Bonjour tout le monde

We only leave this Saturday and I am very excited to depart on this once in a lifetime journey. The path so far has been enjoyable and thought-provoking. We have been able to meet so many amazing people, including our French counterparts, and I can’t wait to see them again. It is going be an adventure we’ll all, never forgot

These last few weeks getting my research in its final stages before we leave has been stressful but very interesting. Getting to know more about Edward and the NZ Tunnelling Company has been incredible and I am ecstatic to be able to retrace their steps from New Zealand to the Western Front.

I look forward to experiencing the journeys of the other Young Ambassadors also, as we have become interconnected through our histories and now we look to tell those stories. I feel as if we will come home with a greater understanding of how our ancestors felt when they made the voyage to France, all those years ago. Of course we will never know the pain and struggle of war, but seeing the places they resided and now reside will be sure to bring some comprehension of their scenarios. The connection we have all made together – New Zealanders and French alike – has been established through our journey together so far and I feel the bonds will only strengthen from here.

Looking through the plan and what we will be doing over the next few weeks, I can see we will be very busy, however, I am looking forward to being able to work through this and overcome any barriers we may face along the way.

My experiences will be shared with the students and teacher of my school and the wider community, in order to promote language and international connections. I hope the opportunity I’ve been given can be used to inspire others to learn a language, so if they do travel one day, they can make similar connections.

I would like to again thank my family and my school for supporting me on this journey, it is sure to be amazing.

À bientôt à tous !