Wednesday 6/10

Today was an early start as we headed off to the train station. We had a quick bite to eat before boarding the train. It was a fast two hours since mostly everyone slept. Once we got to Normandy we rented cars and drove to a Memorial Museum. There we watched a half hour movie. It showed both the Allied forces getting ready for D-Day and the Germans. It made our experience at Omaha Beach even better. Then we went to the Normandy American Cemetery where 10,625 American soldiers who sacrificed there lives are buried. There was a small museum with facts and short movies on some specific people. It was very moving and an emotional experience for everyone. Finally we walked down to the beach, it's so hard to think that a lot of these men were not much older than us, only 18 and 19. After we left we stopped at McDonald's before going back to the train station to head back to Paris. For dinner we are at a French restaurant where a lot of us got "Escargot" or snails and crepes for dessert. After a long day it was nice to go back to the hotel and get some rest. Overall, the day was a strong 9 out of 10.

Tuesday 6/9

Today was the second day in Paris, and it was a busy one. We started off early in the morning going to the Musée D'Orsay, which is famous for its impressionism. A few standout artists were Picasso, Monet, Renoir, and Van Gogh. After the museum we ate Troy's saucisson for lunch, accompanied with bread and caramels. Next was the bus tour. The bus tour was great because it showed us around the city like no other way could. Some of the stops were the Opera, where the famous musical Phantom of the Opera was born, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, the Champs Élysées, and the Eiffel Tower. Everyone knows what the Eiffel Tower is, but not everyone has been to the top. We got an unbelievable view of the city from the Eiffel Tower that no other place could offer. After sprinting down the stairs, walking to the river, watching a few pickpocketers get arrested, we made it to the pizza place for dinner. The pizza was amazing and the dessert was even better. -Griffin

Last Weekend

Over the weekend my exchange family took me to Northern Italy, just outside of Torino. On Friday, when we first arrived we went to the Torino Car Museum. It housed an amazing collection of European and American cars. After the museum we went to their house in a village near Torino. It was incredible, the house dates back to the 16th century and has frescos on the walls. For dinner Friday night we drove to the nearby town of Acquatherma for pizza. The town gets its named from the hot water that comes down from a volcano. Saturday we took a day trip to Genova. It is an extraordinary city with beautiful sculptures and buildings throughout the whole city. We visited the palace of the last king of Italy which included numerous sculptures, frescoes, and paintings. After the palace we took a tour of a submarine, which was an eyeopening experience to just how cramped the living conditions are on board. For dinner we visited a famous pizzeria called Excaliber which was fully booked for the night by 8:00. The pizza was by far the best I had ever tried and dessert was a true Italian tiramisu. On Sunday we began our journey back to Lyon as we went through the beautiful cities of Nice, Monoco, and Eze. -Matt

Friday 6/5

Today we met at school at 8:30 which we typically do and we all caught up on what did the night before. Then we walked to the subway where took a ride up to a square on top of the hill where there was a great view of the city. We went to a chocolate store where we had a class on how they make the different types of chocolate. The guy let us try all different ones and they were delicious. We then went back to the school to have lunch. After lunch we went to a museum about roses. We learned all about how different types of roses were bred. After school Troy, Jack, Dylan, and I, with our host sisters, went to Juliet's house because she has a pool. It was nice to see all of them outside of school where got to swim eat some pizza and have some good laughs. -Luke

 

 

Thursday 6/4

We started off the day going to a car museum, where there were a ton of awesome old cars, bikes, and motorcycles. We were able to see both Hitler's Mercedes and the Popemobile. We then ate lunch in a field outside of the museum. Following lunch we had some downtime and we were able to pass around a rugby ball for an hour or so. We then took a bus to the Saône river, where we got to try l'aviron (rowing). We had a short row consisting of a couple of laps up-and-down our area of the river. After the row we all jumped into the river and had short cannonball/ bellyflop competitions. -Andrew

