Aero: Arvilla Mast – France 2018 – Life at School

Posted by LEAF Architect on Tuesday, September 11, 2018 · Leave a Comment

Aero: Arvilla Mast – France 2018 – Life at School

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Arvilla Mast

It’s kind of funny that my first time in a public high school was in another county! Although, I’m may be one of the few that can say I had a great high school experience. Going to school was what I was most nervous about for this trip. My first thought upon seeing the Vitre high school was how beautiful and inviting it was. Its gothic style, tall fence, stone building, high windows seemed like a school out of a movie.

There were teenagers who looked like movie stars casually hanging in groups wreathed in smoke. I knew a lot of teenagers smoked, but it was sure different seeing young people casually chatting with a teacher while smoking on school ground! Their style is just beautiful, even on the rare occasion you see someone rocking something close to comfy pants, they do it so dang elegantly. All of them dress well too. I don’t think you would ever see a Frenchman in pajamas! They dress in mostly solid dark colors, and make a scarf look like a work of art. We need to learn from them.

All the students that I encountered were very nice. My host student seemed to be pretty popular and she introduced me to all her friends. I’ve never kissed so many people in my life! The French custom I think is called, “faire la bise”. I was a little uncomfortable with it at first, but I probably kissed twenty people my first day of school so I’m so used to it now. When I first got home I kept almost greeting people with a kiss on the cheek, which will get you weird looks here in the US. I’m not sure but it seemed to be a bit of a popularity boost to be friends with an American, I did not expect to draw so many stares. Walking through a crowded hallway was pretty stressful for me; you get the feeling that all eyes are on you. Most students I interacted with spoke at least a little English, and wanted to talk to us to learn more.

The school in general felt fairly relaxed and laid-back. They have longer days than us, eight-thirty to six, but they seem to have more breaks and an hour for lunch. The food in the school cafeteria is ridiculously good. They have two or three hot food options, and then a few different salads, there’s always bread and cheese, and the desserts are so good! Students are allowed to leave the school grounds in between classes, unlike our schools which I’ve heard are basically run like a prison, and students are fed food no better than slop. Also, the students have their own separate lounge sort of area just to hang out and teachers were not supposed to go in there. The kind of respect of privacy that the students and teachers hold for each other was super interesting.

The classes I participated in probably had on average twenty students. The classes we attended were community college level classes. The students didn’t seem to raise their hands, they just chatted with the professor and interacted casually. We helped students with their English in some classes which was very fun, and we answered many questions about America and American politics in other classes. I was amazed by how much all the French students knew. They know as much about politics as I do and you really have to know your stuff. They will ask well thought out questions. The atmosphere is very different than in the US though when it comes to politic. They don’t get heated at all, they just love to have discussions and ask questions and it’s okay to disagree. Some of these discussions were very eye-opening for me.

The way their school system is structured is also very different and a little confusing to me. Basically, they seem to be taking classes in high school that are directed towards their careers. It’s pretty much like our first years of college. But they’re sixteen and having to decide what they want to do with their life. I didn’t have any idea what I wanted to do at sixteen and I’ve already changed my major once in college! That was an interesting difference to note.

Overall the school visits were wonderful. There are many things that I wish United States schools could adopt that would make our students high school experiences so much more bearable. It was a relaxing environment to learn in, people were super friendly, and the food was delicious. I don’t know how different it might be when they don’t have American visitors, but overall it was a very enlightening experience.

Arvilla Mast
Study Abroad – France 2018 @ FLCC

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