On Thursday, April 3, sophomores and juniors in Madame Ransford’s French classes visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art to experience French and European culture firsthand. They observed works by Picasso, Monet, and Matisse, among others, as well as Ancient Greek and Roman statues, and cryptic modern and contemporary art pieces.

“The trip definitely expanded our cultural horizons,” said sophomore Selina Tang reflecting on the experience. “There were these rooms that looked exactly like how the interior of European Renaissance buildings looked at the time. A lot of the furniture pieces were actually from the 18^th Century,” she commented, referring to the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts section of the museum. Sophomore Elizabeth Zhao felt similarly, describing her favorite piece as, “the golden shrine in the sculpture area that even though its purpose was to frame a tiny, yet intricate painting, looked like an entire work of art by itself.” She then remarked: “The trip also allowed me to gain a lot of insight on the amount of work and attention to detail that many of the European artists in the 18^th and 19^th centuries had applied to their art.”

Afterward, the French students traveled downtown to Café Un Deux Trois in Times Square to experience authentic French cuisine. They were given the choice of appetizers Soupe du Jour (Soup of the Day), Salade Maison (House Salad), or Pâté de Campagne (Country Pâté), entrees Quiche Lorraine (Custard-filled Quiche), Farfalle Maison (Farfalle House Pasta), or Salade de Poulet (Chicken Salad), and desserts Mousse au Chocolat (Chocolate Mousse) or Seasonal Sorbet.

Overall, the trip was an enlightening experience for all the students that went, and hopefully the Global Language Department will continue to organize such fascinating excursions in the future.