Wednesday 6/3

Another half day today with our exchange students! This morning we visited a middle school and were able to speak English and answer questions from the students there. Questions ranged from "What do you like about France" to "What's your favorite team on FIFA" to "Can you come again tomorrow". At recess, we were the celebrities on campus. As soon as one of the students came up to you, a couple more would join, then a few more, then many more until you were surrounded! After saying goodbye and returning to Lycée Saint-Marc, we left with our host families for lunch. Some of us walked all around the town to find something to eat while others went just around the corner for lunch. The afternoon kept us occupied with, among other things, swimming, using peddleboats on the lake in Le Parc de la Tête d'Or (Park of the Golden Head), and shopping. If only every school day ended at noon.. -Jack

Tuesday 6/2

This morning we traveled to the Fourvière Basilica, a very old building whose construction began in 1872. On our tour we learned that the reason for its creation was from the mayor of Lyon promising to build a large church for Mary if Lyon was spared during the Franco-Prussian War. The original shrine to Mary next to the towering basilica is much older, dating back to the Middle Ages. Traditionally, a gold coin, now a medal, was presented every September 8th to honor Mary. This tradition began during the time of the Black Plague, 1643, when the aldermen promised to honor Mary every year in this way. 
     In the afternoon I went to the elementary school down the road with Austin, Troy, and Andrew. It was surprisingly fun spending time with the younger kids, despite none of us fully understanding them. Jack and Griffin went in the morning, so they didn't go to the Basilica, but they said their experience at the school was as fun as ours. I was in class with Austin, where we listened to them recite poetry and rehearse a dance. In our classroom, the kids were about 9 or 10, but they recited French poetry from memory well individually and said two stories in English as a class. -Dylan

Monday 6/1

It was a regular Monday for everyone getting up early and heading off to school. At school we talked about some differences between America and France, such as our toilets are in the bathroom while their's are not. Then we hung out and played some pretty intense games of ping pong. After, we headed off to Fourviere for a picnic lunch. It was nice to just relax and talk with friends after a very busy week and weekend. We got to see some amazing views of all of Lyon. The weather was great, not too hot or rainy. Then we went  Zip Lining and through a really hard rope course. There were three levels; blue was easy, red was kinda hard, and black was impossible. I did both red and black. On the black at the end was a really long and difficult zip line with nowhere to grab onto at the end. Let's just say Austin might have gotten stuck in the middle, and a few of us on the other end, including me. Overall it was a really great day. Some quick showers after, but felt great after the hot and sweaty ropes course. - Troy

The Weekend!

Over the second weekend, my host family was very generous and decided to take me to Disney Land Paris! I have never been to a Disney Park in the U.S. but now I've been to the one in Paris twice (the first time being when I was 6 or 7 years old). It was an amazing experience as I crossed over into magic land. From Crush's Coaster (the turtle in Finding Nemo) to Buzz Lightyear's Blast, the small child's imagination that remains stuffed down in my body came out to play. An experience that I will always remember is when we went to "Stitch, Live!", a show aimed for 6 year olds and younger. (hour long lines and boredom can do that to you). However, I was probably more out of the loop than those 6 year olds as the show was in French. The show commenced and with my luck I was picked by the Live Stitch to participate in the show. Of course as I was picked from the crowd, my host brother and his two siblings were dying of laughter. As I attempted to answer questions made for 6 year olds I could hear the faint bursts of laughter coming from the back. The show finally ended and we ate lunch. I'm pretty sure time stopped when I saw there were burgers being served. It was the first meal that had any connection to home. We left the park early, around 5. We weren't trying to be die-hard Disney enthusiasts, rather desiring to escape those endless lines. It was our fault choosing to go on a Saturday. The fun never ended as we went to Vaux le Vicomte, the castle of Nicolas Fouquet, minister of the french King Louis XIV. I have pictures to show the extravagance and aura of greatness it beholds. Each person receives sort of a walkie talkie that informs the listener on the history of the castle. Luckily there was an English setting. When the tour came to a close, we hopped back in the car and drove the 6 hour long trip back home. Currently, we have just returned back to Lyon. Not only have I experienced the stretching of legs after a long car ride (possibly one of the most underrated feelings), but have returned to a house smelling of delicious food whipped up by his grandmother. How much better could life get? -Griffin

