French Christmas Market Trip
The Christmas market French trip. Otherwise known as the only two days of the year in which the teachers of both languages and history are permitted to dress in berets and striped tops and call themselves French. Some, namely, Mr Price, took this task more seriously than others. I think he certainly made sure to let every person in the vicinity know that he was in fact a tourist. A tourist who very much wanted to be a French citizen, if only for a few days.
Aside from the mild cultural appropriation, the trip itself was two days packed with beautiful buildings, delicious (and cheap) pastries and chocolates, absolutely lovely people, and a whole lot of fun. The trip began like all school trips do – 50 kids boarding a coach at 2:30am with bleary eyes but high spirits. Now, what no one tells you about school trips is that the back seats of the coach are in fact a symbol of dominance. Those who are lucky enough to sit at the back – they hold the power. Those two days were not only a cultural trip, but a fight for dominion. And, if it weren’t for the heroic intervention of Mrs Verhoog, there may have been outright war. But, aside from these minor friendly disagreements between our year 11 and 13 students, all went smoothly.
On the ferry to Calais, there were both explorations of Duty Free and reenactments of scenes from Titanic on the top deck – the most memorable featuring Oliver (year 13) as Rose and Isaac (also year 13) as Jack. Having reached Lille by approximately midday, students took part in the “Lille Lotto” whilst exploring the festive markets and city. One of the most memorable moments was the race to find presents for the secret santa where gifts ranged from engraved bracelets, footballs, chocolates to candy canes. The famous “Lille Wheel” exceeded expectations, and once at the top, the gorgeous city in all its Christmas lights and decorations could be viewed.
Towards the late afternoon, a trip to EuroLille was taken where students and staff took part in what can only be described as a supermarket sweep. Students collected lifetime supplies of French chocolate, bread and pastries and shopped for Christmas gifts! After everyone was all shopped-out, it was back to the lovely accommodation: the chateau, where both dinner and snails were waiting. The snails provoked some interesting reactions!
The second day, students took a trip to the World War I trenches in Yprès – it was safe to say that this was history teachers Mr Price and Mr Jordan’s time to shine. The history students, in particular, were fascinated by the preserved trenches, with photos and artefacts bringing to life the experiences of those soldiers who fought in the war. Visiting the cemetery soon after where Mrs Heaton paid her respects to her great great grandfather was a sombre and reflective moment during the trip, one which brought to light the importance of remembering those who sacrificed their lives during the World War.
This leaves the final and arguably most anticipated part of the trip – the Brugge Christmas markets. For many, this means a fairytale city with opportunities to purchase Belgian waffles, chocolate, and even more chocolate. To others, sampling a Belgian McDonalds was of course, a must. It should also be mentioned that we had the privilege of witnessing the filming of not one but two music videos during this time. Both the staff Christmas music video and the Year 13 tutor group video underwent production, featuring interviews with the locals and out-of time singing as the staples.
So, what a trip it was overall! It was a journey to say the least, both in miles and memories. There was San Pellegrino spilt, there were conversations with locals in supermarkets, there was pouring rain and cold wind but, no one on that trip could have had more fun. A huge thank you to Mrs Verhoog and all the teachers who helped to organise the trip – I’m only sad I won’t be able to go next year!