French Exchange Students Bid Adieu to Hamden Hall

Parlez vous Français? Because they do! In an inspiring cultural and linguistic exchange, nine Middle and Upper School students hosted a small group of French students from a private school near Lyon, France, for a second year in a row.

The exchange visit was coordinated by World Language Department Chair Yasmine Haque with our Hamden Hall students hosts including sophomores Paula and Betty Wang; freshmen Theo Baron, Penelope Dwyer, Landon Sassu-Martin, and Cooper Zebrowski; and eighth-graders Theo Botsman, Greyson Vasseur, and Chloe Zebrowski. The French students were chaperoned by teachers Josie Turpin and Linda Valla.

“We were so immensely grateful to be back at Hamden Hall with our students for another visit,” said Mrs. Valla. “The exchange provided the students with a wonderful opportunity to connect with their peers and, more importantly, gain a valuable learning experience about different cultures.”

The French students and chaperones were warmly welcomed onto campus with an introductory tour before the students paired off with their hosts to accompany them during their school day and extracurricular activities. Over the course of three days, the students immersed themselves into campus life and shadowed different classes including French 1 and 2, Honors Geometry, English, science, and study hall.

Reflecting on their visit, the French students noted some differences between the education at Hamden Hall and the one they receive in France including the use of laptops, small class sizes, the kinship between students and faculty members, and the freedom that allows students to move around campus. Two students noted that their most memorable highlights included enjoying our athletic facilities as the “gym is much bigger” and being able to use the Panini press in the cafeteria.

As the exchange students parted ways, Mrs. Valla noted they would continue to keep in touch and expressed a desire for a reciprocal visit by Hamden Hall. Prior to returning to France, the group first made a stop at the school store to purchase merchandise (something that is not available to them at their own school) before heading off to Yale University for a campus tour followed by a day trip to New York City to see the sights and enjoy the cuisine.

“This experience has made a profound impact not only on the exchange students themselves but also our community,” said Mrs. Haque. “We were able to open up our campus and allow people to experience what life at Hamden Hall is like. As the years progress, the hope is to continue the exchange visit and welcome more students to our campus.”