Search Results

In this blog post, Matou, Vive's Country Director for Senegal, shares his personal experiences as a talibé when a young boy. The text which follows is a shortened version of a much longer text he wrote as part of his graduate studies. Whereas some may see talibés to be poor, abandoned children begging in the streets, the story can be more nuanced. Thanks to Matou, and the various contacts we have through Vive, we aim to share these nuanced details through our first-hand visits in Senegal. One of our teacher groups had the chance to visit and meet with a marabout's assistant in a daara, in St. Louis, providing a personal view into the life and studies centering on the Koran. The photos in this blog post are from our 2024 visit to this daara. De Talibé à Professeur : Le Parcours Extraordinaire de Matou Diallo Le mot talibé, dérivé de l’arabe talib signifiant « étudiant », revêt une profonde importance culturelle et religieuse au Sénégal, notamment parmi le peuple wolof. Traditionnellement, il désigne les jeunes élèves qui se consacrent à l’étude du Coran et des textes islamiques sous la direction d’un marabout (enseignant religieux) dans les daaras (écoles coraniques). Ces écoles, piliers de la société wolof depuis des siècles, mettent l’accent sur le développement spirituel, la mémorisation du Coran et la transmission des valeurs islamiques. Cependant, le rôle des talibés dans la société sénégalaise moderne est devenu plus complexe. Bien que les daaras restent des institutions respectées, de nombreux élèves y font face à des défis tels que la pauvreté, la faim et parfois même l’exploitation. Malgré ces épreuves, la quête de connaissance et de croissance spirituelle demeure une tradition profondément ancrée dans les familles sénégalaises. . Pour moi, le chemin d’un talibé n’a pas été qu’un simple parcours spirituel : j’ai été le socle de ma remarquable transformation, passant d’un jeune garçon confronté aux difficultés de la vie en école coranique à un professeur de langues et un expert en éducation internationale. Mon histoire est une véritable leçon de résilience, de persévérance et de la capacité de l’éducation à transcender les barrières sociales et économiques. Dans la tradition islamique, l’éducation coranique des enfants est considérée comme une obligation religieuse essentielle pour forger leur identité spirituelle et garantir leur développement moral. Les parents sénégalais perçoivent les daaras comme des institutions vitales pour inculquer des valeurs et principes intemporels. Pourtant, mon parcours montre qu’une éducation combinant foi et apprentissage académique peut offrir des opportunités bien au-delà de la préservation culturelle. Grâce à mon travail acharné et à ma détermination, j’ai surmonté les défis auxquels sont confrontés de nombreux talibés, poursuivant des études supérieures et devenant un érudit respecté. Mon histoire inspire non seulement le Sénégal mais également le monde entier, témoignant du pouvoir transformateur du savoir allié à une volonté inébranlable. Mon parcours nous rappelle qu’en dépit des obstacles, la quête de la connaissance peut ouvrir la voie à un avenir plein d’espoir, d’opportunités et d’impact profond. Les Aspects Positifs de Mon Expérience en Tant que Talibé Grandir en tant que talibé au Sénégal a été une période difficile de ma vie, mais aussi une expérience qui m’a appris des leçons inestimables et m’a façonné en la personne que je suis aujourd’hui. Malgré les épreuves, certains aspects de cette expérience se sont révélés positifs et transformateurs. Une Durée Limitée comme Talibé Contrairement à de nombreux talibés qui passent des années, voire toute leur enfance, dans un daara, mon temps en tant que talibé était limité aux mois d'été. Pendant l'année scolaire, je retrouvais un environnement plus structuré et favorable, ce qui me permettait de me reposer, de me recentrer et de maintenir mon progrès académique. De plus, je n'ai eu à mendier que pendant trois étés, une période relativement courte par rapport à d'autres qui passent des années dans la rue. Savoir que mon expérience dans le daara était temporaire m’a donné de l’espoir et m’a aidé à garder le cap sur l’avenir que je désirais. Des Leçons de Résilience, d’Adaptabilité et de Débrouillardise Vivre dans un daara avec des ressources limitées m’a appris la résilience. J'ai appris à surmonter des défis, de la mendicité dans les rues à la gestion des rejets et des conditions difficiles. Ces expériences m’ont inculqué une forte capacité à persévérer qui m’accompagne toujours aujourd’hui. J’ai également développé une grande adaptabilité. Naviguer dans des environnements inconnus et interagir avec des personnes de tous horizons m’a appris à m’ajuster rapidement à de nouvelles situations. Cette compétence s’est avérée précieuse dans ma vie personnelle et professionnelle, me permettant d’aborder les changements et les incertitudes avec assurance. En outre, j’ai cultivé ma débrouillardise. Avec peu de soutien financier ou matériel, j’ai trouvé des moyens créatifs de résoudre les problèmes et de tirer le meilleur parti des ressources limitées à ma disposition. Cette capacité à improviser et à innover m’a aidé à affronter les complexités de la vie et à atteindre mes objectifs. Cultiver l’Humilité, la Gratitude et l’Empathie Partager l’expérience du daara avec des garçons de divers horizons m’a appris l’humilité et la gratitude. J'ai appris à apprécier les choses simples de la vie et à valoriser le soutien des autres. Vivre en communauté m’a inculqué un profond sens de l’empathie et de la compassion, des qualités qui guident mes relations et interactions depuis lors. L’Impact sur Mon Éducation et Mon Développement Personnel Lorsque j’ai intégré le système scolaire français, je me sentais mieux préparé à affronter ses défis que beaucoup de mes camarades. La résilience et la détermination que j'avais développées en tant que talibé m'ont donné un avantage dans cet environnement académique structuré. J'ai prospéré dans ce cadre, utilisant l'éthique de travail que j'avais acquise au daara pour exceller dans mes études. Le contraste frappant entre mon expérience de talibé et les opportunités offertes par l’éducation formelle a approfondi mon appréciation pour l’apprentissage et le développement personnel. Cela m’a inspiré à rêver plus grand et à considérer l’éducation comme un moyen de construire un avenir meilleur. Un Meilleur Chemin pour les Générations Futures Malgré les leçons positives que j’ai tirées de mon expérience, je crois fermement que le système traditionnel des talibés n’est pas la meilleure manière d’éduquer les enfants. La décision de mon père d’envoyer un de mes jeunes frères dans un daara sans me consulter a renforcé cette conviction. Après avoir partagé mes expériences et mes préoccupations avec lui, mon père a finalement retiré mon frère du daara et adopté une approche éducative plus équilibrée pour mes frères et sœurs. Aujourd’hui, mes jeunes frères et sœurs bénéficient d’une combinaison d’école française et d’éducation islamique. Cette approche holistique leur permet d’exceller sur le plan académique tout en approfondissant leur compréhension spirituelle. L'une de mes sœurs, à seulement 15 ans, a déjà mémorisé l'intégralité du Coran—un accomplissement remarquable qui met en évidence l'efficacité d'une éducation équilibrée. Réflexions et Espoirs Mon parcours en tant que talibé a été marqué par des épreuves mais aussi par une croissance personnelle. La résilience, l’adaptabilité et la compassion que j’ai acquises durant cette période ont profondément influencé ma vie. Cependant, en réfléchissant à mon expérience, je m'engage à plaider pour de meilleures opportunités éducatives pour les générations futures. Chaque enfant mérite un environnement bienveillant qui favorise son bien-être physique, émotionnel et intellectuel. En combinant une éducation séculière et religieuse, nous pouvons donner aux enfants les outils nécessaires pour s'épanouir dans tous les aspects de leur vie. J’espère que mon histoire inspirera d'autres à repenser les approches traditionnelles en matière d’éducation et à donner la priorité au développement holistique des enfants partout dans le monde. A special thank you to Matou Diallo for sharing his personal experiences and helping others to understand the role of the talibé in Senegal. If you would like to learn more about our trips to Senegal, send a message to katy@vivelexperience.com or sign up for our next Discovery Meeting here: https://www.vivelexperience.com/info-meetings . We have many free resources available for French teachers, focusing on Senegal here: https://www.vivelexperience.com/resources .

