Two subject teachers with 13 students aged 15-16 visited Chateauroux, France in May 2026. Our students stayed with kind and welcoming host families.
The goals of the mobility were to explore cultural similarities and differences, make new friends and connections, improve conversational skills and expand social and cultural perspectives and the worldview. Additionally the purpose was to improve students’ language, cultural and social skills, get to know French society, develop an awareness of different languages and foster a sense of social responsibility and active citizenship through engagement in charity-related activities.
Early on Monday morning, our group began the trip to Chateauroux - first by train to Helsinki, then by plane to Paris and finally again by train to Chateauroux. The journey was long, but it was worth it when we arrived in the evening and saw the host families ready to welcome us at the train station. Most of the families were already familiar, as the French students had visited us in Haukipudas in February 2026.
The hosting school was called Rosa Parks College. Finnish students got to participate in lessons such as English, Spanish, Chemistry and PE, where both differences and similarities were observed. One of the school’s special features is a professional kitchen where students are able to prepare lunch. Finnish students also had the opportunity to try this activity together with French students by preparing lunch (and dessert, of course) to the whole group participating in this Erasmus project.
In addition to lessons and cooking, our students worked together towards the project’s goals - citizenship and charity. The French students presented local charity organizations (the Finnish students had done the same during the mobility in Haukipudas). The students also planted flowers and plants in the school yard and sold pastries to raise money for a local animal shelter - an idea they had originally developed while working on this citizenship project in Finland.
Selling pastries was a success, and together we visited the local animal shelter. It was an eye-opening experience to meet the dogs and cats waiting for new homes. We were very happy to be able to help and donate the collected money. During the evenings the students became more familiar with French culture while spending time and doing activities with their host families.
During the mobility, students deepened their understanding of French society, culture, history and geography, while experiencing everyday life in a multicultural environment. By comparing French and Finnish practices, they developed awareness of cultural similarities, differences and a shared European identity. Working and living together in school and host families strengthened their sense of community, belonging and overall well-being. Face-to-face interaction in an international setting increased their confidence, reduced insecurity and supported their social and emotional development. Communication in English and other languages improved their fluency, vocabulary and courage to interact, while also enhancing collaboration, problem-solving and interpersonal skills. Through joint activities such as cooking, charity work and visiting a local animal shelter, students developed a strong sense of active citizenship and social responsibility. Environmental actions, such as planting, further increased their understanding of sustainability and responsibility. Overall, the project strengthened their ability to work in international teams, boosted their creativity, and built skills that support both future studies and working life, while promoting positive well-being and self-confidence.
