What's it like to be in the French countryside at this time of year?
Well, Hout Bay Rotarian Colin Sutherland is right there in the South of France and we asked him to send us some pictures and a little bit about the make-ups he's doing a la francaise. (Sorry, Colin, this website package has no accents, graves or cedillas). Colin is having a great time, he tells us, as he has done all his life all over Europe. Here's his reply today, via the power of the Internet! (Ed)
Montceau-les-Mines
France 31 August 2009
Greetings again to Rotary colleagues in Hout Bay from summer in South Burgundy France.
Rotary Club Montceau-les-Mines
I miss your welcome and good company on Tuesdays.
I pass on the best wishes from the President and the Rotarians of Montceau-les –Mines, Rotarian Gilles Duperret.
In this contribution to the new web site, I will describe the activities and friendship which holds Rotary together here in Montceau.
Facts and Figures
There are 37 members, but 2 ladies. The average age is 62, young to old - 43 to 89 years. Round Table (Table ronde) is very strong and younger people up to early 40’s belong to this group.
Occupation or Former Occupations.
The 37 Rotarians here mirror the place and economy
Group A - safe if I or the dog falls ill at a meeting:-
ü 1 Surgeon
ü 3 Medical Doctors
ü 5 Dentists.
ü 1 Vet.
ü 1 Chemist.
ü 1 Optician.
Group 2 - evident by the proximity of local industry:-
· 9 Captains or Mangers of Production Enterprises
· 3 former Mining Engineers.
Group 3 - always present as support:-
· 3 Advocates or Lawyers – 2
· 2 Chartered Accountants - 2
· 2 Insurance Agents
· 1 Travel Agent
· 1School Principal
· 1 Social Worker -1
· 2 Property and Estate Agents - 2
and finally most important of all
- 1 Cattle Farmer – here the beef business is important the most evident where ever you go.
Charolle cattle in the background
Click to enlarge
The Clubs Activities for this Quarter of 2009, apart from meetings wonderful meals every two weeks are:-
ü Visit the Opera at Dijon.
ü Car rally around the Morvan (near here) in support of motorise vehicles for disabled people.
ü Support for another Rally in aid of research into an illness which I have not fathomed out in English.
Food and Friendship
Rotary Meetings are held on Thursdays, one week a short meeting, drinks at discussion at the Rotary headquarters here. On the second week there is a meal at a local restaurant (Photo 2). If there are five Thursdays in the month wives are invited.
The menu for the last Rotary meal – 27th August 2009
ü Salmon and French Salad
ü Frogs legs and spaghetti ( eaten with one fingers )
ü Cheese platter (mainly goats milk cheese from around here
ü Special Cassata made by the chef.
ü Local white and red wine.
Conversation items of six Rotarians around me included:-
ü The future of the French Socialist party.
ü New York as a city to visit.
ü French poor international travel record (why go anywhere else than France!!)
ü The battle of Kurst (USSR – July 1943) (where the Second World War was won by one and lost by another) One Rotary member is an expert in military tank design.
ü Prospects for the French Property Market, 2010.
ü What to describe the meal to our wives and partners, which will not make them wish to the Rotarians.
Finally the four- way test in French.
It's not, and should not be, a direct translation from the original English. It has been adapted to the subtleties of France and the use of language. You are not being told the route; you are being directed towards the way.
1 - Est-ce conformée à la vérité ?
2 - Est-ce loyal de part et d'autre ?
3 - Est-ce susceptible de stimuler la bonne volonté réciproque?
4 - Est-ce bénéfique a tous les intéresses ?
Salutations to you all
Colin Sutherland
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