VILLEFRANCHE, FRANCE.....FEB 28- MARCH 27, 2010
STILL TRYING TO BECOME BILINGUAL
28.02.2010 - 27.03.2010
14 °C
Arrived in Villefranche on Feb 28th just in time to see Canada beat the U S A for the Olympic Gold medal in Men's hockey on my apartment's T V. Then showed up for breakfast at the Institut in my Hockey sweater the next day. Even the Americans were congratulating me. What a start to four weeks of hard work, good food and surroundings and wonderful fellow students! I was placed in Intermediate three......a big promotion from Dec 2008 when I was in Intermediate two....and from Dec 2007 when I was in Intermediate one. Oh well at least I wasn't demoted.
My classmates Rana, Hannah, Toby, Fred, Roy, Barry and Sarah (more about her later) had the pleasure of having Ann and Iyoko( someone please give me the correct spelling) for the first two weeks and Becca for the last week. Our professor Frederic who , whatever his title is , runs things was terrific. And if I do say so myself we were an amazingly compatible, supportive group. I miss you all!
The first week the Institut threw a Soiree......lovely buffet, etcetera with dancing after the food. In previous years I have skipped this portion of the evening, but this time Sarah pulled a not very reluctant guy onto the dance floor and taught me a few steps and manoeuvers. I'll be grateful for the rest of my life Sarah and I loved your help in the classroom too. How lucky to have you at my side. Also I was invited by two lovely Norwegian girls to have my birthday dinner as their guest. Boy this course was getting off to a great start. So thanks to Konstanse and Rikke I had a wonderful birthday dinner at La Belle Epoque with them along with Leo, Lisa, Jens and Becca.Great food and drink and an amazing chocolate cake with my name and JOYEUX ANNIVERSAIRE ON IT AS WELL AS CANDLES. Talk about being emotional. And to think Nathalie had made a cake for me too which was served at noon.......Of course I had told EVERYONE when my birthday was and that I would be Eighty.
Meeting people at CHEZ BETTY'S was an everday pleasure, the school's all day excursion was perfect (Felix was a delightful lunch companion in St Paul de Vence and if he sends me some pictures I will post them here).
I was very lucky to sit opposite Hannah in class and when she, Sarah and I playacted a news team at one of the Seances it was really terrific. I also enjoyed the group dinners and the ride in Rikke's Fiat sports car with the red leather seats.
The last day when the certificates were being handed out my fellow students paid me the most wonderful compliment of my life by giving me a standing ovation. I was embarrassed and very proud at the same time.
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St Patrick's Day in Villefranche 2010
My favourite restaurant dans la vielle ville 2010
LUNCH March 21, 2010
les palmiers dans la vielle ville 2010
Le Parking. Ce n'est pas facile. Cote d'Azur Mar 21, 2010 041
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la vielle ville Villefranche 2010
la vielle ville Villefranche 2010
la petite ville Villefranche 2010
la petite ville Villefranche 2010
la petite ville Villefranche 2010
institut de francais 2
A pied Villefranche a Nice March 6, 2010 053
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A pied Villefranche a Nice March 6, 2010 018
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A pied Villefranche a Nice March 6, 2010 015
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Sarah, danseuse extraordinaire
paul, doug and toby 2010
[.com/260500/doug_and_toby__2010.jpg caption=doug and toby, 01img=https://photos.travellerspoint.com/260500/GetAttachment_2_.jpg
classmates 2010
doug and toby, 2010
toby, barry, paul and sarah 2010
samara, sarah and sommer
hannah and sarah 2010
barry and sommer 2010
learning sign language at le serre 2010 hannah, paul and douglas
Rikke and Sommer Villefranche 2010
classmate Rana villefranche 2010
Ioko, Douglas and Rikke
Graduation, Institut de Francais
Felix and Douglas, St Jean de Vence
Douglas, Felix and Lisa
Dinner out in Villefranche
Classmates
Some of the foregoing photos were courtesy of FELIX. All of the following came from FRED including a couple of him in Switzerland. I thought I was top-notch cyclist until I spoke to him about his lifestyle. Thanks FRED and FELIX.
fred wenger
fred at home
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Sarah and Frederic
Rikke
Profs
Oh my!
Nice
Nice 6
Nice 5
Nice 3
Nice 2
Nice 4
My dance instructor
Classmates
Barry
Konstance
Posted by douglasw 20:54 Archived in France Tagged educational
What a great group of classmates...looks like everyone really enjoyed each others' company!...what an experience!....love YOU! Daddy Dear...Melinda...xoxo
by seale