Our First French Visitors
by Neil - 13:15 on 20 June 2009
We joined Lymm Town Twinning several years ago. We had friends who were already members and it was an extra way of meeting up with them on an informal basis without having to arrange something ourselves. My wife was attending French classes in Lymm. I had only schoolboy French to fall back on and was a bit nervous of the actual purpose of the society.
As time went on we got to know the other members better and my wife joined the committee. However we have found the dinner club an excellent way of meeting other members in a small group and get to know them better.
This year was the first year that our children were both away at University and there was room in the house. There were also more people coming from Meung than ever before and Peter was looking for homes for people. So Helen offered our house.
Determined to show willing I bought a Berlitz teach yourself French from Amazon and set myself a schedule to try and get myself a bit more confident in speaking French. Even if a family of perfect English speakers turned up then at least I was showing willing.
We were allocated a private school headmistress (who spoke very little English) and two ten year old girls. When then turned up it was brilliant. The French lady, Francoise Pitrou, spoke French slowly and clearly and actually replied to my halting heavily accented French. The girls were a delight, so polite, friendly and helpful. The time passed ever so quickly. All the hard work Peter had put in arranging school visits for the headmistress and the girls turned out well.
On the day with no organised activity we went with another French family and their hosts to Tatton Park. A very simple trip but the girls ran round the park and got stuck in, patting the animals in the farm, running round the maze and even doing the Spot the Vegetables quiz with enthusiasm. The Knutsford Guardian were at Tatton Park that weekend to photograph the events that day and the girls hit the news at the next issue.
I met my match with a French lady whose English was similar to my French but we were there to enjoy ourselves and had fun trying to speak the other person’s language.
Sunday came all too quickly and after a visit to the museum where Helen works it was off to the airport and goodbye kisses all round. The house felt a bit empty afterwards. Still it was best to keep the visit short and sweet and leave something for next time.
Monday was a day for our hard working organisers to rest and recover. However Peter is already reminding us of the return visit next year!
Neil
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