France, Unit A: Language Learning

Active in the Alps!

2009-08-03T06:46:00.000-07:00

Hello family and friends,

We have been busy climbing alpine peaks, scaling glaciers, sliding and swimming through rivers, and living in a rural inn near world renowned Mont Blanc in the French Alps! We recently finished a three hour hike up a mountain route towards a glacial lake with a unique micro-environment. Our students persevered as they hiked steep cliffs in thin, mountain air and even interacted with locals along the way. The beauty of the lake was complemented by a panoramic view of Mont Blanc and surrounding glaciers-- it was gorgeous. Students were even able to purchase the French mineral water, Perrier, thousands of feet above sea level.

Today we headed out on a rather intense activity: canyoning! Canyoning requires a remarkable combination of confidence and adaptability from our students as they navigate river rapids and waterfalls with nothing but a wetsuit, helmet, and harness (and guides, of course). After we got used to the frigid waters, we slipped and slid, laughing, through the terrain. Fun was had by all!

I think it is safe to say that every member of the group has challenged themselves linguistically, culturally, and physically during our stay. We have only a few days left together, but we plan to make every minute count. Bye for now!

Noah and Karen

An Update in Photos

2009-08-02T04:27:00.000-07:00

Exploring the Roman ruins at Glanum

Cooling off in the Gardon river by the Pont du Gard

Swimming and snorkeling in the Mediteranean next to the Lerin Islands

Hanging out on the beach in Saint Raphael

Greetings from Saint Raphael

2009-08-01T12:06:00.000-07:00

Bonjour a tous!

We are currently in Saint Raphael and enjoying the beautiful weather and Mediterranean beaches of the Cote d'Azur. We have been keeping very busy lately! Here's what we have been up to:

Our week of homestays in Colmar went incredibly well! Upon arrival at the train station, we were greeted warmly by our host families who were excited to meet and get to know the students. The group met up twice during the week; once to visit the Chateau d'Haut Koenigsbourg and the concentration camp at Struthof, and once to explore the city of Strasbourg and visit the Council of Europe. It was great to see each other after a few days of being apart and to meet one another's host siblings, who joined us on our excursions! At the end of the week we said tearful goodbyes to our wonderful French families and headed off by train to our next stop: Aix-en-Provence in the south of France.

We arrived in Aix on Thursday and spent the afternoon exploring the centre ville and the Cours Mirabeau- the famous tree lined avenue of fountains, markets and street cafés, before enjoying a delicious dinner at a French-Lebanese restaurant in the old part of town. The next day we had a language lesson at the Pavillon de Vendome and divided into small groups for a scavenger hunt to get to know the beautiful city of Aix and its residents.

During our stay in Aix, we had the opportunity to visit the Roman ruins of Glanum and the asylum in St. Remy where Van Gogh painted many of his most famous works, to dine in the medieval city of les Baux, and to spend the afternoon swimming in the Gardon river beneath the Pont du Gard, the famous Roman aqueduct which brought water from the Eure springs to Nimes, almost 30 miles away.

Our travels then took us to the Mediterranean city of St. Raphael where cobalt waters and sunshine satisfied every student's need for a beach atmosphere. We went tubing, banana boating, and spent a good deal of time swimming and relaxing on the beach, but perhaps the most spectacular part of our stay was the 30 foot catamaran we rented to sail along the coast near Cannes. With a merry French captain at the helm, Putney students took turns navigating the boat through hidden inlets and swimming holes. Everyone swam in crystal blue waters, explored the underwater fauna and flora, and enjoyed the delicious paella made from the captain's own catch! It was an unforgettable time in the Mediterranean and one that will surely remain dear to the Putney students.

We're really looking forward to our time in the Alps!!!

Karen and Noah

An update in photos

2009-07-24T06:53:00.001-07:00

On our first evening in Le Conquet we explored the trails
along the coast and watched the sunset from the beach near our hotel.

Yoga Ball Soccer in the park by the Chateau de Blois

Boating in the Cher River under the Chateau de Chenonceau

Chateau de Chenonceau

During our stay in Le Conquet, we biked to the neighboring town
of Plougonvilan where we went went rock climbing and ziplining

Enjoying a meal at a streetside cafe in Paris

Life in Le Conquet

2009-07-16T07:56:00.001-07:00

Hello all!

The internships in Le Conquet went remarkably well and our students had much cultural exchange with local merchants, boulangers, fish mongers, and farmers. In the mornings we biked through Brittany's countryside along the ocean route and our students arrived at work early in the morning to assist the business owners. It was an excellent opportunity for them to learn specialized vocabulary and see what the daily life of a Breton (the name for the locals here) resembles. One group, the breadmakers, even baked several handmade loafs in a traditional stone oven!! Every single merchant our students worked with was delighted with their presence.

Speaking of making an impression upon the locals, Putney students succeeded in making all of the Parisian waiters respond in French, laugh, and comment on their polite behavior (many would think this is next to impossible)!! As many of our students have remarked, simply speaking French does wonders for their ability to make new friends and show the French how intelligent, respectful and cultured Americans can be.

For cultural excursions, we checked out the art of the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay, the depths of the Catacombs and the Parisian skyline from the Eiffel Tower. The City of Lights most certainly left an impression on our students because of its rich history, café life and energy.

