World traveller finds his way to volunteer in France

Posted on May 2, 2016 by La Giraudiere

John Hollister, an American Volunteer, arrives in France to help out at La Giraudiere

La Giraudiere’s 2016 season starts well and its fourth volunteer of the 2016 season makes his arrival. John is the second American Volunteer to arrive in France in order to help out at La Giraudiere.

John originates from San Diego but refers to himself as a nomad – his goal is to visit 100 hundred countries now that he is retired. To date he has visited 72 countries.

John arrived on the 18th of April, bringing sunny weather with him and putting up a good fight in a heated game of pétanque against the reigning champions.

Volunteers_working-holiday_France During his stay, John has been helping out with painting apartment 4, installing a safety barrier for the balcony and rendering the balcony walls. John proved to be a valuable member of the team with his skills.

John did not like to cook for the group and felt guilty when it was his turn for the week, especially after eating the delicious meals provided by the rest of the group. However, he compensated for it by purchasing a curry from the local boucherie to which Paul provided the rice (which is why he’s called Mr Rice) and Paul’s brother, also called John, made a lovely apple pie for dessert which was copiously covered in crème anglaise.

American_volunteer-John_Hollister

John made use of his days off by visiting Pons, La Rochelle and Bordeaux for his first weekend and enjoying the local festivities provided at the Brossac Fête du Muguet on his second weekend, there he shopped at the market stalls, watched the bike race and visited the brocante to buy some gifts for La Giraudiere.

John was happy to participate in the Friday French lessons and was a keen contributor to the class. He practiced his communication skills with the teacher and Foo and also by visiting the village shops.

You can read more about John’s travels and his stay at La Giraudiere by visiting his blog at   American volunteer in France

 

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Malaysian volunteer arrives in France

Posted on April 19, 2016 by La Giraudiere

Choon Poh Tan is the second volunteer to arrive to help out at La Giraudiere

La Giraudiere continues its 2016 season by welcoming Choon, from Germany, to help out. She is the first Malaysian to arrive at La Giraudiere.

Choon is a service agent at Frankfurt Airport, due to her career she is a polyglot. She is capable of speaking English, German, Chinese, Malay, Russian and basic French. Choon used her time off from work to arrive on the 9th of April. She came to La Giraudiere for the opportunity to get involved in the rural French lifestyle and to improve her command of the French language to better assist the many Francophones she deals with as part of her job.

choon-malaysian_volunteer

During her stay she helped out in many ways. She spent plenty of time in the garden, getting rid of weeds and planting roses. She was also a great help around the house by cooking some excellent vegetarian dishes, setting the table for meals, organising the linen and doing a spot of cleaning. When the weather was unsuitable for gardening she helped out with painting the windows in apartment 4.

Since she came down by car, in her spare time she drove off to explore the Charente region. She visited the Chalais market which takes place every Monday and drove down to Bordeaux for a day out.

Choon took part in the French lessons with Paul and Zach. She got involved with the local community by playing belote and pétanque, lending her ample opportunity to practice French with native speakers.

We were happy to host Choon at La Giraudiere and wish her all the best in her future endeavours.

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First volunteer in France

Posted on April 8, 2016 by La Giraudiere

Zachary Aubin, an American volunteer, arrives in France to help out at La Giraudiere.

La Giraudiere starts off its 2016 season with the arrival of Zach. He is the first volunteer  to arrive in France this year to help out at La Giraudiere.

Zach, fresh out of high school, is a teenager from Masachusetts, USA, who is taking a gap year to explore Europe and experience different cultures before he starts college in September. He works as a life guard for a water park and has volunteered in many projects back home. He is a budding film maker who aims to become a corporate lawyer but Paul believes he has the potential to go even higher and become a politician, perhaps even the President of the US.

Zach arrived on the 8th of April, making his way down from London

zachery_aubin-american_volunteer

Zach has been helping the team by cleaning up around the house and their tools after they’ve finished their work for the day. He fitted new lamp shades in all the apartments,  gave the windows a new lick of polish and assisted John with the cement mixing. He’s also working on creating a video to promote La Giraudiere.

Zach has been using his weekends to travel far and wide through France, visiting Bordeaux and Paris, and even going as far as Germany for one weekend.

