Last Week in Saint-Brieuc

We've nearly finished our last week in Saint-Brieuc.  The students will spend the weekend saying their goodbyes to their host families and then Monday we take the bus to Paris!

This week was a short one since Monday was July 14, the French National holiday.  We didn't have class this day so students spent the day with their families. Many spent the weekend traveling (camping for example) or taking in the festivities for the national celebration. For example, in Saint-Brieuc on Monday night there was a cinema themed fireworks show.

Tuesday and Wednesday were our last days of classes and we spent the afternoon after classes preparing for our Farewell Show, the Fête des Familles.  All of the students worked really hard to prepare two plays, several songs and various individual performances.  We had our Fête tonight, which was a smashing success, enjoyed by all the students and the host families alike.

We concluded the night with a dance party after the Farewell Show. Students, Host Families, Teachers and other guessed danced the night away to modern and classic French pop and dance music. Everyone also stuffed themselves full of mini desserts.

And thus our stage is rapidly coming to an end. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we will spend in Paris and then Thursday its back on the plane to rejoin our American families in Chicago.  What a way to end an amazing summer!

Here are a few pictures from the Fête des Familles. More can be found at the link below.

Fête des Familles Dance Party

Week 5 - Winding Down

This week was our second to last week in the city of Saint Brieuc. We opened the week with the final installment of the Dessert Exposition. This time it was the Rouge group that presented us with their tasty treats. After three weeks of desserts made by the stagiaires, and all the desserts we've eaten with the families or in town, no one can say that they haven't tried every last sweet treat that France has to offer.

Wednesday we had our last excursion.  The first stop was the city of Dinan.  The bus dropped us off at the port and we hiked up the steep hill through the historic part of the city to take in the sight of the traditional buildings that have been maintained over the last few centuries.  We then stopped in the Basilica of Saint Sauveur where the heart of Bertrand du Guesclin, a knight who defended the city of Dinan from the English, is interred.

After leaving the Basilica, we walked along the ramparts to the Château de Dinan, also known as the Château of the Duchess Anne.

For lunch we stopped in the city of Dinard and ate on the beach. Dinard's local claim to fame is that it was a favorite vacation spot of Alfred Hitchcock. And it is said that he found his inspiration for the film Psycho, based on a house overlooking the beach, and possibly The Birds as well due to the large population of seagulls that will snatch away a sandwich right out of your hand when you're not looking.  At Dinard we also celebrated Aron's, Elle's and Victoria's birthdays.  Pictures from the lunch can be found at the link below.

Our last stop of the day for this excursion was the coastal fortified city of Saint-Malo.  Although the city was completely destroyed during the Second World War, enough photos of the city existed to completely reconstruct it as it was originally designed.  At Saint-Malo we walked along the ramparts of the city and took in the sight of the ocean.  We passed by the statue of Jacques Cartier who's claim to fame is that he was the first French explorer to set foot in Canada.

We spent the rest of the afternoon shopping, and sampling probably some of the best ice cream anyone has ever tasted at Sanchez.

Next week we'll be wrapping up classes and preparing for the Farewell Show. Monday is France's National Holiday and the stagiaires will be experiencing this holiday and the long weekend with their host families.  Photos from the Dessert Exposition and the last Excursion can be found at the links below.

Le Concours de Desserts - Rouges

Dinan-Dinard-Saint Malo

Another Busy Week

Week 4 was another week jam-packed with activities.  Monday we had our second installment of the Dessert Exposition. This time is was the group Blanc, who provided us with tasty treats to sample.  All of which were delicious.  Hopefully they remember to bring the recipes home with them at the end of the summer.  After sampling all of the tasty desserts, we also celebrated Evelyn's and Katie's birthdays. Below is a photo from the dessert exposition and more photos can be found at the link at the bottom of the post.

The rest of the week continued on with class as usual. Tuesday we had our third session with Babi,  our fitness instructor (an optional activity for those students who are interested) and Wednesday afternoon we went down to the valley for sports in the afternoon.  Amber and Sarah Kay led half of the group in some outdoor yoga, while Jamie and I tried to keep up with all the soccer stars we have here this summer.