Friday 5/29

This morning we visited the Halls of Lyon and tasted many amazing foods such salmon, sauseson, which is a type of meat similar to pepperoni, different cheeses, and some delicious French bread. We also took a river cruise on the Saone river that ended at the museum of Confluence, which was opened just this January. The museum contained many fascinating exhibits from dinosaurs to the South Pole. It was a very fascinating experience. -Matt

Thursday 5/28

Today we went to Parc de la Tête d'Or. Most of the people who talked about it described it as "Lyon's Central Park, but smaller" and that is definitely true. The first thing we did when we entered the park was take a short walk around. The first thing that struck me as strange was although there was a zoo, there was also an area outside of the zoo where there were deer walking around freely, and strangely enough, there were ostriches in the same enclosure. After this slightly startling sight we continued on into the park. A couple of minutes later we arrived at the start of the zoo at the giraffe exhibit, where me and a few others sat in the shade waiting for our guide who would show us around the zoo. About a half an hour later she arrived and showed us around the zoo for about an hour. The thing I most appreciated about this part of the trip was the escape from the hectic, fast-paced, French-speaking day-to-day routine of our experiences so far. This was the first real opportunity we as a group have had to sit and chat about what we each have been doing so far. -Austin

Half Day!

Today may have been a normal Wednesday for at student at Saint-Marc, but it was a little different for a BC High student. At Saint-Marc, Wednesdays are half days! Today we had two classes, physics and biology. Even though I didn't understand everything that was being spoken in French, I felt like I was able to help because I knew the material. After the two classes, school got out so we headed out to eat lunch at a bakery. I kept it safe and decided on a ham and cheese sandwich and some really delicious cookies. After lunch we went to the movies where we saw a George Clooney film in French, without subtitles. As someone who does not speak French, it was fun trying to figure out what they were saying, but eventually I became lost. After the movie, we went to another student's house where we played a card game, and now we are getting ready for dinner. The weather was beautiful today; hopefully it is as nice tomorrow when we are headed to a zoo after lunch. -Luke

First Day of School- Tuesday 5/26

We started the day at school, shadowing our host brothers in their classes. During the class I attended many students presented on various topics. I did not understand most of the presentations, but I managed to catch a few sentences and phrases. After class we had a short break before orientation. During orientation we received an schedule as well as some information about the school. We then went on a tour, learning of the school's many recent renovations as well as the difficulties of such an old building. We also were able to go out onto a rooftop deck and get a spectacular view of the Basilica of Notre-Dame de fourvière.   After the tour of the school we ate lunch with our host brothers. We then regrouped and took the subway to Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon). In Vieux Lyon we went on a guided tour that included the Lyon Cathedral as well as Les Traboules (small tunnels going through buildings to give access to small courtyards and apartments in the middle of a block.) Once the tour was over we had some free time to look around at some of the stores and restaurants. Many of us ended up getting flower shaped ice cream. We then returned to the school, where we were picked up by our host brothers to go home. -Andrew

First Weekend 5/23-5/25

Greetings from Lyon! 

Everyone arrived safe and sound and found their host families without any problems. Aside from the adjusting to the time change and battling jet lag, our host families had a few other ideas for us before we went to the high school. Among other activities, some of us saw an abstract artist's studio, whose house was decorated from top to bottom with art on canvases, on wire skeletons, and generally strewn about the house. Many of us played tennis, which seems to be immensely popular among the Lyonnaise (Bostonians are from Boston, Lyonnaise are from Lyon). There were a few who had the chance to see the fish in the local aquarium. Aside from the different names, it was a lot like the one down on the waterfront! -Jack