In a surprise press release yesterday, the Westford Academy Foreign Language department revealed a new exchange trip for its Latin program. “We are pleased to announce that every language at Westford Academy now has an exchange trip available to its students,” said the head of the department to an ecstatic crowd of two Latin teachers.
This is not, however, an average exchange program; WA Latin students will have the opportunity to host a real Latin speaker. The only difference is that this “student” has been deceased for 2000 years.
“Since Latin is a dead language, we thought it would be fitting for the students to interact with dead people! Students might not be able to actually speak with them, but it’s really the experience that counts,” a Latin teacher remarked.
All eight WA students currently taking Latin are thrilled about this new opportunity. According to the one student enrolled in AP Latin, “This is the reason I take Latin. Look at Spanish and German and French and Mandarin: who actually speaks those? A ton of people. With Latin, on the other hand, you can talk to twenty-three Latin teachers and the Pope. So really, who’s the winner here?”
Students who participate in this program will host an amicus Latinus, or “Latin friend,” at their homes for two weeks. These amici will come mainly from the Catacombs of Rome, but a few lucky students will be able to host a plaster cast amicus from Pompeii.
“I can’t wait for this exchange,” says one enthusiastic Latin student. “I’m going to do everything with my amicus. We’ll go to Chipotle together, watch Netflix together, and maybe even share a bed.”
When the students go to Italy, they will stay with their host amicus for two weeks either in the Catacombs of Rome or the streets of Pompeii. Students will be responsible for bringing their own food and bedding.
One Spanish teacher is not so convinced this exchange will work out: “They are literally sending dead people to our students. And Rome and Pompeii are dangerous cities for students to be in alone. And they say we’re loco!” To which a Latin teacher retorted, “The students won’t be alone; they’ll have their amici with them.”
The foreign language department is now collaborating with anatomy classes to obtain personal refrigerators for the exchange students.
Community submission by Moaning Myrtle
