spend time in Madrid, taking a tour of the Royal Palace and the Basilica de Pilar and various cathedrals, as well as experiencing a flamenco dinner show.


Traveling updates
School community members can track the travelers’ progress on their home computers, as students and staff members will be posting updates on a Facebook fan page. The trip comes after months of fundraising activities by students and staff.