New regulations coming our way for 2025... If you are like me, you are pulling out the computer looking for flights and planning vacations for next summer! Maybe you are finalizing your plans to join a Vive trip to Senegal or Colombia. Whatever your plans, there are a few new regulations in the travel world that you should keep in mind for the New Year. Do you know about STEP, the Smart Traveler Enrollment Plan  for US Citizens?  This one is not a regulation, but I'm always surprised how many teachers who travel with student groups don't know about this service for US Citizens. Whether you are traveling with students on an exchange, or going somewhere with your family, or headed to Colombia or Senegal with VIVE, this is a good service to know about. If you are traveling with Vive, we will sign up the entire group so your Trip Leader will get alerts, but you can always subscribe individually as well. There are three main reasons to join STEP for every trip you take outside of the USA. 1. Get real time updates about health, weather, safety, and security in the country. 2. Plan ahead using information from the local U.S. embassy. 3. Help the embassy or consulate contact you if there’s an emergency like a natural disaster, civil unrest, or a family emergency. Are you traveling to the United Kingdom anytime soon?  In general US Citizens will need to apply for an ETA  in the new year 2025. An ETA is an Electronic Travel Authorization that you will need to have in order to enter the UK. It costs 10£ and is valid for 2 years. It allows you to stay for up to 6 months, but you can re-enter multiple times. You can download the UK ETA App to begin the process, once it's ready to launch. You still will have to go through immigration with your passport. You need: the passport you will travel with - not a photocopy or digital passport access to your emails a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay You will need to upload or take photos of the: passport face of the person applying You do not need to enter your travel details. Are you traveling to the European Union (EU) in 2025?  Non-EU nationals will need to complete the Entry/Exit System (EES) once it’s up and running. It’s an automated IT system for registering non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay, each time they cross the external borders of any of the following European countries using the system. You can see more info here . Six months after the EES system is up and running, US Citizens will need to apply for an ETIAS . We don’t know yet when this will be required, but it’s something to keep in mind for those of you traveling to the EU in 2025. If you are traveling with a US passport to Senegal or Colombia, you don’t need a special visa.  T ravelers must complete the free Migración Colombia’s Online Check-Mig Form  within 72 hours of boarding an inbound or outbound flight from Colombia. Let us know what we can do to help your travel dreams come true in the New Year. We have informational meetings coming up for Summer 2025 trips - sign up here . I'm also available to meet 1-1 via Zoom. Reach out to me at katy@vivelexperience.com . We are not immigration experts, so we offer this general advice with links for you to determine your particular situation and requirements for travel in 2025.

Vive is busy finalizing the details of our inaugural trip this summer. Matou and I can't wait to head to Senegal with 18 French-language educators from all over the USA in June 2023. Those spots filled up very quickly but we still have room for 2024 programs. The best way to learn about our trips is to join an Informational Meeting. Our next one is April 25, 2023 at 7pm EST. You will learn details on the itinerary, what to expect, costs and more. You can sign up here for a Zoom link. If you have already attended a meeting, or have paid a deposit, you don't need to attend again. We are currently about 50% full for the two Summer 2024 sessions for French-language educators. We welcome educators from all over the world -- K-12, DLI, university/college, and retirees. Many have inquired about trips for non-teachers or non-French speakers so we may convert the Spring Break 2024 offerings to accommodate those interests. Stay tuned! We are pleased to announce that graduate credits are now available for Participants for $75-$220 (1-3-credits) with a workload in harmony with our program's goals to create curriculum while in Senegal. Learn more here . What about teacher-led student trips? I am drafting paperwork and pricing for those trips. I know these trips require even more advanced planning for teachers, families and school boards. Once these trips are available, we will let you know. If you reply that you would like to lead a student-trip, we will give you a sneak preview! Thanks again for your continued interest in programs to Senegal. Feel free to be in touch with any questions you may have. Learn. Experience. Connect. All the best, Katy Wheelock

April 2023 🇸🇳🌙🌙 Bonne fête de Korité! Deweneti! This is the celebration of the end of Ramadan, known in most of the world as Eid Al-Fitr. In Senegal, it’s called Korité. It’s a time for prayers, forgiveness, mercy and peace. One special memory I have of celebrating Korité with Senegalese friends was eating lakh , a sweet millet-based dish. I have a few videos that explain how to make it here (see Sénégal-cuisine on my YouTube channel). It would be something fairly easy to try out at home or even with students. For those of you who are new to this newsletter, I created Vive l'expérience in November 2022 to lead French teachers on immersion experiences to Senegal. We are now looking into some other options and appreciate the feedback many of you provided. Hope to travel with you in the next year or two! ➡️ We’d really appreciate it if you would complete this 20-second survey . (And a very special thanks to those of you who already took it!) Vive l’expérience has been busy looking into new offerings for Spanish teachers and new locations beyond Senegal for French teachers. We will also offer teacher trips (any discipline) and trips for adult groups of friends. If any of these new programs sound interesting, please contact us, as we will have limited availability. For the moment, we turned off ordering capabilities for Spring Break trips because we want to find a teacher/professor who would like to lead a student group or even for a group of adults (teachers or non-teachers) during those dates. That’s March 9 - 18, 2024 or March 22 - April 1, 2024. We may be able to go a day before or after those dates. Reach out if you would like to talk more about this opportunity. ➡️ This Tuesday, April 25, we will hold an Informational Meeting about our 2024 teacher trips to Senegal at 19:00 EDT on Zoom. Sign up here to join the meeting. If you don’t get an automatic Zoom link to the meeting within 24 hours, please check your Spam and Junk folders. Contact me if you need a link! Participants can teach any level of French, and don’t have to live in the USA to join us. If you have already attended a meeting, or already signed up for a trip, there’s no need to attend this one. Learn. Experience. Connect. All the best, Katy Wheelock katy@vivelexperience.com

Chers amis, We still have a few spots available for our three 2024 French language educator trips for travel to Senegal. We will be purchasing our group tickets soon, so consider signing up for a meeting or paying a deposit today (click here to learn more about the programs). Summer #1 June 16 – June 27, 2024 Summer #2 June 30 – July 11, 2024 Vive has an upcoming informational meeting this Wednesday, November 15 at 7PM ET (click here to sign up). Learn more about French teacher travel to Senegal with Vive in Summer 2024! La rentrée! Times are busy so I wanted to share a lesson here (click to view) from TVMonde on Senegalese tea to use in your classes. The lesson is rated B1, but you could always simplify for your audience. At FLAVA (Foreign Language Association of Virginia) I recently co-presented with a colleague & participant on our 2023 Program to Senegal as well as a Virginian French teacher who is sénégalaise-mauritanienne. Our presentation: Add more francophonie: Vive le Sénégal focused on Senegalese families, ataya (tea) and music. We demonstrated how to make ataya and its importance for connecting in person with conversation. Your students will love it - consider making and drinking some ataya in class! I’ll be at the ACTFL Convention in Chicago, attending sessions focused on la francophonie, DEI, and French teaching. If you are attending too, click here to sign up and I'll reach out with a time for a small group of us to grab a coffee or tea together, and connect in person! This would be a great meet up for past participants, those already signed up for 2024, and those who want to learn more before signing up. Looking forward to seeing you in person or online soon! Be sure to follow us @vivelexperience on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter to see our photos and new resources for your classes. I'm also available to meet 1-1 on Zoom. Choose a convenient time here (click to sign up). Learn. Experience. Connect. We hope you will choose to travel with us in 2024. Best, Katy

