Équipe Saumur 2023: Week 2 - Just the first part

Last weekend was spent with host families. All reports were that families really involved the students in the lives of the families. Of course, they did some special things for their students.

The students’ level of French is improving at a rapid pace. We had a parent-only meeting Monday evening, and that was the common comment – that the students’ spoken French was improving literally from day to day.

Isaiah and I are both really proud of our students. They have grown so much in such a short period of time!

The first couple of days of the week were just classes and work on activities for the family show. But even in that, it has been really good. Choral has added a four-part harmony song. And the theatre group has decided to write their own absurd murder-mystery. It’s going to be so fun!

I’m still trying to convince one girl among all of them to do this monologue in the personage of a female cat explaining how she brings pleasure to everyone by her beauty and her attitude. I’m not having much success.

And there is a dialogue, again theatre of the absurd I’d like a boy and a girl to do. Not much success so far. We shall see.

Last night was the Fête de la musique. This is a nationwide music festival with lots of bands playing in the streets, food vendors, and lots of dancing. We made sure that the students were with host families. They all seemed to have a good time.

Today, we had our first “Service Communautaire,” community service project.

One of the tenants of IUHPFL is giving back to the communities that have welcomed us. This really isn’t a tradition in France. But it is becoming more of a thing. We like to think that we are actually showing the way. Marie-Odile is fond of saying that before, it was an action of observation, while today it is an action of service.

Today, we went to an equestrian school. The woman in charge has recently purchased the facility from a person who owned it for a very long time. There are a couple of outdoor practice areas and an indoor one. The indoor one had not been cleaned for a long time.

This indoor space has a floor of fine dirt to protect the horses’ hooves. This dust gets kicked up all around the space. We cleaned the space, got rid of spider webs (that were everywhere), dug up training tools that had gotten buried, pulled out trash and stuff that was the accumulation of years of neglect.

It’s really an incredible story. The woman who bought this facility helps handicapped people work with horses. She trains children from age five on up. There are over 50 horses on the facility. There are numerous world champion horses. When the horses get old, they are not euthanized. They are cared for until their naturel deaths.

She knew that she needed help with her facility and was surprised to find Marie-Odile asking for work that a group of American teens could do. She was astounded by our work ethic and our dedication to the language commitment, and just our willingness to help.

I really couldn’t be prouder. These young people are extraordinary.

It must be noted that Marcus, who is mayor of our small part of Saumur, was right there with us, sweeping out old dirt and dust, pulling old equipment out of the dirt, and just being there with us every step of the way.

Our kids worked really hard. They got really dirty – like covered in dirt, dirty. I think Paola even had a dirt mustache. There was not a single complaint. They just jumped in and did what had to be done. I cannot say enough good about the efforts of this extraordinary group of young people.

The reward was that, after a tour of the facility, (and during a few unplanned breaks) the students got to interact with the horses. Most of our students were really pleased to touch, pet and feed the horses. A few were unsure, but those students fell in love with the dogs that were a huge part of the facility.

This is my sixth year of doing this program. I can say, unequivocally, that this is the most selfless group I have ever worked with. They never put their own needs and wants ahead of others. They are quick to help one another. They take part in the lives of their host families. And today testified that they are willing to work hard for something that is for the greater good.

What an extraordinary group of young people!