Spring Break Language Trip

The Modern Language Department Faculty will lead two trips this upcoming spring break: one to China, and one to France. Lan Lin, the Head of the Language Department, will bring twelve Chinese students from March 7 to 19 to visit Beijing, Xi-an, Changsha, and Chengdu. Meanwhile, Dr. Sarah Du Plessis will lead fourteen students on a 10 day trip to France at a hotel for the first half of the trip, and then with students from Lycée Pasteur, which is Hopkins’ sister school, from March 12 to 15. This year, the homestay program will restart after being discontinued due to COVID guidelines. 

The homestay program enables students from Hopkins to stay with students from our sister schools. “Before the trip, we usually do a video to have our students introduce themselves in Chinese,” Hopkins teacher Ms. Lin explained. She continued on to say, “Then we send videos to each other, so before the trip, they get to see who their host is.” This allows students to meet those who attend Yali-peicui, our Chinese sister school, ahead of time. Ms Lin goes on to describe how kind the families are once they land in China: “They’re usually very hospitable. They bring gifts, and Chinese culture is huge on gifts because it shows respect and hospitality.” Likewise, students going on the France trip have had positive experiences with the homestay program as well. Dr. Du Plessis said, “Students really seem to love the exchange portion of the trip where they get to meet and stay with students of our sister city, Avignon!”

Ms. Lin explained a main activity of the trip will be visiting the Summer Palace, which is a royal garden with an art gallery walk. In addition to continuing old traditions such as homestay, students will also to try something new. “We're [going to] visit a local orphanage...we will bring storybooks there…and have our students read stories to them, and play with them. This would be our first time to go to this place” Lin described. She also said her students got to see famous landmarks and climb the Great Wall of China. She described the trip saying, “Students get to experience different historical sights, but on the other hand, they also get to see folk arts, and what people do for their hobbies…and what ordinary people do on a daily basis.” This diversity of activities and experiences enables students to see different aspects of the culture in these countries, which is something they enjoy. Meg Harper-Mangels ’29 stated that she was “looking forward to experiencing a new culture and immersing [herself] more in the Chinese language”. 

Students who will go on the France trip spent the majority of their time in Paris, and went to Avignon, our sister city. In Paris, they will visit the Champs-Elysées, Quartier Montmartre, Château Chenonceau, and even stop by the Eiffel Tower. Another major stop includes the Loire River in western France, where many castles are located. The river is known for its milder climate and lavender fields.“You can only learn so much in a classroom,” explained Dr. Du Plessis. “Sometimes you need to be immersed, take a risk and trust what you know...apply your skills without reservation and watch yourself grow and be proud of how much you have learned.”  Students on the trip will be able to enjoy authentic French food by eating at local restaurants. “My French will definitely come in handy but also some of the popular slang that my teacher taught me this year so maybe I can seem less like a tourist” said Elyssa Power, ‘28. Students will see new parts of authentic European culture while also incorporating some that they learned in the classroom.

“I'm really looking forward to exploring France and visiting some of the iconic places and cities. I'm also really excited to meet my exchange partner too” said Sofia Perez Castillo, ‘28. Similarly, her peer Anna Ivanova, ’29, expressed her excitement to hang “out with the kids from the other school in France, and stay with my host family”.

This program has been part of Hopkins for years. Chinese Student Abby Smolenack ’29 said, that “what I’m most excited for is the genuine interaction between us on the trip and the locals, especially with the host families/our sister school.” The spring break language trip remains a longstanding tradition that is set to continue as part of the school's ongoing programs.