Dear Travelers, I’m not big on Black Friday shopping, but if you are looking for some travel products, here are 17 products I love or that have been highly recommended to me by recent trip participants. I do NOT get any money back from any of these purchases outside my Vive website. If possible, buy from a small business on Small Business Saturday. All prices are estimates based on Thanksgiving Day 2024. Because you need reading material when you travel: La Porte du Voyage sans retour  - David Diop. I loved this historical fiction about Senegal. En français and in English. They Dream in Gold  - Mai Sennaar. Whoa, first time author? Loved the rich descriptions; took me back to Senegal, New York City and Switzerland. In English. Thanks to Emily G for this recommendation. Because you want a few fancy things, splurges, and also very practical items when you travel: Portable Neck Fan  $25 Traveling to a hot and humid place? You might like this. Several teachers who traveled with me to Senegal last year LOVED this. Right, Nathalie? TRTL Travel Pillow  - $45 Got this based on a recommendation. Keeps your neck warm on the flight (maybe that’s good, depends?) but I do find I sleep better with it on a long flight. Less head bobbing. Reef Water Platform Sandals  $21 I was not the only person on last year’s trip who wore these sandals in Senegal. Some people prefer closed-toe sandals, but I really liked these and was surprised by how comfortable they were for walking all day. I like to let my toes breathe. A good daily scrub easily cleaned them up. Retractable, portable clothesline for travel  $9 I didn’t personally use this, but some on the trip to Senegal were glad to have this in Senegal last summer. Would be great for camping too, or even a small apartment. Travel Laundry Detergent $8 You could try another brand, but these were appreciated by some on our trip last year. We were also able to have laundry done several times while traveling, so not necessarily essential.  Anker Power Bank  $18 - $120 These are great for charging a phone which can lose its charge quickly while traveling or in hot weather. The higher priced models can keep my computer going without an outlet at conferences or while on the road for most of the day. Anker Travel Adapters  $16 If you are traveling to Europe, or in our case, Senegal, these are useful. (If you are traveling to Colombia, no adapters are needed. PacSafe  Backpacks, cross-carry bags (prices vary). My husband travels a lot for work, and the design of his backpack makes it very theft proof and there’s enough room to stuff a few day’s worth of stuff in there. I'm hoping to get one of these as a gift in the next month or so. Hint, hint. Because you can’t wait until you go to Senegal next to buy a gift for yourself or someone else: Journals  You know you will need one on your next trip. Or you are a teacher who needs to write notes in a journal instead of 100s of sticky notes. Pillow cases  These are covered in wax fabric purchased at Marché HLM in Dakar. A home décor refresh waits. Scroll to find the different patterns and colors. Keychains A cute little gift which is useful too. Ataya Tea Set  IYKYK ;-) Great for making mint tea at home, or for your students. (These are all products in the Vive store.) Because you can’t wait to go to Colombia to buy local coffee: 94 Pueblos This coffee is grown in the region will will visit on our Vive Summer 2025 trip. In fact, you will likely pick the coffee berries while there. As someone who usually drinks 3 espressos a day, I can definitely recommend the Extraordinary Women coffee. It is delicious. If you click on the following links, be sure your AVON representative is Christine Sheely (my mom)! She helps support a Senegalese friend monthly, and I’d like to support her back. Plus, she’s my mom. 🙂 Isa Knox ANEW Face SPF 30 - Flat bottle is easy to pack, definitely my favorite sunscreen I’ve ever used on my face.  As a fair-skinned blond who loves the sun, ocean, and swimming, I have tried all sorts of sunscreens and THIS is my go-to. When you love a particular sunscreen, you know you will reapply it often and stay protected. Skin So Soft Picardin Bug Guard Towelettes   - Depending on your preferences, your doctor’s and local recommendations, you might prefer an alternative to DEET for your bug protection. I usually avoid single use products, but this allows me to tuck a few packets in my bags or pockets as needed, and saves me from toting around a large spray can. What are YOUR favorite travel products? Happy shopping, Katy

Bonjour from Paris! I’m on a Senegalese chasse au trésors in Paris this week! I’ve had the chance to visit shops with Senegalese owners, eat some of the best poulet yassa and mafe, view traditional Diola masks from Casamance, and more. One highlight of the week was a Black Paris tour with an amazing guide. I promise you a blog post after I get back home with all the bonnes adresses  for your next trip to Paris. If you aren’t following @vivelexperience on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, jump on now and see what we are up to. 🙂   For this post, I wanted to share a little bit about Senegalese teranga with you today, and why teranga in the Washington D. C. area convinced me to move to Senegal three months after getting married. I like to joke that my husband and I had a two year honeymoon in Senegal, but it’s not a joke, it’s true! I’ll tell you a story, and then you can check out a BBC article and a lesson plan for use in your classes.   As I was applying for an Ambassadorial Scholarship to live and study overseas, after a few years of teaching high school French, I wandered into the Embassy of Senegal on Wyoming Avenue in Washington D. C. down the street from the Alliance Française to see if I could get some first-hand information about Senegal. Back then, there wasn’t a lot of information available on the Internet, and I wanted to decide if I would list the universities in Dakar and St. Louis, Senegal on my application as my top two out of five. The Senegalese Education and Cultural Attaché M. Mbodj welcomed me warmly into his office where we discussed everything from literature to the weather in Senegal. He assured me that summers in Senegal would not be much hotter or more humid than those in Washington D.C. I had trouble believing this, but in the end, I think he was right. Before I left his office, he invited me to a grand sabar, a festive drumming party taking place in a few weekends in nearby Silver Spring, Maryland, which has a thriving Senegalese community. My husband (then-fiancé) and I headed to that party and we were warmly welcomed. Nearly everyone was Senegalese, except for a few RPCVs (Returned Peace Corps Volunteers). We marveled at the enthusiastic dancing, discovered new drum rhythms, made new friends, and of course tried some bissap, or hibiscus flower juice. Pretty quickly we learned that the Senegalese teranga, or hospitality, is genuine and ubiquitous. Not surprisingly, we decided to go to Senegal and discovered the same thing living there for two years.   Because our Vive French educator immersion trips focus on maximizing personal interactions, our participants have been able to experience this hospitalité as well. If you know the Manie Musicale 2024 winning song Akwaba, Senegalese teranga is pretty much the same thing: chez nous c’est l’hospitalité! Be prepared to make new friends, have impromptu conversations with someone you just met, and even be invited to sit down to enjoy a visit in someone’s home or for ataaya. Ataaya is Senegalese tea with mint leaves. Typically, ataaya is shared in three rounds in little glasses, giving everyone a chance to have long, relaxing conversations. I’ll definitely write more about ataaya in another blog post. When we needed a restroom break on the highway to Saint Louis on a recent trip, our bus driver took us to his grandmother’s home in a village just off the highway. His cousins and other relatives wanted to invite us all to stay for lunch. There were 19 of us! Unfortunately we had to decline as we had a pre-arranged tour at our destination and still had a few more hours to drive, but this is the kind of thing that happens often. Stay! Chat! Rest! Laugh!    Teranga is much more than just hospitality, as you can read in the BBC article I have shared on our website resources. I love that the BBC reached out to Senegalese chef Pierre Thiam who said that teranga is a way of life. Two other expressions in Wolof that are related to teranga are “ ñoo far ” and “ ñoo ko bokk .” Our travelers learn these phrases quickly and use them regularly while in Senegal. You may know ñoo far  from the song “l’Ours” which features Senegalese singer Youssou N’dour. He sings, ñoo far , we are all in this together. We are not alone. We are here for each other, and we help each other. Similarly, when someone thanks you, instead of a “je vous en prie” ou “de rien,” you are likely to hear “ñoo ko bokk” which loosely translates as “this is something that belongs to all of us” or “we share it.” Maybe it’s a little bit like, “what’s mine is yours.” Teranga brings welcomes a newcomer or stranger with open arms, embracing them in their communal society.   We carefully design our trips to offer these kinds of opportunities for you to be more than a tourist, so you can experience Senegalese teranga too.   Marnice, one of our travelers from 2024 sums it up nicely: “Being able to celebrate Tabaski in the home of one our trip leader's family, stopping by our driver's grandmother's house just to say hi and use the bathroom, and visiting our trip assistant's former host family's home allowed us to get a better perspective of daily life in Senegal, something that most tour companies would not be able to provide. We also got to interact with other educators and students when we visited a high school, a university, an arts school, and an arts and cultural center. Having our leaders' Senegalese friends and families join our visits and chat with us was also a wonderful addition.”   Discover teranga in Senegal with Vive: Summer #1 June 22 - July 3, 2025 Summer #2 July 6 - July 17, 2025   Our trips tend to book up by January for the Summer programs. You can sign up here for a free Zoom Informational Meeting – we have one coming up in a few days  where you can learn more about our upcoming trips. We’ll tell you more about our itinerary, philosophy for travel, and how to sign up. Vive l’expérience!    Visit the website and our lesson resources if you would like to teach your students about Senegalese teraanga as well. You can find a BBC article in English, with activities to complete in English or French. You could integrate this into an existing unit, or you could save it for an emergency lesson someday to do with all of your classes. Let me know how it works out for you.   Hope to see you soon! Ba beneen yoon! (Originally sent via email on November 8, 2024 from Paris, France)

