This year Aspen High School will be co-sponsoring a high-school foreign exchange trip between Aspen and Chamonix. The trip is open to all grades of Aspen High School and will take approximately ten AHS students to France, depending on how many people sign up.

The exchange program lets students experience what it’s like to live in a rural ski community town in their own respective countries. During the trip, students from both schools will collaborate on a global project and will discuss possible solutions to worldwide problems; this year’s topic in particular is climate change. This problem is especially important to Aspen and Chamonix as most of the income generated is from skiing and the activities based around skiing, while skiing clearly depends on correct weather patterns and temperature.

While in Chamonix, exchange students will also have the opportunity to visit local shops, restaurants, and tourist attractions, although the trip is mainly centered on the actual family and cultural aspect of France rather than the material goods. There is also the possibility that those who choose to participate in the exchange will take day-trips throughout France and will possibly spend a day in Paris. Students are expected to bond with their hosts and host families.

“I did an exchange when I was in high school, my junior year, and granted it was for a year; but I kept in contact with my friends there (France) to this day.” Eric Lamb, a French teacher at AHS who is helping organize the trip said. Students build lifelong relationships and friendships and are encouraged to push their personal boundaries and communicate while in France. He doesn’t expect everyone to be fluent when they leave, but knows that students will certainly improve their French.

Students from Chamonix who come here have a similar experience. After arriving in Aspen and after some significantly awkward language barrier defects, exchange students learn about Aspen, Colorado ski towns, and the United States in general. Usually, French students like to enjoy visiting the local attractions and seeing Aspen’s points of interest when they exchange. It is possible that some French exchange students will even be able to ski if the snow is good enough this March.

“I went skiing while I was in Chamonix, but my equipment wasn’t great. It was still fun though. Skiing is skiing,” Burke Daily, sophomore at AHS and 2011 Chamonix trip exchange student said.

The exchange itself will begin mid-February when the French students travel to Aspen. Then, about four weeks later, students from AHS will exchange over to France. This trip is mainly being sponsored by the Sister Cities organization and funds will be provided to students in need with promise that these students will contribute at the annual Ducky-Derby fundraiser. Overall, the exchange program poses an excellent opportunity for AHS and Chamonix students alike and will surely bring an awesome experience for anyone daring enough to sign up.