Abigail's Experience

       

It has been nearly two weeks since we left, and this experience continues to enhance my knowledge of the the world. When we first arrived, the excitement and anticipation of exploring the city trolled me. I absolutely could not wait for our first full day of venturing through the beautiful Cape Town. On our first day we went to Table Mountain, which holds the most spectacular view overlooking the city. The phenomenal view easily distracted me from the fact that it was three degrees Celsius on top of the mountain. 

The following day we went to the Cape of Good Hope which was absolutely breathtaking. During our time in the park we went on a hike and saw many animals including ostriches, baboons, penguins, and more. 

On Friday we went to Langa township where we saw life inside one of the many townships South Africa has. This township was a culture shock. There were people who lived in huts, others lived in apartments, and some even lived in storage units given to them by the government. This was a true eye opener as to what some people in South Africa experience compared to the lifestyle I was about to experience with my host family. 

When we arrived at Brescia School in Johannesburg Friday evening, I was beyond excited to finally meet my host family. My host family is nothing less than outgoing, kind, and exceptional. On Saturday my host family took me to the Lion Safari Park where I was able to see countless animals in a realistic environment for them. I saw cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, lions, ostriches, and warthogs. After the safari my host student, Tarryn, and I went to pet lion cubs and a cheetah. Holding a lion cub is a moment in my life that I will never forget.

On Sunday I got the full tour of Johannesburg. This city is massive, and my host family and I explored every inch of it. I saw many interesting things including the stadium built for the 2010 world cup, the different levels of poverty, and the university my host parents attended. On Monday we spent our time at the school. It started with a tour of their gorgeous campus and continued on to attending classes with my host student. On Tuesday there was a focus on history in South Africa. We went to an apartheid museum that was truly eye opening in a sense that it sugar coded nothing. I saw the brutal reality that apartheid had on people in the place that it occurred. We continued on our day by visiting Nelson Mandela’s house in Soweto, as well as the Number Four prison on Constitution Hill.

The following day, Wednesday, was spent at Brescia school attending classes. Brescia is very different from Ursuline, yet they hold some similarities. Their school day starts at 7:30 with devotions each and every morning. Some mornings they sing, while on other days they have a student read a devotion to the high school. They have most of the courses we have as well as consumer studies, which is a cooking class. Their school day ends at 2:30, which makes the school day an eight hour day, just like Ursuline.

On Thursday we went to St. Ursula and they welcomed us with open arms. Everyone was so kind and welcoming. While at the school we sat in on the vote for head girl and head boy. Each year they elect an eleventh grader to become the new head girl and head boy for the upcoming year. This is something new and completely different from Ursuline in St. Louis. The head girl is just like the head of the school, equivalent to our student body president.

On Friday we went to Liliesleaf, where Nelson Mandela and many other liberation leaders hid during the liberation movement. This was very eye opening and it is a part of apartheid history I had never heard about before.

Compared to previous travels, I feel at home here. I don’t have to travel from hotel to hotel, I have home cooked meals, and I feel very comfortable. My family is amazing. They have introduced me to rugby, new foods, new people, and a new environment. The people here are so kind, there is such a diverse community, and this city is amazing.

Lucy's Experience

September 8-9 

Hallo from Johannesburg, South Africa! I can’t even put into words how much this trip has changed my perspective on culture. I came into this trip not knowing very much about the country, but from what I have seen it has made me take a step back and examine everything a bit more. I find some things in their country a little odd to me. One thing that I find confusing is how they drive on the other side of the road. It is sort of cool to look around at the roads and highways to see the ways that they travel. When I was around them, I noticed that they were speaking in German which is very unusual in South Africa. A lot of words and phrases are different here. For example, chips are called crisps, cookies are called biscuits, traffic lights are called robots, elevators are called lifts, bathrooms are called toilets, and a trunk of a car is called a boot. My host family also loves to use the words ‘shame’ and quite. They tend to just say the word ‘shame’ after they hear something horrible or sometimes they might use the phrase, “Oh what a shame!”. In almost every sentence, my host sister would say the word ‘quite’ and we both laugh and bond over that. I am adapting to their culture because I have even found myself saying ‘shame’ and ‘quite’ on my own!