Alors on danse... Music is a great way to connect with people all over the world, and many teachers use music in class for a brain break, as a sing-along, or maybe you do a little dance to get your students up and moving. Some classes may dig deeper and study lyrics as literature. Michelle Fournier, of Manie Musicale and a recent trip participant to Senegal, asked for my help in identifying some Senegalese songs that could be nominated for Manie Musicale 2025. I went down a rabbit hole of texting Senegalese friends and exploring YouTube. In Senegal, most musicians are singing in Wolof, the most widely spoken language throughout the country. Though French is the official language, it's hard to find songs in French. I did find a few in Wolof and French that you may enjoy for yourself or with your students. Please preview the videos and lyrics for your students and community. I'm sharing some results with you here. But first, here's Michelle talking about spending la Fête de la Musique June 2025 at Africulturban in Dakar, Senegal. So...1, 2, 3, on y va, on y va! I couldn't resist sharing this song from my favorite Senegalese musician, Youssou N'dour. For two years, I had the great luck to live on the same little side street just a few doors down from his nightclub in Dakar, Senegal. We often heard his songs in the neighborhood and I even got to shake his hand during a show once. If you have the chance to see him while on tour in the USA, definitely go! I'm realizing that there are so many Youssou N'dour videos to share with you, and I'd like to write more about his fascinating background. He collaborated a lot in the 1980s with artists such as Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon, and Nineh Cherry. He ran for president of Senegal and PBS even filmed a documentary on his campaign. He was also the Ministère de la Culture and Tourism in Senegal for several years. Did you know he's a griot? I'll need to write a blog post just on Youssou N'dour at some point in the future. While this song, Merci Enseignants , is mostly in Wolof, the images are great and the message is for you, teachers! Visit my teacher resources if you'd like a free lesson to go with the video. Nope, not Adele. Not Lionel Richie. This is Youssou N'dour's Hello, in Wolof. The opening of the song with the different drums is common in Senegalese music and the clothing, especially the colorful boubous of the dancers in the streets, is evocative of many Senegalese celebrations and music. What about some songs with more French language? Here's one by Didier Awadi, who often sings in French. This song covers so many themes and the lyrics are embedded in the images. Thanks to Matou for recommending this one! I hope you like it. Enjoy! Finale , is largely in Wolof, by a very popular Senegalese group, Positive Black Soul. Focusing on the international game of soccer or football, the message centers around following the rules of the game (or life) and stand up to those who don't. Around 1:05 the lyrics are in French. This next video is by VJ, a Senegalese artist recommended to me by a few different friends in Senegal as we looked for songs in French for Manie Musicale. This one is a love song, Dans tes bras . I think it would appeal to our students, and was released not too long ago. This next song, Souvenirs, tells a story of childhood, growing up, daily life, family. Nix sings clearly and I think the lyrics would be interesting for French students. A few Dakar neighborhoods are mentioned, such as Colobane and Point E. Otherwise, the themes are fairly universal. You can explore more Senegalese music via my YouTube playlist at https://www.vivelexperience.com/resources . Just have a lot of free time ready, as you will probably want to listen for hours! Best, Katy

Every Vive trip is uniquely curated for the interests of the travelers, but we will likely visit most of these Dakar Top 10 spots in 2025. Dakar, the capital city of Senegal, has a great blend of culture, history and art sites to visit.   1. Île de Gorée (Gorée Island) : A UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its historical significance related to the Atlantic slave trade. Explore the "House of Slaves" museum and enjoy beautiful views of the coast. This pedestrian island will touch your heart and soul unlike anywhere else in Dakar. 2. Monument de la Renaissance Africaine (African Renaissance Monument):  A massive statue, standing at 49 meters tall, symbolizing Africa's rebirth. It offers panoramic views of Dakar and the Atlantic Ocean. It's a long hike up the stairs but worth the view. 3. Lac Rose (Pink Lake) : A stunning natural wonder known for its pink-colored water caused by high salt content and algae. It's a great spot for photography, salt harvesting tours, and relaxation. Due to flooding a few years ago, the lake has lost its pink hue and the salt & tourism industry has suffered a loss. They are working to restore the natural balance to bring back the pink. We hope to add this back to our itinerary someday soon. 4. Mosquée de la Divinité (Mosque of the Divinity)  A beautiful seaside mosque located in the Ouakam neighborhood. Its unique architecture and stunning location overlooking the ocean make it a must-see and an ideal place to learn more about Islam in Senegal and its brotherhoods. Your guide explains how this was literally a dream come true. 5. Marché HLM: A popular textile market where visitors can find a wide variety of colorful fabrics, traditional Senegalese clothing, and all sorts of accessories. It's an excellent place for shopping, bargaining, and experiencing local fashion. In small groups, you can wander through and try your luck at bargaining, and then meet with a local tailor afterwards to get some clothes made. 6. Musée des Civilisations Noires (Museum of Black Civilizations):  A modern museum showcasing African heritage, history, art, and culture from prehistoric times to modern-day, offering a deep dive into the continent's diverse civilizations. Our participants find this stunning museum a beautiful place for learning and reflection. 7. Les Almadies : In the westernmost point of Africa, this neighborhood is known for its upscale restaurants, surf spots, and vibrant nightlife. Located along the Corniche Ouest, it offers some nice spots for small dinner concerts where you will welcome the ocean breezes. Great for dining on fresh seafood and enjoying the ocean views. 8. Musée Théodore Monod (IFAN Museum of African Arts) : One of the oldest art museums in West Africa, housing an impressive collection of traditional African art, masks, textiles, and sculptures from across the continent. This museum is a classic. 9. Village des Arts (Artists' Village) : A creative space where local artists work and showcase their art. You can tour the studios, interact with artists, and purchase unique pieces. This is different from the typical tourist market; sometimes there are many artists at work, other times maybe just a few. If you time it right, you can go into the main gallery where each artist displays one of their favorite pieces. 10. Île de Ngor (Ngor Island):  A small, picturesque island just off the coast of Dakar. Perfect for a day trip to enjoy swimming, snorkeling, and relaxing on its beaches. Dakar itself is on a peninsula, and has three main islands on each side. When you go to Ngor for lunch, the restaurant will send a pirogue to the mainland to pick you up and will shuttle you back afterwards. Best, Katy

I've noticed several articles in the last few days about Senegalese food in the news. Try out our recipe below at home. Let us know what you think! Favorite Senegalese dishes  No matter what you call it, or how you spell it, you have to try this national dish of fish and rice, named ceebu jën , thieboudienne , riz au poisson , or sometimes known as jollof rice in neighboring anglophone countries. Certainly UNESCO recognizes Senegal's claim to having the best and most classic dish with its naming of ceebu jën  in 2021 as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The U.K. Food Issue 25 by National Geographic Traveller (UK)  requires paid access, but you can still learn more about thieboudienne at the free UNESCO site below. Join us on a trip and we'll teach you how to eat around the bowl with a local family. A Family Feast  The New York Times magazine published this photograph-based article on food and a feeling of home in Senegal on September 29, 2024. After reading and enjoying the feast for your eyes, why not try your cooking skills and make some poulet yassa  at home? It's not hard to do, and I think you will find it's delicious. You can come with us to Senegal and enjoy the yassa and other delicious Senegalese meals with us in 2025! Recipe for Poulet Yassa Ingredients: 1 whole chicken (cut into pieces) or 4-6 chicken thighs 4 large onions (thinly sliced) Juice of 3 lemons 4 cloves garlic (minced) 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 3 tablespoons peanut oil or vegetable oil 1/2 cup green olives (optional) 1/2 cup of finely diced raw carrots (optional) 1/2 cup of finely chopped fresh parsley (optional) Salt and black pepper to taste (you can also add some crumbled up Maggi cube) 1 chili pepper, scotch bonnet, or habanero pepper (whole or chopped, optional for heat) 1-2 cups chicken broth or water (you may prefer to use less liquid, so monitor as you simmer) Instructions: Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl, combine the sliced onions, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Add the chicken pieces and coat them with the marinade. Cover and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight for more flavor. Grill or Sear the Chicken: Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off excess onions, and reserve the marinade. Heat a grill or a pan with some oil over medium heat and brown the chicken pieces on both sides until golden (you don’t need to cook them through). This step adds flavor and color. Cook the Onions: In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the reserved onions and marinade, and cook until the onions are soft and slightly caramelized. Simmer the Chicken: Add the browned chicken to the pot with the onions. Add the olives (if using) and the whole chili pepper for a bit of heat. How much you add and which kind of pepper depends on how hot you want it. Pour in enough chicken broth or water to partially cover the chicken. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for about 30-40 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender. You can even simmer longer if you prefer. Serve: Serve your Poulet Yassa over steamed white rice in a large bowl and add the tangy sauce poured over the top. Decorate the top with a sprinkling of the carrots and parsley. Bismillah! Bon appétit! Teranga in Senegal Join us on a trip and learn more about how to eat communally around the bowl. Try the peanut stew known as mafé, ceeb, yassa, and other delicious meals of Senegal. Our French immersion trips for French language educators offer opportunities to sample a variety of Senegalese foods throughout the trip. You may enjoy a meal with local artists, new Senegalese friends, or Vive families.

