1. Rueil-Malmaison A brief journal: May 17-June 6, 1998

2. The Course 4 French 439: Special Topics in French, taught by M. Bruce Mayer 4 Total immersion French in Rueil-Malmaison for 3 weeks 4 3 credit hours 4 Classes met every morning of the week with additional course outings in the afternoon and evening and field trips to cultural sites 4 The “golden rule” was that all communication would take place in French

3. The Course 4 Our class met at a local elementary school 4 We studied grammar, history, and culture

4. The Course 4 Afternoon outings included trips to various sites in Paris, including the Musée de Cluny and Les Colonnes de Buren

5. The Course 4 The activities for one weekend involved travelling with participants in another Rueil-Malmaison sister-city program to the city of Troyes

6. The Class Trips 4 To enhance our study of history and culture, we took several short trips and one weekend long trip 4 While doing so, we learned to navigate the Metro and the bus system within Rueil- Malmaison and Paris

7. The Class Trips 4 One afternoon trip took us to Giverny where we toured Claude Monet’s house and gardens 4 We also enjoyed a visit to a quaint restaurant along the way

8. The Class Trips 4 During our weekend excursion to Tours, we stayed at the Hotel du Cygne 4 While there, we visited several châteaux in the Loire Valley

9. The Class Trips 4 During the last week, we were given our afternoons free to explore Rueil- Malmaison and Paris in small groups

10. The Home Stay 4 Each student was individually matched with a host family 4 Most of the host families had children who would be participating an upcoming trip to Lynchburg

11. The Home Stay 4 Students and their host families were invited to a crepe party to give everyone the chance to meet one another

12. The Home Stay 4 On weekends and other class holidays, some host families provided other opportunities for travel around France, including Normandy

13. The Home Stay 4 Some families included us on trips to theme parks

14. A Special Thanks to... 4 M. Bruce Mayer, Lynchburg College 4 Tri-College Consortium: Lynchburg College, Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, Sweet Briar College 4 The Sister-City organizations in Rueil- Malmaison and Lynchburg 4 Our host families