Second excursion

Our second excursion was an overnight adventure. We left early Thursday morning headed for Normandy, the province to the east of Bretagne.

Our first stop was the seaside city of Saint Malo. It is an old city in that it has been there a very long time, but new in the sense that it was rebuilt after World War II. It is a walled city, and the walls were pretty much all that was left after allied bombing. The city fathers chose to rebuild the city in the style it was before the war. So, the buildings look as if they were built in the 1700s and 1800s.

The students were set free to explore the walled city and to have their “pique-nique” lunch on the ramparts. There was shopping to do, crèpes to eat and ice cream find. They seemed to enjoy it.

The streets of Saint-Malo will never be the same.

Not nearly as dangerous as it looks: there's a six foot drop to the next wall.

No peace signs!

Okay wait, I was wrong.

This is the model pose I always get!

Ever wonder about your colleagues?

Yes, it really does look like the posters and post cards.

 Then it was off to Mont Saint Michel. If you are unfamiliar, this is a small granite island just off the coast in the English Channel. In fact, at low tide, it is an island only in the sense that it is surrounded by a sea of sand. It is remarkable because it is the only granite formation for 100 miles in either direction. It is topped by an abbey, which has been built and rebuilt since 710 AD.

We all got our workout. The main street is a pedestrian street as wide as a pickup truck that ascends at about a 30 degree angle. Then there are steps, and steps and steps up to the abbey, the church of which sits some 450 ft. above the surrounding sea.

I’m not sure which is more impressive, the view of Mont Saint Michel or the view from Mont Saint Michel. Either way, it is impressive that it was all built before the age of machines. Ropes, pulleys and human ingenuity were all they had – and perhaps a religious fervor.

Finally at the top

Surrounded by a sea of sand at low tide.

I will catch Katelyn unawares at some point.

Our group somewhere inside the maze that is the abbey.

We spent Thursday night in an auberge de jeunesse (youth hostel) in Léon sur Mer, a very small town on the beach. It’s actually on the edge of what was Omaha Beach on D-Day.

Several of us went to the beach to wade and play. Others stayed at the auberge to play volleyball. But it was quiet time at 10 pm and lights out at 11. They fed us breakfast the next morning and sent us off with a pique-nique.

I tried to add a video, but it was too large. I posted it to my private YouTube channel. You should be able to access it with this link: On the beach at Léon-sur-Mer. If you can't, please let me know.

First do this! Then do that!

Where's a selfie stick when you need it?

Michael seems doubtful.

It's cold! The English Channel is really cold!

Rachel wonders what's so cool about wading.

It really is cold.

I adore this picture of Nicole.

What the heck is it? Is it dead? Oh, yuk!

Trust me, I'm a professional.

There's nothing better than a great belly laugh!

Friday was a solemn day for the students. They study about D-Day (Jour-J in French) in their US history classes. But the dates and facts they studied become real when they walk the beaches, see the cliffs and pass through the cemetery.

We started on Omaha Beach, called “Bloody Omaha” by the soldiers because of the 1,000 dead and over 2,000 injured on D-Day. The spot we visited is host to two monuments, one on the shore and one on the beach itself. The one on the beach was built to commemorate the 70^th anniversary of D-Day in 2014. It is called “Les Braves.”

As we were visiting this site, a WWII era airplane flew over. It was a twin-engine aircraft. Perhaps someone more familiar with WWII aircraft can tell us what it was.

Our students reflecting on the sacrifices made on behalf of freedom.

We then visited the American Cemetery on top of the cliffs overlooking Omaha Beach. 9,000 Americans soldiers are buried there having died in the 18 months surrounding D-Day and D-Day itself.

It is a beautiful, placid place, quiet and calm. I don’t have many pictures of the students from there. It just isn’t the sort of place that lends itself to group photos or fun pictures. It is a place of reverence and reflection. And I have to say that our students were very reverent and very moved. They were thoughtful, realizing what it took to insure freedom.

This is a quick video clip of the cliffs overlooking Omaha Beach at the American Cemetery: Cimitière Amércain.

