Languages Learning Area News

Host Families Wanted For Our Reunion Island Friends – March 2020

Planning is already underway to receive the eleventh visit from our Reunion Island sister school, Lycée Sarda Garriga, in March 2020.

A delegation of students and teachers has visited Matthew Flinders every two years since January 2000.

Approximately 20 students and three teachers (including Monsieur Said, of course) will stay in Geelong for 11 days from Friday March 6th until Tuesday March 17th 2020. They will spend time in classes at Matthew Flinders and visit local tourist attractions.

This is a rare opportunity for students of French to form a friendship with a native-speaker of French. Our sister school is a senior high school so students are usually 15-16 years old. Students from Matthew Flinders often stay with the family of the student they hosted if they go on the trip to Reunion Island the following year. Throughout the nineteen years of this program, many enduring connections between students, families and teachers have been formed. One former Matthew Flinders student even shared a flat with her Reunion Island ‘sister’ while studying at university in France!

Students who don’t study French are also welcome to host. After all, the Sarda Garriga students are here to improve their English not their French! It is a great way to learn about the everyday life and interests of young people your age who live in another part of the world and speak another language.

Host families will treat their Reunion Island guest as a member of their family for the duration of the visit. By staying with your family, the Sarda Garriga student will get to learn about family life in Australia and perhaps your family might be able to take her or him to an event or place that is not part of the program organised by Matthew Flinders, such as an AFL football match, a netball match, Jirrahlinga or the cinema.

Some families prefer to host two students and there are occasions when we need families who are willing and able to welcome two Reunion Island students into their family.

If your family is interested in this program, please fill out the form below and return it to a French teacher.

An information night will be held early in Term 4 when further information will be distributed and any questions will be answered. In the interim, please do not hesitate to contact us at school if you have any queries or concerns.

Mme Casboult et Mme Fish

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Host Family Program for the Reunion Island Visit March 2020

Our family is interested in hosting one/two Reunion Island student(s) from Friday March 6th until Tuesday March 17th 2020

Name of Matthew Flinders student:

Year level:

Parent/guardian signature: