At Cathedral, students are provided with countless opportunities to harness their skills and talents. One of the most sought-after programs includes an exchange trip, something two students at Cathedral participated in over the summer. 

With its cobblestone streets, stunning scenery, and intricate architecture, France attracts many, particularly those eager to immerse themselves and experience French culture and life. Exchange trips are common in high schools around the United States, as they help learners gain cultural experience, improve linguistic proficiency, and provide them with a global perspective.

Cathedral welcomes students from countries such as Guatemala, Germany, and France; however, few recognize that Cathedral students also have a similar opportunity to embark on this sort of program. Although not for a full year, students can go abroad for about a month to a country that correlates with the foreign language they are studying. 

Provided by the State of Indiana and its IU Honors Program for Foreign Language, the program focuses on language and cultural immersion for high school students who have completed their sophomore or junior year. Students must be enrolled in their 3rd year of a language, such as French, German, or Spanish, and then go into the 4th year of the specific language or higher if they wish to participate. Students are encouraged to turn to their foreign language teachers for more information. 

To apply, they must submit an application, write a letter in their foreign language, go through an interview process, and gather letters of recommendation. While the process is not exceptionally difficult, it is quite lengthy, beginning with the sign-ups in October and the response regarding an acceptance or deferral in January. Once accepted, one must complete additional forms that will determine what host family they would be paired with for a full month. In these host families, students will engage in daily conversations, meals, activities, and weekend outings creating lifelong memories and bonds. These host families provide students with a home away from home and are vital teachers of the language and culture.

Studying French at Cathedral, Saress Marshall and Nohemy Rodriguez were the two seniors who participated in this incredible retreat to France. While in France, Rodriguez and Marshall enrolled in a wide range of French classes such as Culture, Grammar, Literature, Communication, and Linguistic classes in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the French lifestyle. Though they are both from Cathedral, Marshall and Rodriguez were assigned to live in separate cities in France. 

One of the oldest locations for the IU Honors Program includes the small town of Saint-Brieuc, located in the region of Brittany in northwestern France. Known for its water views, beaches, and rock formations, it provides an authentic French experience away from the all the tourist crowds. For Rodriguez, it would be her home for a month, as she lived with her host family which included twin daughters and a son. Meanwhile 200 miles away in Western France in Saumur, a place known for its rich history and stunning castles, Saress Marshall stayed with a French couple and another exchange student from Indiana. 

While in her host city of Saint-Brieuc, Rodriguez was able to go on many different excursions and community engagement days, some of which included visiting Le Mont Saint Michel, an island commune situated by the coast, creating, what Rodriguez detailed, the most stunning scenic views. A few other excursions included Saint-Malo, a port city distinguished by its old towers.

The program allows students to be able to take part in activities to engage with the culture and community. Ranging from sports, choir, or art to visiting museums or volunteering with community groups, the IU Honors Program does an exceptional job of finding opportunities for students to grow in their knowledge of their program site. 

Rodriguez described her experience volunteering and engaging with a school in France. There she spent time with the kids learning how to play typical French games, make crepes, and learn how to play bagpipe instruments found in French folk music. Though she visited many places in France, Rodriguez was also given some downtime, much of which was spent going to the town center and exploring the shops there. She recalls, on her last day in France, how she and her friends decided to interact with some people also walking around in the town centers. She said, “We came up with the idea of playing arm wrestling, which the locals then taught us the name in French, bras de fer. We had so much fun and began having more conversations with those who would agree to play along.” 

Living in Saumur, another IU Honors location, students like Marshall could explore the Cadre Noir, The National School of Horsemanship, the Armored Branch and Cavalry Training School, and underground caves extending for 312 miles. For Marshall, living in Saumur for about a month she was able to talk to many native French speakers. She said, “I think that getting the opportunity to be immersed in the community and exclusively speaking French improved my communication skills.” 

Though Rodriguez made some friends in France, she wishes she would’ve connected more with the people there, such as her host family. She said, “Though I lived with my host family for a month I do think that my timidness limited my ability to connect with them a bit more.” As for Marshall, she wishes she could’ve done more sightseeing in Saumur, as she only saw the downtown area of the city and the castles. 

The financial aspects of this study abroad process require students to pay a specific fee. However, there are opportunities for scholarships and financial assistance, as well as the opportunity for those students who are accepted to the program to do some fundraising.

Cathedral teachers and administrators fully support this opportunity from Indiana University. For the last 50-plus years, Cathedral has had many students who have participated in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity through the Indiana University Honors Program in Foreign Languages.

Gary Spurgen, the French teacher, who helped Marshall and Rodriguez apply for the immersion program, believes that both students were adequately prepared to adapt to the change in language, as well as being able to adapt to speaking, learning, and living the language. However, he warns that it may be somewhat of a shock as students are bound to a no-English rule while they are in France. Mr. Spurgen said, “This can be very rewarding, but at the same time very tiring. However, I know that both Saress and Nahomy received excellent reports from the program upon their return home to Indiana.”

As the last few days in France approached and their family, friends, and of course Dear Old Cathedral awaited their return, Rodriguez and Marshall said goodbye to their home away from home and the countless memories they made there. Their exchange trip offered them a life-changing experience, as what they learned became more than just interactions in a different language, but a way to have better insight in a different way of life.

Living with their host families and sharing their everyday experiences, they practiced a lot of French, skillfully built their communication skills, and most importantly formed memories. Although both Marshall and Rodriguez went through many different obstacles throughout their stay in France, all of them reveal the enormous impact of such programs on a person’s growth as well as their appreciation for different cultures. As Cathedral continues to support these sorts of opportunities, students are urged to research more into the IU Honors Program and embark on this life-changing journey.