When we first arrived at the main part of the cemetery, bells began to chime the Star Spangled Banner. Every person in the cemetery, regardless of nationality, stopped, faced the American flags and put their hands over their hearts. There were many tears shed at that point, mine included. Then a French Mirage Air Force jet circled the cemetery. It was a very special moment.

Listed on these walls are the names of soldiers and
sailors known to be lost, but whose bodies were
never recovered.

While some bodies were never identified.

A group of French school children
placed a wreath at the base of the
statue that represents the spirit
of the American soldiers and
sailors.

We then went on to Caen, one of the largest cities in Normandy, and the goal of the soldiers that landed at Omaha Beach. There is an outstanding memorial, a museum actually. We walked through displays explaining the end of World War I, life between the wars, the Depression in Europe, the rise of Hitler, the beginning of the war, the pursuit of the war, life in wartime, the concentration camps, the French Resistance, D-Day and finally liberation. 

Our group in front of the Mémorial.

People in Normandy and Bretagne wear their marinières
all the time!

The displays were very powerful and realistic.

There were multi-media displays featuring actual film footage shot by both German and Allied troops. Our visit ended with a very impressive film that gave you the sense of D-Day without much narration.

It was quite dark, which added to the drama, but wasn’t good for photos, so there aren’t many.

It was Kelsey’s birthday, and ended up being kind of a somber one for her, because of the events of history we had been considering all day. But everyone was sure to sing “Joyeux Anniversire” to her on the coach ride home.

Week 2

We look pretty good, don't we?

Monsieur Fortuné Pellicano, Deputy Mayor of Brest

Who are these girls?

Our week started off normally. Mondays we start the day with our success groups. This is a time for us to discuss any problems or successes and to do some sort of reflection activity. We went through classes and lunch, then worked on our projects for the family spectacle for the end of the program.

Everyone left a little early because we would be back together in few hours for the Mayor’s reception. This is a reception in the huge meeting hall of the city hall, overlooking the main square, Liberté. A representative of the mayor gives a speech, followed by one of the teachers and two of the students.

We were greeted by the deputy mayor of Brest, Monsieur Fortuné Pellicano. This year, Loïc was the teacher representative while Mari and Ash were our student representatives. You may not understand what they say in the video, but it’s cool to watch. We are so proud of Mari and Ash. Mari’s speech was emotional, and like any good speaker, Ash lead with a joke.

I have put together a video of the speeches and posted it here. In the message section, please let me know if this worked. If it did, I will add more video.

After speeches, everyone shared conversation in the way that only French people can. Everyone asks about everyone’s family. They discuss the weather. The talk about a little of this and a little of that.

Everyone was happy to go home and change out of their nice clothes. And it was just Monday!

Abby showing her form

Who knew Rosie could be so agressive?

I think the girls are getting it!

Nick is a strategist

Such intensity!

Skying!

Gotcha dude!

Is this actually sports?

As I understand it, this was about ballroom dancing.

Come on guys, this is serious stuff.

How are we going to keep straight aces during this?

It's not American Sign Language.

This group will come up with something extraordinary!

Tuesday, instead of other activities, it was sports day! We went down to a park across from the chateau (a mediaeval fortress on the port), and learned to play pétanque, the traditional French ball throwing game. (Think bocce, but with more strategy and skill involved.)

I learned pétanque in Montpellier many years ago and have refreshed my memory from the internet. I needed a little help from Évie to get the rules just right. Everyone seemed to enjoy him or herself, with some students showing a surprising competitive streak.

For some, the slow pace of pétanque was not quite suited. Lindsey led them to the gym for a hard workout of basketball and whatever kind of games it is that they make up. We were quite relieved that our ardent basketball players were not really picky about rules like traveling and double dribbling. (Thank you Alec and Micah.)

The next afternoon, students plunged themselves head-first into their projects for the family spectacle. At the end of our time in Brest, we will present a performance for our host families. This is totally student generated, with guidance from us teachers.

This year’s performances are going to be fantastic, with a skit reminiscent of a Friends episode, to lip synching, to individual musical performances, to signing of a popular French song. I’m sure I have left something out, but it is going to be pretty amazing. The students are working hard. Difficult to believe, but it is less than three weeks away.