NACI students experience Quebec culture and history
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- Published on Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Submitted photos. The Grade 9 NACI French class with their exchange twins in front of “La Fresque des Québécois”, a large mural in Quebec City during their week-long trip from April 5 to 11.
Submitted by Nora Heschuk
The Neepawa Press
On April 5, 17 Grade 9 French students from NACI and their teachers, Nora Heschuk and Sherri Hollier traveled to Saint-Tite-des-Caps, Quebec for a week-long adventure with their twins from le Collège des Hauts Sommets.
After being picked up at the airport in Quebec on Tuesday, there was no doubt in our minds as to why our Quebec partners’ school was called “hauts sommets” (“high summits”) as just over half of the trip to the boarding school was going up into the mountains east of Quebec City.
On Wednesday, the group traveled with their twins back down the mountain to visit les Chutes Montmorency (Montmorency Falls – waterfalls that are higher than Niagara Falls). From there, they went to “La Citadelle” which is a fortress that was built between 1820 and 1850 and is the largest British fortress built in North America. It is located on Cape Diamond (Cap Diamant), the highest natural point in the area, overlooking the St. Laurence Seaway. The group learned about its critical role in the city’s defense system and its role as the home of the Royal 22e Régiment, the Canadian Forces’ sole French-language regular force infantry regiment. From there, the group enjoyed a meal at one of the oldest restaurants in Old Quebec, the restaurant “Aux anciens Canadiens”. After lunch, a bilingual guide took the group on a tour through Old Quebec, bringing our Canadian history alive by highlighting historical events that took place in the area. The day continued with a trip to the Galeries de la Capitale (mall) followed by a showcase of high school students’ talents at the Secondaire en spectacle show. We were entertained by singers, dancers, jugglers, and musicians.
Thursday was another busy day as the group went to a Cabane à sucre (Sugar Shack) for a delicious meal topped off with maple syrup, as well as spoon-playing and dancing. Next, the students went to a real circus school, where they were able to try their skills at juggling, tight-rope walking, climbing, swinging and much more. They also watched more seasoned performers practicing and performing their art.
Left: Sadie McIntosh (foreground) and Alanna Crabbe (behind) trying a tightrope walk at the circus school. Right: Kailyn Hanke and Rylee Gluska with the group’s “mascots” Toby and Becky on the plane.
On Friday, the students took a guided tour through the Basilique Sainte-Anne (Saint Anne Basilica) and had the unique opportunity of hearing a high school girls’ choir from Toronto perform a few songs. Next, we had a tour of a traditional Huron site and enjoyed a meal which consisted of sunflower seed soup and bison burger. Since our hosts live at a boarding school during the week and then go home to their families on the weekend, the Manitoba students had a chance to experience this as well – joining their exchange partners as they went home to their families for the weekend, before heading back to Manitoba on Monday.
The group took a tour of a traditional Huron site and was served a meal of sunflower seed soup and bison burger.
