On Jan. 18, 17 high school students from Lycée Nelson Mandela — a school in Nantes, France — arrived in Carbondale. However, these French students were not here for purely a personal vacation. Rather, they came here as part of Roaring Fork High School’s (RFHS) Carbondale-Nantes 2025 Exchange, a program put on by English Language Development teacher Eric Lamb to increase cultural awareness here and abroad.
The students took part in many fun activities, organized by their hosts, including: a ski day at Buttermilk; a tour and scavenger hunt around Carbondale; a teen night at The Arts Campus at Willits; (half) a day in the life of a RFHS student; and a tour of historic downtown Aspen, to name a few.
On Jan. 27, RFHS students said “à bientôt!” to their exchange partners, with both sides experiencing a bittersweet blend of appreciation for a wonderful shared time and the sadness that comes with leaving new friends. After two additional days spent in Denver, the students boarded a plane back home, returning to Nantes safe and sound.
Back in Carbondale, preparations have kicked into full gear for the RFHS exchange students who will depart to Nantes in late March. The local students are currently occupied with passport applications, fundraising and the clearing of their schedules. Despite some stress and fatigue, they are beyond excited to reunite with the French friends they made and get the opportunity to see the city they call home.
The American students leave for Nantes on March 19 and return on March 30. While their itinerary is yet to be fully known to the students or their instructor, it is clear that they will be well taken care of and very entertained by the city of Nantes and its people. While the RFHS students may have different host families than those of whom they hosted, some of their paths are sure to cross again — for the bonds that were forged between these two groups of students will not fade any time soon.
Folks interested in helping cover costs can email elamb@rfschools.com
