News & Events
Students Spend Two Weeks in France
Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006
"We'll always have Paris." Those were the sentiments of 14 Westminster College students who recently spent two weeks in France applying what they had learned in the classroom.
The travel seminar was taught by Dr. Carol Bové, French professor, and Dr. Phyllis Kitzerow, sociology professor. The group spent the spring semester learning about France and its social structure before spending May 30- June 12 abroad.
The goal of the course was to better understand contemporary French society through comparison with a society familiar to the students. They examined social class differences in France and the United States through film, literature, and sociology, while incorporating the hands-on experience of their trip with what they had learned in the classroom.
For their grade in the course, students had reports and exams during the semester, and required journals during their travels.
"I loved touring with the school," said Ashley Campolongo, a junior speech communications major from Jefferson Hills. "They have such a great travel program. I would definitely do it again!"
Each day, the class was given guided tours of different areas, and explanations of the historical backgrounds. However, since some of the guides spoke in French, many of the students had to wait for the English translation provided by Bové.
The language barrier was difficult at times, because several members of the class had not learned French. However, Val Sylves, a junior political science major from Meadville, along with other students, agreed that it was an easy language to pick up.
"It was funny because you were so anxious to use what you've learned in your French classes, but as soon as anyone found you were American, they were so excited to speak English to you!" said Jessica McCarl, a sophomore elementary education major from Cranberry who has taken two years of French at Westminster.
"I felt I had an edge over the other students who have not learned as much," said Campolongo, who has five years of French under her belt. "I also felt that my exposure to the French culture through my language classes made it less of a surprise when the class went over to Paris and Marseilles."
Many believed the rich culture of France seems to be a harmonious blending of beauty and history, exemplified in several areas of life. Here in the United States, we forget how young our country is compared to the rest of the world, so such an old and historic culture is unfamiliar to us.
In addition to the beautiful old architecture in France, traditional French monuments are prominent, including the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Chateau d'lf in Marseille, made famous by Alexandre Dumas's Count of Monte Cristo.
"During one of our afternoons off, Jessica Luoma and I sat in a park that faced the extravagant Eiffel Tower," said McCarl. "We were surrounded by people from all different countries."
"After finishing our delicious crepes, we met with some of the other students in the class and went up to the top," McCarl continued. "We admired the view until sunset, when we watched the city illuminate before our eyes. That evening made us realize that We'll always have Paris!'"
One of the other places visited that stood out in the minds of several students was Bellevue in Marseille, a private apartment complex. Didier Bonnet, a social activist, provided a tour for the class of the area. The complex was dirty, run-down, dangerous, and uninhabitable, and the homeless were attempting to live in these unhealthy conditions.
Bonnet decided it was time to step in, and he began his work with the French government. They took over the area and hired a private contracting company, along with the locals and residents of the area. Bonnet and his assistants explained that the French government subsidized the reconstruction to help pay the wages of the workers. This ended up in a win-win situation. Not only did the poor residents now have jobs and feel pride in themselves for making money and providing for their families, but they ended up with nicer and safer places to live.
The students were impressed with how well the French took care of their needy.
"They have social service centers in Paris that have doctors, psychologists, and all other kinds of medical personnel right in the same building," said Jessi Nix, a junior biology major from Fredericksburg. "It's nice, because heath care is so accessible to those who need it."
The class also experienced other aspects of French life. Bové introduced the students to escargots (snails), bouillabaisse (fish stew), and couscous (grain with meat and hot sauce). The students' reaction to these new foods was mixed, but everyone could agree that the desserts were sensational.
The pleasant French men and women added to their memory of the trip. The class described the locals they encountered as polite, friendly, and incredibly relaxed. When they learned that the class was from America, they were fascinated and curious to learn all about American life. The class was happy to share information about the daily life of an American.
"For me, it was a learning experience directly connected to my research on French culture," said Bové. "It was very helpful as a professor and a continuing student of French life."
Nix believed the trip supplemented the class really well and showed a lot of what they had talked about and learned in the classroom. Other students agreed that the trip was a valuable part of their learning experience.
All in all, the trip was a memorable adventure. Just as McCarl and her friends felt atop the Eiffel Tower watching the city sparkle, each student will look back on his or her memories and think, "We'll always have Paris!"
Contact Dr. Carol Bové at 724-946-7303 or e-mail at cbove@westminster.edu, or Dr. Phyllis Kitzerow at 724-946-7252 or e-mail at kitzerpg@westminster.edu for more information.
More Stories
