Story by student reporter, Hunter Green
On Friday, March 3 my French III class and members of the Thomas County Central High School French club went on a day trip to the city of Savannah.
To incorporate a bit of the French language curriculum into our schedule for the day, Mrs. (Kelly) Arno, our teacher, found a French café where we ate lunch. We enjoyed baguette and croissant sandwiches, as well as coffee and macarons for dessert.
As we walked along River Street for a little while, we enjoyed the view of the Savannah River and the steamboat docked alongside it. For many of the students, this was their first time in Savannah. They were amazed at the site of the old steamboat and the many steep stairs we attempted to go down and climb up. Since I had been to Savannah recently, I had climbed these exact stairs before, but seeing them again brought flashbacks of the first time I almost slipped and fell going down them. Luckily, there were no mishaps for anyone, but we all joked about how hard it would be to walk down them in heels. Many of them seemed to be at a complete 90-degree angle, so we had to hold onto the handrail to make sure we didn’t fall.
We were given a great surprise when our tour guide explained to us how Savannah is known for its Camellias that bloom in the spring, but they actually began to bloom in March. It was almost as if Savannah was welcoming our class in a special way, even though we all knew it was probably due to climate change.
Our walking tour of Savannah began after our detour on River Street. We visited the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and marveled at the countless stained glass windows inside. The French Gothic architecture of the cathedral was beautiful and something I will never forget. The grand ceilings were at least 50 to 60 feet high and every time someone talked their voice would echo around you. The entire cathedral could seat up to 1,000 people at once. Our tour guide explained the history of the cathedral to us and how it had caught fire in 1898 and most of it was destroyed except for one piece of stained glass. The picture in the stained glass was of Mary. Many of the students, myself included, recited a prayer and lit a candle in the cathedral, which will burn until the candle wax melts away. Touring the cathedral was my favorite part of the trip overall. I was impressed by the extensive history of the building and its stunning exterior and interior architecture. There was a feeling of relaxation within the cathedral as well, and everyone remained quiet and respected the fact that we were in a religious space.
After visiting several of the famous squares within the city, we were taken to the Owens Thomas house. We were given a tour of the three-story home. Our guide explained the architecture of the home, which was designed by the architect William Jay. The main concept of the house was symmetry, so if there was a door on the left side of the house, there had to be a door on the right side of the house as well.
Once the tour ended, we were taken to Broughton Street where we could shop and look around for 30 minutes. The small group I was with decided to grab a drink and a snack from The Coffee Fox, a local coffee shop. I had visited this café before when I was in Savannah last October, so I knew it would be worth our time. They have a specialty coffee I had not seen anywhere else, a horchata latté. It is a sweet and spicy concoction of rice milk, cinnamon and coffee. It makes for a great drink.
As we made our way back to the school bus to leave, we reflected on how amazing (and tiring) our day had been in Savannah. Despite its shortness, I appreciate Mrs. Arno’s determination to help us have new experiences beyond our small town of Thomasville. I believe it is important to experience as much of the world as possible and I absolutely love to travel. Since I am not able to travel as much of the world right now as I would like to, I am glad that I am still able to go to nearby areas and cities rich in history, such as Savannah. Many people do not have a city like Savannah within a four-hour drive of them. Therefore, I am extremely grateful to Mrs. Arno for taking us on this field trip. It has made me even more excited for the Europe trip I will be attending with Mrs. Arno over the summer.