'Dear Parent/Guardian,
We are writing to share an enriching cultural opportunity for your family! From Sunday, April 26th, to Sunday, May 4th, 2025, a group of 20 French students from Samoëns, France, will be visiting Westport as part of a cultural exchange program. This initiative is being organized in collaboration with Rice College and a dedicated exchange committee in Samoëns.
The visiting group, aged 14–15 years, comprises 11 boys and 9 girls. Samoëns is a picturesque mountain village in the French Alps, just an hour from Geneva airport. It is also a ski resort and will play a central role in future exchange trips. While this year’s visit is not part of a direct reciprocal exchange, we envision this project evolving into a yearly school exchange once Rice College becomes co-educational in September 2025.
This year, we are seeking host families willing to accommodate a French student for the week.
Here are the details:
- Accommodation: Provide a private bedroom for 7 nights.
- Transport: Drop off and pick up the students at Rice College each day. (08.45 and 15.45)
- Meals: Breakfast, a packed lunch, and an evening meal daily.
- Activities: Students will have daily activities organized and will attend Rice College for a half day to experience Irish school life. On Saturday, there will be a full-day activity. We also aim to include joint activities between the French and Irish students to strengthen cultural ties and practice language skills.
The French students will contribute a €250 fee, which will be provided to host families.
We sincerely hope you can participate in this unique opportunity. Hosting a French student offers valuable cultural experiences and enriches your children’s understanding of new traditions and languages.
If you are interested, please respond to this email with your name, address, telephone number, and your preference for hosting a male student, a female student, or either. I will then share your details with Shane Cunningham, a Westport native and Rice College alumnus who is leading the Samoëns exchange committee. Shane will follow up with additional details and address any questions you may have.
Thank you for considering this wonderful opportunity, and we look forward to your participation.
Yours sincerely,
Marion Coulon