Ici L`Alliance September 2015

Ici L’Alliance
Le Journal de L’Alliance Française de Santa Rosa
Language School and Cultural Center
a non-profit corporation, member of the Fédération of Alliances Françaises USA, Inc.
Volume 14 Issue 7
www.afsantarosa.org
September 2015
Assemblée Générale
Takes place Tuesday, September 15 Reserva7ons are due by September 12 We will officially install our officers and Board members for the
2015-2016 year on Tuesday September 15, 2015 at 6 pm at Restaurant La
Gare - 208 Wilson Street, Santa Rosa. Cocktails at 6 pm will be followed
by dinner at 6:30, elections of AFSR officers and Board members, and a
lecture (in French) by Dr. Olivier Marteau.
La francophonie audiovisuelle et l’Afrique est le sujet qui sera évoqué par Olivier Marteau à
travers son expérience personnelle de Chef de projet au sein de la « politique audiovisuelle
extérieure de la France ». La priorité des institutions francophones : l’Afrique et sa jeunesse,
avenir de la francophonie.
The price for this special dinner and lecture is $35 per person (gratuity and tax included, wine not included).
All reservations are due by Saturday, September 12, by registering online or by sending your check to
AFSR, 182 Farmers Lane, Suite 200, Santa Rosa, CA 95405. Please do not forget to indicate on your
check your entrée selection: fish, chicken, pork, or vegetarian (see menu below).
Menu Dinner includes soup, salad, entrée, dessert, and coffee.
• Salmon filet cooked in shallot white wine, served with a light brown sauce
• Coq au Vin
• Pork Schnitzel made in light batter, served with citrus beurre blanc sauce
• Vegetarian spanakopita: flaky filo pastry stuffed with spinach, feta cheese, and garden vegetables
About the Speaker: Olivier Marteau est né en France à Caen (Normandie). Après avoir obtenu une Maîtrise d’Histoire contemporaine et un Master II en
Sciences Politiques à l’Université de Paris I – La Sorbonne, il est embauché en tant que Chargé d’études pour le développement de programmes
audiovisuels francophones destinés à la jeunesse africaine. En 2002, il décide de partir étudier les communautés francophones de Louisiane. Il s’inscrit à
l’Université de Louisiane à Lafayette et obtient un doctorat en 2007. Le titre de sa thèse est : « Une littérature minoritaire francophone dans le sud de la
Louisiane : Le pari de la création d’un champ littéraire ». Après avoir travaillé en Ohio (Denison University, Case Western Reserve University), il a
déménagé récemment en Californie et il enseigne maintenant à Sonoma State University.
Causeries du jeudi - New time
Causeries à Sebastopol
French conversation 5-6 pm at the Foyer
avec Daphne Smith & Marina Velichinsky.
Begins Sept. 3. Venez pratiquer!!
Lundi de 5-6pm chez Berkeley Malm
Tel: 823-3794
Causeries à Healdsburg
2e et 4e mercredi du mois
Please call 433-8074 for details
Déjeuner Mensuel de l’Alliance
Second Wednesday - September 9
Landmark Executive Center, 3883 Airway Dr. Come Early (11:30) to avoid the rush. Please call Christiane at 542-5411 by Monday September 7 to confirm
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Ici L’Alliance
Board of Directors
Volume 14 Issue 7 - September 2015
Le mot des co-présidents
Honorary Member
Ned Small
Co-Presidents
Marina and Olivier Bertrand
Vice‑President
Marcelle Milochau
Acting Treasurer
Daphne Smith
Recording Secretary
Davida Brautman
Board members
Andrea Croft
Robert Dahlstet
Karen Frazer
Mary Kay Pedersen
Communications
Barbara Snyder
Newsletter
Anne Bandy
School Director
Lisa Broderick
C'est vraiment au coeur d'un été très chaud que nous vous souhaitons une
formidable rentrée.
En France, les températures aussi ont atteint des pics inhabituels. Prenons
l'exemple de la Lorraine d'où nous sommes originaires.
