And we’re back! Although Spring Break was two weeks ago, almost all the students and faculty are still feeling the lasting effects of freedom. Whether you stayed in town, visited the beach, went to the lake, or took a trip abroad, not waking up to an alarm was a vacation in and of itself. While students got a taste of warm weather and what is to come this summer, this Monday snapped us all back into the reality of upcoming AP exams (yikes!). This year, RMA offered a trip to France with the school’s French teacher, Ms. O’Brien. On the trip, students visited the cities of Paris and Nice and dove into the history and culture of the country. Highlighted by visits to world-renowned locales, this trip was surely one that its travelers will remember. Here is an inside look at the world-class trip on which RMA students had the opportunity to embark.

As the morning of the group’s planned departure, four Rocky Mount Academy students and their teacher sat eagerly at the RDU waiting area. After send-offs, their travels began. After a lengthy adventure, the group had arrived at their intended destination: Paris, France. During their three day stay in “the city of lights”, the students had a first-hand look at Parisian culture. The group had the opportunity to visit the Louvre, the world’s largest art museum. According to student Marcus Lerro, the most impressive piece the group viewed was the Winged Victory of Samothrace. This sculpture, shaped from marble, depicts the goddess of victory, Nike and dates back to around 200 B.C. In addition, the group traveled to the Eiffel Tower – one of Paris’s most iconic and well known attractions. Later, the students visited Notre-Dame Cathedral where they observed the product of French Gothic architecture. As their time in Paris came to an end, the group would surely look forward to the next leg of the trip.

Next, the group made its way to the Provence region in southeastern France. Here, the group took in the culture of Avignon and Nimes. The students spent three days exploring the area and engaged in several unique activities. In Avignon, the group went kayaking under the Pont du Gard, an ancient aqueduct. After this, the travelers made their way to Aigues-Mortes where they saw flamingos in their natural habitat. One aspect of French culture that the students noticed was what Lauren Seale described as a “night culture”. Fellow junior, Ann Margaret Taylor, expanded on the idea by stating, “Businesses, shops, and schools all start a couple of hours later than those here, because of how late the French eat dinner, socialize, and finally settle down for the night.” As one of their last visits, the group visited an ancient Roman coliseum in Nimes where bullfighting and gladiator battles once took place. While I’m sure leaving this special place was difficult, the trip continued to impress students for the next three days.