Did you know September 27 is World Tourism Day? This quote on the UN World Tourism Day homepage really resonated with me, because it also exemplifies the best Vive has to offer on our travel programs.    Ce secteur [de tourisme] peut être perçu comme la quintessence du dialogue interculturel; il permet de rencontrer « l'autre », de découvrir des cultures différentes, d'entendre des langues étrangères, de goûter des saveurs exotiques, de nouer des liens avec d'autres êtres humains et de renforcer la tolérance. Il s'agit essentiellement d'une expérience éducative et spirituelle enrichissante. ➡️ ➡️ Want to experience this in Senegal?   Learn more  about Senegal and our trips at a free Informational Meeting.  Not only is this a quote about great travel, it describes the best of what we do in our language classes! And not only do we aim for those UN goals of travel from the quote above, but equally important, we value how we, as educators, bring this knowledge back to our communities. Some teachers have found that this experience helps them understand other groups of students from West Africa or maybe they have a new view on Islam as it’s practiced in Senegal. We return to share more of le monde francophone  with our students as a changed teacher because of your experiences in Senegal.  Vive trips maximize our participation in local events, workshops, concerts, and even meals in Senegalese homes for the holiday of Tabaski or Aïd. Though our program is full of activities from sunrise to sunset, we also take time for the unexpected. Once we stopped along the Atlantic coast to chat with the Lébou fisherman sitting next to their colorful pirogues after a long day of fishing, and played a bit with the young boys who were doing little mini-sailboat races with the detritus and recycled objects they found on the sand. We value these impromptu moments as much as the planned visits. Here’s the   Vive link  to the UN resources for World Tourism Day in French. You can dig around on the UN site to find some useful information for you and your students. Vive l'expérience! Best, Katy

Did you know you can hop on a direct flight to Senegal from JFK to Dakar, and you’ll be there in about 8 hours? It’s only a 4-hour time difference to the USA East Coast for half of the year. When you change your clocks to daylight savings time, it will still only be a 5-hour time difference. French is the official language of Senegal and you are likely to be able to speak French with everyone you meet in cities and schools. One of the best ways to connect with people while you visit Senegal is through greetings. Taking the time to greet new acquaintances is very important in Senegal, whether an educator you meet in a school, a vendor in a market, or the hotel manager. This simple and affirming practice is a crucial cultural component to any conversation. In the United States, we often want to be respectful of other people’s time, so we just jump to the question or dive into conversations without lengthy greetings. In Senegal, the country known for teranga , or hospitality, newcomers should slow down, and take the time for the lengthy greeting which will help you connect with the Senegalese you meet. When I studied and lived in Senegal for two years, I was fortunate to participate in a cross-cultural training which explained many cultural perspectives that helped me interact effectively and appropriately. I also benefited from an excellent immersion training in Wolof; my teacher was Rudy Gomis of Orchestra Baobab, but that’s a story for another day! Several decades later, I am still sharing these skills with my high school students. And with my organization, Vive l’expérience, we organize French immersion trips to Senegal for educators of the French language. Our groups of 16-18 teachers have the opportunity to tour local private and public high schools in rural and urban settings as well as universities, observe classes, chat with students, discuss educational projects and challenges with the teachers and professors. We participate in hands-on workshops such as learning to batik, or trying our hand at drumming with djembés. Senegalese friends and family spend time with us whether eating a homemade thieboudienne around the bowl, or visiting historical Gorée Island. Our participants explore the local artisanal markets and try their skills at bargaining for their purchases. In every situation, greetings set the tone for the interaction and establishing a positive relationship. Our Vive Senegal Country Director, Matou Diallo, has done a lot of cross-cultural training in the past with his work with Peace Corps Volunteer Trainees in Thiès, the second largest city of Senegal, and various U.S. university study abroad programs in Dakar, the capital. As a language teacher of French and Wolof, he does a great job preparing people for visiting or living in Senegal. Here’s what he has to say about greetings: In Senegal, people in general shake hands to greet each other. Greetings may be done in a variety of manners: shaking hands, bowing, and curtseying. In general, Senegalese people wait to be asked their name; they do not spontaneously give it when greeting a stranger. Greetings are a good way to socialize in Senegal.  When you wake up in the morning, after a good night's sleep, it's really important to say hello to the people around you. It's imperative that the youngest initiate greetings to their elders. In general, we prefer to ask about the conditions in which people find themselves in the morning. So, we ask if the person slept well by asking “ Mbaa nelaw nga bu baax ”? Which means “Did you sleep well”, in the sense of “I hope you slept well”. The term mbaa  implies that the person has slept well, so we hope to get a positive answer. So every greeting has its own meaning. As a 95% Muslim country, we prefer to use the phrase “ Asalaam alekum ”, which means peace be upon you. So anyone greeted with this expression must imperatively reply with “ Wu alekum salaam ” which means peace be with you too; but in Senegal we say “ Maalekum Salaam ”. This is because Wolof has trouble pronouncing two intersecting vowels. Greetings are not only limited to this Arabic expression Asalaam alekum , but it's also important to stop and ask about the health of the person, their family, their children, if any, their parents, their spouse and so on. A greeting conversation can go like this: Faatu : Salaamaalekum ! Peace be upon you! John : Maalekum salaam ! Peace be with you too Faatu : Naka nga def ?           How are you?           John : Maangi fi rekk. I am here only. (I am doing well) Faatu : Naka nga fanaane ? How did you spend the night? John : Jámm rekk, alxamdulilaay. Peace only Faatu : Sa yaram jámm ?  Are you in good health?  John : Jámm rekk, alxamdulilaay. Peace only Faatu : Ana - or-  naka waa kër gi ?   How is the family? John : Ñungi fi. They are here. (They are doing well) Faatu : Naka xale yi? How are the kids doing? John : Ñungi fa . They are there. (They are doing well)   Greetings are everywhere and at all times. Greetings are an integral part of Senegalese life. When you see someone for the first time, you have to greet them properly. Greetings give Senegal a social cohesion and a lasting peace. Without greetings, nothing works in Senegal. When you go into a store to buy a product, for example, if you have the misfortune not to say hello to the person, you risk not being talked to. Greetings give Senegalese people a sense of life. It makes us feel good, and above all, it makes everyone feel loved, respected, and recognized as a human being.  - Contributed by Matou Diallo Don’t be surprised if someone holds your hand for 2-3 minutes beyond a brief handshake while they greet you. This is typical in Senegal, but can be a little awkward and unexpected for people from other cultures. Try not to pull back your hand as it’s a sign of friendship and connection. Sometimes women may encounter a man who will not touch a woman outside their family for religious reasons. If this happens, they will put their hand over their heart as a greeting to you, and you can do the same. It’s important to recognize that knowing a little bit of Wolof can go a long way as your effort will be noticed and appreciated. Vive always prepares our travelers with some Wolof in our pre-departure meetings, but if you have the chance to travel to Senegal and don’t know any Wolof, that’s ok. Be sure to greet with a “ Bonjour ” and follow up with the questions Matou explained above about health, sleep, and family. Be patient and don’t rush the conversation. Before you know it, you may have made a new friend. They may even give you a Senegalese name, often a name of someone dear to them in their family, and they may share their family name with you. This is a very special moment and not uncommon. On our website, we welcome you to enjoy free resources via the “Resources” tab, with lessons and hundreds of videos, curated by topic about Senegal, including a few about Senegalese greetings. The “About - Blog” tab can also take you to our newsletters if you’d like to read more about Senegal. If you have any questions about Senegalese greetings, or travel to Senegal, reach out to us at www.vivelexperience.com . I want to share a shout-out to Lisa Bartels, who asked me to write this blog post for her website, Explore Curriculum . Like many of her students, Lisa's language journey began in 10th grade with an inspiring French teacher. She went on to major in French, minor in Spanish, and taught in international schools, traveling the world and connecting with diverse cultures. She teaches languages to help students experience the same benefits, such as overcoming challenges and building global friendships. Her resources focus on real language use and supporting all learners, and she enjoys sharing them with fellow educators. She has a line of  Africa-themed lessons  available for purchase including a  free cultural observation lesson  on her TPT store. Vive has hundreds of curated videos and free lessons on Senegal you can enjoy here . Want to learn more about our upcoming trips to Senegal in 2025? Join an Informational Meeting to learn more; sign up here . Merci and jërëjëf!

