We woke up early on Monday morning in order to catch our train to Paris. Dave and Jen told us we had to be ready to leave at 7 and so I woke up at 6 to pack and get breakfast.

It’s a rainy early start of my journey to Europe, landing lightly at the house where the Proctor students, as well as where European Art Classroom co-directors Dave and Jen Fleming, live in Aix-en-Provence, France. 

Not your usual week in Andover, NH. This week has gone by in a blink of an eye. The week started off by welcoming our head of school, Brian Thomas, into our small French family in Vauvenargue!

The time is currently 4:19pm on Sunday the 15th of January, we are currently doing chores, that is why I am writing to you now… nonetheless, these “chores” have caused great strife as I hear the echoing cries of Nate who is on bathroom duty.

The last week of Fall Euro 2022 was a whirlwind of finishing up our books, plein air painting, and working on our carnets (sketch/travel journals). We went to our final French, art history, and literature classes on Monday and used the rest of the day to walk around Aix for the last time. On Tuesday we went to Dave's friend, Danielle’s vineyard. We had meant to do our last plein air painting there, but decided to work in our carnets instead.

This past week, we went on an incredible voyage to Valencia, Spain. The five days we spent there were filled with traditional Spanish food, Flamenco, so much historically significant art, gelato, group dinners, sketching in our carnets, the beach, card games, milkshakes, walking, bus rides, an aquarium, and lots of educational opportunities.

II’s the night before we embark on our 2nd journey of the term, to Valencia, and I want to recap on the past week. Being here for the past month has been a dream, the art, the culture, and the food is all incredible.

Onto the fourth week, the term's halfway point. It was also the first week which the group spent in Aix after a weeklong excursion spent in Amsterdam. Personally, I was not sure how we were going to continue to have fun in Aix after returning, but this past week was more than fun.