Archer Abroad

Words by Amanda Ryvkin

Before Dr. Travis Nesbitt was Archer’s World Language Department Chair, he was a young man growing up in the “middle of the Indiana cornfields.” He had never thought about going abroad until he stepped into Spanish class in high school, where his teacher helped him see the world beyond the cornstalks.

“[My teacher] just really expanded my worldview and opened doors that I never knew existed,” said Nesbitt. “That sort of fueled my desire to study international relations in college and to travel and to go beyond my rural Indiana upbringing.” As part of his burgeoning interest in exploring the world, he studied abroad in Mexico for a summer between junior and senior year of high school, went on to complete a semester abroad in Paris during college, and then completed his Master’s Degree in International Relations at France’s elite political science university, Sciences Po.

When asked about his experiences abroad, Nesbitt described them as “transformational.” “Going to Mexico as a high school student really changed me.”

Providing students with these kinds of world-expanding experiences is a key part of Archer Abroad, Archer’s study abroad program. In June 2023, Nesbitt, along with French teachers Dr. Laurence Clerfeuille and Natalie Kang, led 20 Archer French language students on their own international journey. With a focus on “Environmental Sustainability in the European Context,” students visited France and Belgium, where they toured culturally significant sights and delved into eco-friendly practices in Paris, Rouen, Lille, Brussels, and the countryside in Normandy.

According to Dr. Pei-Ying Gosselin, the Director of the Archer Abroad program, Archer Abroad’s aim is to “prepare Archer students—as future leaders—to go study abroad to understand what’s going on in the world, [and] how they can apply what they have learned in class to the real world.” This goal aligns well with those of the World Language Department, where one of the pillars is increasing global competency or the ability to examine local, global, and intercultural issues, understand and appreciate different perspectives and worldviews, interact successfully and respectfully with others, and take responsible action toward sustainability and collective well-being. As someone who has studied in another country and previously headed up Archer Abroad, Nesbitt was well-equipped to design and lead the trip to France and Belgium.

With a curriculum and itinerary crafted under the guidance of Nesbitt—aided by Gosselin and travel company Forum by Prométour—the Archer Abroad trip to France and Belgium provided students with the opportunity to use what they have learned in class in the outside world and approach the global issue of sustainability from differing perspectives.

Through their daily living, students were able to put their French listening and speaking capabilities to the test.

Samantha G. ’23 shared, “I really enjoyed being able to practice my French and be able to actually use it to help me in situations where I needed some extra assistance.”

“When you know that someone has to understand you, rather than kind of put pieces together, it made me think a lot more about how I was saying things and put more effort in,” noted rising senior Piper P. ’24. Immersed in the Francophone world, students were able to use their classroom learning abroad to communicate and build connections with others.

From adjusting to drinks without ice to engaging with people in a more formal way, Archer students also adapted and built cultural competencies. Samantha learned that there aren’t really any food courts in malls in France. Piper noticed in France and Belgium, “They have a lot more emphasis on being polite to people, especially to strangers and merchants. And that’s something that I really appreciated.”

In regards to the central focus of the program, Nesbitt shared, “We wanted [the curriculum] to stem from what students care about.” Archer students address sustainability frequently in their service projects, as well as in the curriculum, and Archer's Science department even offers a dedicated course on the subject. France and Belgium are also great places to explore the issue of sustainability, as the former was ranked 4th on Earth.org’s Sustainability Index and the latter is the seat of the European Union (EU), and is thus at the helm of a lot of green policies and practices throughout Europe.

As part of their trip, students visited local businesses and organizations that focus on supporting ecologically-friendly practices. In Paris, students visited Sciences Po, and met with Archer alumna Chloe Hallinan ’15 and her friend, Valeria De los Casares, who spoke about sustainability in France and what ecological measures businesses have to take into account to comply with local regulations.

La Recyclerie, also in Paris, was one of Piper’s favorite places to visit during the trip. A cafe with a chicken coop and a composting program, La Recyclerie helps reduce waste by hosting events, such as workshops that show locals how to repair appliances. Piper shared, “I really liked how a lot of what they did was focused on giving their community members tools to be… more self-sustaining and to not have to consume as much.”

Through these visits, students were able to learn more about and reflect on different approaches to sustainability. Samantha remarked on the preponderance of French regulations aimed to protect the environment. Piper noted the large impact that making sustainability a focus of legislation can have on communities and the importance of inclusion in practices.

Piper shared, “The biggest takeaway for me was that sustainability isn’t linear… There has to be a lot of inclusion of different kinds of communities and people in order to move towards that one goal… It can’t be one person or one small group of people trying to change everything, because when something is exclusive it’s not going to serve everyone. So, I think a big takeaway was that everyone needs to do their part in this work.”

Through this year’s Archer Abroad trip, students embraced new and nuanced global perspectives on pressing issues while creating connections to new communities. Students have only just begun building ties to other cultures, which they can further develop after graduation.

For Piper, the trip sparked a fire in her to further delve into her French studies, and she already is making plans to go back to France and see the world beyond the walls of Archer. “[The Archer Abroad] experience has really helped me solidify the goals that I have and know what I have to do in order to attain those goals in order to one day study abroad in Paris or move to Paris,” she shared. “And it just made me a lot more excited to see the world and travel. And, I think I realized just how important it is to experience cultures that aren’t your own.”

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The French program at the Archer School for Girls offers numerous rich, authentic, and purposeful opportunities for its students to engage with French-speaking peoples and cultures while building their language skills and developing global competencies. The French program has had a busy year this year!

Here are some French highlights for 2022-2023

The French department invited students, faculty, and staff to partake in a variety of fun activities for the Journée internationale de la francophonie (International Francophone Day). French students shared information about French-speaking regions and countries, cuisine, history, and contemporary culture, and participated in performances.

Through a partnership with the Centre de la francophonie des Amériques, students in the Advanced Study: French class and the Senior French Seminar also virtually met with Haitian author Marie-Célie Agnant, in which Agnant discussed herself and the book and answered questions.

The National French Contest awarded Archer students 33 medals and 36 honorable mentions for their French proficiency.

Students in advanced French classes took a trip to the Directors Guild Association Theater for the American French Film Festival, where they watched the film “Jumeaux mais pas trop” and participated in a Q&A with the writer/director Olivier Ducray and lead actor Bertrand Usclat afterward.

This year, Archer earned the distinction of being named one of ten “exemplary programs” by the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF). Not only was Archer designated an “exemplary program,” but it earned the even more rare and prestigious “exemplary programs with distinction” status.

The Southern California Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of French selected Archer French teacher and World Language Department Chair Dr. Travis Nesbitt as this year’s recipient of the “Distinguished French Educator Award.”