A group of San Jacinto College Honors Program students will travel to Paris May 11 for a six-night stay in the City of Lights.

Honors Program Coordinator of South campus Dr. Katy Rudisill said Paris is the chosen destination because it offers “a rich and unique cultural and historical experience.”

According to Rudisill, the trip is nothing like any packaged tour and will be a one of a kind experience meant to immerse students in Parisian culture. Throughout the semester, the students met outside of regular classes to study European history and prepare themselves for an in-depth understanding of the city and its people. Additionally, they are reading “Seven Ages of Paris” by Alistair Horne, a monograph of the history of Paris.

Central campus Anthropology professor Dr. Pamela Maack said, “I am excited to hear that there will be an international trip for students because it broadens their knowledge of other cultures.”

However, students will not be afforded typical tourist comforts. The students will live as if they are average Parisians for the duration of their stay even using public transportation to get around the city.

Moreover, Rudisill said, by immersing students in the host environment, they will connect to the history and the culture at a deeper and more personal level.

In addition, the spring semester Honors section of Western Civilization II allows students to learn about the art and museums they will be exposed to on their trip.

“Through an intense amount of preparation in the crafting of the course, and the dedication of the students to the program,” Rudisill said, “our expectation is that this will be an educational experience unlike any other”

The trip is sponsored by the Honors Program with partial funding from the College, although individual students pay for their own costs and enrollment in the course.

“All honors students in good academic standing were encouraged to apply, but each application went through a rigorous review process prior to being added to the trip,” Rudisill said.

This is the Program’s first year to offer students a trip abroad but Rudisill said there are more to come.

“I believe future trips are in the works,” Rudisill said, “but the destinations and corresponding classes will be varied.”