French Exchange 2018

During May half-term we travelled to Nay for the return visit of the French exchange with our French partners in Collège / Lycée St Joseph in Nay.

Taking part in a Foreign Language Exchange is surely one of the most exiting challenges pupils can undertake. Finding yourself immersed in a totally different culture and language, eating some, let’s say ‘unusual’ food could have deterred more than one pupil but not the Caterham French group.

After an early start from Gatwick, we were delighted to be reunited with our French partners at St Jo. Their incredibly friendly and genuine welcome set the tone for the rest of the week.  After a welcome ‘goûter’ and catching up on news, it was time to spend our first evening with our host families.

The week was spent going to lessons and visiting the area. The market was amazing allowing us to fully appreciate the cultural background and discover all the local products.

The highlights were the activities at school, the mountain biking (VTT) and the horse riding sessions (again seeing some of Caterham pupils getting out of their comfort zone but embracing the challenges with determination), following instructions in French and mastering new skills with enviable ease and confidence. The weekend activities with families were equally exciting and varied.

Another amazing time at St. Jo thank you to the Head, Monsieur Ginesta and the staff for welcoming us, and also a big thank you to Kate Bourigault for organizing such an amazing week. See you next year!