A Journey Through Europe
A two hour drive to L.A., a 14 hour flight to London, and about 22 hours of sleep deprivation is what CCHS French Students endured when they took two weeks in December to explore abroad in Europe. To start this off, I’d like to thank my now three year French teacher, Mr.Cruz, for being the most patient, open minded person I know, and for making this trip possible. After the long voyage, we arrived in the United Kingdom on the 20th of December, and with high hopes and exhaustion, we ran through the city of London as we chased our tour guide, Mike. So, we walked to Covent Garden, Piccadilly Circus, and Trafalgar Square. To be completely honest we were all very tired, but the excitement rushed through our bodies; it even caused us to break a few laws as we walked mindlessly through the streets. Quick disclaimer: as a former survivor, please look both ways when you cross any street, especially in Europe. Revived after a very deep sleep, the next day, we had a quick tour with “Blue Badge” guide Jackie, which consisted of St. Paul’s Cathedral, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey. We stopped at Buckingham Palace to view the ceremony of ‘Changing of the Guard’ and were constantly reminded that “London is best.” In a bullet train under the sea, we made our way to France. Oh, I forgot to mention our first initial shock: everything in Europe is tiny- EVERYTHING. On a real note, the United States is so extra.
France is beautiful. We were amazed to see the Eiffel Tower, and we took a cruise on Seine before visiting Notre Dame. In order to digest a dinner of snails in Paris, we took a walk to view the Eiffel tower at night. I know what you’re thinking, and yes, escargot (cooked land snail) is indeed a thing. Trust me, I was shook, too. We made sure to pay admiration to Mona Lisa’s smile at the Louvre Museum. Another thing I forgot to mention: transportation with 24 people through Paris is not easy. I had never felt like a sardine in my whole life until I got on the metro. And of course, we had a few scares along the way (quick shout out to Mrs. Cruz for always being so worried about us). Once in Italy, I was stunned as various artwork, people, gelato, and pasta all gave me an incredible experience to remember. When in Rome, you MUST visit the colosseum and remember Vatican City- the amount of history each place holds is just unbelievable. In Italy, we took a ferry boat to Capri Island and a chair lift to the very top of the mountain. This was also the day I got over my fear of heights. We then stayed at Sorrento, a small little city which I personally found amazing. Pompeii was remarkable, as the volcano could be seen in the background of the ancient city. We made our way to Greece on a ship, which is where I had my Titanic moment...alone.
We spent our New Year in Plaka, where we had a big dinner and watched Greek folk dancers. I participated in the dancing, as I decided that my new year resolution was to experience life with a purpose. I encourage you to be open minded and experience life outside of what you know, for I received such an amazing opportunity to find meaning in my life and take into consideration more parts of the world. I am extremely grateful that I have acquired a ton of memories, found a second family, and recently, realized the beauty of life. Live Life. Be Happy.
-Ariadna Romo, Cesar E. Chavez High School student