KINGSMEAD FRENCH TOUR ~ APRIL 2005
21 April 2005 Bienvenue a Paris!
There was great excitement as 29 Kingsmead girls boarded flight AF 995 on Wednesday evening and, understandably, not much sleep was had en route! They arrived early in the morning and, after depositing their luggage at the hotel and freshening up, they set went off to explore the sights of Paris! Mme Townsend phoned to say that they all had a wonderful day and that the weather at the moment is superb.
Written by: Jenny Peddle
22 April 2005 Disneyland Paris
A day many have been looking forward to --- Disneyland Paris! I have been in France with a group of St Andrew's and St John's pupils and will be returning to South Africa over the weekend. I will, therefore, only be able to update this site on Monday. Please be assured in the meantime that all has been well organized and that your children are in safe hands.
Written by: Jenny Peddle
24 April 2005 Arrival in Antibes
An early departure from Paris and congratulation to all on successfully negotiating their way around the Gare de Lyon – this should go on their CV's! Having remembered to "composter" their tickets, they boarded the world renowned TGV and then enjoyed a 5 hour journey through some of France's most beautiful scenery. With a fully equipped "buffet" on board, none of the children went hungry and many can vouch for the delicious sandwiches and tasty treats on offer. At 1.30pm they arrived in Antibes, where they were met by their host families, as well as Claudio (in charge of family placements) and Carine, their delightful "animatrice". She is young and highly organized and has been designated to the group to accompany them on all scheduled outings and generally act as their "confidante". I have personally met several of the host families and am very satisfied with the calibre of person selected by the School. It is natural for a mother to be concerned about her child staying with a host family in a strange country, who speak a foreign language, but it is important to realize that everyone is going to feel awkward in the very beginning. This is an enormous maturing process and certainly tests one's character, but I have no doubt that when the Kingsmead girls return home, they will be filled with renewed confidence and pride in their achievement and will have flourished from the experience, just like the students from Roedean, St Mary's Waverley, St Andrew's and St John's.
Written by: Jenny Peddle
25 April 2005 First day at school + Cannes
Classes started today and they are divided into levels of ability, with no more than 15 per class. The school management is very happy to change students if they do not feel comfortable in their designated class and it is this willingness to listen to the pupil's needs which makes this School unique. I have received an email from Mme Townsend and she, too, is very pleased with the professionalism and organization of the School. After a quick lunch, everyone met at the station and boarded a train to Cannes. The girls love this outing, not only because Cannes is so beautiful and representative of the Cote d'Azur , but also because of the shopping! "La Croisette" was a little pricey, but there were several other shopkeepers in Cannes that day, who were delighted that the Kingsmead girls had paid them a visit --- and it's only Monday!
Written by: Jenny Peddle
27 April 2005 Outing to Monaco
After school today, everyone met Carine at the station and they boarded a train to Monaco. Apart from boasting some of the most spectacular scenery, Monaco prides itself on being spotlessly clean and orderly. There is an instant fine for littering and police patrol the streets to ensure that there is no bad behaviour. It was a ver y moving experience to see the vast array of flowers which had been placed in front of the palace, in memory of Prince Rainier. He was obviously a much-loved friend to all the Monegasques. The girls then joined a long line of tourists at the Cathedral and filed past where he and Princess Grace have been laid to rest. After walking through the exotic gardens, there was some time to shop for souvenirs, before catching the train back to Antibes. They really enjoyed the outing!
Written by: Jenny Peddle
30 April 2005 Homeward bound!
It seems strange to think that I too was in Antibes this time last week and about to embark on my journey home. So I can vividly picture where your children are and can imagine what they would be doing on their last morning – perhaps a leisurely stroll along the beach, a quick look around the amazing Saturday 'marche provencal' and definitely some last minute shopping! This afternoon, their host families will drive them to the airport in Nice, where they will say a fond farewell before boarding their plane to Paris, Charles de Gaulle. Here they will remain in transit until they finally board flight AF 990 at 23h15 and their scheduled time of arrival at Johannesburg International is at 09h40 tomorrow. I sincerely hope that your children have had an enriching tour and that they have benefited from this wonderful opportunity. So, a la prochaine ---!
Written by: Jenny Peddle