Day 3

Met the students at the train station at 8am to get to the Musee D’Orsay for our guided tour. Our tour guide was just coming back from 2 weeks vacation (oh, the french work life) and was very energetic and thorough. She was a fantastic guide. Showed the students how the Impressionists revolutionized modern art. We saw Manet, Monet, Cezanne, Toulouse-Lautrec (my favorite). Just such a beautiful building - being in the former train station surrounded by all this amazing artwork.

Then we were off to Notre Dame to hear the select chorus from Ardsley sing! We made it and sat down in the front row just as they were coming out decked in their black floor length dresses and their black suits. They were fantastic! Really great. And how amazing was it to be sitting in Notre Dame listening to select choir?? And to see the Parisians and tourists stop to listen as they toured Notre Dame. We waited for the singers to come back out after the concert and the students were able to lunch with their AHS friends. Mr. Morgano, Mrs Nunes, Kate, Sydney and I headed over to the Arab Institute where they serve tea on the top floor with an incredible view of Paris. The tea service had not yet begun so we enjoyed some tea on the bottom floor cafe. Nonetheless it was great to catch up with Mrs Nunes.

By the way - the weather couldn’t have been better. It was warm - clear and sunny. Absolutely beautiful day to roam around Paris. So from the Notre Dame area we went over to the Opera Garnier - where we had another amazing tour. This Opera house is I think my favorite site of Paris. It is just so beautiful and elegant. A temple of music and theater. And the history - Napolean 3rd commissioned the Opera - but since it took 14 years to finish - he was never was able to go in the opera. It was finished two years after he died. Then the history of the ceiling and the 8 ton chandelier! Because they used gas lanterns to light the 8 ton chandelier - the ceiling turned all black from the smoke. So Chagall painted another ceiling over it - but the style of the opera house and the style of Chagalls painting don’t mesh well and that has created some controversy. The tour guide said the French have protested about the ceiling - of course - how french!

Then from the Opera house we went to Montmartre - and to the Sacre Coeur. That church is so amazing. And the view from the top of those steps is absolutely divine. The students were able to walk around Montmartre a little and get some souvenirs and some more snacks - Vive les crepes!

Then finally we battled rush hour metro traffic to get home to our families by 7pm. It was a jam packed day. But the students have been so great. They are attentive and polite with their tour guides. They keep together as a group. And they are becoming much more comfortable with their host families after night #2. They are speaking more french becoming accustomed to their french life.

Tomorrow is the Louvre, I think Le Marais, Galaries LaFayette and the bateaux mouches tour!  And Mikes birthday

Inside the Opera

AHS in Notre Dame

Day 2

We met the students at the Gare Evry Courcouronnes at 8:30am. They had all survived their first night with their French families. We shared our first night stories as we took the train into Paris. Isabel and Aimee were talking about their 6 year old brother who was so hyper - ready to get to know his American sisters. (It’s the same family that Kristian and Ian had last year where that same 6 year old cried when they left). The students said they enjoyed the french food and really liked staying with a family. The other GREAT part of staying with a family is that most students were asleep by 10pm or latest 11pm. They were able to get rest before day numero 2.

So we headed to Ile St Louis and Ile de la Cite. On our way we walked by the Town Hall of Paris - where they have an ice rink there in the winter. It was beautiful out - sunny, clear - a gorgeous day to walk around Paris. We continued to the Iles - where we sampled some famous Berthillon ice cream. The students remembered Mme Ambrose raving about that since 7th grade. We walked around Notre Dame area and then took a break of lunch. On the lunch break - some of the students went back to ice rink to skate - others explored the bookstores near the Latin Quarter - others enjoyed the French cafe or crepes. In the afternoon we headed to Hotel des Invalides where we saw Napoleons tomb and went to the Army Museum - where they have a war museum which chronicles wars in France since the 1900 through WW2. They have everything from uniforms to posters used during the wartime.

Then we headed back to the Latin Quarter for some more exploring time. And then back home to Lisses. We did a LOT of walking - the students were exhausted by the time we got on the train. But it was a great 2nd day in Paris. Time seems to be flying by!

Morgano and I just had a 4 hours conversation with our French Mom about France - the US - we discussed politics, immigrants, schools - basically all the taboo topics you probably aren’t supposed to talk about - over of course an amazing meal!

Time for some sleep!!

Tomorrow we go to the Musee D’Orsay, the Select Choir concert at 11am at Notre Dame. the Opera House and then a little Galeries LaFayette shopping time.

In Front of the Hotel de Ville 

Day 1 Pics

Day 1

Day one is finally over! It was a great day - but man was it a long day.  We arrived at JFK at 3pm for our 6pm flight that didn’t leave until 7pm.  We arrived at Charles de Gaulle at 8am.  All ready to meet our tour guide Fabien. He was our tour guide from last year so it was great to see a familiar face.   Most students didn’t get more than 2 hours of sleep if they were lucky.  But we ready to take on Paris!  We took the bus to Paris - gray and a little rainy today - but not too terribly cold. We took the elevator up to the 2nd floor of the Eiffel tower - where Sarah, Danielle and I stopped - while the rest of the brave souls went up to the top of the tower. We then made our way to the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysees where we saw a little history - had some great lunch and then spent the afternoon  strolling along the Elysees.  By 7pm we were in the salle municipal parking lot waiting for the french families to arrive. !0 minutes before our arrival I heard the nervous chatter in the back of the bus “ oh - how do you say “....” again in French?  Don’t you use “...” when talking about food?  So I went back and gave a little pep talk and they were on their way. If we could have filmed the meeting - Morgano and I would have - it was just such a precious moment to see the students meet their french families. We made it through the first day!!  It will be interesting to hear the stories of the first night chez les français!  A demain tout le monde!
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We have arrived

Only place with free wifi! But we are on the Champs Élysées. Everyone survived the flight. At this point most are slap happy we are so tired. We meet in an hour to head to lisses to meet our host families! Hopefully I will be able to blog more later tonight at host mom's house

Location:Toyota wifi car expo

For Susan and Cathy

Lisa and Nicole wanted to say hi to their moms.



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Leaving for paris

Everyone made it safely through security check. Will be boarding plane shortly.



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Paris 2011

Welcome to our Paris 2011 Blog.  Tonight we have our parent/student meeting.  Next time we get together will be to leave for Paris.