With some trepidation French language students from Year 10 and Year 11 met at 3.30am to start on their francophone adventure. Following a short flight, we arrived to a warm day in Nouméa. Once settled into our hotel we used the afternoon to orientate ourselves, visiting a supermarché and the obligatory patisserie!
On Sunday, we had a visit to the marché which included, local fish, fruit, vegetables, charcuterie as well as local culinary spécialités and artisan products. A visit to La Cathédrale Saint Joseph was time for some quiet reflection before boarding le petit train to access the panoramic views of Nouméa.
Sunday evening saw all students joining their Homestay families, where they would remain for the next five nights, speaking French. School commenced on Monday morning with introduction for the teacher for the week and students realising that all lessons were in French. A visit to the aquarium rounded the day off before returning to Homestay for the evening. Day two of school and learning about the Kanak culture of Nouvelle Calédonie, this was followed by an afternoon visit to Tjibaou Cultural Centre.
For many the highlight of the trip was the day at Amédée Island, a special marine reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stand up paddle boarding, swimming and snorkelling with the fish and green sea turtles before lunch and cultural demonstrations.
The preparation for Bastille Day, La Fête Nationale began in earnest with le Cortège Illuminé, the Lantern Parade, where children collected their lanterns and made their way to the town square, La Place de Cocotiers. An evening of food and music followed by fireworks before returning for our final evening with our host families.
Our last day and the Défilé Militaire, Military Parade, in the morning before returning to the hotel for a relaxing afternoon with some last-minute shopping. All too soon it was time to pack for home. The students made the most of every opportunity to enjoy the experiences, for many it was their first experience of the Kanak culture, practising their spoken and written French, with confidence in their own abilities growing and progress being made by all. Special thanks to Mr Johansson for accompanying the group.
