DUNBAR AND DISTRICT TWINNING ASSOCIATION     NEWSLETTER April 2009.

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15th Anniversary visit to Lignieres.

Some of the committee are planning to pack their bags and set off for Lignieres in October to help the Comite de Jumelage celebrate the 15th anniversary of the association.  If anyone would like to come along for a weekend visit probably around the 17th October please let Fay know. The Comite de Jumelage is very keen to entertain us!

SCHOLARSHIP

The association was pleased to support Charlotte Ormiston’s work experience visit to Lignieres last summer. Her account of her visit is so interesting and descriptive of the values of twinning contacts that we decided to include it in this newsletter.  We are very grateful to Donald Brennan, Odile Marsteau and all members and supporters of the Comite de Jumelage who assisted Charlotte during her visit.
Late in the summer of 2008 I had the privilege of going to spend 6 weeks learning French in Dunbar’s twin-town Lignieres.  I had just finished my last year at Dunbar Grammar School and could think of no better way of enjoying my new freedom than setting off for France and the unknown. Of course I was really excited and couldn’t wait to get there but to say I was ‘nervous’ as well would be a bit of an understatement!
However, Donald and Wilma Brennan reassuringly met me at the airport and were the first of the many friendly faces I was to meet in France. Immediately, I was welcomed by Odile and Stephane Marsteau, their 3 children and dog into their beautiful traditional home over tea and biscuits. This rather British scenario made me feel quite at home! It was a lot of fun to live with the Marsteaus and I really can’t thank them enough for not only looking after me, but showing me around the area and teaching me all sorts of new things about French culture. I was extremely lucky to get to become part of their way of life: beautiful bike rides through the sunny French fields, going blackberry picking, swimming in the pool, talking about anything and everything, taking the school bus into town with Vivien, and of course, their relaxed meals and delicious food.  We all had a lot of fun and I learned much about other ways of living.
During my stay I undertook a work placement in the Tourist Information Centre of Lignieres. It was perfect. The office door led right onto the beautiful covered marketplace in the centre of town and it was a great place for me to practice my French. I was always in contact with the friendly locals who would pop in as well as fellow tourists.  The two women who worked there, Marie-Christine and Elianne, were lovely and we would frequently lunch together.  As well as working, I visited many of the local schools to help with English lessons and share some of my culture with them. Trying to sum up an entire nation’s history and way of life in half an hour is a challenge that I soon became used to. As was singing verses of ‘Donald Where’s Yer Troosers’ to classes of small children! This was also a great experience for me as I got to see how the French school system works and meet a lot of French kids. All of the students and teachers that I met there were very friendly, fun and enthusiastic about me being there to share some of Scotland with them. They are all desperate to try to start up some sort of exchange again with the people of Dunbar
One of the most important things for me about this experience has been being able to become part of a completely different lifestyle. Being separated from a lot of the things you consider ‘normal’ in your life is a good way to take a look at yourself and your culture and appreciate that it is possible to live differently. At the moment I believe that both the Grammar and Primary school are beginning to organise some pen-pal activities and really hope that this becomes possible to encourage further student exchanges. Anybody who is up for adventure and experiencing another way of life should pack their bags and get themselves to Lignieres if the opportunity presents itself. I can’t express how important this trip has been for me- I feel like a fuller person because of it. Linguistically, there is no alternative. ‘Living’ in French is the only way to learn completely. From my point of view the trip was a real success. I really can't thank the committee and everyone involved enough for making it possible. I had a fantastic time and learned so much about the culture, politics, country, people, food, and lifestyle of that part of France as well as the language

Students visit Dunbar in March

 
Alison Tossel entertained a group of students from Lignieres on a brief and somewhat unexpected visit to Dunbar on 24th March.  Here is Alison’s account of their visit.
I had a really enjoyable day with the group from Lignieres.  It was great to have Katherine Duguid and her friend Yvette with me - school kindly gave them the day off- and we welcomed the French bus and all occupants when they eventually arrived in the John Muir car park.  We all had a really good 2 hour walk along the beach and round Spike island.  Thankfully the weather was dry and the sea looked magnificent - only drawback was the bitter wind.  After John Muir we went to Lauderdale Park to eat packed lunches - the students in the park, teachers and myself in the cafe!  We finished off the visit with a walk around the harbour and a bit of the High Street.  The only complaint was that no seals were seen. One of the highlights was the public loos near the swimming pool. The immaculate state of the loo made such an impression that several students and a teacher all took photos of the interior.
The group all attends the Lycee in Lignieres studying horticulture or social care. However none of them live in Lignieres but are from the surrounding villages.  They arrived off the Amsterdam to Newcastle ferry yesterday and after a quick trip to St Andrews last night settled in with families in Edinburgh.  I think the accommodation was found via an agency and all seemed very happy with it.  Tomorrow they are off to Loch Lomond and Thursday is to be spent in Edinburgh.  On Friday they return briefly to Dunbar to visit Lammermuir Care Home followed by the horticulture college in St Boswells.  I think they have some exchange arrangement with the latter.  On Saturday they return to Newcastle and home.
They were such a nice group and Odile a delight.  She was full of praise for Charlotte and keen to tell me how they had gained from her stay - very much a 2 way process.  She also said several times how much they would welcome a visit from a group from Dunbar to Lignieres.

Lifeboat Fete

Look out for our stall at the Lifeboat fete to be held on 8th August.

DISCLOSURES

Ray Halliday has been busy filling in forms to enable her, on the association’s behalf, to organise the necessary disclosures should children wish to stay with host families during twinning or school events.

Annual General Meeting

Our annual general meeting, held at the Day Centre on 12th February, turned out to be a very pleasant, well supported evening. Jo McNamara, our guest speaker, gave an interesting account of her work as a community development officer in Dunbar.  It was clear from the discussion generated that there are many people in Dunbar and surrounding area who are committed to the concept and aims of the Association.

Committee Contacts

• Chairperson:  Stephen Bunyan: 863 335
• Vice Chairperson: Alison Tossell: 864 891
• Treasurer: Joy Smeed: 862 502
• Secretary:  Fay Stanton: 862 634
• Minute Secretary: Rona Starr: 862 758
• East Lothian Council representative:
• Cllr. Jackie Bell. 863 110
• Committee members:
• Simon Flower
• Rae Hallida