Earlier this year, me and several members of my class along with the classes in the year below, went off to St. Malo to meet exchange students. Each student had to fill out a form stating their interests, age, allergies and living situations- with these they paired each Jersey student to a student at La Lycee Providence, in the heart of St. Malo. Upon arrival in France, we were picked up by our students and their parents. However, my student was away on another exchange trip in Italy! So, I was collected by her parents and younger sister. I was driven (in a Tesla!) to a lovely house about a half-hour drive from the harbour, in the countryside of Pleugueneuc. Her parents were so pleasant and I was greeted with a fabulous breakfast the next morning! Although, I was slightly scared being so far away from my other friends on the trip, with people I had never met. Luckily they were amazing people and we could communicate enough to get by comfortably.
The next morning, I was taken to the Lycee in St. Malo, where I reconnected with my peers. We did a few lessons, where I got an idea of how the French Education system worked. The school itself was amazing, with a lovely common room with high ceilings, fun lights and a library. The students at the school had come up with a special initiative where they used the power created by a bicycle to charge a mobile phone, which I found very interesting. For lunch, we went for a walk around St. Malo to explore the extensive options for food. I ate so much on this trip- sorbet, moules, gelato, French tacos… (which are unbelievably different from the classic Mexican tacos, but nonetheless amazing). They were more like wraps with chips, chicken and lots of sauce. One of the local students took us out on a bus to find this fast food restaurant. Later on in the day, I was picked up and taken to meet my exchange student, Anouk. We went to her Nan’s house, where we would spend the next two nights. It was a beautiful house with 3 floors, right on the beach! One of the most sunning places I have stayed. Me and Anouk went for a walk along the beach to get to know each other and when we made Galettes. My first time making them! And homemade crepes for dessert- I wasn’t great at this.
The next morning, her Nan drove us most of the way to the Lycee. For breakfast, which I learnt is 100% better when in France, I had fruit, pain au chocolat and espressos. This started an espresso phase, which was short-lived because I concluded they are just much better in France. That day at the Lycee we attended a few more lessons and did a scavenger hunt. The Jersey students only went on the bus to Le Madeline. I was in my element with all the shops and ended up spending way too much on French food to take home from carrefour. This included at least 4 big bottles of fruit juice, which I took in my suitcase home and savoured for as long as I could. Because, once again the fruit juice is better in France! We then took the bus back with our teachers where we met our students again. Me and Anouk walked back to her Nan’s house, a scenic walk along the beach, before we got ready to meet everyone else at a lovely bar in Dinard. It was called ‘Davys’ and right in front of it was a beautiful beach.
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