Four Belgian students’ diary about the meeting in France

Cédric
21 st January 2009
We arrived in Château du Loir at 16.00. In the evening we were welcomed in the town hall by the friendly French students. They had prepared cookies, brownies, and drinks for us. We talked to the French students while the Spanish and the German ones were arriving. Cassandra, my corresponding member arrived at the middle of the “ceremony” and after that we went home, in Aubigné-Racan located 10 km far from Château du Loir. Then, I became acquainted with my family, we ate a pizza. Then we played with the wii and we watched a film. To finish the exhausting day
I unpacked my suitcase and I went to bed.

22 nd January 2009
I’m got up at 6.15 a.m. I got ready for a day in a French school. I took the bus with Cassandra to go to school. She introduced her friends and we talked to people in relation with the Comenius project. We attended a sciences and a mathematics lesson. It was boring. After that we ate and we were got dressed for the “Sarthe international badminton tournament”. The Belgians are the best. They won. We played volleyball and futsal too. After that, we went to the pub for another sport: “Drink”. Once again Belgium was the best, with its star Nick. There I talked to the French and the Spanish students. Unfortunately, we had to go back home. When I arrived, my new family had prepared a typical regional meal: snails. I loved that. After supper I immediately went to bed.

23 rd January 2009
I got up at 6.15 a.m to go to school by car. The programme was the visit of the castle of Amboise and a walk in Tours. In the morning we visited the beautiful castle where Leonardo da Vinci died.
Because of the bad weather the visit was somewhat marred. After that, we went shopping in Tours. With Nick, we went to a pub and we found France was very expensive. After this walking afternoon, we returned to Château du Loir by coach. There we went to a pub and we played snooker.
It was very funny because nobody could play. To end the day we went to a pizzeria. The food was not exceptional but it was edible. We went back to home and I went to bed because I was totally shattered.

24 st January 2009

It was our last day and we went to Le Mans by train.
We had to wait for the train for more than two hours thanks to our French friends who were well informed about the timetable!!! In Le Mans we took the tram to the city centre and then until the skating rink.
I didn't stop falling and people laughed a lot at me. It was a disaster. We went back to the Château du Loir and we went to a party organized by Camille, we played with the Nintendo and the Wii, ate a pizza and watched a film. Unfortunately, I ended the evening in hospital with Sophie and Cassandra because Améliane had hurt her hand at the skating rink.

25 st January 2009

This trip to France was a success for me. It allowed me to practice different languages, to know other cultures and new people. I hope I'll be selected to go to Bremen. I’d like to improve my English and learn a little Spanish.
Cédric from Belgium



Sophie

FIRST DAY:
After a long journey we were welcomed received by the French. They had prepared a snack for us. We stayed two hours with them and they let us visit their school. It is well equipped for leisure activities for young people. After that we met the Spaniards and Germans and we went together to the town hall. At the beginning, it was difficult to communicate. I wasn't always self-assured but with time the communication got better. At the town hall we met the mayor, who welcomed us with a small speech. We also met our families. It was great!
I had a very nice family and they did everything to let me feel comfortable.

SECOND DAY:
Arrived at school we started the day with a meeting of the participants and we were welcomed with a small speech in English. After that we attended the courses with our corresponding member. It was surprising because during the physics course nobody answered the questions except the foreigners. At noon the French offered us a “bio lunch”. In the afternoon we took part in badminton and volleyball tournament. It was a different way of seeing and knowing each other. In the evening we returned to our corresponding member. I was very comfortable in my family and I got on well with everybody. It was very pleasant.

THIRD DAY:
We went to visit Amboise: the castle and the town. It was very beautiful. Everything was very well planned. After that we went to Tours. We could visit the town freely. It was nice to have a little free time. In the evening I had a meal in my friend’s father‘s restaurant. It was delicious. I was very spoiled.

FOURTH DAY:
We were free to do what we wanted with our family but our new friends had arranged everything to go together in the afternoon to Le Mans. We had a drink before taking the train to Le Mans and it was pleasant. In Le Mans we went shopping and then we went to the rink.
It was great; it was very funny even if a pupil hurt herself. After the rink we went back to go shopping. We spent the evening at Camille’s, a French girl. We ate a pizza, played on the Wii and watched a movie. But Améliane had hurt herself at the rink and she had to go to the emergency. I went with her, Cassandra and Cédric (a French girl and a Belgian boy).
We spent the evening in hospital but we had a good time because her injury was not serious.
The next day we went back to Belgium.

I have a very pleasant recollection of this experience and hope to live another one.
Sophie from Belgium


Nick

Our travel to France for Comenius started early on Wednesday morning. We took the train from Liege to Paris, from Paris to … (…) and finally we arrived at the close of the afternoon in Château du Loir where we were welcomed on well by the French students in their own establishment.
After many cakes and good orange juice, we left the school to go to the town hall where we met the mayor of Château du Loir. The parents of our French corresponding member were there. After that, we had supper with our new family. It was charming and not very different from our habits. We were tired, so we had a shower and went to bed.
On Thursday, we went to school in the morning. The lessons were rather funny. In the afternoon, after a tasteless organic lunch, we played sports: first, badminton and then volleyball. The Belgians won the cup. It was a good way to talk more with the other corresponding members.
On Friday, we woke up early. Unfortunately, the weather was not good, so we put on as many clothes as possible. We took coach and two hours later we arrived in Amboise where we visited a Castle where Leonardo Da Vinci died. There was a lot of wind. After that visit, we walked in Tours where we had lunch and went shopping. At 5 p.m., we were back in Château du Loir. Then, we ate in an Italian restaurant. There was no Italian in the place, but they cooked pizzas. To tell the truth, the food was disgusting! But we had a lot of fun with everybody. Thanks a lot to the cook.
Nick from Belgium



Lara

Wednesday: we left to France by train. The travel was tiring because we had to change three times. It was an advantage because we could spend some time in Paris. We didn’t leave Paris without having a drink in the “ Montparnasse Tower”. In the afternoon, we arrived in Château du Loir, a little town near “Le Mans” famous for its car race. Two French teachers were waiting for us at the station. They brought us to the school. Our corresponding members had prepared cookies for us. And then we met a Spanish girl and a German girl. It was very interesting to meet people from different nationalities and to discover other cultures. In the evening, we went to a reception at the Town Hall of the village.

Thursday: after a good night at our corresponding member’s, we spent two hours in the classroom. I was shy because I didn’t know the teacher. In the afternoon, we played volleyball and badminton with all the teachers and students who took part in the Comenius Project. We won the golden cup and we were happy. That competition was a good idea to meet and talk to other students.

Friday: in the morning, we visited the castle of Amboise where the famous Leonardo da Vinci died. After that visit, we went to “Tours”. We went shopping and had a drink.
In the evening, we went to a restaurant with some new French and Spanish friends. The meal was horrible but we laughed at it the whole evening.
Lara from Belgium