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Quoi de neuf / Infolettre
MSF Seeks French Speakers      
Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) will have a recruitment session on Thursday, October 2, 2014, at Mercy Corps Action Center on SW 1st Avenue in Portland. Medical and non-medical professionals are invited to come to the presentation to learn more about how they can join Doctors Without Borders' pool of dedicated aid workers. Bilingual French fluent professionals are needed in Haiti and Francophone field missions. Click here to view the event flyer and here to register online for the informational session.  
New Consul of France in SFO
Effective September 2, 2014, Pauline Carmona took up the reins at the Consulate of France in San Francisco, overseeing consular operations in a large multi-state region which includes Washington and Oregon. Carmona is the first female Consul General (consule générale) in San Francisco and is the only female consul in France's network of consulates in the United States. Born in Paris in 1973, she earlier held ministry of foreign affairs positions in the Balkans and Asia. Click here for her online bio in French. She replaces Romain Serman, who concluded his assignment in San Francisco and who has moved to the private sector. Portlanders will remember Serman as the official who awarded a Chevalier (knight) medal in 2011 to Alliance Director, Linda Witt.  
What Students Say About the Alliance  

The fall term starts next week (the week of 9/15-20). Interested in learning French but not sure about taking the plunge? Then check out what recent students said about their class experience this summer; click here. Concerned that you will miss a class or two? No worries - the Alliance has a convenient make-up program that includes complimentary make-up tutoring or alternate group classes. Concerned about parking? The Alliance has dedicated parking lot(s) in collaboration with our neighbors, Willamette Dental and the First United Methodist Church. Passes are issued to students at the beginning of the term. (Shown here: our "mother ship" in Paris.) 

Links and News of Interest   

Robin Williams: Many readers enjoyed the glimpse of Robin Williams' French language aptitude in the previous bulletin. Thanks to a reader (merci, Laura), enjoy this NEW link to another interview (also in much better resolution) where Williams chats predominantly in French. Click here.

St Honoré Boulangerie will offer a cooking class on the classic French-style apple tart on 9/25 and 10/1. Visit their site for more info on the class (which will be in English).  
French Twist will perform a night of Retro French Pop and Swinging Jazz at Wilf's (in Union Station) September 18 at 7pm. Cover will be $7.

DELF/DALF Training: Alliance teachers Linda Fuchs and Francine Chough are joining other teaching professionals in Seattle this week to complete examinateur and correcteur certification for DELF and DALF exams. The training, hosted by the Alliance in Seattle, is centered on the standards used at the Portland Alliance and at major language institutions worldwide. Visit http://www.delfdalf.fr/.   

The Cercle Cercle titleFrançais resumes its monthly sessions at noontime in French with: "Le jeudi 25 septembre, Marie Engelhard commencera cette nouvelle saison 2014-2015 avec : Les grandes courtisanes françaises de la Belle Epoque." For details click here.    

Tonight at Powells: Susan Winkler will present on her new Paris-based novel, Portrait of a Woman in White. Click here for details. 

Favorite Link of the Week: Practice your French and learn more about the history of cheerleading than you ever thought possible - click here for French Morning's article on why the French translate cheerleader to "pompom girl": Pourquoi les cheerleaders s'appellent "pompom girls" en France ?

   
Dates to Remember
Sept. 15-20: Alliance Fall Term Begins!
Sept. 18-19: GERMINAL Show / PICA TBA
Nov. 2: French/German Concert in SE Portland (details coming soon)
Nov. 21: Beaujolais Nouveau at the Heathman
Quick Web Links
 

Space is available in Fall Classes that begin the week of September 15. Call 503.223.8388 for openings.

  

Conversation

Groups

Some are hosted by Alliance staff, board members or other volunteers. Drop-ins welcome; membership is encouraged but not required.

NW or Central PDX 

St Honoré on NW Thurman on

Wed., 6pm, Sep. 17    

C'est Si Bon on NE 7th on Tuesdays @ 6pm 

SE Portland

At St Honoré on SE Division, Monday, Oct. 6, at 6pm.

At Chez Machin, Mon., Oct. 13, at 7p.m.

  At Vie de Bohème weekly on Sundays, 4-5:30 p.m.

Vancouver

At Gustav's in Vancouver, Tues., Oct. 7 at 5:30 p.m.

  

 

In-Kind Sponsors

 Perrier

 

 

 

PClogo

 
TV5MONDE Highlights
 
Many of our students and members watch TV5MONDE programming to help keep up their listening comprehension. It's available as a premium channel (695) on Comcast.

 

 

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Contact info@afportland.org for permission to re-use.

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