The French Conversation Group’s annual Bastille Day party on July 14th was historic. It marked not only the 50th anniversary of our celebration of “le Quatorze, but also 50 years of Yolande Siki’s leadership. Since the late 1960’s our “professor”, mentor, and friend has guided our efforts to improve and maintain our French fluency with enormous wit and patience.
With her help, beginners have blossomed, practiced speakers become more confident and the truly fluent have provided incentive and encouragement Everyone has looked forward to brief bi-monthly escapes into French and enjoyed the friendships grown from our shared experience.
The 14th’s festivities began on a familiar note: food, drink, talk, laughter. Our activity even drew a condo resident who followed the sound of his favorite language to the club room and asked if he could join the party. He could, and he did, running upstairs for another bottle of wine.
And for dessert, a Bastille Day cake with a frosted Eiffel Tower and an inscription to Yolande. Happily, Francois Siki was with us to help toast his mother with ample champagne, thanks to hostess, Helen Szbalya.
Finally, Laurel Lisez led the ritual singing of La Marseillaise. We may still stumble in the shaky spots in words and music, but we clearly remember the past chorus of old friends, those who always took the high notes and the basses who boomed below. Fifty years of memories ……!
Vive l’Amitié!
Vive la France!