This weekend I have done a lot of exploring! On Saturday my host family took me to the Lion and Safari Park. There, I got to see countless animals from hyenas to giraffes that were 100 feet away! After we went through all of the animal enclosures, we got the chance to pet baby lions. That was by far one of my favorite things that I have ever done! Just being able to be that close to them was really a chance of a lifetime. On Sunday we went to the Farmer’s market for brunch. It was very interesting to see all of the different kinds of food that they have. I wasn’t expecting South Africa to have as many ethnic food choices, but boy I was wrong! After a quick stop at the Farmer’s market, we headed over to the Crocodile Park. We got to see many crocodiles there, but I was very surprised that there weren’t that many in the water. I also got to witness the feeding of the crocodiles. The last time they fed them was the second week of May! My host sister and I also took on the challenge of going zip lining over the crocodile exhibit. I have to say that I was very scared at first, but looking back it wasn’t that big of a deal. We went to a show there and I got to hold a baby alligator, a small corn snake, and a huge anaconda snake!

I definitely went out of my comfort zone this weekend because snakes are something that i have always been very terrified of. St. Angela has a quote that states, “ You need not be anxious if you do your best” I think this quotes speaks great volumes for me on this trip. Although I may be anxious at times, St. Angela always brings me back.

 

Caitlyn's Experience

I was so happy to get the chance to host Jade! I knew nothing about South Africa and couldn't imagine what it would be like to host her. I anxiously waited for the day she would arrive but as soon as we met at the airport we immediately became friends. I knew then that this week would be amazing. She was so fun to be around and I learned so much about her and where she is from. Jade helped me open my eyes to other cultures and explained some of the differences we have such as words and proportion sizes! I loved hosting her and miss her already along with all the others I got to meet. I hope we stay in touch and I get to visit her soon in South Africa.


Although their trip was short we got to do lots of things. We went to the cardinals game, Ted Drewes, Forest park, the zoo, Lumiere park, the Snow Factory, Fitz's, Crushed Red and the mall. However, my favorite times were when we would sit in our room and just talk about our lives together and laugh at each other's accents. We would compare our schools, boys, and friends and we were able to become very close. She was no longer just a host student that I only knew from snapchat and Instagram, but became my sister for a week. I will forever remember this week and cherish our memories. I hope to do this again soon because my family and I loved having Jade stay with us!

Madi's Experience

I'm so blessed to have been apart of the Global Education program here at Ursuline. Hosting an exchange student from the Ursuline in South Africa has been such an amazing experience. In one short week I have grown to love my exchange student, Nosi, as a sister. Over the week Nosi was able to join right in with my family. From the first day we were already laughing all together at the dinner table or teaching her new board games for family game night. Nosi and I were also able to spend lots of time together outside of school and family activities. On Saturday I was able to take Nosi shopping and I learned very quickly how much she loved to shop! It was a lot of fun showing her all new stores and helping her pick things out to bring home to her family.

I was fortunate enough to take Nosi all around St. Louis but my best memories with her were just riding in the car together or hanging out in my room before bed. She loved that I could drive and thought it was so funny that we drove on the wrong side of the road. I may have gotten lost a couple times in forest park but it was still always so much fun. I will never forget the memories we shared together and hope that one day we can make some more in South Africa!
Saying goodbye was a very hard thing to do when you have become so close with your student. I know my whole family wanted to keep Nosi longer and be able to spend more time with her. My sisters loved having her around and still ask how she is and what she's up too. I wish Nosi the best in college and am already planning my trip over to see her!

Maura's Experience

I am so happy to be a part of the Global Education program. I went to Nantes last year and was excited to host a student this year. Having Coppelia here kept me busy and I feel like I learned something new every day. We grew on each other and it was like having a little sister. I love that, language barrier aside, we could all make each other laugh. Humor is important to me and it was awesome seeing the way it could work despite cultural differences. I really loved having Coppelia and all the students here.


