Time really flew when I came to realize that it was the second to last week of our journey here in France. When I first knew that I would be the one writing our blog this week, I was worried—things happened too fast to get ready.

I will be graduating in less than 100 days. This monumental transition has been making me reflect on my time at Proctor and it’s helping me seize every single day here on European Art Classroom. No other school has a program like this in the entire world.

In my college essay, I wrote about how my family was like a rock band and that every member has their niche. For the past month living with this group of lively teenagers and our two beloved teachers, I found the same inspiration that has driven me to finish one of the most important essays of my life.

Living in New Hampshire for my entire life I have become quite accustomed to the wretched glory of freezing cold winters. Part of me, somehow, misses it. In light of missing the cold, I, along with Sasha and Cam, have embarked on a harrowing journey that consists of jumping into the freezing cold pool every day.

Our first few hours in Costa Rica were a bonding experience to say the least. After landing in San Jose, we met Kathia and drove up the mountain to our new homes and lives. The views from the van window were unforgettable. Greenness abounds everywhere around us and there’s often a light wind fluttering around, or soft mist falling for short periods of time. We landed in paradise and have loved our experiences so far. 

Growing up in rural New Hampshire, with occasional trips to Boston being my only true city experience, I was certainly not the most equipped of our group to take on Paris. 

Proctor's European Art Classroom program is underway in Aix en Provence. After a year stateside in the American Southwest, this lucky group of eight students alongside program directors Jen and Dave Fleming are created their own artist colony in the south of France. Read more from Bella '22 below! 

For nearly 50 years, Proctor students have studied abroad with host families in Spain. The 2021 edition of Proctor en Segovia is off to a great start following a recent excursion to Andalucia and Cordoba. Read more from Sophie ‘23 and Katie ‘23 the group’s most recent blog post!