TRAVEL: Madame Kund takes Poly students on a trip to France and Spain over the summer.
By Chloe Vega, Staff Writer
From July 16 to July 24, 2015, Madame Kund, a French language teacher at Poly, accompanied a large group of Poly students to France and Spain, extending her 20–25 year tradition of hosting student visits to the European region.
After flying into France, the students spent four nights in Paris. Madame Kund took the students to multiple famous and historical landmarks, including the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, Luxembourg gardens, the Louvre Museum and the Eiffel Tower. While in Paris, students visited local French restaurants, swam in public fountains and interacted with Parisian citizens. “The food was absolutely to die for, and I found that the stereotype about French people being somewhat hesitant toward Americans to be false. Everyone that I met was extremely nice and tried to speak French to us in words that we would be able to understand,” Poly student Paola Sabel (11) said.
After leaving France, the students flew into Madrid, Spain. On their first day in Madrid, they toured the city, followed by a visit to the Museo Nacional del Prado, the National Art Museum of Spain. Students were able to see the Real Madrid Stadium, Royal Palace and Gran Vía. They also attended a Flamenco show and even played a game of soccer in the park.
During their trip, the weather was uncomfortably hot, with temperatures rising above 100 degrees daily; however, this did not stop the students from having a great time. They stayed cool through enjoying plenty of ice cream and pastries. “Despite the heat, we managed to see everything we set out to see and more!” Madame Kund expressed.
Traveling to France and Spain was not only enjoyable for the students but also offered learning opportunities. Students had the chance to use and practice their second language to order food and make conversation with the people they met. “I had taken two years of french, so it was really nice to actually try speaking French outside of the classroom,” Sabel stated. They were also given the chance to experience a different culture and visit the places that they’ve learned so much about. “I always hope the students love the trip so much that they will become lifelong travelers. A large percentage of the students who travel with us end up living abroad in college and beyond,” Madame Kund commented. For these students, it was a tremendous opportunity that they will never forget.