For the last two weeks of term 3, I visited France along with nine other students to represent New Zealand on the Young Ambassadors Tour 2016, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of New Zealand’s Involvement on the Western Front during WWI.

It was part of the Shared Histories project which allows students in New Zealand to partner with a school in France to carry out projects of remembrance to commemorate the centenary of the First World War.

While I was over there, we visited many places of significance to New Zealand soldiers across Northern France and parts of Belgium, while also visiting many museums, memorials and former battlefields which are preserved nowadays to remember and reflect upon the sacrifices that the soldiers made for us back then.

Some places that we visited included Le Quesnoy, a small, peaceful town which was liberated by the New Zealand Division during WWI and it was humbling to know that the townspeople still appreciate the role that they played, with some places in town named “Place des All Blacks” and “Avenue des Neo-Zelandais”.

One of the highlights also included meeting and greeting Prince Charles at one of the commemorations in Longueval which was interesting, being able to shake hands and have a chat with the Royal Highness himself.

The moments that I spent there with the other young ambassador’s and especially my French host family was unforgettable. Hopefully the connections that I made over there will last for a lifetime and I look forward to sharing my experience, and what I learnt over there with the students at Shirley Boys’.

And lastly, thanks to the teachers who helped me out on this trip, with a shout out to Mrs Lallemant and Ms Nesbit for supporting me and providing some background knowledge for this visit to the Western Front. And to SBHS and the Christchurch City Council for helping me fund this visit.