Welcome to the webpage of
HUNTERS HILL - LE VESINET
FRIENDSHIP COMMITTEE
A COMMITTEE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF HUNTERS HILL MUNICIPAL COUNCIL
Town Hall, P.O. Box 21, Hunter's Hill NSW 2110 Australia
Exchange your family
for a very nice French one!
"We then walked down past all the people selling things on the Seine
and over the Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris" - Amy Readett
INTRODUCTION and HISTORY
In July, 1988, as part of the Australian bicentennial celebrations, Hunters Hill Municipality formed a pact of friendship with
Le Vesinet, a municipality in Paris of similar size, character and history to our own. This pact was initiated to build
friendship and understanding between French and Australian people at a local and individual level. In 1991, the first
delegation of students arrived from France to experience Australian life for 6 weeks. Groups of Australian and French
students have been exchanging ever since!
The exchange program has been a huge cultural and educational success on both sides of the world, with friendships
enduring well beyond the six weeks of the exchange.
HUNTERS HILL STUDENTS VISIT Le VESINET
Each year, our students visit Le Vesinet for 6 weeks in the December/January holidays. The students may be accompanied by a chaperone or met by one in Paris, and are billeted by a family in Le Vesinet or an adjoining suburb. The students are matched
with their host student as closely as possible in age and interests. The exchange is organised in conjunction with the
Le Vesinet Comite de Jumelages.
Last Christmas, several students flew unaccompanied to Le Vesinet. Each student was hosted by a family in
Le Vesinet for six weeks. The first two weeks were spent going to school and on excursions to Paris
and helping on the stall at the Marche de Noel. The next two weeks were spent on Christmas holidays
with the host family, and the final two weeks on excursions and at school with their host student.
In July/August the following year, the hospitality was reciprocated, with French students escorted by chaperone to Sydney
for 6 weeks. The first three weeks of their stay was on holidays with their host family, and the last three weeks,
they spent six days at school with their host student and twelve days on excursions organised by the Committee.
STUDENT SELECTION
Applications are accepted from all secondary school students, but, because of the municipal content, the criteria listed
below apply first. Preference is given to students who live or attend school in Hunters Hill, but applications from students
in neighbouring suburbs are also considered on their merits.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTION
1. Students who reside within Hunters Hill Municipality.
2. Students attending school in the Hunters Hill Municipality.
3. Students from families who will commit themselves to hosting
a French student for the following July/August visitation.
4. Students studying French at school.
5. Student interview upon application required by the selection committee.
COSTS
This exchange programme is run by volunteers, so costs are able to be kept low. Based on previous years,
the approximate costs are as follows. These may vary according to the size of the group.
Airfare and travel: up to $3,000
Excursions: $600
Administration: $150
Out of area charge: $200
(The out of area charge applies to those who do not satisfy one or other of the first two criteria)
APPLICATIONS
If you are interested in participating in the programme, you are invited to attend an Information Night at Hunters Hill
Town Hall held in May each year, commencing at 7.30pm. To apply, you need to complete an
APPLICATION FORM (available at the Information Night or from Committee members below), and forward it
together with a deposit of $300 payable to:
"Hunters Hill - Le Vesinet Friendship Committee", C/- Hunters Hill Council, PO Box 21, Hunters Hill NSW 2110.
The Committee is always looking for suitable host families who have children from 14 to 16 years of age,
and studying French at school.
If you would like to become part of this programme or be involved with the Committee, we'd love to hear from you.
You may speak French, or may like the idea of showing visitors around our garden suburb.
________________________________
An information evening will be held at
7.30pm, Wednesday, 6th May, 2009
Hunters Hill Town Hall
Alexandra Street, Hunters Hill
________________________________
For further information and Application Forms, please contact one of the following members
of the Hunters Hill - Le Vesinet Friendship Committee:
Janet Williams [02] 9817 3496
Judy Uther [02] 9816 1550
or Email us at: froggymcbeth@hotmail.com
Hunter's Hill - Le Vesinet Friendship Committee
December, 2008