The influence of an overseas trip to France on high school students studying French, four years after graduation

Using a grounded theory approach, the purpose of this study is to shed more light on the process of language development within a high school curriculum that includes a trip to the target language country, and its impact on student educational choices and post-teen travel patterns. The study seeks to identify the interrelationships between individual personal linguistic goals and motivations, and continuing language education interest and future travel outcomes. Using descriptive case studies of adolescent student travelers, the study aims to expand our current understanding of the complexity of language learning with its future impact on travel motivation and educational curiosity.;The findings of this study resulted in the following themes: (1) the participants had continued interest in foreign language education; (2) there was sustained career interest that involved French and/or the French culture; and (3) the participants had little or no interest in foreign travel.