Although it was hard to leave Paris, everyone was excited about the opportunity to live with a French host family. Students shared their stories of nervousness in Paris, but by the time our train departed from the Gare de l'Est with a destination of Le Colmar, they were eager to meet good friends and improve their French.

We hope all is well at home!

-Noah and Karen

Bonjour du Conquet!

2009-07-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

We have a packed schedule, so this update will be a little short, and sans pictures, but we’ll soon have time in Paris to share more about notre aventures!

We left Blois on Sunday after visiting the castles of Chambord and Cheverny. On our last day in Blois we did our laundry and explored Blois' weekly market where we grabbed lunch while waiting for our clothes to dry. After lunch we headed over to the park for a water balloon fight a la français and a game of yogaball soccer, a spectacle that definitely endeared us to local children!

That night we had a delicious farewell dinner at a restaurant on the bank of the Loire River and the next morning we headed off early to catch the train to Le Conquet. The train ride from Blois to Le Conquet took most of the day on Sunday but we arrived in the early evening and settled into our new home in Bretagne.

The inn where we are staying is also a farm, and is located just outside the town of Le Conquet. The local beach is only a quick jaunt away and we spent our first evening here exploring the beach and the gorgeous trails along the coast.

Students have spent much of the last few days participating in local internships (details about that coming soon!) and exploring Le Conquet by bicycle. This afternoon we will split into two groups, one of which will venture out on horseback while the other group dons snorkeling gear for an underwater adventure.

Paris glows luminously on our horizon – we look forward to checking in from there!

à bientôt!

Karen and Noah

Bonjour mes amis!

2009-07-03T06:44:00.000-07:00

We are currently having a marvelous time in Blois in the Loire Valley. Warming sun and blue skies have made for excellent trips around the French country side.

On the first day, we visited the chateau of Amboise and the residence of Leonardo da Vinci. We also had lunch along the banks of the Loire River with freshly made crepes. After our delicious meal we made a trip to the chateau of Chenonceau. We rented row boats to explore the outside of the chateau and paddle under its supporting arches.

Yesterday, we participated in a scavenger hunt to discuss politics and history with residents of Blois. The students covered all the city and found amazing tidbits about localidiomatic expressions and the story of the city. The afternoon consisted of a 3 hour kayak trip along the Loire River. We paddled alongside an expansive chateau, vineyards and ancient bridges. Everyone is healthy and happy and looking forward to our visit to the chateaus of Chambord and Cheverny.

A bientot!!
Karen and Noah

The group has arrived

2009-06-30T10:52:00.001-07:00

We've received word from the leaders that the group has arrived in Blois.

Meet the trip leaders

2009-06-16T09:55:00.000-07:00

2009 France Leaders: Karen Phillips and Noah Sabich

KAREN PHILLIPS: Saint Lawrence University, B.A., cum laude, French. Karen caught the travel bug between high school and college while spending a year as an AFS exchange student in Switzerland. At Saint Lawrence, Karen studied abroad in France and Senegal, focusing her studies on francophone literature and culture. During college she worked as a writing mentor, teaching assistant, and French tutor, ran track, and was an active member of the Laurentian Singers and the Swinging Saints, a student run swing dancing club. Karen has traveled extensively in Eastern and Western Europe, the United States, West Africa and Australia. Karen currently works full time at the Putney office in Vermont as an Associate Director coordinating programs in France, Switzerland, Italy, Senegal, and Australia. In her free time, she enjoys running, skiing, rock climbing, and playing yoga ball soccer. This will be Karen’s third year with Putney. She has led this Language Learning program in France and a Community Service program in Senegal. Karen is fluent in French.

NOAH SABICH: Bates College, B.A. in French and History. Middlebury College School in France, M.A. University of Connecticut, M.A., Ph.D. (ABD). Noah has lived, studied, and traveled extensively in France and throughout Europe. He has studied at the University of Poitiers and the Sorbonne. Drawn by literature and culture, he opted for the study of post-colonialism. As part of his Ph.D. dissertation, he intends to show how indigenous Tahitians navigate their often opposing, combative identities (French/Tahitian) in a colonial island society. Noah has taught English to French high school students in Paris, and French to American university students. When not working or traveling, Noah enjoys surfing, soccer, the Basque country, Polynesian literature, biking, and swimming. Noah lives in Paris, where he works as the Assistant Director for the University of Connecticut study abroad program. This will be his third summer with Putney. He has taught French, Creative Writing, and French Cuisine on Putney Student Travel’s Excel program in France. Noah is fluent in French and Latin and proficient in German and Spanish.

Welcome!

2009-06-03T09:25:00.000-07:00

In order to keep parents updated on the progress of their child's Putney program, from time to time over the course of the program, the trip leaders will post an update on this blog. We hope that the occasional updates will keep you informed about the activities, projects and successes of the summer, as well as comfort the usual worries in sending a son or daughter to a far-away place.

You should expect leaders to post blogs no more than once per week during the program. We feel strongly that the leaders' first priority is the students and the program. The reasons for infrequent updates will be the very busy schedules of our program leaders as well as inconsistent internet access at Putney's various destinations throughout the world. Please know that any important issues on the program will be discussed and resolved with leaders and parents by phone, not through the blog.

We suggest that you subscribe to the blog during your first visit so that you will receive e-mail notifications at the end of the day whenever a new update is posted. To subscribe, enter your email address under 'Subscribe via e-mail' on the right-hand column of the blog.

Have a fantastic summer!