Bonjour Royals! Over spring break, 34 Rosary students accompanied by Mr. Parmar, Mrs. Oliver, Sra. Ray, Madame Neumann, Sra. Kam, and Ms. Christensen ventured across the ocean to France and Spain.
Our first stop was in France, where we spent four days sightseeing and exploring the streets of Paris. Then we packed our bags and took off on another flight to Barcelona, Spain. We stayed there for two days before taking a train across Spain to Madrid, where we also spent two days. After that, we packed our bags once again and flew to Amsterdam, where we had a four hour flight layover before finally returning to America.
Now that we have all had some time to settle back into our daily routines, I asked some of the Royals who went on the trip about their experience as world travelers.
Let’s see what they have to say!
Q: What was your favorite part of the trip?
A: Anayra Reynoso ‘26: I loved shopping and seeing all the different styles, but I specifically loved going to Zara and seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle.
Q: What was your favorite place to see?
A: Celine Asido ‘25: My favorite place to see was the Sagrada Familia Church because of all the beautiful architecture and learning about the artists’ motive behind all the sculptures he designed for the Church!
Q: What cultural difference shocked you the most?
A: Madeleine Cwiertny ‘25: I think the formality of restaurants was the biggest difference. People in France and Spain treat eating out as an all day outing. Servers take their time and customers often spend about 3-4 hours at a sit down restaurant.
Q: What advice would you give to students going on the trip next year?
A: Natalia Chavez ‘24: The biggest advice I would give to anyone going on the trip next year is to be open! Be open to talking to new people, including those you’ve maybe spoken to once or twice in the halls. Be willing to eat and try so many new things you might find you like, and have courage to just enjoy everything that comes at you. Being open will make the experience all the better!
Q: Which country had the best food, and what was your favorite thing you were able to eat?
A: Mia Franco ‘25: Personally, I think Paris has the best food. THE BREADDD was so good, and I had so many croissants…buss.
Q: Why travel abroad on a school trip?
A: Mrs. Neumann: The type of experience a student has when travelling abroad helps to form a more objective worldview, where “the norm” is not defined by what is familiar. Once you can experience another language, culture, or the realistic application of something you are learning in school, it seems much more relevant as a subject where you devote a portion of your class time each semester. The learning experiences that are gained through travel are the type of lessons that we will remember! My first school trip abroad was a looong time ago. However, the impact it had on me has lasted until the present.
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Experiencing an entirely different part of the world really gave me the chance to appreciate different cultures and ways of life. It also allowed me as an AP French student to experience real world application of what I learn in the classroom.
Although this trip was the experience of a lifetime, I think I can speak for all of us when saying that we were so happy to finally be home.
