This year, Curtis students will be traveling to France, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands. They will be staying at the houses of their exchange students. Anticipation for the trip is part of the fun.  Although the students for  France and Italy have met their exchange students, the travelers to Spain and the Netherlands will be meeting them for the first time on foreign soil.

The Netherlands trip is February 10 through February 21. The trip includes a tour of  the famous Anne Frank House as well as the holocaust museum in Amsterdam. One student going on this trip, sophomore Carmen Avila, said, “It’s a new experience for me to be going. Plus, when am I ever going to get another chance like this.”

The trip to Spain is held from February 11 through February 23. Students will be staying for two weeks and will start in Gijon. Twenty five students will be attending, one of whom is Gabriella Jaramillo. Jaramillo has previously been to Italy and France and really enjoys traveling and seeing different places. “I have no family connection in Spain, but my father has been there and he said it was beautiful and the people were welcome and fun to be around. I’m very excited to meet my student and go to the places she is taking me. I have been excited ever since I was younger and now I can experience the culture and the atmosphere,” said Jaramillo.

March 32 to April 13 is when students will be going off to France. Reims will welcome students from Curtis, who will reside there for two weeks. Roderick Reid is a senior and is finally getting his chance to travel before heading off to college. This is his first trip and he is  a little nervous about going abroad. “I am very excited to be going and I will attempt to learn the language there and be able to eat the different foods,” said Reid. Reid did have other chances to do the foreign exchange program, but he wanted to wait for the perfect opportunity to actually travel. Now in his senior year, he finally gets the chance. He said, “I feel like this is a reward for me. I would have done the program earlier, but I wanted to focus on my school work.”

Sophomore Zachary Henriquez is looking forward to the trip to Italy. Henriquez has previously traveled to Castricum and Reims and is now heading off to Milan, Italy. The exchange trip will also include Venice, and Florence. “I am extremely excited to have been fortunate enough to participate in the foreign exchange program. I have seen many extraordinary things during my excursions. It is also interesting to see how other people live. I cannot wait to see the Grand Canal, Saint Mark’s Basilica and many other historical sites.”

The great thing about the foreign exchange, is our chaperones plan an amazing itinerary for us,” said Henriquez. Going to another place can make someone nervous, but Henriquez is prepared. He said, “I cannot say that I am nervous in any way. We generally stay with families who try to make us feel comfortable while we are so far away from home.”