veux aller en france ?

Sister City FrÈjus student exchange opportunity

President Eisenhower created the Sister City program after World War II to build international ties and foster friendship and an understanding of different cultures through "citizen diplomacy."

In 1980 Fredericksburg created its first pairing with Fréjus, France. This partnering has created relationships that continue to this day and has sparked the adoption of numerous traditions for both the French and American cities. We now host an annual Bastille Day party and have a Giant Omelet celebration every ten years to commemorate the anniversary of our founding. In France, they celebrate the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving every year to share in our holidays.

Fréjus is a city, about the same size as Fredericksburg, on the Mediterranean coast, between Nice and St. Tropez. The city has over 2,000 years of history, dating back to Julius Caesar's conquering of Gaul/France. Ruins from Roman times can still be seen in the Amphitheater, aqueducts, and city gate. In the 19th century, Napoleon landed at Fréjus after his Egyptian campaign. More recently, Fréjus saw the landing of Allied Troops as part of the movement against German occupation in World War II. Today the city is a popular summer vacation spot with nearby hiking and beautiful beaches and marinas. One of the most vital pieces of our organization is our student exchange program. Every year for the last 42 years, except for COVID, we have had students travel across the Atlantic and live with families to learn about a life different from their own. In even numbered years, we welcome students from Fréjus, while in odd numbered years we send our young people to France. Students spend approximately two weeks living with a family and experiencing what daily life is like for teens in the other country. The foreign students then spend three or four days in either New York City or Paris before returning home. We are currently looking for students who would like to participate in the 2023 Student Exchange Program. We will be sending up to 20 high schoolers to Fréjus in mid-July, generally leaving around July 10th and returning around the 26th. The ideal student is anywhere from age 14 to age 18 with at least two years of French studies. Students will be immersed in the language while they are in Fréjus and their language skills with grow greatly over the two weeks.

Most days that students are in Fréjus, they will be participating in activities with their hosts and the other students and chaperones. These activities are designed to share the culture, activities, and history of the area. Some of the activities we have done in the past include visiting Fragonard Perfumery in Grasse, spending a day in Nice, creating arts with local artists, and spending the day kayaking and paddleboarding at the beach. We always have an historical tour of Fréjus and celebrate Bastille Day with our Sister City. On the weekends the students are free to spend the time with their host families experiencing different things. Students have gone to the beach, visited Marineland (a park like Sea World), gone horseback riding, and many other activities.

At the end of the trip, the chaperones take the students to Paris to visit cultural landmarks and see a different part of France. In the past students have visited the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Palace of Versaille, Musée d'Orsay, and many other places. Students have also gone on walking tours to visit different restaurants and gain an appreciation of the importance of cuisine to France.

bY kristin moeller

If you are interested in learning more about the exchange program, or our Sister City program in general, you can visit our website www.fredericksburgfrejus.com or contact us fsca1980@gmail.com or on Facebook Fredericksburg Sister City Association. Our applications can also be found on our website. The stated deadline of January 15 is for early acceptance, applications for this incredible opportunity will be accepted through February 15, 2023. Kristin Moeller participated in the Frejus exchange in 2009 as a student, and in 2019 as a chaperone. She is a dedicated member of the FSCA Board of

Directors even though she recently moved to San Antonio (thanks to Zoo

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