-Maura Kernell, '16

Haley's Experience

I am so thankful to be a part of Ursuline's Global Education program. Hosting Agathe for the past two weeks has been so amazing. The age and culture difference were no barriers for us, because we were more alike than I could have expected. From family life to social activities, I was paired with the perfect match. She has become more than just a "match" to me; she has become a good friend.


We had so much fun throughout the time she was here. We went to Chicago the first weekend she was here. The weather was crazy, and we ended up making a joke about it for the rest of the trip. When we got to Chicago it was snowing, but twenty minutes later the skies would be clear and there would be full sun. This constantly switched off for the rest of the day. (In Nantes it doesn't snow, so she was excited to be able to see it in person). We visited the bean and Willis Tower, as well as shopped for hours on end. We were able to take her to a Blues game and opening day at Busch Stadium to watch the Cardinals (bringing home wins for both games!).

My family and I immersed her in the American culture the one way we knew how: food. She had her first "breakfast for dinner" with us, which included pancakes, sausage, and fruit. We took her to Fritz's Frozen Custard so she could have her first concrete. And of course, we had burgers and ribs. We took her to Favazza's on the Hill for real Italian food, included Saint Louis' famous toasted ravioli.


Honestly though, the simple car rides to and from school and the dinner time conversations are what I am going to miss the most. I will miss not having someone to laugh with on the way to school and not hearing about her field trips during the day at school. Time flew by so quickly, but I will always cherish the moments I was able to spend with Agathe.


-Haley Stelzer-Monahan, '16

Melissa's Experience

I loved the experience and the time I got when my french student was here, but I think my favorite/ best memory was when we went to sky zone because they absolutely loved it. We got to play French VS. American dodge ball, jump on the trampolines together, and just into a giant foam pit. Everyone who went had such an amazing time and I always think about it. My host student Antoinette loved playing on the basketball hoops and having a fun time just running around and jumping which I really enjoyed too.

-Melissa Simpson, '16

Bailey's Experience

Having Pierre stay with us for two weeks was a great experience. We bonded and had so much fun together when he was here. From the moment that I saw him in the airport, I could tell that he was so nice and I had made the right decision to host a french student. By the end of the first week, Pierre's English improved so much from being around people who were speaking in English all the time. By the middle of the second week, we were laughing and cracking jokes with each other that we both understood.

Throughout the two weeks he was here, we squeezed everything in that we could think of for him to do in St. Louis. We had a pizza party for all the host students and their parents and the french students at my house. It was really fun and we ordered two Pointersaurus pizzas, which are 28 inches. Everybody, including us Americans, were amazed at the size of the pizzas and took countless pictures of them. The party was a great idea (thanks to my mom) because it helped everybody get to know each other right off the bat. Pierre and I did so many fun things together, including, going to parties, going out to eat at St. Louis places, like Blueberry Hill, for a good St. Louis burger and getting some delicious Ted Drew's. Pierre also enjoyed going to my track meets and my brother’s lacrosse games because he told me that they don't have sports with their high school; only club teams (he’s on a very competitive cycling team). It was my birthday on the 9th and we had a fun celebration while he was here. I woke up to delicious french toast breakfast and opened presents after. That night I had my friends over to make our own pizzas and Pierre chose to put pineapple and ham on his pizza after liking it at the earlier pizza party.

It’s sad because I feel like we were just getting to know each other when he left, but the day came up on us fast when we had to say goodbye at the airport. The time, which is now just a memory, was filled with tears and hugs because we had created such a bond with french students and each other in the short two weeks. I didn't think that I was going to cry at the airport because I usually don't cry unless I hurt myself, but I could feel the tears swelling up in the corners of my eyes as I was saying goodbye to Pierre because I didn’t know if I would ever be able to see him again. When we turned the corner to go down the stairs back to the car, everyone felt the overwhelming sense that the french students were actually leaving and that we weren't going to see them again. It was a sad ride back to Ursuline; so much so that we decided we needed Taco Bell to help ease our sadness. When we got back, it hit me. I was in painting and just couldn't bring myself to paint. Mrs. Payne came over and asked me if I missed Pierre and with that, along with the the sad music that was playing, the tears came.

