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After 17 years of student travel tours with Club Europe, a retiring teacher from a school in Staffordshire has had a wonderful final French Language trip to Normandy.
We interviewed her to find out more about her experiences with Club Europe.
“You were recommended to me by a colleague in 1996, who said you helped them take the stress out of organising their trip. I agree, teachers have so little time.”
“When you have problems. For instance one year one of our pupils had an asthma attack when we were at Disneyland. It was really good to be able to have their support from Club Europe. If I’d been by myself I wouldn’t have had all the answers I did. Their French speaking staff also help with expert knowledge of the area – this year they found us a wonderful market when we were en route somewhere. I would never have found this by myself. Their timings in the programme also really help, so we know when to stop for lunch etc.”
“This year’s theme was William the Conqueror. So for instance we went to see the Bayeux Tapestry and visited Guillaume Le Conquerant castle. The pupils also enjoyed some bowling and mini golf – it’s good for them to know it’s not all work. One of the highlights was the bread-making workshop, where we learnt to make baguettes.
“It was also great to be back at Les Marines. I have used this centre (where we have our morning language lessons) for years . The manager there is so charming and loves English groups, always speaks to the students in French. There’s also the advantage of having the whole centre to ourselves.”
“Working with Catherine Ruffle was one of them. I met her a few times and we really built up a good relationship almost like a friendship with an advisor. She really made me feel you could trust her and feel confident that she knew what she was doing. She was always very flexible, for instance when some of our pupils couldn’t afford the trip, she just put up the price for the others making it possible for them to come. I always felt it was a very personal service.
“Another highlight has been the pride I always feel seeing my students on tour, answering questions – either in French or English- so beautifully.”
“One of my pupils, who came back to see me, went onto Oxford on a scholarship to study Medieval French and when one of his tutors asked him what had made him want to study this, he said it was one of my French trips to Dieppe.
“Another highlight is the photo competition I started after one of my trips that has now been running for years. I mount all the entries on the display board in reception so the whole school can see. For the winners the prize was a trip to a local photographer’s studio, where they’re shown how to enhance their photos and are given a framed copy of one of their images.”
Call Dane or Rob now for more details of our French Language trips or click on the links for more on our school trips to Paris for language students, all our school trips to France for Language students of for all MFL student travel tours.
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