LHS students take on Europe
Used with Permission by Sarah Bomhoff
Latin students were able to visit Rome, Sorrento and Capri during their trip this summer.
October 5, 2022
This last summer was an especially exciting time for some of LHS’s foreign language learners who got the opportunity to travel to the countries that they have been studying over the school years.
Spain
10 LHS Spanish students went on a trip to Spain from June 22 to July 1. Over those 10 days the group visited a total of five cities, including Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Seville and Barcelona. Visiting sites like La Reina Sofía Museum of modern art and Antonio Gaudi’s architectural works of La Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell presented chances for the students to learn or recognize some of Spain’s history. Other activities like swimming in the Mediterranean Sea in Barcelona or watching a Flamenco show at La Alhambra in Granada were chances for the group to experience Spanish culture.
The students had an exciting travel experience where they were also able to use the conversation skills from their classes to communicate with fluent Spanish speakers.
“In one of the cities we went to we had to do a scavenger hunt where we just went out into the city and we had to talk to people in stores and find our way around by ourselves completely,” said LHS senior Rikhav Thakkar. “The conversation skills that we learned in class were super useful in getting around and asking people for directions.”
Traveling to a foreign country like Spain is a great way to showcase how much of a language a person has learned and to experience how useful it can be to speak fluently in a second language.
Germany
The German trip took place just a week after school got out in May, with 12 students traveling on the 14 day trip. The group started out their journey by landing in Berlin, and then staying in the cities of Potsdam, Munich, and Frankfurt over the following days. From exploring castles like the Sanssouci and Neuschwanstein, to viewing historical sites such as the Berlin Wall and the Dachau concentration camp, the students were able to gain a thorough understanding of many aspects of German history and culture. They went on city tours through Berlin and Munich, and also visited the Berlin zoo, the STASI museum and cathedrals along the way.
The group gained a wider understanding of German culture while walking on the tour guides, ordering at restaurants and on the many modes of public transportation. Some parts of German culture were more unexpected than others. LHS senior Maxwell Danielson can attest to one of these surprising aspects.
“One thing that I thought was different there was the water. If you asked for water it would most often be sparkling, which was hard to get used to because you would have to work pretty hard to seek out still water,” said Danielson.
While something like this may not seem super significant, it does lead to the question of what other small differences between cultures can contribute to an overall greater cultural contrast. The best way to satisfy a curiosity like this is to travel to other countries like these students.
Italy
Around 25 Latin students went on the 10 day trip to Italy at the end of June. The trip took place in many Italian cities, some of which include Rome, Sorrento and Capri. Most days consisted of visiting a museum or touring the local area, enjoying lunch at a restaurant and exploring the multitude of shops and markets within each of the cities. The group saw their fair share of architecture and historical sites when visiting places such as the Coliseum, St. Peter’s Basilica, Pompeii and Herculaneum. They also got to see many islands, where they viewed some of Italy’s famously beautiful beaches.
The students were able to notice the aspects of Italian culture that make the country known for its beautiful scenery, such as the high expectations of people’s daily attire. They also discovered that when being compared to American food, Europe has more options for healthy, fresh meals on most streets. LHS senior Meredith Kolb found this a charming quality that was present in Italy.
“I loved all of the casual lunch places,” said Kolb. “There was always a place to grab something fresh. It was quick and easy, but healthy.”
Italy is definitely an ideal travel destination for people who enjoy unique architecture, quality fresh food and beautiful scenery in general.
France
From June 4 through June 12, eight LHS students started on their trip to the European country of France. Arriving in Paris, the students were first able to learn more about and view works from many historically significant artists in museums such as the famous Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay and l’Atelier des lumières. They also got to see some impressive architecture at places like the top of the Arc de Triomphe, Montmartre, Sacre-Coeur, the Luxembourg gardens and l’Hôtel des Invalides. While on a day trip to Nîmes, the students also gained some knowledge of Roman history when visiting a Roman arena and antiquity museum. The following days of the trip, which took place in Nice and Monaco, they continued to learn about France and French culture while exploring the cities.
Throughout the trip, students were able to use their knowledge of the French language in a variety of ways. They were able to order for themselves at restaurants and utilize introduction and conversation skills when meeting locals. Moments such as these displayed how different cultures can be in regards to how you interact with strangers.
“They value saying ‘hello,’ but only once because if you say it twice it’s considered rude,” said LHS senior Jackson Parker. “So you have to be careful at remembering faces because otherwise someone will think that you forgot about them.”
This rule for engaging with people in French culture once again shows how beneficial it can be to travel to other countries like these students, who were able to learn a little more about different ways of life.
