Tamborine Mountain U3A      NEWS

Photo by Joy Borrie

TAMBORINE U3A NEWS

The Financial Year for U3A Tamborine Mountain starts 1st January 2010.

Half yearly membership fees fell due on July 1st if you had not paid a yearly fee

Click here to download and print your membership renewal form. Please complete the form and post it to the Secretary with your cheque or money order or a copy of your receipt if you have made a direct deposit to the U3A account. (Full details on the Membership renewal form)

Movers or seconders are not necessary for renewal of membership.

Teaching French on the Mountain.

SECOND SESSION  French with Joe Mulders  starts  22nd September

Thanks to U3A ,( University of the 3rd.Age) or “Universite du 3me.Age”,French courses have been offered on the Mountain for some time.

They started with French basic lessons and recently a French Conversation has been added. One may wonder why the interest in learning French by our local community. French has been and still is an international language, only second to English. It is the first, second and even the third official language of many nations in the world and of international organisations such UNO, WHO, NATO, the Post Office to name a few  and it plays a major role in diplomatic circles.

However, more importantly, quite a few residents on the Mountain have studied French at college in their youth. Some have family or friends in France or French speaking countries such as Belgium,   Switzerland, Luxembourg, Quebec, nearly half of Africa and the Caribbean, Pacific islands or Tahiti, la Nouvelle Caledonie   and Vanuatu,  closer to home. In order to improve their knowledge, weekly lessons are available and it makes it easier to communicate and to travel to a French speaking destination.

French is a beautiful language with a rich history but rather difficult to master, grammar in particular.

These local courses are quite different from those offered by the “Alliance francaise” in all our capital cities and even on the Gold Coast but they are sponsored by the French government.

As to U3A, the tutors offered these courses at no charge except for some minor costs to be shared by our older “students”.

Wishing you a “Bon Voyage” and “Bon Courage” perhaps?

Joe Mulders

Tutor.