Tinley Park High School French Students Explore Canada Through Language and Culture

Eighteen Tinley Park High School students recently traveled to Montreal and Quebec City with World Languages teacher Madame Selime Baftiri-Ballazhi for an immersive experience in French language, history, culture, and daily life.

During the five-day trip, students visited some of French-speaking Canada’s most iconic sites, including Château Frontenac, the Plains of Abraham, Montmorency Falls, Saint Anne Canyon, and the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. They also explored local culture through stops at a traditional cabane à sucre, a chocolatier, a cidrerie, and Montreal’s Jean-Talon Market.

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Additional highlights included walking tours of Old Quebec, Petit Champlain, and Place Jacques-Cartier, a ferry ride across the St. Lawrence River, and visits to Mont Royal, the Military Museum and Citadelle, and a museum featuring intricate wood carvings and artwork.

For many students, the trip was their first international travel experience and their first time traveling abroad without their parents. Baftiri-Ballazhi said those moments are an important part of learning.

“I am a firm believer that world language students are most impacted when they actually go to the countries that speak the language they are studying,” she said. “Students gain experience, empathy, and confidence, and they become less intimidated by international travel.”

Baftiri-Ballazhi, who has led 10 student trips, said she hopes experiences like this help students grow into global citizens.

“Truly experiencing another culture cannot happen through a screen,” she said. “Students must walk the streets, breathe in the air, and interact with the locals.”

The trip gave Titans the opportunity to practice language skills, build independence, and create unforgettable memories while experiencing the culture firsthand.

About Bremen High School District 228

Bremen High School District 228 is located in the southwest suburbs of Chicago and serves the communities of Midlothian, Posen, Tinley Park, Markham, Hazel Crest, Country Club Hills and Oak Forest. District 228 serves over 5,000 students and employs 800 full and part-time staff members. Bremen High School, in Midlothian, opened its doors to students in September of 1953. Since then, District 228 opened three additional schools. Tinley Park High School opened in 1961; Hillcrest High School, in Country Club Hills, opened in 1967; and Oak Forest High School opened in 1970. For more information, please visit https://www.bhsd228.com/