Over Family Day Weekend a group of Trafalgar Castle students along with Ms. Kinsman and Ms. Duguay boarded the bus for a four-day winter tour in Quebec City.
After the 8-hour journey, the group enjoyed dinner at Maison du Spaghetti before heading to a historical animation of walled upper town. Here the girls took in the sights of ornate church spires and explored the old world grace of Quebec City as they walked the cobblestone streets. Lala, a Grade 11 student, shares “I felt like I was in a different country because the signs were in French, very fancy and we walked very narrow streets.”
On Saturday, the group was in for an adventure of a lifetime as they went dog sledding accompanied by an expert Musher (husky leader). Ms. Kinsman, Boarding Don and Social Science teacher, describes her excitement for the girls experiencing dog sledding for the first time: “It was awesome to see the boarders take part in the dog sledding. Some of them were so nervous when we first got there. They thought they were not going to be able to stop the sleigh but once they got on, they were all smiles and laughter.”
Ms. Duguay, Boarding Don and Media Studies teacher, shares that when the group arrived at the dog sledding adventure the group was welcomed with a special surprise, “The girls were extremely lucky that one of the huskies had given birth to 4 beautiful puppies! The puppies were absolutely adorable and enjoyed all of the hugs and snuggles they received from our girls.”
Following a morning on the scenic, winding trails dog sledding the girls made a stop at the Museum of Civilization before checking out the spirit of Lower Town. Jess W., a Grade 12 student and prefect shares, “Touring old Quebec on our free time was definitely a highlight for me. We found some great crepes and hot chocolate on the Main Street”. Ms. Duguay adds, “The best part of the trip was simply walking as a group downtown through Upper Town and Lower Town in beautiful Quebec City. The girls were so fascinated by the view and could not believe we were only 7 hours away from the Castle (it felt like a different country!).”
Another highlight of the trip for Jess was the Hotel de Glace visit, “It was my first time ever seeing the Palace de Glacé. It was such an amazing experience.” Ms. Kinsman adds, “The walls were full of beautiful carvings, the rooms were awesome and there was even an ice slide where we shockingly picked up a lot of speed.” During their visit at the hotel the girls had the opportunity to go tubing. Ms. Kinsman shares, “Most of the girls went straight for a hill called Everest (it pretty much goes straight down at the beginning). Watching all of their faces going from excitement to pure terror right before they were about to go down the hill was hilarious. They were screaming and having a blast.”
After a busy three days full of adventure, first time experiences and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities the group headed back to Trafalgar. “The girls were so inclusive all weekend,” says Ms. Kinsman. “They were so aware of each other’s feelings and making sure no one was left out at a meal or even when walking through Quebec. It was so nice to see them really form bonds during this trip.”