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At one of the pre-trip meetings for the 17 students who made the commitment to travel together to France and Spain, as students peppered Madame Heinzmann with the usual questions — How many pairs of pants should I pack? Should I bring my bathing suit? — she offered a piece of advice that stuck with us: “I probably won’t bring back many souvenirs,” she said, “but I will come home with memories — coffees, croissants, and moments shared with friends.”

And make memories we did. 

There was the flurry of forgotten wallets, phones, and water bottles before we had even left the school parking lot for the drive to the Montreal airport — a fitting start to an adventure that would ask all of us to stay flexible.

There was the long line outside Notre-Dame de Paris on Good Friday, where one student was overheard saying, “I love my Lord and Savior… but this line!” Inside, a slow procession wound its way toward the crown of thorns, an ancient relic saved from the 2019 fire and housed at the cathedral. Ninth graders David Mitchell and Calvin Hughes, not entirely sure what line they had joined, were swept along and accidentally participated in the adoration of the relic. “I kissed the crown of thorns!” a bewildered Calvin declared after we reconvened outside. These two boys will now be armed with a story they will surely tell for the rest of their lives. 

There was Connor Sloop and Ollie Emery’s mission to find jorts, a quest that began on day one in Paris, with victory achieved in Barcelona where the jean-shorts were finally secured. 

There were the small surprises of cultural immersion: Natalie Lewis noticing the vibrant street art and music, as well as the trees and green spaces of Paris; a scavenger hunt on Las Ramblas in Barcelona (with Andre Whiteberg, Calvin, and Oliver Ransom’s team achieving a perfect score); and the chance to swim in the Mediterranean. “I appreciated learning more about the country where my mother grew up,” noted Luke Kidd. 

And there was Sant Jordi Day in Barcelona, when the streets overflowed with book stalls and roses. “I’ve never been in a crowd this big before,” one student said as we walked through the celebration. 

As Madame so expertly predicted, the memories we made were far more lasting  than any souvenir we could have packed into a suitcase. Her thoughtful planning, steady leadership, and sense of adventure made this experience not only possible, but meaningful. Thanks to her guidance, we returned home with exactly what she promised: stories to tell, and memories to last a lifetime.