When Global Link Co-Leaders Jess Klein and Kassi Mitchell traveled to France with 11 Upper Schoolers, they hoped the students would fully immerse themselves and embrace new opportunities on their 10-day journey.

“We prepare the students to be authentic, curious, self-aware, and good team members,” said Jess. “We want them to enter new surroundings with kindness, curiosity, and an openness that helps them adapt and question their assumptions.”

During the trip, students stayed with host families from our partner school, Lycée Saint Pierre in Saint-Brieuc, and then spent a few days in Seattle’s sister city, Nantes. Activities included attending classes with their host student at Lycée Saint Pierre; participating in a cooking class; and visiting American Cemetery, Utah Beach, and Mont Saint Michel—a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its medieval Benedictine abbey that sits atop a rocky tidal island.

Sophomore Leo R. was struck by the similarities between French and American cultures. Although French students have much longer school days that stretch until 5:00 or 6:00 p.m., he noted that the classes and what is being taught are similar. “Even though France is far away, there is a lot of common ground between French and American people. I’m guessing this is true around the world,” said Leo.

​For junior Emily Q.G., the trip was meaningful because it was the first time she had traveled so far from home without her family. “I was able to adapt to a new culture, and that was a really good learning experience,” said Emily. “I think everybody should have the opportunity to do that.”

She made the trek up to the Benedictine abbey with junior Prabhjot K., who she did not know well before this trip. “We pushed each other through it, because there was a lot of walking and it was tiring. But as soon as we got up there, it was perfect, walking around and taking pictures,” said Emily, adding that this experience deepened their friendship.

One of Emily’s favorite memories was the first night with her host family. “It immediately felt like I was home. The mom kept offering me dinner and I finally accepted, even though I had already eaten. The dad brought me a big raspberry macaron, and it was my favorite thing I ate in France. My host sister was there, and conversation was easy because they were so curious,” she said. “It was nice, knowing I had made it to France and was about to start an amazing trip.”

Senior Jin H. also said being with his host family was memorable.

I knew going into the trip that the French dinner culture was different. It was lovely to be in the midst of their conversations and family bonding,” he said. “I felt so grateful that they always made sure I understood what was going on. I felt included as a member of the family.”

Jin also recalls when a bunch of 6th and 7th grade students surrounded him in the courtyard of Lycée Saint Pierre. “They were all super excited to interact with me. I really love the curiosity of middle schoolers—their eagerness to ask questions and to learn,” he said, pointing out that the trip inspired him to be more intentional about his impact on others. “It was such a beautiful trip, and everyone put in so much effort to make sure I had a wonderful experience. I want to foster these same community values in my future interactions.”

Group leaders Jess and Kassi witnessed the students grow in confidence during the trip. “We wanted them to be accepting of invitations that involved doing something they didn’t want to do,” said Jess. The Pumas did just that.

When the Saint Pierre students set up an afternoon of volleyball games, the UPrep students were hesitant because none of them were volleyball players. Noticing their apprehension, Kassi quickly taught them the basics. “I told them, ‘We’re going to be bad at this, and that’s okay,’” she said.

The kids ended up having so much fun that they didn’t want to stop playing. “It was a big highlight to see our students transform from huddling in a corner to having a blast,” said Jess. “Throughout the trip, we saw each student get comfortable with being uncomfortable, overcome internal fears, and unite with their peers to form a cohesive group.”

This spring, 58 Upper School Pumas traveled on Global Link trips to partner schools in Botswana, Colombia, France, Lithuania, and Japan, developing their confidence and living out UPrep’s mission as intellectually courageous, socially responsible citizens of the world. Throughout the school year, UPrep hosted 53 visitors from partner schools in Finland, Lithuania, Taiwan, and France. Global and Outdoor Education Program Manager Kate Williams shares that  this program is so much more than just a trip. 

“It’s about that beautiful giving and receiving between two communities. That reciprocity is what makes these experiences unique and transformative,” she said. “When students come to Seattle, their favorite part isn’t the Space Needle or the Seahawks. It’s the people. It’s the human connection that sticks. This goes way beyond the host families, as our entire community steps into host students, from welcoming them to classes to joining in on cultural excursions.”

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