Selon les informations fournies, la France aurait connu cet été les mêmes
conditions extrêmes qu'en 2003 avec des températures allant jusqu'à 40
degrés (celsius). Le plus dur reste pour les personnes âgées, qui soit ne
s'hydratent pas (faute de sensation de soif) soit n'ont pas les appareils
nécessaires pour avoir de l'air frais ( la climatisation à la maison n'étant
pas une priorité en Lorraine vu les conditions climatiques ordinaires). Les
familles avec des enfants en bas âge ont eux aussi des difficultés à gérer la
situation, du coup il est suggéré d'aller dans les grandes surfaces pour se
rafraîchir.
Au niveau national, la France a eu pour le mois de juillet 2015, 50% en
moins de précipitations. Certaines zones ont été très touchées : Moins 67%
en Lorraine par exemple. Les terres sont pleines de crevasses, la pluie
tarde à venir, même les mirabelles n'ont pas été nombreuses comme c'est
normalement le cas chaque été. Mirabelle: un fruit typique du nord est de
la France: https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirabelle.
La France, comme la Californie, a été touchée par des feux dans la nature,
qui ont été très difficiles à éteindre et ont forcé des familles à quitter leur
domicile par sécurité.
Le maître mot sera donc pour cette rentrée 2015: Sécurité, hydratez-vous
et tenez-vous informés sur toute fumée suspecte afin de savourer l'été sans
dommage.
Aussi, nous espérons vous rencontrer ou vous revoir (pour les habitués) lors
de notre assemblée générale qui se tiendra au Restaurant La Gare le 15
septembre, ainsi qu'aux autres activités prévues cette année.
Marina et Olivier Bertrand, Co-présidents de l'AFSR
Cercle Littéraire
Ici l'Alliance is published ten times
a year by Alliance Française de
Santa Rosa.
Send all correspondence regarding
the newsletter, advertising, and the
website to:
Alliance Française de Santa Rosa,
182 Farmers Lane, Suite 200
Santa Rosa, CA 95405-4761
[email protected]
Le cercle littéraire se rencontrera mardi, le 15 septembre à 3h.30 au Foyer
pour discuter du roman de Zemmour, Petit Frère. Nous discuterons ce
« regard sans concession sur l’action politique de toute une génération, et
de toute la culture SOS Racisme des années 1980. La charge est pleine
d’humour, le style est agréable, mais le fond est sans concession. » - Pierre
Cassen
Le Cercle Littéraire accueillera avec plaisir de nouveaux participants.
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Ici L’Alliance
Volume 14 Issue 7 - September 2015
Coin Ecole — C’est la Rentrée!!! (Back to School!!)
Fall classes at the Alliance start September 7th and run 8 weeks through
October 30th. All levels of classes will be offered, including
French for Travelers
Beginning French 1
Beginning French 2
Early Intermediate
Advanced Intermediate
Advanced
Advanced Conversation
French for Fluent Speakers
The September-October session is $240.00. We are expecting increased
enrollment this fall in our classes. If you would like to join us, please contact Lisa
Broderick, School Director. To view the schedule and register early online with a credit card or Paypal click:
www.afsantarosa.org/school/group-classes . You can also send your registration in by mail or pay at the first
class. If you are a new student or need to renew your membership, you can do that as well at the link above.
Directrice de l’école
Lisa Broderick [email protected]
ANNONCES In addition to the weekly and monthly events listed on page 1, which are sponsored by AFSR, a local group of
francophones meets for dinner the first Friday of each month at the Crepevine Restaurant in Montgomery
Village. For more information, contact Evelyn Anderson at 576-1124.
Read and sign up for the weekly Bay Area Francophile List at http://www.sonoma.edu/users/t/toczyski/
BAFLHomepage.shtml
Save the Dates!
Mark your calendars for upcoming AFSR events October 24
Film (afternoon event, title to be announced)
November 20
Beaujolais Nouveau celebration (evening event)
December 12
Holiday Open House, afternoon
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Ici L’Alliance
Volume 14 Issue 7 - September 2015
An Occasional Member Essay Eighty-­‐Two Dinners with a French Family While looking for an inexpensive French immersion experience last year, I discovered I had aged
out of most of them. Then I found Aliore, an agency in Montpelier that supplies English tutors to
families all over France. The age requirement was 18 - 70+. I applied for a three-month stay and
requested a family in a fairly remote location (mostly to reduce the temptation to speak English).
