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Quoi de neuf / Infolettre
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Spring Gala Returns in 2016
Tickets are now available for the Alliance's Annual Soirée and Fundraiser which will be held at the Multnomah Athletic Club on April 23. The  Soirée Provençale evening will feature premium auctions (live, silent and online), French-themed entertainment and a gourmet Provence-inspired dinner created by James Beard Award-Winning Executive Chef Philippe Boulot. Click here for individual tickets which start at $75 for Alliance members and $85 for non-members. Tables for 8 persons are also available for $1250. Click here for pictures from the last Soirée, to have an idea of what's in store. Interested in supporting the event with a corporate sponsorship? Contact the Alliance's new Development Director, Marilyn Hartzog, for details.
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The Uproar Over Oignon Morphing to Ognon
The BBC and many other news outlets are reporting the uproar over the changes in spelling that will affect 2000+ words in France. Some  common words will loose a letter ( oignon becomes ognon) and others will lose their hyphen ( le week-end becomes le weekend). Many words lose the circumflex accent over the characters i and u (circumflexes over a, e and o won't be affected). As an example, le coût becomes le cout. Click here for a clear explanation of the changes in English on the BBC site or read an informative TF1 online article in French which has a video component and the list of ten common words that will change. Anglophone readers may chuckle over the uproar: these changes have been planned since 1990 (fully 25 years ago) and in practice, both the old and the new spellings will be acceptable in schools. Merci to Robert Derrick for sharing this news.
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Now Enrolling for the Spring Intersession
Between the end of the winter session and the start of the Spring Term, the Alliance in Portland is offering a week of brand new classes and workshops, March 21-26. Options for adults include a review class from the Menu Fixe (standard classes that have a fixed price) or mix-and-match from some unique one  -time workshops, "A la carte," with special pricing. Choices include classical and contemporary poetry, slang and idioms, a subjunctive bootcamp, and a unique wine-blending class presented by gastronomy-specialist Pascal Chureau. Play-time sessions with age-appropriate-games in French will help young students stay entertained during the week of March 21-26. Click here for the class descriptions and contact the office to enroll. Questions? Email School Director Katy LeBris.
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Alliance PSU-CINE Club - March 4
The 1996 film, Ridicule, will be the discussion topic at the 4th  Cin é-Club meeting at the Alliance's Kamm House. Set just before the French Revolution in the 18th century, the film tells the story of a young provincial aristocrat who comes to Versailles to ask for help for a engineering project, but finds himself in the middle of a "war of wit." Come discuss with others in a group led by Annabelle Dolidon who is a professor at PSU. Watch the movie ahead of time; it is available on DVD to members at the Kamm House and on Netflix (streaming and DVD). Ticket price: $5 for members; $7 for non-members. Click here to register.
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Children's Choir Workshop - March 6
Children aged 7 to 11 can attend a "Chorale" (Choir) workshop on Sunday, March 6 at 2pm at the Alliance. Under the guidance of nati ve French speaker Eric John Kaiser they will learn how to sing songs in French from all around the world (Mali, Québec, France), in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. The children will learn how singing as part of a group is a valuable experience and a way to discover other cultures. At the end of the workshop an informal group performance will be done for parents and friends. Click here for additional information, including registration ($30 per child).
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Visitor's Value Package for French Fest
Over 5,000 Francophones and Francophiles from the Pacific Northwest will descend on the Seattle Center Armory to enjoy the 4th annual French Fest on Sunday, March 20. The event is part of the city's FESTÁL  cultural event series and draws its inspiration from the worldwide "Day of Francophonie," organized in over 100 countries. French vendors will include ones such as Maison de France (Bellevue), as well as Traditions de France and Oya Kara Custom Jewelry from Oregon. Live music, children's activities, French book sales, and even dictées conducted by UW professors, will be enjoyed. Click here for a limited-time "visitor's value package" that includes hotel and other discounts; click here to reserve the package online by March 1.
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Job Postings / Emploi
The Alliance Française de Portland is accepting applications for upcoming part-time instructor openings in French. Applicants should be experienced FLE-teachers (and must already have the right to work in the US). Teaching schedule may include daytime, ev  enings, and/or Saturdays classes. Experience teaching both adults and children is a plus. Native-fluent speakers (minimum C1-level mastery) preferred. Email katylb@afportland.org.
Booking.com in Bellevue is looking for a Customer Service Executive who is fluent in both French and English. Click here.
Expedia Company Egencia is seeking a Senior Product Manager where French fluency is an advantage. The job is based in Bellevue with occasional international travel, including to Paris. Click here.
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Member Postings, Films and More
World-renowned French choreographer, Hervé Koubi, accompanied by five of his dance troupe members from Burkina Faso, entertained students of L'Etoile French Immersion School the last week of January, during the troupe's visit to Portland (as covered in the Oregonian, the troupe's White Bird performances were sold out well in advance). The Etoile students got the opportunity to quiz the performers and to perform choreographed dance routines with them, to the delight of all.
Paris Exchange or Apartment Sought: Alliance members Randy and Farzaneh are planning a trip to Italy, London, and Paris in late summer 2016. They will be in Paris for a week in August and are interested in finding recommendations for a place to rent that will fit with their budget. They would also consider other options such as a house exchange, host exchange, apartment,  or just a room. Email fxwhyte@gmail.com if you have ideas, connections or recommendations. ESL Classes for French Speakers: L'Alliance Française de Portland offre maintenant des classes d'Anglais Langue Etrangère. Les cours sont enseignés par un professeur américain (parlant couramment français) suivant une approche communicative qui intègre les fondements essentiels de la conversation, de la prononciation, et de la grammaire, dans une ambiance à la fois conviviale et studieuse. Ces classes s'adressent à tous les francophones souh aitant améliorer leur niveau d'anglais pour communiquer dans toutes les situations de la vie quotidienne. Pour tout renseignement, contactez la directrice Katy LeBris (katylb@afportland.org). Interview Subjects Sought: A professional group in Nantes, France, is seeking interview subjects here in the Northwest. They'd like to connect with Americans who work here and who use French in their daily work in business (for an educational program). If you fit such a profile contact linda.witt@comcast.net.  French-Speaking Nanny: Alliance members are seeking a French-speaking nanny for the summer (2016) for their daughter (age 5) who attends FAIS. Location is west side of Portland; candidates must have safe and reliable car. Contact reganwnelson@gmail.com. Competitive pay.
This infolettre is copyrighted by the Alliance Française of Portland.
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