“So, what are we doing here again?” I asked as we walked through the airport.

“I thought I already explained this,” Dad said with a sigh. “Oh well, here we go again.”

He adjusted his backpack before continuing.

“After the war, two countries were completely annihilated, and the survivors immigrated to neighboring nations. It was a tragedy that shook the entire world. After that, the remaining countries decided they had to do something different. They agreed to work toward lasting world peace.”

“How?” I asked.

“As a symbol of that peace—and as a way to make it last—each continent agreed to choose its smartest student and send them to a special school. There, you’ll learn together from one another and from some of the world’s greatest teachers.”

“That’s what all the tests at school have been about,” I interrupted.

Dad nodded. “Exactly. And you were chosen.”

I stopped walking for a second.

“Wait… me?”

“You,” Dad said with a smile. “Which means we’re flying to Paris. Your education will continue at a school hidden beneath the Champ de Mars. The entrance is concealed inside one of the Eiffel Tower’s four legs, and only students, teachers, and a handful of world leaders even know it exists.”

I stared at him.

“And… I won’t see you again until Christmas.”

“What about Thanksgiving?” I asked.

Dad gave a small shrug. “Since Thanksgiving is only celebrated in America, it isn’t recognized as a school holiday. You’ll have to wait until Christmas break to come home.”