Friday morning, we had our Défilé de Mode, where the stagiaires strutted their stuff showing off their best French fashion. After classes, we offered bowling in the afternoon as an optional activity before the reception at the Mayor's office. Because this activity was optional, not all of the stagiaires participated, but those who did had a blast. Below is a group picture.

After bowling, all of the stagiaires and their families met at City Hall for the official reception at the Mayor's Office.  Unfortunately, the Mayor could not attend, so we were welcomed by the Adjunct Mayor for Education, Mme Brigitte Blévin.  Two students, Molly MacGuire and Morgan Cornacchini gave a joint speech to the families and guests.  After the students, an alumni of the Honor's Program, who is currently living in Saint-Brieuc spoke and provided us with a brief glimpse of how the program has changed over the last 50 years.

Following the formal presentations, the stagiaires sung La Marseillaise, the French National Anthem.  We then surprised them by having them sing The Star Spangled Banner. It was the 4th of July after all. After singing, everyone enjoyed light refreshments before it was time to go home so that all of the French families could catch up on the World Cup game.  Sadly, France lost to Germany.

Next Wednesday we have our final excursion. Stay tuned for more on the amazing activities of our stagiaires!

Here are more pictures from the weeks events:

Le Concours de Desserts - Blancs

Le Défilé de Mode

Bowling

Réception à la Mairie

Week 3 and still going strong!

It's hard to believe that we've already passed the three week mark in St. Brieuc.  The summer is flying by!  This week was a busy one too. In addition to normal classes and activities, we also had our first round of the Dessert Exposition and our overnight excursion to Normandy.

For our Dessert Exposition, the stagiaires prepare a French or Breton dessert with their host family and bring it in to class so that everyone can taste the different desserts and learn how they're made, as well as any history or traditions associated with them. This week we started with the Bleu group, and the Rouge and Blanc groups will follow next week and the week after.  Here are a couple of photos of everyone tasting the desserts, as well as our swing dance lesson (led by our swing master Jamie) after everyone had devoured all that there was to taste.

Bright and early Thursday morning we left for our overnight excursion in Normandy. Our first stop was Le Mont Saint-Michel.  Le Mont Saint Michel is an abbey formerly inhabited by cloistered monks that sits atop a mountain on a small island on the coast.  In the past, the island was only accessible at low tide, but in modern history, a land bridge was built to provide constant access.  Le Mont Saint Michel held strategic important for France during the middle ages, as it is named for the patron saint of France and was often the target of English attacks.  It was also a major stop for religious pilgrims during this period as well.  During the French Revolution, it also briefly served as a prison.  Today, Le Mont Saint Michel is no longer inhabited by monks or prisoners, but its rich history is available for everyone to view.  After climbing the mountain to the abbey (and many many many stairs), we had a guided tour led by our one and only Sarah Kay. A couple of pictures from this stop on our excursion are below.

Le Mont Saint Michel

On the steps of the Abbey

In the fireplace that was used to prepare meals for nobles who visited the abbey

After Le Mont Saint Michel we rushed to Bayeux to view the famous tapestry which tells the story of William the Conqueror and the Battle of Hastings. Unfortunately pictures could not be taken in this museum due to the delicate nature of the exhibit.  Below is a link to the museum and the wikipedia page for the tapestry for those who are interested in its history.

The Bayeux Tapestry - Wikipedia

Bayeux Tapestry Museum

After viewing the Bayeux Tapestry, we headed to La Pointe du Hoc which was one of the first landing sites on D-Day during the second world war. It was at this site that U.S. Army Rangers scaled the cliffs to disarm and destroy Germany artillery thought to have been installed at this point, which was the highest point between Utah and Omaha beaches.  Today, one can still explore the remains of German bunkers that had been built at the sight as well as the craters left by the bombardment that destroyed much of the area.

The whole group in one of the bunkers.

