Thursday, 24 March 2011

Excitement mounts . . .

I can't quite believe it, but we are leaving for Clères tomorrow!  Everything is ready for our departure.  We will meet in the library at 8.45am (luggage should be left neatly in the corner nearest reception).  Pupils will be told their groups and should have their passports and EHIC cards ready to give their teacher.  Any spending money to be looked after by staff should be handed over in a named, unsealed envelope with the total written on the front.  Any spare medication (inhalers etc) should be given to Mrs McDonald for safe keeping.

À demain!

Mme Young

Posted at 15:18:13 GMT

Saturday, 26 March 2011

Friday 25 - Saturday 26 March 2011

We arrived safe and sound in Clères at 4pm on the dot this afternoon, which impressed the French families hugely.  The journey went very smoothly, with electronic games keeping pupils entertained yesterday and a very smooth overnight crossing to Zeebrugge.  Pupils got full marks for tidy cabins this morning, and unbelievably, nothing was left behind!  (Apart from the veg at the self-service buffet)

Today we stopped off briefly at a huge shopping centre near Calais where some chocolate waffles were purchased, then we continued on to the Baie de Somme for lunch.  Staff were not required to translate or order food for pupils, and I was pleased to see everyone making an effort to speak French.  Several were rewarded for their efforts with crêpes au sucre.  As we approached Clères, we had a quick practice of French greetings and warned them about the tradition of the 'bises' or kisses.  Some of the boys were suitably appalled at the idea, but all coped admirably with the arrival and went off happily to their French families.

I've just phoned round the host families and all are delighted with the Scottish pupils this evening.  Since our arrival, there have been games of football, trampolining, French v Scotland on the Wii, visits to Clères Parc Zoologique, and a crêpe party for two of the families.  Everyone appears to have eaten dinner, some have made their packed lunch for tomorrow, all have moved their watches forward an hour and should hopefully be sound asleep.  One French dad told me to sleep soundly - dormez bien sur vos deux oreilles - which made me smile.

MOT DU JOUR:  un nid de poule (lit. a hen's nest) = a pot hole

CHIFFRES DU JOUR:

Crêpes consumed: 4

Berets bought: 5

Passengers on the ferry: 900

Sausages eaten for breakfast: 27

Number of times staff were asked 'How long until we get to Clères?' - Lost count around 54 . . . .

Posted at 21:47:37 GMT

Sunday, 27 March 2011

Sunday 27 March

As I write, the sun is just setting behind the hills and the light is fading in the village of Clères.  The garden of the staff family's house is full of flowers - daffodils, hyacinths and heather - and the trees are covered with blossom.  On our return from Paris, the sun was shining and the sky bright blue.  Clères was looking at its best!

The Paris day was very successful.  Travelling there on a Sunday allows us to avoid the traffic, and we arrived just after 10.30am, which meant we had time for a coach tour of the city to see the main sights.  We then boarded the Bateau Parisien for an hour's cruise along the Seine.  The weather stayed dry and it was quite mild, so some of us chose to sit outside.  Many photos were taken!  We had our picnic lunch on board, and pupils particularly liked the sachets of fruit purée and tubs of nutella and breadsticks which are so popular in France.  After a quick pause to drop off bags in the coach, we then crossed the road to the Eiffel Tower where we fought our way through the street vendors to the entrance.  The queues were short, the views excellent and everyone made it to the very top.  After the obligatory purchase of model Eiffel towers, postcards, bracelets and chocolate crêpes, we piled back on the coach and had a smooth trip back to our village.  It was lovely to arrive a little bit earlier than usual, and have the time to chat to the French parents and relax before the evening meal.

I look forward to hearing about how pupils spend their evening tonight.  Yesterday Ellise, Alexandra, Rachel and Holly had the chance to milk a cow and see calves on their dairy farm.  They sounded thrilled, and all pupils seemed to get on well with their hosts - certainly everyone headed off happily to their French families this evening.

The weather sounds more changeable tomorrow, but we've our fingers crossed for a good day in Bayeux and at the D Day landing beaches.   A demain!

Posted at 19:29:46 GMT

Monday, 28 March 2011

Monday 28 March

Bonsoir!

We enjoyed our day touring Normandy today in beautiful sunshine, with the fog burning off nicely as we reached Bayeux.  Mrs McDonald set the scene historically on the coach before our arrival at the Bayeux Tapestry Museum, where pupils were given headphones with an audio guide in English, which takes you through each scene of the 70m long tapestry.  It is absolutely stunning and very well preserved despite being around 900 years old, with beautiful colours and amazing stitching giving an incredibly vivid depiction of the events leading up to the Battle of Hastings as well as a myriad of details about everyday life at the time.

From there we headed to the coast and Pointe du Hoc, a clifftop German gun emplacement which was stormed by US rangers, who scaled sheer cliffs on D Day after a heavy allied bombardment.  The area has been left as it was, and is pitted with enormous shellholes among the remains of the gun emplacements.  We had our picnic in the sun before spending an hour wandering round the site and exploring the craters.  The surrounding countryside is full of fields of lambs and apple orchards and small farms which produce cider and Calvados.  It is incredibly peaceful nowadays and in total contrast to events 66 years ago.

A short journey on the bus allowed us to show the opening scenes of the film Saving Private Ryan before we arrived at the American Cemetery at Colleville, which featured so movingly at the start of the film.  Mrs McDonald brought a lump to our throats when she read the poem The Longest Day by Rob Aitchison.  Pupils then had time to walk among some of the 9300 graves there before going to the viewpoint which overlooks Omaha Beach.  On such a beautiful day, it was hard to imagine the horrors so many young men experienced on 6 June 1944 and in the months to follow.

