This spring break, Senior Tania Yap and Juniors Ryan Chu and Elaine Wittry are visiting France, Japan and Spain, respectively.
Japan
Rampage: What are you looking forward to the most?
Chu: “I am looking forward for the cherry blossoms this trip. I heard that they are beautiful in the spring and luckily, that’s exactly when we’re going!”
Rampage: What kinds of food are you looking forward to?
Chu: “I am not sure what to expect for the food honestly, especially since it’s not going to be the same as going down to LA for a ramen shop.”
Rampage: How well do you think you can communicate with the native people?
Chu: “I personally don’t think it’ll be easy if I were to go into a conversation with any native, but Ms. Rudzik was kind enough to help people who don’t know Japanese with the very basics.”
Rampage: What are you worried about the most?
Chu: “I am worried about not having enough time over there and let’s not mention the homework I have to make up too.”
Rampage: What activities do you plan to do while you are flying to your destination?
Chu: “On the plane I plan to either sleep, read The Great Gatsby, play the card game Super Fight with my friends, get to know other people better or watch anime.”
Spain
Rampage: How has the class prepared you for the trip?
Wittry: “I have been taking Spanish for three years and we have been having meetings to prepare us for the cultural differences we will be experiencing.”
Rampage: What personal things are you planning to bring with you on the trip?
Wittry: “I’m planning to bring a journal to keep a record of my experiences.”
Rampage: How well do you think you can communicate with the native people?
Wittry: “We’re going to both France and Spain, so I’m know that I won’t be able to communicate at all with the people in France, but I think I’ll able to talk to the natives in Spain if they are patient with me.”
Rampage: What kinds of food are you looking forward to?
Wittry: “I’m looking forward to trying the local cuisine. I’m not exactly sure what they eat, but I can’t wait to find out.”
Rampage: What are you looking forward to the most?
Wittry: “I’m looking forward to going to the other countries; I have never been out of the country before, so I think it’s going to be a great experience.”
France
Rampage: How has the class prepared you for the trip?
Yap: “After taking French for four years, I believe the class has prepped me by extending my knowledge on the language and culture. Also, during class Ms. Dao Hodang consistently updates us with current events happening in France, so we have a better idea of how the country is going to be before actually embarking.”
Rampage: What are you looking forward to the most?
Yap: “This is such a cliché answer, but I’m super excited to see the Eiffel Tower, because I’ve only been able to see it through a screen. Being able to see it in person would be a check mark off my bucket-list!”
Rampage: What are you worried about the most?
Yap: “Underpacking or overpacking. I’ve only been to Asian countries and Australia, so I have no clue how to pack for the Europeans.”
Rampage: What personal things are you planning to bring with you on the trip?
Yap: “The most personal item I’m going to bring is my travel journal. I started last summer because I liked having a hand-written record of all my experiences.”
Rampage: What kinds of food are you looking forward to?
Yap: “We’re going to be visiting four different countries, so I’ve been googling their most notable dishes and was able to find at least one ‘must-try’ for every country. In France, I want to try the foie gras, which is duck liver. In the Netherlands, I hope to try bitterballen, which is like a crispy meatball. In Belgium, I would like to try their fries because the french fry was actually created in Belgium—not France. Lastly, in England, I just want a cup of tea, because how fantastic would it be to have a simple cup of tea in the UK!”