On the second day of this excursion, we visited the American Cemetery, Omaha Beach and the Memorial at Caen, which is a museum that was dedicated to peace after the Second World War.  At the American Cemetery we took a guided tour that explained the history of the D-Day, the role of Omaha Beach and highlighted some of the figures who are interred at the cemetery and their role in the war.  We were asked not to take photos during the tour and it began to rain quite heavily soon after, so unfortunately there are not very many photos of this stage of the excursion.  There are also a few photos of those stagiaires who chose to go down to Omaha Beach during the downpour. The Memorial at Caen was our last stop and the stagiaires had one final opportunity to immerse themselves in the history of the region and really see the impact of the Second World War in France and the world.

The Memorial at Caen

A Memorial in the American Cemetery

Omaha Beach

The American Cemetery, Omaha Beach, The Memorial at Caen

Le Mont Saint Michel

Le Concours de Desserts - Bleus

La Point du Hoc

At the Memorial at Caen, we ran into the group from Brest who were also finishing up their Normandy excursion. The stagiaires had a few minutes to catch up with their friends and siblings before we boarded the bus for the drive back to St. Brieuc.

It was a long and busy week, and there is still more to come. Keep a look out for more desserts, activities and the 4th of July!

La Danse Bretonne

Already we're at the end of our second week. Time is flying by.  Tonight the stagiaires had the opportunity to learn about and participate in traditional Breton dancing.  For two hours, the stagiaires and their host families wore out their pinky fingers and their calves learning several different traditional dances from the region. We stepped, jumped, spun, hopped and twirled until we couldn't do it anymore.  As the city of St. Brieuc is located in the region of Brittany, this night of cultural exploration was particularly relevant to the stagiaires experiences with their host families, many of whom are Breton, and to what they have been learning in class, especially the culture class.  Here are a few photos of the night, but many more can be found at the link below.

La Danse Bretonne

Off to a running start!

We've officially made it through our first week in St. Brieuc.  The flight was uneventful, everyone's bags arrived with us and the host families were on time (even early) picking up their stagiaire from the meeting point when we arrived in St. Brieuc.  The bus ride was long and after more than 15 hours of traveling, everyone was tired and slept nearly all day Tuesday.  After one day to rest and adjust to the time change, we had our first day of classes and orientation on Wednesday, June 10.  The stagiaires recommitted themselves to the Honor Code and the language commitment and they shared these aspects of the program with their host families at our first host family meeting that night.

Thursday, June 12,  we had our first mini-event after a partial day of classes. Everyone took a guided tour of the city of St. Brieuc and learned about it's rich history and its role in the region and in modern France.  We visited the Cathédrale of Saint-Etienne and saw some of the oldest buildings in the city. The stagiaire also learned the basics of the structure of French government as we viewed observed the Préfecture (a regional government building) and other important sites in the city. Below is a group photo of the stagiaires in front of the Office du Tourisme.

In front of the Office du Tourisme before our guided tour of St. Brieuc

Friday, June 13, we had our first real excursion. After morning classes and lunch, we boarded the bus to head to Cap Fréhel and Fort La Latte.  Cap Fréhel is a light house on the coast and Fort La Latte is a restored chateau-fort, today maintained by a private organization, but which served a vital role in French history as the region of Brittany is positioned just across the English Channel from England. We began the excursion by exploring Cap Fréhel and taking in the beautiful landscape of the coast and the sea. Then the stagiaires valiantly braved a 5 kilometer hike from Cap Fréhel to Fort La Latte where we received a guided tour of the chateau-fort from a very feisty guide. The stagiaires learned the difference between "le donjon" in French (the residence of the chateau's lord) and "the dungeon" in English (a prison) and gazed into the "oubliette" where prisoners and others were put to serve out sentences for crimes or other offences.  Group pictures from both Cap Fréhel and Fort La Latte are below.

Cap Fréhel

A brief break on the hike between Cap Fréhel and Fort La Latte

Fort La Latte

The stagiaires passed the weekend with their host families and Monday we had our first full day of classes.  We also celebrated the birthdays of Molly and Nina with cidre (non-alcoholic of course) , cookies and other treats. Pictures from Monday as well as others taken throughout the last week can be found at the links below.

Departure Day

Visite de St. Brieuc

Cap Fréhel and Fort La Latte

Typical Day at School