-Bailey Trout, '17

Paige's Experience

I had a fantastic time getting to know Chantal. We had many great and fun memories. From going out on adventures like sky zone, to just simple rides in the car I got to learn about her life, her story, and her culture. My favorite memory with Chantal was our adventure to sky zone. We got to jump on trampolines falling, running, and flipping. We got to jump into ball pits and get stuck, as well as playing an intense game of dodgeball French VS Americans. I loved getting to spend time with her and hear about her day on our way back from school everyday. Car rides can be long and boring, but it was always fun to learn something new about her or sing with her. I also had a great time at the Blues game with Chantal. I loved seeing how she got into the game and was cheering them on as if she was at home. I loved this experience and this opportunity and hope to be able to do this again.

-Paige Kreher, '18

Addison's Experience

My French host student was Lena. She was so amazing and nice! We had so much fun together. Over the weekend we took her to the zoo because she said that they only spent a little time there. She saw all the animals and loved it. After that we went to Ted Drew's to get ice cream, she loved that as well. On Sunday we spent time with my family and she taught me how to sing in French and how to break dance.

From hosting Lena, I learned all about her culture and what she does with her day. She also told me all of her classes and what she learns in them. I hope to see her soon!

Addison Stotts, '19

Madison's Experience

I could not be more grateful for being able to host a french student and I could not have gotten a better person to share it with. I was paired with Chloe Vierzon, and we were a perfect match. It is safe to say that we will be lifelong friends, no matter the distance between us. I learned a lot from Chloe, from the differences between our schools, our families, or our cultures. Chloe became part of my family within these two weeks and we got closer than I could've ever imagined. We shared many different experiences in two weeks that I thought would never happened. From going to the hospital one night, to going to Skyzone the next. Along with hanging out with all the French students and the hostesses on the weekends. We all shared a bond during these two weeks and I will never forget the memories we all shared together. Chloe was the sister I never had and I am blessed to have been able to host her.

 

Madison Stout, '16

Madison's Experience

Having Aymeric stay at my house these past two weeks was absolutely amazing. There was nothing that I would have changed or done differently from the whole experience. One of my favorite parts of the past two weeks was on Friday night when we threw him a surprise party for his birthday. He had so much fun that night and I am very glad that I had the opportunity to do something that made his day better. I think that his favorite part of the trip was when a bunch of us took them all to the Blues game. He loves sports and he was cheering the whole night! It was fun to get to know all of the french students during all of the time we spent together outside of school. We all made connections to one another and they all made a huge impact on my life. I already miss our morning jam sessions to every song on the radio and his intense Fifa games with my little brother. I am very grateful that I got the opportunity to host Aymeric and I hope that I will see him very soon!

-Madison Grisham, '16

Madison's Experience

My sister, Paige, and I both hosted Chantal Millemann.

My personal experience with her was definitely something I will never forget! I enjoyed getting to know her, and learning about her daily life back in France. One thing that I learned from my experience with Chantal was, when we would go to the mall or out with some of my friends, she would dress up. Whereas I would just dress casually and never would have thought to dress up just to go to the mall or hang out with friends.

One of my favorite experiences that I’ll treasure was when Chantal cooked dinner for my family and I one night. I really enjoyed learning about the food that she ate, and learned about the different foods from the different cultures she lived in. I could really tell that cooking was something that she truly enjoyed and shined at. Chantal has been so many places, and I hope that I someday that I will be able to go visit her!

We also went to the boathouse, and went back to the zoo. She loved exploring the outdoors and enjoyed the nice weather that we had for most of her time while she was staying with us.


It definitely took a bit longer for Chantal to open up, but once she did I really got to see the awesome and unique girl she truly is. I will always be thankful for this very special experience!

