Brooks School France 2025

January 21, 2025

January 19-20, 2025

We departed from brooks at 5, and our flight was at 8:30, delayed until 10 pm. Very snowy. 

We drove for an hour to get to our hostel to drop off our luggage and walked to a pizza burger place for lunch. We saw cool architecture around the city, including Notre Dame and le Palais de Justice on Ile de la Cite. The Seine River runs through Paris and we crossed many different bridges. 

Then, we went back to our hostel. We could finally take showers and naps and settled in.
 
Later in the afternoon we walked to dinner at a very nice restaurant where we ate pasta, steak, and crepes. After that we split up where some went to go get ice cream and others went to go back to the hostel, and some went to get supplies they needed and saw cool restaurants and cafes on the way such as this one (seen in the photos). 

By Cheng, Armaun, and Henry

January 21, 2025

Today was our last day in Paris, and we had a packed day! We started off by visiting the Musée d’Orssay and saw some paintings painted by Van Gogh, Monet, and Manet. We then walked to the American Cathedral and had lunch and met with the Bishop of Europe, who also taught us some history about the Cathedral and some background of himself. While we were there we handed out bagged lunches to those in need. We then walked to the Eiffel Tower and were able to travel up as many flights as we would like to, some of us enjoyed coffee, hot chocolate, and crepes on the first floor. After the Eiffel Tower, we split into two groups, one group went shopping at Champs Elysees and the other group went to grab dinner around the corner and enjoyed some yummy pasta dishes. Lastly, the group came back together and enjoyed a boat tour down the Seine, and the highlight of the tour was the Eiffel Tower glittering up at exactly 9:00pm. We enjoyed some Gelato, Macarons, and hot chocolate to end the night before heading back to our hostel.

By Tilly, Jules, & Grainne

January 22, 2025

Today, going to the castle where the pope lived was shocking and amazing. We went inside and found how humongous it was. Looking through the iPad virtual guide, we could see how fancy the castle was built. Climbing on top of the castle and seeing the view of Avignon was also a highlight. It was a satisfying experience and something I won’t get to see everyday. Overall, the visit to the castle was worth going and definitely left a remarkable impression inside our hearts.

Also during our trip to Avignon, our group decided to indulge in a leisurely dinner at Le Vintage, a charming restaurant nestled in the heart of the city. We arrived at 7:15 pm, eager to enjoy a relaxing evening. What struck us immediately was how different dining here felt compared to the fast-paced dining culture we’re used to in the U.S. We spent a full two hours savoring every course — something that is rare for us back home, where meals often feel rushed. The evening unfolded with easy conversation, laughter, and a slow appreciation for each dish. We started with a rich, velvety foie gras, followed by a perfectly medium-cooked Angus rib steak that was tender and flavorful. For dessert, the raspberry mousse was a sweet, tangy finale. The restaurant’s cozy atmosphere — complete with soft lighting and an inviting vibe — made it easy to relax and enjoy the entire experience without feeling hurried. It was a refreshing reminder of the joys of slowing down and savoring both the food and the company.

By: George, Jon & Stanley

January 23, 2024

Today we started our day at 8:30 with croissants for breakfast at the hotel in Avignon! After, we walked the streets of Avignon to a town market filled with all sorts of things. We acquired charcuterie, cheese, juice, cake, spread, and bread. We split up into groups and had to order at the market in French ourselves. This was to supply our “pot d’accueil”, the welcome meal we had with our host families later that night. After we went to the market, we brought our things to the bus and went on our way to the Pont du Gard! We stopped into the museum and walked around to learn about the history of the aqueduct. We learned about how it dates back to ancient Roman history, around 19 BCE, and was made by Augustus Caesar’s son-in-law who was named Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. There are three sets of arches standing at 47 meters tall which supplied the city of Nîmes with water for over five centuries. After going on a short hike around the mountains surrounding the Pont du Gard, we boarded the bus and made our way to Carcassonne. After a few naps on the bus, we arrived in Carcassonne two hours later! 

We quickly settled in and started to assemble the goods we bought at the market for our host families. Once our host families arrived, we practiced some french by asking them about their lives. We talked about things like family, friends, pets, school, work, life in the US and in France, and the different foods we eat. After enjoying the French charcuterie with good company, we played a quick trivia game of facts from both the United States and France. We took some pictures with our host families and said goodbye after a long day because tomorrow we will meet them again for dinner!

By: Grace, Maanya, and Sofia

January 24, 2025

Today was a great opportunity to visit a local middle school in Carcassonne, named Simone Veil, and have time with the students. We all appreciated the fact that the kids welcomed and loved us, motivating us to engage more in conversations. They were around 11-14 years old. The students there speak better English than we expected at such a young age.

We started off with a brief tour of the school and then were divided into groups of two with one local student. With our groups we participated in different activities and went to class with the students. We shared our interests, information, and school life with them, overcoming the language barriers through hand gestures.

The lunch was also great as there were lots of different dishes we could try. It was an amazing and unique experience for us because the way students showed love and interest was beyond our initial expectations. For example, they were so excited that they treated us like celebrities; I don’t think I have ever had to write so many autographs before. In the end it was also very fun to learn about their school and experience what it was like. 

After having a wonderful day with the students, we had a nice dinner with our assigned host families. They were offering us great food and desserts, which we enjoyed in our time being with them. Most families made “raclette”, which is a traditional French dinner in winter with some hams and grilled cheese. Some went for a little walk in the city center with our host families before dinner. In other homes we played some board games before dinner and some more after dinner. Overall, it was a lot of fun seeing a French home and connecting with a French family.

By: Junho, Lorenzo and Trevor

January 25, 2025

Today we started our day with a delicious breakfast at the hotel in Carcassone! After, we walked to the Castle that Carcassonne is known for and went on a guided tour. We learned about the history of the castle and got to explore the town within the walled city. For lunch, we enjoyed sandwiches and crepes in bakeries within the city and had some time to go souvenir shopping. Many of us bought gifts for our family like jewelry and postcards. We then took a bus to the service site in a community in Provence area were helped to clear paths for the pilgrimage, El Camino de Santiago, which goes from France all the way to the West Coast of Spain. After clearing parts of this path, we then walked around the trails to see previous projects from other Global Works groups who had come before us to help with the restoration of this pathway.

After the group’s service project, we all came back to Carcassonne. Here we split into different groups; some people chose to explore the town square and visit the boutiques while others went back to the hotel to rest. Then, we all met for dinner at a local restaurant located in the heart of Carcassonne. At dinner we enjoyed a variety of food such as steak, soup, salad, burgers, and local desserts.

By: Urmi, Brianna, and Ivy