Last days in La Rochelle

Brigitte, who teaches Commerce at the Lycée d’Oriole that three of our ‘correspondants’ attend, is hoping to lead a school trip to New Zealand in March next year, so some of us were invited there on Friday morning for ‘un pot’ and a tour of the school. We were impressed with the art on the walls and how modern the school seemed. Our students particularly liked the classroom that was set us as a supermarket, complete with shelves of ‘food’ and a check-out.

The ‘pot’ involved all of us around a table in a meeting room with the Principal and Brigitte where we were offered huge platefuls of  ‘canapés’ which are little savoury bites with cheese, paté, prawns etc, followed by sweet treats in the form of small éclairs filled with caramel or chocolate. While the kids drank juice or fizzy water, the adults were all given a glass (or two) of Pineau des Charentes. This a popular local ‘aperitif’, a fortified wine made from grapes grown on the nearby Île de Ré, sweet, delicious and very alcoholic. This wasn’t even lunch – that came later! How the French manage to stay so slim is completely beyond me.

The kids were then taken to meet 60 of the lycéens (kids at the school) for whom they performed the haka, and with whom they spent a good part of the afternoon. In fact, Brigitte had to change her plans for the day’s activities because the kids were getting on so well and didn’t want to stop talking. The day seemed to be more of a success than anyone had expected and, happily, resulted in the Principal giving his sanction to Brigitte’s proposed trip.

That night the Collège hosted what we would call a ‘pot-luck dinner’ where all the families, and teachers, brought along something to eat and drink. The Principal and Deputy were both there, along with the teachers who were most involved with our stay. The kids did the haka and waiata again, for the parents, and speeches were made on both sides.

Kathy and I felt very proud of our kids. We were told over and over again by the Principal and the parents how wonderful they had been, how respectful, well-behaved and involved in everything – ‘the best group they had ever hosted’ said M. Rogeon, the Principal. We were plied with gifts, which seemed odd when it was we who were trying to thank them for being such marvellous hosts, for looking after us so well, and being so warm and welcoming. We could not have asked for better.