Madison Kreher, '16

Katie's Experience

I had such an incredible experience meeting and bonding with my French student Mia. She has influenced me in an uncountable number of ways, and taught me so much about her culture and her daily life. We shared our childhood stories and discovered a deeper connection with each other, and from this day on I will forever call her ma soeur (my sister). Mia was such a joy to be around and
brought a positive attitude and influence on me and on my family. We did everything from scarfing down food from America's best fast food joints, to shopping almost all day, and just staying up late talking and watching the best American films. I will never forget my life changing experience with my french student. I hope to go to France my senior year, and reunite with her and her family. I am truly grateful for this opportunity and this wonderful experience. My favorite part was when I would try and speak French and every single time Mia would correct me, but, every time Mia would speak English I would correct her and we both ended up learning so much! Lastly, it was such a blessing to have met the coolest 12 French students from France ever! They were all so filled with kindness and joy, and I feel now after knowing them, I am truly a happier better person!

-Katie Antonacci, '18

Delaney's Experience

​I had such a good time with Lena ​and it was great to see her again. We had so much fun and it was a great experience for both of us. Lena taught us how to make crepes and taught us many other French customs. I loved learning about her culture. We did so many fun things and had such a great time together. We went to birthday parties, creperies, and many more places. I loved having her try new foods such as toasted ravioli, chicken wings, root beer, and more. It was fun for my family as well to try the French candy she brought us. I loved teaching Lena about American culture and her teaching me about her culture. I can't wait to visit Lena in France or for her to come back to St. Louis and spend more time together. This was an amazing experience and I would love to do it again.


-Delaney Stotts, '17

Haley's Experience

I absolutely loved having Hugo stay at my house and thought it was an awesome experience! We did so many fun things including going to KC, shogun, hoosier golf, and so much more I can't even explain. One of my favorite things was actually just hanging out and showing him new things. It was so fun to see Hugo experience things for the first time and try new foods. Talking to him was a lot of fun because we became very good friends and it was cool to learn about his life in France.

The most memorable experience I had with Hugo was the night we arrived to our hotel in Kansas City. It was about 11:00 pm and we were just sitting in the lobby talking when a couple came and sat near us. The man began a conversation with us and I mentioned to him how Hugo was from France. Instantly this man began speaking fluent French to Hugo! It was so awesome and so unexpected. Hugo's face lit up and he was so excited to be able to speak French with someone new after days of English. It turns out this man is from Romania and speaks 5 different languages fluently. He said he thought it was awesome we could enjoy each other's company so much even though we couldn't always understand each other. I can't help but agree!

-Haley Baker, '18

Melanie's Experience

I'm Melanie Burton and I hosted Morgane David.

It was amazing hosting her.. We took them to the Blues game one night, something they thought was
absolutely awesome. We went to dinner some nights with my family and other nights we ate home made meals. We went bowling and to Skyzone, both very excited experiences. We introduced Morgane to Ted Drewes,The Malt Shop, Dairy Queen, Imos, Longhorn Steakhouse, and Buffalo Wild Wings. The rest of the days were spent with family or with the other French students and their host students.

I loved getting to know all of the French students and becoming so close to them. I have made many new best friends, some that I will keep for a lifetime. Morgane and I grew especially close, and that is something I can never be thankful enough for. I can truly say that Morgane and the other French students have impacted my life greatly. I will never forget my short 2 weeks with them, it was one of the best experiences I've had.

-Melanie Burton, '16

Friendship Across the Ocean

I can say that last week was the best week and fastest week of my life! The friendships and memories I have made during this short week will never be forgotten. All they way from discussing how to say nutella to going to Walmart with Shauna and Imogen for the first time. Not only did they learn that the portion sizes are huge here but they learned that Ursuline is not only a sister school but another home for them!




My favorite memory with them was picking them up from the airport and seeing them for the first time. Before they came to America I had skyped them so I had an idea of what they looked like, but I was still a little nervous. What if they thought I was weird? What if we did not know what to talk about? I remember seeing them turn the corner and just sprinting in their direction practically knocking them over. At that moment I knew that this was going to be the best week of my life. Once we got home they gave me loads of chocolate and biscuits(aka cookies). And as they would say it was very nice. I learned so much from Shauna and Imogen in one week and I can't wait to got to England and visit them. I an grateful to have an amazing friendship with people that live across the ocean.








