Tuesday, 12 May 2015 00:00

Grateful Thanks to NZFFF and Shared Histories

Grateful Thanks to NZFFF and Shared Histories

As our project nears completion we would like to thank the New Zealand France Friendship Fund and the Shared Histories programme for the support they have given us to complete our project.  It seems so long ago that we began the planning for such a momentous undertaking.  It was not lost on us the young age of our students, most only 12 years old when they left NZ for 3 weeks in Europe without their parents.  

Without the financial support of the NZFFF and Shared Histories this exchange would...

Published in Albany to Gaillac Shared Memories New Friendships
Read more...
Monday, 13 April 2015 00:00

Voyage aux Antipodes

More than two years ago we couldn't imagine travelling to New Zealand and establishing a long friendly relationship with AJHS students and teachers. This day has come and we are flying to Auckland on April 21st. We will meet our New Zealand friends, discover their culture, their so beautiful country. Our students and we are really excited and a bit stressed about a so long trip.

I think it will be a fantastic experience and we are looking forward to being in Auckland. 

Exciting isn't it

Published in Albany to Gaillac Shared Memories New Friendships
Tagged under
Read more...
Tuesday, 10 March 2015 00:00

A parallel universe

A parallel universe or the night I ate Belgian chocolate icecream with a knife and fork in a Japanese restaurant in France

A fantastic meal tonight in a local Japanese restaurant.  Most were closed but this was open.  The students were fabulous, I think for most it was their first experience of ordering and paying for their own restaurant dinner.

The hilarity continued with Micah falling over the toilet floor, Mrs Vukets firing some of her frozen dessert on the floor - trying to cut it with...
Published in Albany to Gaillac Shared Memories New Friendships
Read more...
Thursday, 02 October 2014 00:00

The food

The food - the post I knew I would write
I knew that going to France I wanted to experience the food.  I had seen enough Food Channel to know that this was one of the places I wanted to go.  In Caitlin's words - "I just say yes to everything and I haven't been disappointed".

We are seeing the differences already in being in the North.  Our first experience was the vending machines in Paris - what sort of a country has vending machines that sell crepes in little plastic bags - I guess the...
Published in Albany to Gaillac Shared Memories New Friendships
Read more...
Monday, 06 October 2014 00:00

Valenciennes and Le Quesnoy

Catching you up on our travels

 
My apologies for abandoning the blog there for a couple of days - I was getting quite tired and one evening whilst eating dinner (at 10:30 pm) it was still 21 degrees!  So I ran out of energy somewhat.

However since writing about the vineyard (Thursday) and the rugby (Saturday) we have been busy.

As I write this we are in Valenciennes - north east of Paris and about 3 hours from the Belgian border.  We spent the morning in Le Quesnoy - 10 mins by train.  This...
Published in Albany to Gaillac Shared Memories New Friendships
Read more...
Sunday, 05 October 2014 00:00

College Camus Albert - classes, vineyards and the town of Gaillac

Gaillac and the vineyard

Today was a lot slower in pace than yesterday's trip to Carcasonne.  The students were again in class from 8 until 9.  They are finding the school day (8 - 5) quite easy to handle and I must say that before I know it we are approaching the end of the day.  Some of our students (Tanis, Caitlin and Georgia?) are catching the bus in the morning - let's call it by its French name - booos!  They pronounce these boooses much better than the Party Bus at home.  This morning...
Published in Albany to Gaillac Shared Memories New Friendships
Read more...
Saturday, 04 October 2014 00:00

A greeting from one of the French teachers

A greeting in French from Sandrine Calvignac - teacher at College Albert Camus

"Bonjour d' Albi et de Gaillac ou nous passons de tres agreables moments en compagnie de nos amis kiwis. Le soleil brille pour rendre leur sejour encore plus delicieux. Nous sommes  tres contents et enthousiastes chaque jour davantage.
Toutes nos amities de France."
Published in Albany to Gaillac Shared Memories New Friendships
Read more...
Saturday, 04 October 2014 00:00

Carcasonne - C'est Magnifique

 The main gate into the city just as we were about to go in at 10:30.

 One of the at least 8 bonbon shops which our children were in a lot.

 The church inside the city where we had lunch - it is as old as the city.

 The guide with the students just before going into the castle - this is the third set of walls guarding the castle.

 Walking around the battlements.  Just like in the movies you walk across the wall towards the next tower.

 An original fresco from 1200.

 Looking...

Published in Albany to Gaillac Shared Memories New Friendships
Read more...
Friday, 03 October 2014 00:00

A day in Albi - The Cathedral and Bishops Palace

Today we spent the afternoon in Albi.  Just another of those medieval towns, we are so used to these now they are commonplace!

Albi has the worlds largest brick cathedral and the bell tower is more than 40 metres high.  Next door is the Bishop's palace which is now the Toulouse Lautrec museum and holds many of  his paintings.

The cathedral was amazing, the ceiling was painted in the 15th century and still appears magnificent - bright blue and without damage.  There is the old choir area which...

Published in Albany to Gaillac Shared Memories New Friendships
Read more...
Page 1 of 2