by Cassidy Ronk

For the first time in school history, a group from Woodbridge High School’s French program took a school trip outside of the country. From March 30th to April 2nd, the French Club visited Montreal and Quebec City in Canada.

“Ms. Zeitz and I thought it important to give our students the experience of using French in a French-speaking country,” French teacher Madame Williams said, “to help take the study of French from the classroom to their everyday lives.

“We chose to travel to Montreal, as it is the second largest French-speaking city behind Paris, and as it is much closer, the trip was less expensive for our participants, as well.”

“Without Madame Williams, [the trip] probably would not have happened,” French teacher Madame Zeitz said of her counterpart, acknowledging her dedication to the program, the students, and to the school.

Besides eating and interacting with the locals, the French students’ itinerary included visiting museums, a waterfall, and a sugar shack where maple syrup is produced. The trip also called for a visit to the Notre Dame cathedral and historical sites in both Montreal and Quebec City.

To prepare the students, Madame Zeitz and Madame Williams held informational meetings and invited their parents to discuss the itinerary as well as the currency and customs of Canada. The students learned about both Quebec and Montreal in class with Madame Zeitz and Madame Williams, in order to obtain knowledge of the region.

“I’m looking forward to seeing our students abroad and seeing how they use the language they’ve learned in French classes over the years,” Madame Zeitz said before the group departed.

Madame Williams said that, while abroad, students had to speak French to order food and purchase items throughout the four day trip.

The students were eager to visit Canada and didn’t seem weary of the language barriers, most likely because of the preparation they received in class. Instead, the students were looking forward to experiencing the culture.

“I’m excited to go to another country and be exposed to the new people and places there,” sophomore Olivia Williams said.

Courtney Cholewa, a sophomore who, like Olivia Williams, is enrolled in French 2 R, said, “I’m ready to see all the new aspects there, such as the food, language, and lifestyle.”

Upon their return, Madame Williams said, “I think the trip was a success. Students enjoyed the activities immensely, and we had a fantastic group of chaperones in [Madame] Zeitz, Ms. Pereira (from JFK), and Mr. Angatia. We look forward to planning another trip in the future.”