bandeau des SIS Sèvres

International Exchange USA

Mount Prospect Exchange Trip

by Carol Cretaigne

Students were in eager anticipation of seeing some of the world’s most outstanding architecture during their visit to Chicago. Truly offering something for everyone, the city possesses an astonishing array of towers, turrets, buttresses and facades. The SIS group were also delighted to discover a rich and dramatic history, friendliness everywhere they went, popcorn-like-you’ve-never-tasted-before and a fluttering feeling in the stomach, gazing down from the 103rd floor of Sears tower (or was that the popcorn too?)

Interested in applying to go on this exchange?

Click on the skyscrapers for a youtube photo diaporama

I found out that :

The author of ‘The Wizard of Oz’, Frank Baum, based his ‘Emerald City’ on the ‘White City’ of Chicago’s 1893 Columbian exhibition. Carol

During the Great Fire, everyone hoped that the river would stop the fire, but in fact it only increased it because of all the animal fat people had thrown in the river. Lise

The Great Fire in Chicago was so hot that even glass bottles and iron melted. Fiona

The city of Chicago was named after the smell of onions, called ‘Chicagoa’ in native American. Kareen

During the 1893 fair, the agriculture building had a huge statue of Christopher Columbus made out of chocolate that weighed 50 tons. Marie-Elisabeth

Playboys’ bunny suit was created in Chicago. Alex

Al Capone’s gang killed over 500 people in Chicago in the 1920s. Olivier

The atomic bomb was born in the University of Chicago. Léa

The seats in the first El train of Chicago were made out of horse hair. Valentine

In 1893, the year of the construction of the El train, it was taken by 66 million people. Ariane

The 1960 Chicago Riot started with a black man who crossed an invisible border while swimming. He was thrown rocks at by a white man and drowned. Aurelie

When John Dillinger was killed after coming out of a picture house, the police made a clay mask from his face. They had to do this to prove to people that he was really dead. People were too relieved to believe America’s Public Enemy number 1 was dead. After a while, the FBI had to lead an investigation as people had made fake masks and distributed them throughout Chicago. Marie-Armance

Chicago is the biggest slaughter city. The pigs that were slaughtered there were first brought to America by the Europeans. Angelique

Katherine McCormick had the idea of creating the birth control pill. Plus, I found out that the sheets in which Lincoln died were kept with the blood on them. Leah

Lincoln Park initially served as a cemetary. Just before the Great Fire the graves were being exhumed so the land could be turned into a park. During the fire the former graves served as a refuge – people jumped into them to escape the flames. Lisa

My highlight of the week:

Finding myself in the ‘singing cab driver’s’ taxi and being serenaded all the way home ! It is not possible to book this particular cab. The visiting card announces a « cosmically selected process», with him showing up « when your karma is due». Only in America ! Carol

Taking a nap on the lake shore ! Lise

Biking along the lake shore in the sun with my host family (even if I got the worst sunburn ever afterwards) Fiona

A typical night with the Tong family : eating the delicious and famous eggrolls of Mrs. Tong, followed by some cheesecake. Then playing Apples to Apples for hours with all of Connie’s friends in the living room. Kareen

American cookies are amazing ! Marie-Elisabeth

All you can eat at the cafeteria of the University of Chicago ! Alex

The sport facilities at Prospect High School. Olivier

The huge amount of different subjects at Prospect High School (psychology, music, cooking, photgraphy, etc …) Léa

The boat tour with the sun, the city, the free Starbucks coffee and cookies !! Valentine

Donuts are the best. Ariane

The architecture of the city was diverse and « grandiose », a piece of art on its own. Aurelie

The very different way of life that Americans lead, whether it’s food ,culture or school, and the fact that everyone there is so nice and welcoming. Marie-Armance

The hugeness of everything that can be found. Varying from the size of every house, the size of the cars that everyone drives (including the size of the fire trucks). Angelique

I think that the first thing that struck me when I arrived in Chicago was how everything is bigger than in France, the food, the roads, the cars even the school or the houses. When we spent the day at school, I realized that Prospect High School was exactly the way I imagined it, just like the movies. As far as the city is concerned, I thought the museums were amazing. The Art Institute was incredible and it has an amazing collection of Monet paintings and other impressionists painters. The History Museum was also very interactive and I learnt a lot about the history of Chicago but I also really enjoyed the games ! I appreciated a lot the fact that everyone is so kind and nice to each other. The food was very caloric but very good and the clothes were also incredibly cheap ! Nothing like Paris ! Leah

Reconnecting with dear friends and catching some live bluesy-folk music at the ‘California Clipper’. Lisa

Dernière modification le 15-12-11 par Carol Cretaigne