The intrepid group of PCD students that boarded the bus on Friday
morning were all well prepared for the elements, with ski masks,
multiple layers, fur-lined aviator hats and mittens. They had received
ample warnings about the cold weather in Canada during January. But they
had yet to discover the full schedule and range of adventures that
awaited them in Québec City.

As
the bus wound its way north through the Green mountains, the students
began learning about French Canadian culture. Tour leader and PCD
Language Teacher Sarah Garcia-Mata gave them an overview of the regional
history and the various influences from the French, English, Iroquois
and Huron communities; some of the local Winter Carnival traditions; and
a few essential phrases in French. When the bus arrived at the hotel,
the group met the local guide, and were introduced to the busy lineup of
events to come. After dinner, a hike up the hill offered a view of the
city center, the walled fortifications, the historic Château Frontenac,
and a nighttime look from the observation tower on the city’s tallest
building.

Day
two started with a traditional breakfast of smoked buffalo, eggs, and
bread at a traditional Huron settlement outside the city. A guided tour
of the settlement gave insights into Huron history and customs, as well
as a lesson on surviving the harsh winters of the Great Lakes region and
Québec by making snowshoes and canoes, hunting, and preserving food.
One area of the settlement contained several sacred masks, carved from
live trees that were used to perform healing rituals.

The
afternoon included a guided historical tour, a drive along the frozen
Saint Lawrence River, and a tour of the magnificent 20th-century
Basilica of Sainte-Anne de Beaupré. From manmade beauty to natural
wonder, the bus continued back towards Québec City, past the Île
d’Orléans, to experience the spectacular Montmorency Falls. The evening
brought the group to the Sugar Shack, where they sampled the maple taffy
and maple butter produced on site, enjoyed a hearty dinner, some line
dancing. The uncontested highlight of the evening, however, was the dog
sledding, which made PCD student drivers and passengers oblivious to the
cold.

Sunday’s
full agenda started with a visit to a local sports complex where
students chose to ice skate, cross-country ski or go snowshoeing. After
lunch in the town center, they enjoyed a tour of the famous ice hotel.
Each room was decorated with different themes and illuminated ice
sculptures. The most popular attraction by far was the ice slide in the
main lobby. The group bundled up once again to end the day with an
exciting evening of snow tubing.
On the final morning students had a chance to learn more French
vocabulary with a scavenger hunt at a local supermarket before boarding
the bus for the long drive back to Rhode Island. With so much activity
packed into four days, students came home tired but sated by a sense of
adventure and accomplishment. As Sarah Garcia-Mata pointed out, “this is
a wonderful trip because it offers an real immersion experience,
without going too far.”