Volunteer Leo says goodbye to La Giraudière before returning to Hong Kong after his Working Holiday

Leo and Jenny visit La Giraudière

On Saturday La Giraudière was thrilled to welcome back one of its previous volunteers when Leo and his girlfriend Jenny popped in to see us. Leo spent three weeks here in January at the beginning of his French working holiday, and he came to say goodbye over the weekend before going home to Hong Kong.

Under the France and Hong Kong Working Holiday Scheme, Leo was able to spend up to one year as an employee in France. As we enjoyed lunch in the garden, he filled us in on his time in France and other various places all over Europe. He maintained, however, how glad he was that he started his European adventure here at La Giraudière. It acted as a base for him, he said; and gave him the opportunity to gain confidence in the language and culture before setting off to find work. In between landscaping and gardening, repairing wood burners, painting and other general maintenance tasks at LG, Leo spent his weekends exploring the area; and by the end of his three week stay he’d found a job at a restaurant in Bordeaux. He then went on to find work in Marseille, before spending the last two months of his trip travelling Europe with Jenny.

Playing around with the ‘Selfie Stick’

After a lovely lunch in LG’s garden, we had the chance to play around with the couple’s ‘selfie stick’, an Asian phenomenon that’s about to take Europe by storm! Paul then took Leo and Jenny to the market in Tatre, where they enjoyed some fresh French oysters. It was then time to say our au revoirs, and to wish them well on their last week in France before their return.

Thanks for coming to see us Leo and Jenny! As Paul said, it really makes his work here worthwhile.