Indo-French exchange Programme, March 2013

As part of the Indo-French exchange programme, 19 eleventh graders were given the opportunity to stay with host families in Paris, France for 8 days. The trip, filled with culture, art, new friends and exciting opportunities, was a once in a lifetime experience and one none of us will soon forget!

When we weren’t spending time with our respective hosts, we wereexploring the sights of Paris. As most people know, Paris is ofthe most culturally rich places in the world and we were fascinatedwith images of beautifularchitecture, unique people and worldrenowned monuments at every turn.

Of course, being in Paris meant that we went to some absolutely stunning art galleries. Finally seeing the art that is spoken about in books and TV shows was a treasured experience. However, one of the best parts about Paris was that the really beautiful art wasn’t just found in museums.

When we weren’t exploring Paris with our teachers, we were spending time with our host families. That was definitely one of the most interesting parts of the trip. Connecting with the French students was really exciting because we learned a lot about their culture and lifestyle that we wouldn’t have learned on a tourist trip. All of us have taken away incredible friendships from this exchange, that will stay with us forever. Staying with our host families meant that we were completely immersed in the French way of life. Whether in the domain of leisure, music, clothing or food, we could see a clear distinction between Indian and French cultures. Being exposed to a completely different world for a week helped us realise how unique our culture really is.

Outside Paris, where most of our hosts lived, we were able to explore a more suburban type of France than in its bustling capital. Maisons-Laffitte was absolutely beautiful, with its quaint town square and sprawling green fields. It was quite different from Paris and we all really appreciated getting the chance to see both sides of France.

Alya Lamba