As waves crashed on the beach of Saint Anne, Guadeloupe, sophomore Hanna Balis, one of 16 North students to travel on the exchange, breathed in the fresh sea air wafting into her bedroom window as she packed her clothes into an overstuffed suitcase to return to Newton. With a smile on her face, Balis said she concluded her journey with a newfound sense of understanding and gratitude.
Following the arrival of their exchange students in October, North students learning French immersed themselves into Guadeloupean culture from Jan. 31 to Feb. 18, through the exchange program with the General School of Baimbridge. Guadeloupe, a Caribbean island, is one of the unique exchange destinations offered at North, encouraging students to experience foreign cultures and forge unexpected friendships with their host family correspondent.
“Nature was the entertainment for us,” said Balis. “Who needs a phone when there’s a beach and sun?”
In Guadeloupe, students spent weekdays on excursions with North students and weekends at home with their host families. The students from Guadeloupe also had the option to join the North students on the trips during their school break.
World language teacher Isabelle Ronfard, the head teacher on the exchange, said it promotes cultural learning through sharing day to day life experiences with students from an entirely different background.
“The word exchange is so fitting because it is an experience based so much on change, changing your entire daily life to live with another person in their life,” added Ronfard.
In addition to gaining new outlooks on the world, tight bonds and friendships are often forged through the long days spent with the other students from both of the schools.
Balis and exchange correspondent Clovis Poirier Doumeng were one of the many pairs who developed a strong bond during their travels.
“Clovis is almost like a second brother to me, so it’s easy to feel at home,” said Balis.
Although the connections formed on the exchange are strong, the challenges presented by cultural differences and language barriers were difficult to overcome, according to Balis.
In a WIN meeting before the students departed, world language teacher Kathryn Tessier du Cros explained that students needed to continue to try speaking the language even when they didn’t know the right words.
“One of the hardest things in an excursion experience is being willing to feel silly and make a fool of yourself. If you give up too quickly you never get to the other side of that which is progress,” said Tessier du Cros, “Being a teenager with all of these brilliant ideas but in a language where you can say ‘I am hungry’ or ‘I need food’ and maybe put a sentence together is difficult. If you can fight through the mistakes then all the sudden you learn a lot quicker. It’s like an emotional reaction.”
The students from Guadeloupe spend five hours each week in an English class and most become fluent by their junior year. In comparison, students at North have a total of three hours and forty-five minutes of world language per week.
For Balis, Poirier Doumeng was a resource to help her stick to speaking French. “I told Clovis, ‘do not let me switch to English even when it gets hard.’”
Balis added, “I’m in 3 ACP, so Clovis is much better at English than I am at French. I really had to commit to wanting to speak French or he would switch to English for me.”
While language poses significant barriers to developing mutual understanding, other factors include differences in culture and social dynamics.
According to Poirier Doumeng, experiencing a New England Halloween left a deep impression. “There is nothing like it in Guadeloupe,” he said. “And the weather, the horrible, horrible weather.”
Conversely, Balis described Guadeloupe as “absolutely beautiful” and “a nice refresher from winter.”
In addition to these cultural differences, ways of living also differ significantly between the two countries.
“In Guadeloupe people don’t do that much. It takes so long to go anywhere because there’s only one big road and no public transportation. So adjusting to Newton where people are always with their friends or going to the city was weird,” Poirier Doumeng said.
Poirier Doumeng and Balis commented on the major differences in school systems as well. Poirier Doumeng said that he often talks back to his teachers when he disagrees in Guadeloupe. At North, arguing with teachers is less common, with the action being discouraged instead of promoted. Balis echoed that statement, saying, “It was so weird to see that in class. If I did that here I’d be in so much trouble.”
As the waves continued to crash onto the beaches of Guadeoupe, some of the students from North and Baimbridge were chosen to give a speech at the farewell party. Poirier Doumeng thanked the teachers in his speech saying, “this was one of the best experiences of my life, I wish I could do it all over again.”
Balis added that she felt the trip was equally valuable and that she made connections with students from both schools.
Although the two cultures share countless differences, connections similar to Balis and Poirier Doumeng show the charm of a cultural exchange, demonstrating how individuals from completely different backgrounds can bond together.
When the plane landed back in Boston, North students walked away with more than just language skills, but also resilience, open mindedness, and insights on a new culture.