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Help Creat international volunteers partnerships

Posted on March 30, 2016 by La Giraudiere

La Giraudiere looking for global partners and international volunteers

One of the projects for 2016 that volunteers and interns can help with is setting up and forming new international partnerships. Contacting associations and organisations from around the globe that operate similar programs to that of La Giraudiere.

We would contact to ask if the organisation would like to strike up a partnership with us, We have several ideas in mind but would also welcome ideas from you and also from the organisation or association,

We will be informing them that we are a non-profit organization / association based in south west France and that each year we open our doors to international volunteers, interns and groups from around the globe who wish to help or learn about France it’s culture, language and way of life in general. That our project presents an ideal oportunity for their participants.

Ideas presently on the table are,

  1. Initially we could propose an exchange of emails and messages making each other aware of our respective organizations, goals and ideas.
  2. Exchanges on social media, likes on Facebook and follows on twitter and other social media.
  3. Preparing a blog entry or webpage about our newly found partner describing the organization and their goals. Similar upon their website describing our association, our goals and opportunities in English and or the language(s) of the new partner.
  4. We would also include their project/program in our quarterly newsletter.

If you think this is something that you would enjoy setting up and or doing then apply to help now at Volunteer or Intern in France

Les Amis De La Giraudiere – France

International volunteers logo

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Sidney and Paul last day together at La Giraudiere

Posted on February 22, 2016 by La Giraudiere

Sidney and Paul’s last day together.

Today, Monday the 22nd February 2016, has been a very long day at La Giraudiere. Sidney had his breakfast at 7.00, much earlier than normal. After his breakfast he tried to make it to the door but failed as he has been doing so for the last week.

After clearing up, Sidney spent the morning inside dozing and then waking up and checking on me and then dozing off again and this was how the first part of the morning passed. I telephoned the vets office whom informed me the vet would be passing in the afternoon and not the morning.

Sidney's last Sunday at La Giraudiere

Sidney’s last Sunday at La Giraudiere

For Lunch Sidney had one of his favorite sardines on toast and the same for me. After lunch Sidney let me know he wanted to go out and with my help we made it to the grass just across the road from the gate. He covered up many of his rivals marks stumbling in between but knowing I would get him back on his feet.

At 3.00 the phone went again and it was the secretary from the vet saying the vet would be passing between 4.00 and 5.00, this is going to be the longest hour or two of my life.
It is so difficult not showing Sidney how up set I am about what is planned although I think he knows exactly as he will not let me out of his sight for a moment.

We waited outside of the gites on the grass together with neighbors passing by. Every time I hear a car or vehicle I start to fill up and say to myself I have to stay strong for Sidney.

At 5.20 the vet arrived and by 5.30 Sidney was asleep in my arms and by 5.40 the vet said that Sidney had left us. I knew he had gone as I had my hand on his heart throught out and now it was no longer beating but he was still warm. I gave him his last hugs and I closed his eyes as he had been looking at me throughout.

The vet helped me carry Sidney to his resting place I then asked the vet to leave me alone with Sidney so I could finish what needed to be done. I placed Sidney in his favorite blanket and placed him in the sleeping position he always preferred.

With the sun setting and piercing through the dark clouds above, it starts to rain, only a little, as though the Charente sky is weeping. I feel so empty I have not just lost my dog I have lost my best friend and partner. I finished burying Sidney at 11.00 pausing several times in between.

Sidney a beach lover finds the next best thing

Sidney a beach lover finds the next best thing

La Giraudiere will never seem the same, It feels so empty here at this present time. My sole consolation is Sidney now sleeps with no pain and will remain at La Giraudiere.

For those visiting this blog for the first time; Sidney was a black Labrador who was born on the 1st November 2001 just outside the village of Chaunay which is 10 kilometers north of Ruffec in Charente. His father was from England and his mother was French apparently Sidney was the result of a holiday romance.

His registration name was Sydney Souks but I changed it to Sidney Socks. Apart from 4 weeks of Holidays in Spain and England Sidney passed his life at La Giraudiere in Brossac in the department of Charente France. His main job there was welcoming visitors, volunteers and interns from around the world.

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Sidney summer 2015 passing time with volunteers from USA and Canada

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