For students and teachers, a devastating but necessary cancellation.
By Lily Bastin ’23
Although both students and faculty in the Cary Academy community have already faced many changes and adversities during the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s loss of the exchange trips induced a whole new feeling of sadness for many. Personal exchange trip experiences vary, but one commonality is that these memorable and once-in-a-lifetime experiences positively impact the process of language learning and remain with an individual for many years.
Asked their opinions and feelings about the cancellation, students unanimously reported overwhelming feelings of sorrow and disappointment. Caroline Parker, a sophomore currently taking French, reflects: “I think that the exchange trips being cancelled is pretty upsetting since I’ve been looking forward to them since sixth grade. Of course, it makes sense why they were cancelled since there isn’t any way to ensure our safety while travelling to another country, but it’s still really disappointing. I even chose French in sixth grade because I really liked the culture and wanted to be able to visit France in tenth grade and I don’t think I’ll ever have another opportunity like this one.” She is one of many students at Cary Academy who feel this way about the cancellation of exchange trips. Leah Wiebe, another sophomore who is currently taking German replied: “For me, exchange trips were going to be the highlight of sophomore year – I’ve been looking forward to going to Germany for quite a while! I’ve never been to Europe before, so this was going to be a first for me and, likely, one of the only chances I’ll get for a long while to visit Germany. While I know health and safety are very important right now, I still can’t help but be disappointed by the cancellations. We are going to be getting pen pals from the people that would’ve been our exchange students, which is exciting, but I think it still won’t completely make up for the missed trips. Either way, I hope that next year’s sophomores will be able to go on their exchange trips!”
Although these two students are very upset about the lack of exchange trips, they are fully aware, empathetic, and understanding of health and safety concerns involving the pandemic, as well as those who may be affected in the countries that they would have been visiting. Thankfully, teachers are listening to the concerns and thoughts of the student body. They are making as much effort as possible to make their classes ever more enriching, educational, and enjoyable. For example, student Leah Wiebe in her quote above mentioned that Ms. Burgbacher is making many efforts to connect Cary Academy German students to students in Germany so that they still get the experience of communicating with a student of a different culture.
I chose Spanish primarily because I was taking the class in elementary school, but I also chose it because of the amazing opportunity to travel to Argentina, a country that I have always wanted to visit. I have been amazed by the Spanish language, Hispanic culture, and the beauty of Argentina, albeit through photos. Each school year that passed at Cary Academy, I was excited knowing that it was one year closer to my trip to Argentina. Sadly, I know that my dream of traveling there will not happen. Like many others, I am also aware of safety restrictions and how important these restrictions are to follow. Even though COVID-19 has thrown everyone off-track, I still plan to travel to Argentina in the future. In fact, I am even more motivated to travel there because I didn’t get the opportunity as a sophomore.
Cary Academy students seem to be familiar with how both themselves and other students are feeling about the exchange trips, but many are not aware of the teacher’s point of view, even though teachers put tremendous, organized effort into planning, organization, and overseeing these trips.
Ms. Jones, a French teacher who organizes and accompanies the French exchange trip, explains: “The lost opportunity for the current juniors and sophomores makes me sick. Students get so much out of the experience especially at this age. The experience of study abroad in college just doesn’t compare because the opportunity to connect with someone your own age and live with their family and have them live with you is a shared experience that cannot be duplicated. In just 4 weeks students can develop life-long relationships that can lead to a continued interest in the language, a desire to continue the study of the language, and down the road, job opportunities. Students come back with a better idea of how the French people, culture, and history are different, but they realize that there are many similarities as well. I have high hopes that the current 9th graders will be able to participate in an exchange next year.” It is easy to tell from her statement that she cares very deeply about both the relationship and cultural learning experiences from the exchange trips, and she finds it very unfortunate that students cannot experience these firsthand this year.
Similarly, Ms. Burgbacher, a German teacher who oversees the exchange trip to Germany every year views these trips as the pinnacle of the student language experience at Cary Academy. “I am personally heartbroken for my students who cannot participate in the exchange during their time at CA due to the pandemic. It is the “Superbowl” of world language teaching- if you can speak a lot in the target language while abroad, then you have learned the most important skills, and having this goal helped focus students in the classroom. And what they learned firsthand about the culture and themselves is of course irreplaceable. It feels very strange for me as well not to be able to travel to Germany right now- I am used to traveling with students and visiting family and friends every year. Still, my hope is that the students who truly want this experience will get an immersion experience at some point in the next few years- it just must be prioritized, and I am happy to help my students find more options. (I highly recommend a gap year abroad!) In the meantime, we are doing an email exchange with our partner school in Germany in order to stay in contact and have the students be able to exchange cultural knowledge with someone in the target culture.” She is not only missing out on her and the students’ experiences on the exchange trips, but she unfortunately is missing out on seeing people very close to her, her family, and friends, during the exchange trip.
Finally, Ms. Kridle, one of the Spanish teachers who plays a large part in the exchange trip for Spanish students remarks: “The safety of everyone involved (here and in Quilmes for my exchange) is of utmost importance. Personally, I’m disappointed the students won’t have the experience of hosting and traveling, as I fundamentally agree with international education and experiences, but I also believe that the school is taking the right precautions.” It is good to see how safety conscious the teachers are, and how they want to ensure the most safety possible to both Cary Academy students and their exchange counterparts.
Even though the cancellation of the exchange trips is unfortunate and unlucky for everyone, it has outlined both student’s and faculty’s unbreakable passion and desire for the beautiful process of language learning and the experience of other cultures.