Bonjour! I recently spent two weeks at a summer camp in the beautiful country of France. It was my first time in France, and I was not disappointed in the least. The 15 days I spent in the picturesque town of Chambéry were truly some of the best of my life. I had an unforgettable time in Europe — making friends, practicing my French, trying new food, taking photographs and absorbing the culture.

    The camp I was attending was in Chambéry, a gorgeous town located in southeastern France under the Alps. To get there, my delegation and I first took a six-hour flight to Heathrow Airport in London, England. Getting to hear the English accent in person was a treat. I’ll never get tired of listening to that crisp London pronunciation.

    From Heathrow, we took a short flight to Geneva, Switzerland, and then took a one-hour bus ride to Chambéry. It fascinates me to no end that most of the countries in Europe are mere car rides from each other while in the States, one can drive for days and days and still be stuck in the same old country!

    The town had a few famous landmarks — a cathedral, museum, and several fountains. The buildings were of typical, traditional European design — meticulously crafted balconies and windows with flowers blooming outside them. Bakeries and cheese shops lined the cobblestone streets. In the mornings, business people carried baguettes along with their briefcases and shopping bags — a truly amusing sight!

    The summer camp I attended focused on cultural diversity, peace, leadership, and friendship. Six delegates, aged 14-15, and a leader represented five countries. The countries represented at this youth meeting were the United States, Macedonia, Sweden, France, and Spain. Together, we spent two weeks learning about each other’s cultures, discussing national and global issues, and exploring our temporary French home. We biked to a hidden lake beneath the Alps and spent a day in paradise. We had a shopping day in the town center, during which I purchased souvenirs for all my family and friends — pristine French candies, key chains and postcards for my friends, an elegant silk tie for my brother, hand-painted mugs for my parents, and, of course, delicate, scrumptious almond-flour desserts known as macaroons. I even managed to use my basic French to order milkshakes and paper-thin crêpes filled with chocolate sauce or citrus sugar. We celebrated the French national day, Bastille Day, with local people by taking a bus to an open field where we watched the most fantastic fireworks show. As the firework capital of the world, the city’s show was breathtaking — so much grander than the ones back home. The fireworks burst one after the other in intricate, proud displays of patriotism.

    In just two weeks, we delegates and leaders grew so close to each other that we were like family. I established international friendships that I know will not fade for a long time yet, and the memories we made — the late-night talks, inside jokes, and crazy pranks we pulled — will stay with me for as long as I live. As for the atmosphere, enjoying the muggy air punctuated with bike bells and bursts of French slang, drooling over freshly baked pastries in the morning and falling asleep to the sight of the Alps outside the window are not things I’ll easily forget either. This experience in France was new and utterly incredible, and I know for certain that I’ll be back in Europe as soon as possible!