1998 School Magazine

Girls 6rainmar ^iconol agrisbaiie 1998

,=^^

EXchange to I;'rance

'in living in Lyon, a beautiful city situated in the south-east of France. It's about the same size and has a similar population to Brisbane - so it is fairly big I arrived in Lyon in winter, which was a big change from January in Australia. I had learnt French at school which was a

I took part in the ten-day Rotary Eurotour with forty other eXchange students from all over France. The tour took in such places as SITasbourg, NUTemberg, Prague, Salzburg, Venice and Verona, Geneva, Chainonix and Fontainebleu In July TVisited England and Scotland. During June, uly there

great help during my first few days in France. Starting school proved to be inucl} more difficult though The school (Lycee Junette Recamier) is very different from BGGS. It's a six- I level building with no grounds, parks, ; ,**. lunch tooether at -The canteen. There's I trees or tennis courts one lesson of sport per week and that's the only sport offered at school. Of I course, like all schools in France it's co- educational. School also lasts longer from 8.00am - 4.00,5.00 or even 6.00pm I'm doing my eXchange with Rotary International which is a worldwide OF ganisation, so I've made lots of friends from all over the world. This 15 very interesting because one can find out about differences and similarities in CUI- ture, lifestyle, food, schooling, etc Everyone eats a ,

was football fever throughout France with the World Cup Football. The annosphere was unbelievable each time France won a match, especially the important ones in August I stayed with thenOSt family I met through my French sehool ex- change to hagou16me two years ago. We stayed at the be aclT at Royan on the Atlantic coast for two weeks, swimming and sunbaking. I then stayed with them at their home in Angou16me and revisited sites I'd seen and people I'd met - it was really great! That school eXchange gave me my first taste of France, and it was after that trip that I decided I wanted 10 Come back to France and thus am now having such a wonderful year. I must mention the French food and wine. What meals! The French don't just

*" '*

*#\ * ,* -*

,

t\.

*

*

Debbie at a ROM, y High!

Throughout the yearwe are hosted by three families, staying four months with each one. I've had two great families so far, both with children around the same age as me or older France is a lovely country, ; . ....

eat, for the sake of filling a stomach; they eat with pleasure and respect. The salads, sauces, pates, sausages, chicken, cheese,

desserts, herbs, breads and pas- tries - what heaven! Who could resist so much temptation? Ob- viously, I couldn't and the ef- rects show: I'm 15 kilos ITeavier! Naturally I've tried snails and frog's legs - unbelievably I thor- oughly like both! Then the French wash it all down with lots of wine; for me, it's just a little This eXchange hasn'I turned out to be just a cultural and linguistic experience. it has also shown me more aspects of cooking, fashion, films, stories and music. I have become more independent, learnt how to

and I've been itIcky to travel a little in the Rh6ne-Alps region witlT Rotary and my host fami- lies. I've visited BOUTg-en-Bress, Ninecy, Be aujolais, Dordogne and the French Alps - in both summer and winter. I went ski- ing in winter and hiking in the summer holidays. The Alps are massive and beautiful, with little villages scattered ever;myhere You really notice the year changing here: winter with the cold and SITOw; spring-getting warmer, days getting longer,

I-

,"

^

Debhie tit Peroi{ges flowers starting to appear; surruner with its hot, long days until travel and Inve realised that just because people do things nine o'CIOcl< at night, flowers everywhere and the summer differently from me, it doesn't necessarily mean it's bad, just holidays. School finished at the start of June and recommenced different It's also made me realise WITat a wonderful country in early September. I took this chance to do a bit of travelling. Australia is and what a great school BGGS is, and has made me appreciate both Autumn I ITave not yet encountered My French is now very good and I'm still loving my year, but in only four months 1'11 be back in Oz

DEBBIE LAURITZ ,

86