Americans fight it out with spirit as they lose their homes in droves
I have to admit it, I cried after hearing the last comment in an American Public Media podcast from a radio show called Market Place this July 2009.
A family of four had lost their home because of a tricky loan (one where interest rose after a few years) the couple couldn’t repay. This was after having completely self-renovated the home over the fifteen years they’d owned it and seeing their elderly parents and children have to live elsewhere than at home because of lack of space in the trailer…One day the bank had said: “You have three days to leave” and that was it.
The woman who’d lost her home was now living in her trailer. What hit me in the heart was when she said, as she was showing a picture of a sunset she’d recently taken : ” If I get to see this everynight, it cant be that bad can it?”
How’s that for good spirit?
– > Listen to Market PLace via podcast to get a smart taste of how the US economy is doing
Filed under Moving to the US | Comment (0)Le Monde announces launch of UWC Lycee in les Milles, Aix en provence
Le Monde of this July 22, 2009 announces a project to create an international ( English or Spanish track) Lycée ( or High School) in Les Milles, just West of Aix en provence, where a micro Silicon Valley has developped.
Its to be developped by an international organization (part non profit, part company) , UWC ( United World Colleges), founded in the 1950’s by a German educationalist, Kurt Hahn, and which has gained the support of royals and UN top brass like Lord Mountbatten, Queen Noor of Jordan, and Nelson Mandela over the years.
About UWC:
UWC has 12 Colleges located on five continents, 11 schools are pre-university and teach the IB Diploma and one is a tertiary agriculture school. It claims it selects students based on merit versus the parents’ ability to pay for tuition.
UWC seeks additional funding for the secondary intitution to open, however. It accepts donations and seeks out volunteers to staff its National Committees.
UWC National Committees
UWC depends on the dedication and expertise of a network of volunteers to find and select the majority of our future students.
These volunteer groups are called National Committees and they operate in over 120 countries worldwide.
UWC National Committees promote UWC to prospective students in their country, encourage and support applications and select students based on merit to represent their country at the Colleges.
– > UWC site
– > UWC France
In France, UWC organizes summer camps for youth in Megève, in the French Alps. There the fee is 1800 euros for 2 weeks.
Filed under Education and Child Development, For international Children and Parents | Comment (0)English language Summer Camps near Aix and Marseille
There are a few English language camps available for kids and youth in the Aix en provence area during the summer.
* ICCP Kids Camp and Youth Camp :
The international christian (protestant) community of Provence organizes an amazing kids camp in July, for kids 7 to 11. This year it was the week July 7 to 11, 2009. It is set at the wonderful home of one of the parishioners in St Marc Jaumegarde, staffed with councelors, a majority from the US , and junior councelors ( from age 11) who are often alumni of the Camp.
Activities run from Arts and Crafts to sports to participating in singing and music, always with a cooperative, respectuful mindset, rather than a competitive one. This year’s theme was ‘ The Aixplorers’, in a play on the Adventurers of the Lost Ark movie.
The Youth Camp, for age 12 to 17, takes place near Grenoble, in August.
* Private International Schools Summer Camps:
CIPEC, EPIM, and IBS, all in Luynes (as well as in Marseille for EPIM) organize summer camps with lots of fun activities for children and teenagers.
– > CIPEC: Domaine de Fontvieille – Luynes 13080 AIX EN PROVENCE – FRANCE Tél: +33 (0)4 42 60 84 25 – Fax: + 33 (0)4 42 60 84 26 Email: info@c-i-p-e-c.com
– > EPIM: International Private School of Provence
Marseille school phone : 04 91 530 000 – Aix-en-Provence school phone : 04 42 600 300
– > IBS: Summer camp info page: http://www.ibsofprovence.com/spip.php?article16
Domaine des Pins – 500 Petite Route de Bouc-Bel-Air
Aix-en-Provence 13080 LUYNES – France
Tél : (33)(0)4 42 24 03 40 Fax : (33)(0)4 42 24 09 81