"....We learned how similar we are in so many ways: Catholicism, Scouts, laughter, and the love of family. Learning about the differences in schools, foods, extracurricular activities, and customs was interesting, and it gave us insight into a culture different than our own.
Through Inspired Gateways, we made a connection with a family in France. Our oldest son was able to visit with them last summer. He had the most amazing visit with this family and enjoyed historical sights, delicious French cuisine, and a loving, fun, adventurous, and close family. He especially found it very powerful to visit Normandy and the WWII memorials with them.
My husband and I were in France earlier this year, and we spent a weekend visiting our student’s family. It was a weekend we will never forget. The hospitality that was shown to us was simply incredible. The region, food, wine, and most importantly, conversations made us feel like old friends by the time we left. This experience enriched our lives. It was powerful, fun, and very positive...."
"I spent one month in Virginia and I will remember it all my life. It was so awesome! Actually it was a dream coming true and I saw many things I could only see in typical American movies before. My host family was amazingly sweet and I discovered things at school and in town or even in DC where we went several times! Experiencing American high school is really fun and exciting since it is very different from our French schools and much cooler, if that makes sense. My friends at school were so kind to me and very helpful when I could not get through to other people. I definitely improved a lot, learning some parts from Shakespeare from which I could not understand a word (it was extremely fun anyway!) and speaking English for a full month! In a nutshell, it was such a great experience! And honestly, I would have liked to stay in the US so much longer!!"
French Catholic friendship
Family immersion
Experiencing high-school life
Catholic bridges
Servant leadership
French department
Cultural exchange
French Club
"The partnership between Inspired Gateways and Guerin Catholic High School has been a blessing to our school. Like other exchange programs, it provides students an opportunity to experience other cultures. What sets it apart is the integration of international Catholic identity. All of the students from France who have attended our school have been devout in their Catholic faith, and have helped our students have a better understanding of the universal Church. All of our students who have visited France have been immersed in the Catholic faith of France and returned having grown in their faith. I would highly recommend a partnership with the Inspired Gateways program to any Catholic high school looking to build on its international mindedness and Catholic identity."
"Working with Inspired Gateways has been a wonderful experience for our school and students. The students that have come from France to our school have been a blessing and have hopefully made life-long friendships. We are grateful for our partnership with Inspired Gateways."