-Abby England, '16

True Sisters Will Never Be Drawn Apart

It amazes me how close I have become to girls I have only known for a week, it’s absolutely crazy!  As all of the host students were waiting at the airport with our signs that we made for our Brentwood arrivals, I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown…...I was freaking out!!!!  I was so nervous about having two random girls that I had never met in person, although I had been texting them for three months prior, stay at my house for a whole week!!!  I literally thought I was going to cry I was so nervous, and I was terrified for the moment when I would first see them, should I hug them, shake hands?  To be completely honest, I was a nervous wreck.  Now, when I think back to that very first day, I was absolutely nuts, because when it was time for them to leave I was crying because I wanted them to stay, sad that they could not have stayed for two weeks, and I felt like I had known them my whole life.  This might sound crazy, but it is the absolute truth, the global education program at Ursuline Academy in St. Louis has changed my life.

Me and my sister, Katrina, who is a senior, became friends with our England girls, Mikki and Molly, right away.  They both came running up to hug us when they first saw us holding their signs at the airport.  I will never forget that moment, especially because it made all my nerves fly away.  We did many things during that week that bonded us together as true sisters, including getting our nails done for homecoming together, bringing them to a movie theater, going to an American football game, and eating dinner at ballpark village.  However, the most fun part of having them stay with us was the little things, like the late night chatting and laughing until our stomachs hurt, our intense ping pong tournaments, our daily selfies in the car on the way to school, figuring out the different words that they use, hearing their American accents, and our laughter at the most random of things.  I always tell myself to cherish the moment, because soon it will be a memory and you will wish that you had it back, and no matter how “cringy” it might sound, that is my motto that I will always follow.  I always told Mikki and Molly to cherish the moment, and by the end of the trip, they were saying it to me.  There were two moments in particular that I will remember for ever.  Mikki and Molly gave us gifts on the night before they were going back home, which were I love London sweatshirts, necklaces, and the most meaningful part….little notes written from the heart.  In her note, Mikki said: I really have had such a wonderful experience and it is all down to you and your family who I can honestly say I love so much!  This made me burst into tears, because I honestly love her so much, and to here Mikki say that made my heart so happy.  That night, the night before they left, we stayed at home, watching movies, chilling, playing ping pong, jamming to our favorite tunes, eating, laughing, and my favorite part….stargazing.  Mikki, Molly, Katrina (my sister), and I took pillows and blankets outside and laid down on the concrete pad for almost an hour just watching the stars from my house which sits in the middle of the woods.  Even though we were not even talking to each other, it was by far the best moment of the trip, and I was silently crying as we looked up at the sky, because I did not want my sisters to leave.  I was so thankful to be able to meet these two girls, and I am truly blessed that Mikki and Molly are now a part of my life.  I know for sure that I cherished every moment of their visit to St. Louis, and I am sure that they did too.  They may live on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, but Mikki and Molly, Katrina and I are friends forever, never apart… maybe in distance, but never at heart.  Until I see you again Mikki and Molly!  I love you so much.

-Erica Rebholz, '17

My Two New Best Friends

This week has been unreal, with my two new best friends there is nothing that could have made this better. Today we went to the St. Louis zoo, and bread co! The girls loved seeing all of the animals especially the elephants since the zoo in England doesn't have any elephants. Also they love how I drive us everywhere, compared to how they take a lot of public transportation (trains and buses). At bread co they loved the bread bowls, I was trying to explain to them how the soup didn't leak through the bread but they just had to wait and see, and they loved it!

Today I took my two girls and two of the other students to get our nails done after school! All of the girls loved it and we had time to get to know each other a little more! After we all got our nails done we went to Party City. The girls thought it was so cool that there was a party store and it had red solo cups (they don’t have those). We tried on different costumes, hats, and glasses. After singing and dancing around the store, we all loaded up and went to the long awaited Target. There’s no Target in England so we did a little damage to their bank accounts there. The girls bought tons of makeup, candy, clothes, ranch dressing, and about 15 EOS lip balms. That night we went home to a dinner of Fettuccine Alfredo, and enjoyed some Fro Yo after dinner! Also the whole day, Ellie was teaching me a liverpool accent, “I’m from liverpool”

-Amanda Worland, '16