Vive is launching a series of free webinars this school year (sign up here ), focused on Senegal for French teachers. Our webinars will be conducted in French unless otherwise noted. We hope you will be able to integrate what you learn into your classes. Read more details on the webinars at the end of this blog post. We will also continue to offer Informational Meetings (sign up here ) for those interested in traveling to Senegal someday. Though the Informational Meetings focus on our 2025 Spring and Summer trips, all French teachers will learn a little something about important aspects of Senegal. We'd love to see you at a meeting sometime this year. 🫱🏿‍🫲🏼 🎯 When is the deadline to sign up for Vive trips to Senegal? We don't really have a hard deadline. We limit our numbers to 16 teachers on each trip, and once we reach that number, you can choose to join the waitlist. In past years, most participants have signed up before December 31, but we usually have a few places left until February or March. Reach out to katy@vivelexperience.com if you have any questions. And, if you have signed up for an upcoming trip to Senegal (youpi!), we will soon be launching a series of Participant-Only Meetings to prepare you for your upcoming Senegalese experience. We offer background information (cultural, historical, literary/arts) on Senegal, some introductory Wolof, talk about current events and daily life, as well as helpful hints on how to prepare for the trip. Past participants have found these meetings help them to get more out of their time in Senegal. Informational Meetings - Learn more about our trips to Senegal Saturday September 7, 2024 : Informational Meeting at 11am ET . Sign up here for a Zoom link to register for the meeting. Monday, September 23, 2024: Informational Meeting at 8pm ET. Sign up here for a Zoom link. October 8, 2024: Informational Meeting at 7pm ET . Sign up here for a Zoom link. These Informational Meetings will cover the same topics; choose the date that works best for you! Le but de nos voyages est d'explorer le Sénégal et de vous offrir des expériences enrichissantes d’immersion française au Sénégal pour des professeurs de français langue étrangère K-16.  Voyagez avec nous!   Voici l'agenda pour notre réunion: Vive l'expérience: nos leaders, guides, connaissances Itinéraire (exemplaire toujours disponible sur notre site) Dates, passeports, vol Santé, assurance, allergies Comment et où s'inscrire (et le prix) Vos questions Webinaire: Le Sénégal et des échanges des lycéens: October 5, 2024 at 11am ET Register here to receive a link to attend this webinar. Parlons avec des jeunes anciens boursiers sénégalais et les responsables, Christina et Fatou, d'un programme d'échange très prestigieux et généreux [Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES)]. Apprenez comment participer comme famille d'accueil ou même promouvoir cette bourse à vos propres élèves. Il existe des programmes d'échange entre des pays musulmans et les USA pour les lycéens, payés par le gouvernement américain. Renseignez-vous plus sur les échanges de Kennedy Lugar Program YES! entre le Sénégal et les USA.  Écoutez ce que disent les jeunes anciens boursiers sénégalais à propos de leurs séjours passés aux USA.  Pensez à devenir famille d'accueil dans votre ville. Découvrez comment promouvoir ce programme à vos élèves pour passer une année scolaire au Sénégal.  Apprenez les différences culturelles auxquelles les lycéens doivent s'habituer et comment ce programme les préparent pour leurs séjours à l'étranger.  Vous aurez le temps de poser des questions aux responsables de ce programme au Sénégal ainsi que les anciens boursiers sénégalais.  This session is open to any teachers of French who register, space permitting. The link should not be shared with students or anyone who has not registered. The webinar will take place in French.  Webinaire: Guéoul, Sénégal: ONG et enseignement des filles, December 7, 2024 at 11am ET Register here to receive a link and attend this webinar. Venez participer à ce webinaire gratuit qui met en valeur une association qui donne des bourses aux filles sénégalaises. Apprenez un peu de leur vie quotidienne et leurs défis aussi bien que leurs succès. Guéoul, c'est un village qui se trouve dans la région de Louga, Sénégal entre les villes de Thiès et de Saint-Louis. La Secrétaire générale de l'association Friends of Guéoul nous introduira leurs buts, et puis nous aurons l'occasion d'écouter les chefs du programme au Sénégal et plusieurs élèves sénégalaises qui font partie des boursières. Il y aura du temps pour vos questions à la fin et des idées pour la participation de vos classes.  Si vous le souhaitez, un don de $5 - $10 (ou plus) pour l'association sera le bienvenu. L'association nous expliquera comment faire des dons. This webinar is encouraged for any French teacher who wants to learn more about Senegal in general, how this non-profit works in Senegal, educational challenges that exist in Senegalese villages, efforts towards empowerment of girls in education, the power of student scholarships, and more. This session is open to any teachers of French who register, space permitting. The link should not be shared with students or anyone who has not registered. The webinar will take place in French.  Vive is working on a few more webinars for early 2025; I'll wait until we have the agenda and dates set, but you won't want to miss them! 🤩