Allan, our driver, brought us back on time to Clères yet again - his time-keeping has definitely impressed the French families!  Following an unexpected detour due to a closed road in Rouen, he even managed to take a back road to Clères and squeezed the coach through a very small tunnel . . . phew!  Tomorrow is his rest day, so he is going to join us on the train to Rouen.  We hope the good weather will continue so that we can see the city at its best.

A demain et bonne nuit!

Posted at 21:14:51 GMT

Tuesday, 29 March 2011

Tuesday 29 March

I've just got back to my host family's home after a very busy but successful day.  This morning we caught the train to Rouen, and were joined by our driver Allan who was making the most of his day off.  Pupils all now know how to 'composter' their tickets before getting on the train!  Jean-Paul, husband of our organiser Angela, had very kindly booked us group tickets, which were much cheaper than individual fares, and we were delighted to find a whole carriage with signs on the windows reserving it for Dollars Academy (sic).  We arrived in Rouen just after 8.30am, so were able to explore the old town while it was quiet, as the shops tend not to open until 10am.  We saw the Hôtel de Ville and Saint Ouen Abbey before wandering thorugh the narrow old streets which were reminiscent of York, with painted timbered houses dating back to the 15th century. 

We had a good look around Rouen Cathedral, which was so often painted by Monet at different times of the day, and saw the tombs of Richard the Lionheart and the Viking King Rollo, the first Duke of Normandy.  From there we headed past the famous Gros Horloge to the Place du Vieux Marché, with its beautiful old houses around Joan of Arc's striking church and the site where she was burned at the stake in 1431.  The market there was a feast for the eyes, with fruit and vegetables, fish and cheeses jostling for space.  An hour and a half of shopping then kept pupils happy - it must be said that this year purchases were well chosen - and everyone headed off to the bowling very satisfied.  Three very competitive games ensued, with several strikes and a wide range of final scores, but fun was had by one and all.  Vicky was rewarded for her first prize (with full marks!) in the Bayeux Tapestry competition, and enoyed a Rouen speciality as her reward - a large chocolate macaroon!

From the bowling it was a short but tiring walk back to the station - the sun had come out and there were complaints that it was too hot - but we made our train in good time and were back in Clères by 4.30pm, leaving us plenty of time to get ready for our Tenth Anniversary Celebration Soirée.  The host families were delighted with their evening.  The Scots looked marvellous in kilts, rugby shirts, tartan tights and See You Jimmy hats.  A local reporter took their photo and Ellise caused huge excitement by piping in the French guests.  She looked wonderful and played with aplomb.  The little French children were very impressed when they learned they had been talking to a world champion piper!  Our host families brought a wide range of dishes and we enjoyed a fantastic spread.  The Scots contributed shortbread and Irn Bru, and Experiment, our host family organisation, kindly provided champagne for the adults.  After the meal, Mr Morton, Mrs McDonald and a group of Dollar pupils demonstrated the Gay Gordons and the Canadian Barndance and very soon we had the French on their feet dancing with enthusiasm.  This was followed by a performance by the Scots of Flower of Scotland, Loch Lomond and Scotland the Brave, which went down very well.  We then showed our French parents a slideshow of Dollar Academy and Dollar town, to give them a glimpse of our home region, before the evening was rounded off with a multi-lingual version of Auld Lang Syne.

I'd like to thank Gilles Moyon, the headteacher of the Collège Jean Delacourt, for allowing us to hold the event in his school, the French families for their wonderful buffet meal, and Angela (and Experiment) for her stunning organisation and endless energy and enthusiasm.  The host families left with a bottle of Harviestoun Brewery beer, with many talking of coming for a visit to Dollar.  If any of you would be willing to host French parents for a long weekend at some point next year, please let me know.  The families here have been incredibly kind to our pupils, with some of them hosting for 10 years, and it would be lovely to be able to reciprocate in the future.

Well, it's time for bed; Disneyland tomorrow, then we'll have to pack to be ready to leave on Thursday morning.  The time is flying by.  Bonne nuit à tous!

Posted at 22:19:34 GMT

Wednesday, 30 March 2011

Wednesday 30 March

Well, our stay in France has flown by and I can't believe that today was our last day.  The long-awaited visit to Disneyland was as successful as ever, and the weather stayed dry for us while we were in the park.  The journey went smoothly and the Boulevard Périphérique was not as busy as in previous years, fortunately.  The park itself was noticeably quieter, and pupils got on far more rides than usual, thanks to the shorter queues.  The usual Disney purchases were made, with Minnie ears and balloons proving particularly popular.  Presents were also bought for some of the host families' children, who have enjoyed the Scots' visit.  One wee French boy asked me at the soirée last night if I could send him the same children next year!  Allan miraculously got us back to Clères on time this evening - not bad after a journey over three hours long.  I'll be booking him again for next year's trip - he's been an excellent driver and great company.

Hopefully by now all bags will have been packed and pupils will be sound asleep.  If nothing has been left behind, that will be a first!  The French families have been full of praise for the Scottish pupils, who have all been excellent ambassadors for Dollar Academy.  I'm delighted by how well they have all coped, experiencing family life in France and communicating in French, and hope that many of them will keep in touch with their French families and might either return next year to build on the friendships made, or perhaps visit with their own families in the holidays.  One of our fabulous host families (who hosted 5 boys this year!) owns a delightful gîte next to her house near the centre of the village which would make a perfect base for exploring the region: www.gite-de-la-clerette.com. 

Well, I need to finish here if I'm to pack and sort out the paperwork in time for tomorrow.  I'd like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to Angela and to all our host families for their wonderfully warm welcome and for the kindness they have shown the Dollar pupils.  It has been a fabulous experience for all of us and we have already started talking about arrangements for next year's visit.

Voilà, un grand merci à tous, et à l'année 2012!

Au revoir!

Posted at 22:42:14 GMT