In less than a week, I was matched with a family in a village in central western France between
Nantes and the ocean. I accepted and so began my commitment to live with a family with three
teenagers for three months, and this is how I had 82 dinners with a French family.
On October 5, a Sunday, I arrived in the train station at Nantes, with my travel dictionary
tightly clutched in my hand, to be met by the parents
in “my family”. On the drive home and for the next
couple of days, I had to often ask for French time-outs.
I seemed to just wear out after about 15 minutes of
conversation and dictionary use. But, after a month, I
didn’t even bother to carry my dictionary anymore,
and long conversations were no longer a problem.
Oddly, from one day to the next I rarely felt I was
making any real progress speaking or understanding
French, but occasionally I would notice that speaking
was easier --- I no longer double-checked my
conjugations, I didn’t hesitate to start conversations,
and I almost always got at least the gist of what was going on around me. I could even contribute
to a group conversation that included teenagers. Then I noticed my intonation becoming more
volatile and “toi” being added to sentences where I wouldn’t have used it before. On the last day,
the Mom told me, with a look of satisfaction, “Quand vous êtes arrivée, le français, c’était difficile.
Et maintenant vous pouvez parler français.” And it was true, at least for everyday French.
I left on December 27, with a sense of affection and respect for each family member and with a
comfort level with French language and culture that surprised me. There had been drama, tears,
uproarious laughter, screaming, balling outs, Glee episodes for English lessons, too many video
games, American and French cooking lessons, the sad
disappearance of a beloved cat, a rare physical fight
between two of the children, American dances and songs,
Thanksgiving dinner for 15 made by the children and me,
arguments over chores, sprained ankles, typing on French
keyboards, complete homemade re-vamp of a bedroom for
a 15th birthday, Touche Pas A Mon Poste with weekend
dinners, laundry drying in the living room by the roaring
fire, a local library card, flea market finds, AVF (Accueil
Des Villes Françaises – Service au Nouvel Arrivant),
pergamano, Football and Goals!!!, rapid-fire, abbreviated
teen-age French, sightseeing trips, tons of homemade
Christmas cookies, Christmas Eve dinner at the
grandparents with cadeaux assiettes, kisses, and more kisses again, and much more. It was the
extraordinary everyday life of a beautiful, normal, busy, delightful and very patient family
hurtling toward teenage independence and re-configuration. I was honored to have been a guest
member for a little while.
-Anne Bandy
Do you have a travel experience or french book or movie review to share? Contact the newsletter editor at [email protected]
Alliance Française de Santa Rosa
French Language School
182 Farmers Lane, Suite 200
Santa Rosa, CA 95405-4761
Tel. (707) 543-8151
www.afsantarosa.org
[email protected]
Joining or Renewing Online
Annual Fee
(12 month period)
Please circle your membership level
You can now join AFSR or renew your membership online, using a
credit card or your Paypal account. Just go to http://
www.afsantarosa.org/membership/join-or-renew and follow the simple
instructions.
HS Student ..................... $25
French Teacher ............... $30
Want to Join or Renew by Check? - Mail in this form
Individual Member .......... $40
Please Check One: o New member o Renewal
Family .............................. $50
Friend of AFSR ................ $75
Name___________________________________________________Date_______________
Sponsor ......................... $100
Address_____________________________________________________________________
Life Membership ............ $500
City________________________________________________State__________ Zip_____________
Additional Donations:
Phone_______________________________Email_________________________________________
School Program $ ______
How did you find about the Alliance? o Relative o Friend o School o Phone Book o Other__________________________________________________
I would like to volunteer: o Yes o No
Areas of interest o Conversation Group o Literary Group o Classes o Children’s Activities
o Do not print my name in the list of New Members in Ici L’Alliance
Amount of enclosed check:__________________________________
Mail to: Alliance Française de Santa Rosa, 182 Farmers Lane, Suite 200, Santa Rosa, CA 95405-4761
Cultural Program $ ______
Merci!
Gifts are tax deductible