Marshall Summar: French Exchange

The First Day
On May 31, I, along with three other of my fellow French students, arrived in Bordeaux at 11:30 AM. After traveling for 20 hours, we were greeted by my host mother, Madame Hervy, and Madame LeClercq, a professor at La Sauque upon our arrival at the Bordeaux airport.
 Madame Hervy and Madam LeClercq then drove us to La Sauque, a boarding school about 30 minutes outside of Bordeaux, where they were just lining up for lunch. There, we were introduced to our host brothers, mine being Maxence Hervy. Immediately after eating lunch we were told to change our clothes for sports. Every Wednesday at La Sauque is a half day in which the students are allowed to play sports for the remaining half of the day. Jack Sullivan, then pulled out his frisbee and introduced the game of ultimate to the school. After a few hours of sports we ate dinner at the cafeteria. After eating, Maxence showed me to our room and after being awake for over 24 hours, I slept.

La Sauque 

On top of the Dune Pilat

The school itself was extremely different compared to MBA. The meals were different, the classes were different, the hours were different, and the grading system was different. We would wake up every morning at 7:00, get ready for the day, and then head down to breakfast. The French cuisine at the school was not an ambassador of what might be expected when one thinks of French cooking. We did not attend many classes at La Sauque but instead went on day excursions with our hosts who would be exempt from their classes. One of these excursions was to le Basin d'Arcachon, home to the largest sand dune in Europe, la Dune Pilat. Another day, we visited Bordeaux. I also went to Bordeaux on occasion with my host brother.

Bordeaux

If we did not go on excursions as such, we stayed at the school and attended our hosts classes. Their classes were mainly in preparation for exams, but they continued learning and attending classes even after their exams. After a day of classes, sports, or being immersed in the French culture, we ate dinner at 7:00 PM. Each night after and before dinner, everyone had to attend a study hall. This would be where the students did their homework which they were not able to complete in their dorms.

Landiras and Cap Ferret

Cap Ferret: On the beach outside of chez Maxence

My host family lived in Landiras, a small village about 15 minutes away from La Sauque, but I spent most of my time with the family at their home on the Cap Ferret. This is where I was most exposed to the French culture. We would spend the day at their vacation home fishing in the Cap Ferret or lounging on the beach, but the day did not revolve around these activities but rather the meals. Breakfast was simple and usually consisted of bread and nutella. However, lunch and dinner would be eaten outside on a large table served family style. These meals would consist of bread, cheese, ham, fish, and oysters which were bought just on the beach right next to their house.







Biarritz

Dinner with Pierre's family

A highlight of the exchange was going to Biarritz, a city close to the Spanish/French border, to spend the weekend with Pierre, a French exchange student from La Sauque, who stayed with me for a few weeks in Nashville. We took the train from Bordeaux to Biarritz with him one Friday after school. Upon arrival, we were greeted by his father who drove all of us to their home in the center of the city. Over that weekend, he showed us around Biarritz, taught us how to surf, took us to church, and immersed us even further into the French culture.

Musée d'Orsay

Paris
After an enjoyable three weeks with Maxence, his family, and new friends at La Sauque, we met M. Trotter at the train station in Bordeaux, said goodbye to our host families, and boarded the train to Paris. Our time in Paris was amazing. We visited world renowned are museums such as the Musée d'Orsay, le Centre Georges Pompidou, and le Louvre. We also made a pilgrimage to the Notre Dame de Paris and Saint Michel. One of my favorite places to visit on the Paris trip was Versailles. I was amazed by the history and size of the palace and beauty and detail of the palace gardens. Overall, this exchange was one of the best trips and experiences of my life. I would like to thank the Wilson Family for giving me this once in a life time opportunity.