Idées pour la rentrée - Here are about 30 free activities and ideas for back-to-school icebreakers. I have been accumulating these ideas over the years. Only a few are my own ideas; I regret that I don’t have the original sources for most of these. Many are common ice-breakers teachers have been doing for years. They are a great way to start the year, but also a good way to continue feeling connected throughout the year. At the lower levels, I always strive for 90% or more target language, but giving the students a chance to bond in English can be really meaningful and help break down affective barriers that might prevent them from learning. What are your favorite Back-To-School activities to build community and review a little target language? Though many examples are in French, you can easily adapt these to other languages. Any google docs or google slides should be viewable, just make a copy and edit for your students, your school, your targeted learning goals. Wishing you all a great start to the school year! Enjoy, Katy Explore my Resource page f or Teacher Resources on Senegal! Day 1 / Birthday Seating Challenge: Greet each student at the door and make sure he or she is in the right classroom. Next, before he or she has a chance to sit down, direct the student to follow the posted instructions: “ Sit in birthday order so that the person with the birthday closest to January 1 sits in Seat 1. The year you were born doesn’t matter. Don’t skip seats. When everyone is seated, the student in Seat 5 will raise his or her hand and report that the class is ready to begin .” Observe the interactions: Look for organizers, active and passive participants, refusers and disrupters. Be mindful that some students would rather be invisible and that the activity is probably something they haven’t experienced before. If anyone asks you what to do, redirect him or her to classmates and the posted instructions. Encourage students and remind them that you don’t know the answer. When Seat 5 reports in, do a couple of spot checks, show them where your birthday lies (just for fun!), and begin your lesson. By the end of this activity, every student will have interacted with other students and many will have reported to the whole class in a safe, nonthreatening way. (Ok, Seat 5 is under some pressure.) Boule de neige / Snowball: Have some plain white copier paper. Every student writes a unique sentence about themselves that they think no one else would write. Crumple it up, throw it, read them, find the person. If I do this with a group I know, or the vibe feels right, I let them throw their papers at me lol. If not, we throw towards a spot near the whiteboard. Moi aussi: To get ready / refresh memories. Write down a list of things you like. Students can brainstorm with a partner using a Venn diagram too. Then, everyone stands up in a circle. Put someone in the middle,  They say a sentence of something they like, and if others like it, they have to switch places with others in the group. Like musical chairs. (Add sentence starters on a chat mat, word wall, or quickly jot some on the board, so every sentence isn't "J'aime." Teachers should play too. Have a few statements ready that will get everyone moving.  Connected web : Take a large piece of paper (bulletin board paper or poster paper) and then every student gets a marker. All students and teacher sit around the piece of paper and then write their name down in front of them.  A student will then share something they like or dislike, if you agree with their statement you draw line from your name to their name.  You then go around the paper until everyone has shared.  In the end you will have a spider web image on your paper showing just how many things you have in common with each other. (borrowed idea from someone else) Everyone lines up in birthday order: You have to greet and learn the names of the two people next to you. Ideally, everyone starts by introducing themselves before they say their birthdate. Review: numbers 1-30 je suis né-e le 30 décembre, mon anniversaire est... tu es avant elle, après lui, début d'année / fin d'année.  Nonverbal Birthday Lineup: Ask everyone to line up according to the month and day of birth without talking. Helps students realize they can communicate without words. Name, like, gesture: Say your name, something about yourself, and a gesture to represent it. Then repeat the people who went before you. If you have a large class, you might prefer to do this in small groups, then mix up the small groups and do it again. Maybe then do as half the class? Got this idea when I was participating in the teacher program at CAVILAM in Vichy, France. Mes personnes/endroits favori-tes: Longer prep - good for the first quarter: Share a google slides with each of your classes and be sure every student has editing rights. Each person puts two photos of their favorite people/pets and their favorite places (could be a corner in their room, where they practice sports, a place they visited on vacation, a relative’s home, their own home, etc. Students should not write any words nor their name on the slides.  (Quicker prep - if you are allowed to use phones in class, have them find a photo of each of these sorts on their phone, and share via speed dating or in their groups of 4.) Here’s a Google slides with samples and directions  with sentence starters. Chansons pop : Guess the American song, based on translated lyrics in French. Then listen to a cover of that song. Here's an example. Credit to the amazing person who made it (not me)! Categories: In small groups, challenge them to get the most... foods, clothes, school subjects, rooms in the house, drinks, colors, people in the family. Give stickers or trinkets, or raffle tickets to allow them to "buy" from a magic stash you have ready. Find someone who (prepare a bingo board in advance)  Here's one in English for beginners. Here's one in French for getting to know each other. Here's one in French about hobbies/sport s. Two truths and a lie : (about yourself, or about the syllabus) - I find it so boring to review the syllabus; this makes it more interesting) We all have things in common (need a better name for this!) : Start in groups of 4 and students need to learn each others' names, and then determine one thing they have in common. Then, group two groups of 4 together, and they have to come up with one thing they all have in common. Keep merging groups until the entire class is in a large circle and they have to find one thing they have in common. You may want to say that they can't use where they attend school, town they live in, school subjects. Once they have determined something, maybe you will now have a class mascot or emblem based on this item. It shows we all have things in common. Find a picture book: Get a hint at their personality.  All this requires is a lot of different picture books spread out.  Tell the students that they should find a picture book that speaks to them in some way, perhaps the cover reminds them of something, perhaps they remember it from their childhood, perhaps the story connects to them?  Once everyone has found a book, have them gather in groups and share why they selected the book they chose.  Students get a chance to speak about themselves and it is a great way for them to get excited about the books they will have access to. (Only works if you have enough books and readers in class for the students to choose from.) Find a picture: This requires some prep, but once done, you can reuse them. Print a variety of random photos and if you can, laminate them for reuse. You have to have at least one photo per person, but having some extra options is nice so even the last people have choices and aren't stuck with what's left. Ideas: domestic and wild animals, landscapes, foods, sunsets, water scenes, toys, clothes/shoes, locations around the world. Everyone chooses a photo, and then in small groups, they share why this photo resonated with them or appealed to them today. You can share out or not. This or that - Use this student-centric icebreaker idea from the Cult of Pedagogy Start out by posing a harmless question that prompts people to choose a side. Consider simplifying the choices or adding slides with visuals for language support. Here are some examples: Which food is better: pizza or tacos? Would you rather go on a hike or to a movie? What skill is more valuable: creativity or logic? Which is worse: being bored or being too busy? Would you rather live in the country or the city? Should all students be required to learn a second language? Which is worse: bad breath or body odor? Would you rather be indoors or outdoors? Which is better: Playing sports or watching sports? Would you rather travel every single day or never leave home? Have everyone physically divide into sides—pro pizza to the right; pro taco to the left. Let all the like-minded people discuss the virtues of their position for a while, and then have a representative try to sell the other side of the room. This will give everyone a chance to see things from different perspectives. Blind Drawing:   Time: 10 - 15 minutes Number of Participants: Two or more people Tools Needed: A picture, pen, and paper. Do it in English with beginners, and in target language with more advanced students. I think this requires a chat mat or word wall with words like: above, below, next to, line, circle, square, curvy/wavy, straight.  Rules: Divide everyone into groups of two. Have the two individuals sitting back-to-back. Give one person the pen and paper and the other person the picture. The person with the picture describes the picture to their teammate without actually saying what it is. For example, if the image is a worm in an apple, do not say, "Draw an apple with a worm in it." The person with the pen and paper draws what they think the picture depicts, based on the verbal description. Set a time limit for 10 - 15 minutes. Objective: This is an activity that focuses on interpretation and communication. Once the drawing is finished, it's always interesting to see how the drawer interprets their partner's description. This is Better Than That - ceci est mieux que cela (une île, un naufragé) Time: 15 - 20 minutes Number of Participants: Any Tools Needed: Four or more objects Rules: Pick four or more objects that are different (or the same objects that look different). Split all your participants into even teams. Describe a scenario where each team has to solve a problem using only those objects. This can be anything from "You're stranded on a desert island" to "You're saving the world from Godzilla!" Have each team rank the objects based on their usefulness in that specific scenario, along with their reasoning. Objective: This exercise inspires team creativity in problem solving. The idea is to not make the scenarios too easy so it becomes obvious which objects are most useful. Think, Pair, Share: Each student is given a 4 x 6 Index card. They are to write: Name; Home town & state; Something they like to do; What they did last summer; Intended Major; Favorite Food, Book, Superhero. Your Choice! Pair off & share what each has written. Start with yourselves, then each person will introduce their partner to the groups indicating what they have learned about that person. Who am I? (Might need to save this activity for later in the year, or with more advanced levels; works with well-known francophone or well-known celebrities, politicians, people in history, even educators in your building) It gets them talking and having fun. -For this activity you will need one sticky note per person. On each note write the name of a celebrity, political figure, cartoon character, book character, etc. You can choose one category or mix them up. Use a different person for each note. Place a sticky note on the back or forehead of each participant. The participants are to figure out who they are, but can only do so in the following manner. Find a partner and read each other's stick notes. You may ask the other person three questions to which they are yes or no answers. Once your questions have been asked and answered, make a guess as to your identity. If you are correct, move the sticky note to your chest and you become a "consultant" who gives clues to those still trying to figure out their identities. If you are not correct, find a new partner and repeat the process. SPECIAL NOTE: Be sure to choose characters that are appropriate to the age of the participants to avoid "generalization gap frustration." I've done something you haven't done: (needs past tenses) Have each person introduce themselves and then state something they have done that they think no one else in the class has done. If someone else has also done it, the student must state something else until he/she finds something that no one else has done. Introductions with a twist: The master plan of this ice breaker is to give people an opportunity to learn something silly about each other and to divulge something personal about them. As a kick-off to the class, everyone is asked to introduce themselves by telling something informational (name), something silly (where you'd be if you could be anywhere right now, your favorite dessert), and something reflective (what you hope to get out of this class). Facilitators should, during the rest of the class, spontaneously recall specific things people said as a way of maintaining humor and giving members opportunities to connect. Involvement Game ( Great link to SEL. You may need a list of school teams, clubs, honor societies, school newspaper, or allow  them to research on the school website) Encourage and show students how they might be able to get involved on campus. This exercise works best if students are placed in groups and are encouraged to find as many organizations and ways they can get involved. Allow 15 minutes for groups to make lists and then allow time for each group to report to the entire class. This helps individuals realize that organizations come in every shape and size. Give assignments at the end of one class to have students bring to class a list of every possible way they could get involved on campus. Suggest they write down information on flyers, stuff they find in the newspaper, websites, etc. Offer a prize to the student that brings in the most opportunities and have each student present his or her findings. This also works as a group homework assignment too. 52 Card Shuffle (adapted from idea from Cathy Sork, Ft. Vancouver H.S)  (For Large Groups) This activity helps a large group of people mingle and meet new people. You can pair it down, but limiting which cards are used.  Each person receives a card from a normal deck of cards; include the jokers as wild cards. If the group is more than 54 people, add as many decks of cards as needed. TO LEAD ACTIVITY:1. Have all group members stand in an open area, holding their cards.2. Instruct the group to move into a variety of configurations and introduce themselves to the new person or group of people. Give the group a short topic to discuss, such as favorite food, book,movie, etc. Ideas for configurations: Cards with the Same Number, Suits, Straight, Full House (Note that some people could be left without a match. The group leader should help these singletons to make a group of their own or join an existing group.) Group Juggling: Have participants stand in a circle. The leader tosses a ball to the person across the circle saying his/her name, then puts their hands behind their back. This repeats until everyone has been tossed the ball and had their name said. The leader throws the ball again to the same person, and everyone must throw the ball in the same pattern as the first time, calling out the person's name and throwing the ball. Each time the ball returns to the leader another ball is added in. Continue adding balls and see how far the group can get without messing up. This can be tried nonverbally if everyone knows each other's names, and other objects in addition to balls may be used. Paper Bag Fashion Show: Advanced levels, but could be used with a clothing unit-Group size should be 4 to 5 people per group. Each group will need a paper bag filled with stuff (roll of toilet paper, construction paper, markers, scissors, miscellaneous stuff, and an index card). The task is to create a garment on someone in the group using all the materials except the card in 10 to 15 minutes. Then the group will write a description of the garment on the card which will be given to the fashion show commentator. Everyone but the models will become the audience and the fashion show begins. The commentator reads the descriptions as the fashions are modeled. This can be adapted to fit a topic, such as make a garment that a great leader might wear, and so forth. Interview: Everyone is sent off in pairs to "interview" their partner. They're each given 3 to 5 minutes to ask questions, such as "what resources on campus have you used since school began" or "what was the hardest transition for you coming to our school." Let students share their interviews with the class. Life Boxes: Intermediate or Advanced (or do in English with lower levels). Take a sheet of paper and fold it in half and then in half again. Unfold and you have 4 boxes. Have markers or crayons available and have people write the following headings in the 4 boxes 1) Childhood 2) High school 3) College 4) Future. In each of the boxes they are to draw a simple picture that represents an event or action that was extremely important to that particular time of their life. Have people go around and share their experiences. Hobby Huddle: The group sits in a circle. Person #1 says his name and favorite hobby. Person #2 (to his right) repeats Person #1'sname and hobby, then states their own. Person #3 states Person #1's and Person #2's names and hobbies, thenadds his own. Go around the entire circle. Encourage people to help each other when needed. Value Discussion: Have participants find two people who are wearing the same color as them. Have them find a spot where they can talk together. Instruct them that they will be talking about some issues and you will give them new topics every few minutes. Here are some samples: Talk about the most important thing you learned last year. What do you want to be doing in five years? What is one goal you have for this year? What is the greatest challenge you are facing? What do you value most in life? We welcome your ideas too! Please share your ideas and favorite activities n the comments.

