BY J. Edward Moreno
and Cheryl Taylor
EDINBURG — Julio Longoria traded his typical Mexican pan dulce this summer for the equally ubiquitous French mainstay, pain au chocolat, a puff pastry with a dark chocolate filling.
“The bread itself is so soft, crisp and flaky, and that rich dark chocolate center — as I see it, it is a pastry cooked to perfection,” said Longoria, a self-proclaimed pastry connoisseur from Rio Grande City.
“By the end of the trip, I could identify almost everything on a menu and felt confident placing an order in French.”
Longoria was one of 16 UTRGV students who spent the first two weeks of August taking classes on a study abroad trip to Strasbourg, France, and finishing up with a few days in Paris before saying au revoir to la belle France.
Husband-and-wife team Dr. Margarita Isbell and Dr. John Isbell, both lecturers in the Department of Writing and Language Studies, were co-leaders of the trip and taught French and German, respectively.
“Like Brownsville and the other cities and towns along the Rio Grande, Strasbourg is a bilingual border city, situated on the Rhine River that forms France’s eastern border with Germany. You hear both languages on both sides of the border,” Margarita Isbell said.
“Along with working on their language proficiency, students also observed the similarities and differences of this European border community with the one they call home.”
Whereas the French classes were conducted primarily at the hotel, German classes usually were held in cafes across the river in Germany.
“We could either walk across the river bridge or take the Strasbourg city tram line — either way, without border checks,” John Isbell said.
What stood out most to freshman kinesiology major Angel Moreno was the way people got around the city.
“Unless you need to be at exclusive or remote places in France, don’t try to drive a car here. The best way to get around is public transportation,” said Moreno.
“In the Valley, everyone drives everywhere, even to the grocery store around the corner. Sidewalks are usually vacant, and temperature is a major factor in keeping people from South Texas indoors.”
Bethany Guzman said she loved the challenge of practicing a new language while being surrounded by a different culture and learning about the history of the area.
“Walking around Strasbourg was an unforgettable experience that made you feel you have found a place you didn’t know you were looking for,” said Guzman, a junior Spanish major. “One of my favorite discoveries was the art found in the streets. Every day, in a different path, Strasbourg surprises you with something new.”
Karen Treviño, a junior business management major, said walking along the streets of Strasbourg’s historic quarter, Petite France, made her feel like she was “in a fairytale movie.”
“This adventure has been wonderful,” said Treviño. “Studying abroad gave me the opportunity to enjoy the richness of learning and traveling at the same time.”
The group spent the final days of the trip in Paris, where they learned to navigate the city using their Paris Visite metro passes. Among the important sites they visited in the City of Lights were the Cathedral of Notre Dame, the Military Museum (Musée de l’Armée), the Louvre and Eiffel Tower.
“We arrived at the Arc de Triomphe in time to witness the 6 p.m. changing of the guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, located underneath the monument,” Longoria said. “Paris is such a beautiful city. I hope to return one day and visit what I wasn’t able to see on this journey.”
