Cultural and Language Immersion in France and Greece This Summer

Each summer, RL boys have the opportunity to participate in a variety of study abroad experiences and immersion trips that deepen their understanding of history, language, and culture. Over the years, students have traveled to locations across the globe, including France, Spain, Costa Rica, and Senegal. This summer, 17 Class II boysGreece, accompanied by Mrs. Morris-Kliment, Mr. Beam, and Mr. Phillips, while a group of twelve boys studying French traveled to Caen to begin their month-long immersion program, accompanied by Monsieur Diop and Madame Kostur.

The Greek students embarked on an immersive journey packed with cultural and historical highlights. Their itinerary began with a visit to Cape Sounion and a swim in the Saronic Gulf, followed by a sunset hike to the Temple of Poseidon. In Athens, they explored the Roman and Ancient Athenian Agora, the Acropolis, and the Acropolis Museum. The group strolled through Syntagma Square, climbed Mt. Lycabettus, and visited sites like the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Panathenaic Stadium. Beyond Athens, the students traveled across Greece, stopping at the National Archaeological Museum, Eleusis, the Corinthian Canal, Ancient Corinth, Nemea, and the Venetian seaport of Nafplio. They toured the ancient ruins of Mycenae, swam at Karathona Beach, and experienced the ancient sites of Epidaurus and Olympia—home to one of the original four Panhellenic Games. The journey also included time in Delphi, where students explored the Athenian Treasury, the Temple of Apollo, and the ancient stadium, connecting deeply with the myth and history they had studied. Each day was filled with opportunities to sample Greek cuisine, hike through breathtaking landscapes, and reflect on the significance of the ancient world in modern times. These trips not only offer delicious food and historical wonder but also provide memories and lessons to last a lifetime.

Meanwhile, in France, students were settling in with their host families, adjusting to their new home away from home, and beginning their studies, gaining firsthand knowledge of the French language and culture. Though stationed in Caen for the first leg of the trip, the group took many excursions to nearby towns and villages, such as a memorable field trip to Fleury-sur-Orne—the hometown of one of their new French teachers, Jacqueline. Students explored local history on walking tours, visited one of the last pre-Normandy battle walls and beaches of Normandy, made overnight excursions to St. Malo and the iconic Mont-Saint-Michel, swam in the English Channel, and culminated these adventures with two days in Paris, where they cruised the River Seine and ate in the French Quarter. Throughout the trip, the boys continued to work on their understanding of the French language through various lessons and activities, including writing a script, recording, editing, and presenting a podcast titled Normen vs. Saxons.

These special experiences—the opportunity to practice language skills, discover regional architecture, and reflect on the resilience of local communities—deepen students’ appreciation for the language, history, and culture they study during the school year. Studying abroad at RL, as part of these immersive adventures, connects classroom learning with real-world experiences, shaping students’ global perspectives, and making them more informed and empathic citizens of the world.

Read the French students’ firsthand accounts and view photos from their adventures at the French immersion trip travel blog.