You're Going to Love Senegal Senegal, the country known for its teranga, hospitality, is ready to welcome you in Spring or Summer 2025. You can now sign up to reserve your spot on our March Spring Break trip or Summer #1 or #2 trips. There are a limited number of spots on each trip for French language educators. Learn more about the three trips here: https://www.vivelexperience.com/2025-programs You're going to see a new side to Catalunya While you speak and listen to Spanish with our local guides, you will discover a new side to Catalunya. Meet with local artisans and hear their stories; dive into the local politics; savor Catalan gastronomic specialities. We will even get the chance to meet with university professors to dig deeper into Catalan culture.There are a limited number of spots on our April 12-20, 2025 trip for Spanish language educators or educators who want to practice their Spanish skills (intermediate or higher). Pre-register here with no obligation: https://www.vivelexperience.com/spaintrips

Vive led two teacher groups with a total of 33 participants in June and July 2024. We plan to share sign-ups for 2025 in the next few weeks! Our teachers included pre-school, elementary, middle, high school, university, and one retiree as we laughed, sang, and drummed our way through smaller towns and villages along the coast (La Petite Côte and Sine Saloum) as well as the cities of Thiès, Saint Louis, and Dakar. Personal invitations to homes opened the door to experiences of eating around the bowl and learning more about Senegalese hospitality, or terenga. Delicious meals of lamb for Tabaski (Eid) and the national dish of Senegal, thieboudienne, were enjoyed with Senegalese friends & family. In an effort to squeeze in the most possible in a short amount of time, we addressed topics such as environment, immigration, colonization, education, music, the arts, social activism, and personal and public identities, and more! Whether visiting a monument, historical site, or wandering through a fabric market in a small group, participants were always learning. Singing with local emerging and popular artists at Africulturban with Zeinixx and the Matador as well as Âme Flow was a highlight for la Fête de la Musique, while the second group had the chance to dance with university students during our visit with a griot at an impromptu Sabar. In the words of Elizabeth H., "Before this trip, I really had limited knowledge of Senegalese culture and history. I’m proud and grateful to say that after 10 days with Vive, I now have a profound appreciation for the story of Senegal and the generosity of spirit that the people there gift to one another and to newcomers. I will always remember the warm smiles, the bright colors, the laughter and the beauty of this experience. The entire trip was well curated and thoughtfully planned." "I could go on and on about this trip. It has changed my life and I am still processing it. I have one word of advice for people considering this experience: GO. You won't regret it." - Michelle F. What else is happening with Vive? We also ran a 4-week Global Service Learning program in a Senegalese village for high school students from mid-June to mid-July. They lived with host families and immersed themselves in everyday life while working on projects with the local community. Come meet us in person at upcoming conferences such as: ACTFL, NECTFL, PACIE. Let us know if any of these following trips or activities interest you. Share with your colleagues and friends! Spanish Immersion in Catalunya, Spain Senegal Teacher-Led Student Trips Senegal Trips for non-French Teachers Tunisia French Immersion Trip 1-day in-person workshop on Senegal

It was a pleasure to meet new friends north of the border in Toronto, Canada at OMLTA. Thank you for welcoming me as a first-time participant, exhibitor, and teacher presenter. The experience was amazing. I had the chance to see Julien Granel in concert with a bunch of Manie Musicale teachers, and then of course, LeFlo at the convention was epic. Hearing Ben Tinsley was another highlight as well. His message resonates with me, and I hope that I can be an agent for change through my work with Vive l’expérience. Raffle winners Congratulations to the OMLTA raffle winners, Wendy, Ileang, Josh, Andrea and Arnelle! Enjoy your “cheeky” Catalan Caganers or Senegalese Sweetgrass baskets! Vive Workshop These teachers enjoyed an OMLTA session focused on Senegalese resources on family, music, and tea. If you are looking to add more culturally inclusive materials in your French classes, explore our free, curated resources. Curated travel: Senegal & Spain If you would like to learn more about our trips to Senegal, join our next informational meeting on April 29 on Zoom. RSVP below! (Photo: Michelle Fournier of Manie Musicale fame will be traveling to Senegal with us this summer!) Let's stay in touch Stay informed and learn about new resources as they become available. If you know of any other teachers who might be interested in our travel to Senegal or Spain, workshops, or our resources, please share this email with them. Wishing you a great end to your school year and hope our paths will cross again soon! Best, Katy Wheelock katy@vivelexperience.com