BAMBERG -- While many students spent their spring break at the beach, 10 Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School teens chose to do something a little more unusual. Under the guidance of B-E French teacher Stevie Roach, the group spent eight days experiencing Paris in springtime.

Roach said the trip was a once-in-a-lifetime adventure for many of the students and their adult chaperones.

"After a long flight, the first day was a tough one with students quickly realizing, after walking for miles, how fortunate they were to have cars (back home) to drive anywhere they choose to go," she said.

As the week rolled by, first impressions morphed into a variety of lasting impressions for the students.

"My first impression of Paris was that it was amazing; I loved it," Rachel Headen said. "Though I thought it was a beautiful city, I also thought of it as being dirty, as well.

"As the week went on, my initial impression of Paris didn't change very much. I learned that just like any other major city, Paris has clean parts and dirty parts. I still thought and still do think that Paris is an amazing city. It is truly a work of art."

The group had numerous opportunities to get a bird's eye view of the city.

"Venturing to the top of the highest point in Paris, Montmartre, was no easy feat, but the view was well worth it." Roach said. "After recovering from the initial day (culture shock mixed with jet lag and miles of walking up and down hilly cobblestone streets), the students were able to enjoy sights such as Versailles, Musée d'Orsay, Arc de Triomphe, The Louvre, the catacombs, Notre Dame and, of course, the Eiffel Tower."

Kendall Strickland's favorite site was the Eiffel Tower. For Strickland, the least attractive aspect of Paris was the pigeons. When it came to choosing a favorite food, Croque Monsieur and crepes made the top of the list.

The catacombs, a famous underground cemetery, left students astounded. It was Houston Griffin's favorite site. Griffin was most impressed that the many historical monuments and landmarks in Paris were respected and not defaced. The Egyptian and medieval exhibits at the Louvre also left a lasting impression.

The students were amazed by Notre Dame and could not get enough of its beauty and detailed construction, Roach said. It was hard for them to fathom how such a magnificent structure could have been built in the 12th century. Almost all of the students said they were disappointed with the Mona Lisa because it was so small and plain, Roach said.

"The group visited the catacombs toward the end of their trip," she said. "This experience proved to be another favorite for many of the travelers, who had never seen anything like this. One student commented that only the French would take the time to arrange bones so that they looked like art."

Being visitors in a foreign land was enlightening for the students. Roach said sometimes, it was difficult for beginner students to use their language skills because the French are so comfortable with English, they would rather converse in English as opposed to waiting on the students to get their thoughts straight in French.

"The French do appreciate Americans trying to speak their language, even if it is only a few phrases," she said.

Students had a chance to use some basic phrases they had learned in class, such as "bonjour" ("hello"), "au revoir" ("good-bye"), "combien?" ("how much?"), "je voudrais" ("I'd like"), "merci" ("thank you") and, especially, "non, merci" ("no thank you"), "une télécarte, s'il vous plaît?" ("a phone card, please?") and "on y va" ("let's go").

"It was interesting to see the differences in the students' perceptions of the French people and their culture," Roach said. "Sometimes, the students were unaware that they were offending some of the Parisians and could not understand why they were receiving haughty glances or the infamous Gallic shrug that the French are known for around the world. ... They thought that the French were being rude when they were actually the ones who had initially offended."

The students also noticed less positive aspects of the big city, such as the many people who smoked, how dirty things were, everyone being in a hurry and the high price of some food items.

"This is just like New York City" was Teresa Carter's initial impression.

As the days went by, she said she realized that nothing in America provided as much history and art in one place. Carter's favorite activity was the night cruise on the Seine. By comparison, Carter said, many things in Paris were so much smaller -- portions of food, bathrooms, doorways and restaurant tables.

Kyle Smith said he thoroughly enjoyed the bus tour of Paris and touring Versailles, but found that he did not care for the French drivers. Alsacian pizza was his favorite food experience. He said he found the French to be indifferent, quiet and reserved.

Sobering moments were part of the students' experiences in France, too.

"I couldn't help but think of all the people who died in the Nazi concentration camps when we visited the Jewish deportation site," Chase Felkel said. "It was very touching to see the memorial they built to remember all the Jewish people who died. I have read books about what happened to the Jewish people, but once we visited this site, it became real to me for the first time."

Several of students, like Shayla Ferguson, came away from Paris with a mixture of feelings and sensations.

"I can honestly say that Paris is, indeed, the city of romance," Ferguson said. "The streets of Paris are made of cobblestone and are very narrow; they contribute to the romantic atmosphere. Paris most definitely has a lot of history to it -- from where Princess Diana was killed to where Marie Antoinette awaited beheading."

"It's all about culture and realizing that although things are different from what you are used to, they are not always wrong -- they're just different," Roach told the students.

More than remembering any of the sites or food, Roach said she hopes the students learned to appreciate differences. She believes it is important for students to get out of their communities and experience the world so they can see that South Carolina is not the center of the universe.

B-E junior John Hammett, in summing up his thoughts on the trip, said, "I knew I would be blown away by the monuments and different architecture, but you really don't get the full effect until you are there. What I most enjoyed about taking pictures was capturing the full spirit and effect of what was going on and how everyone perceived Paris."

While the students loved parts of the French culture, they were glad to return home and share their experiences, Roach said.

T&D Correspondent Minnie Miller can be reached by writing to her at 138 Nature's Trail, Bamberg, SC 29003. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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