{"id":4790,"date":"2024-10-23T00:01:51","date_gmt":"2024-10-22T23:01:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gaudie.co.uk\/press\/?p=4790"},"modified":"2024-12-05T10:08:09","modified_gmt":"2024-12-05T10:08:09","slug":"reunited-after-50-years-french-class-of-1979-return-to-aberdeen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/news\/2024\/10\/23\/reunited-after-50-years-french-class-of-1979-return-to-aberdeen\/","title":{"rendered":"Reunited After 50 Years: French Class of 1979 Return to Aberdeen"},"content":{"rendered":"

On the steps of a bustling Elphinstone Hall, twelve former students returned to their old stomping ground, almost fifty years after sitting their final exams in the historic building.<\/span><\/p>\n

Earlier this month, the University\u2019s open day saw almost 2,000 visitors at the institution. Amongst the crowds were members of the French class of 1979, reuniting in what they described as their \u201crefreshers\u201d event.<\/span><\/p>\n

As Elphinstone Hall filled with keen youngsters eager to be the next set of Freshers, the group of 12 graduates ventured inside, stopping to chat to Dr Khaled Bashir, Arabic lecturer, 50 years on from their first days in Aberdeen<\/span><\/p>\n

Speaking to <\/span>The Gaudie<\/span><\/i>, Pamela said:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe booked some lodges just outside Aberdeen to have a weekend together and we thought we would come in and have a look around. We had no idea this [the open day] was going on!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Although almost five decades have passed since they walked into Marischal College as graduands, the group say they have kept up to date with the latest news from the University, including supporting the recent modern languages campaign from afar.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Photograph
French graduates 50 years ago. Caption: Sheila Gilfillan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cA few of us were language teachers and so we signed the petition,\u201d she said, adding, \u201cwe feel very strongly that our pupils from school are able to access language teaching at the University of Aberdeen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Reflecting on their experiences as languages students, the ground immediately identified \u201cfriendship\u201d as the most important thing they gained from their studies. They added that the opportunity to travel to France in 1977 during their studies cemented lifelong bonds between the friends.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI look back on the time in France as the most fantastic time of my life,\u201d Fiona shares.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cThe year abroad really consolidated our friendship,\u201d May added, \u201cwe all kept in touch when we were abroad.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Pamela reminisced about the \u2018highlight\u2019 of that year:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe all met in Paris to go to the rugby that year \u2013 Scotland were playing France, and we were dancing ceilidh in the street!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u200bDespite Scotland losing to France 23-3, the group spoke fondly of the trip and recalled how well they were supported by Dr Geoffrey Hare, their French lecturer. Not only had Dr Hare taught them in Aberdeen, but he also visited them during their year abroad, observing their teaching an encouraging them to meet as a group, which helped cement lifelong friendships.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe had very good lecturers who really took a personal interest. It was very motivating,\u201d Sheila tells us.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe were even prepared to speak Queen\u2019s English in France because our lecturers knew the French children wouldn\u2019t understand our strong Aberdonian accents! It was so helpful!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Word quickly spread about the group\u2019s visit. Dr Shona Potts, a senior lecturer from the French department joining, telling the group that it was \u201cfantastic\u201d to see a large group of alumni at the open day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chatting to <\/span>The Gaudie<\/span><\/i> admist of one of the biggest gatherings of prospective students at the University, the group told us why they still believe Aberdeen is a great choice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe got a very good education here,\u201d May tells us, \u201cit\u2019s such a lovely setting too. The campus is beautiful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Though much had changed, many sights remained familiar. The group recalled studying in the small languages library in the Taylor Building and spending countless hours in the French section of the old King\u2019s Library, now home to the King\u2019s Conference Centre.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was beautiful, but it was also very small.\u201d Sheila admitted, recognising the need for the new library, with the SDR opened in 2012.<\/span><\/p>\n

As they wandered the familiar grounds, sharing old stories and laughter, the advice to today\u2019s students became clear: embrace every moment, just as they had done five decades ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSe r\u00e9gale!\u201d John said with a grin \u2013 an apt reminder to enjoy it all.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On the steps of a bustling Elphinstone Hall, twelve former students returned to their old stomping ground, almost fifty years after sitting their final exams in the historic building. Earlier this month, the University\u2019s open day saw almost 2,000 visitors at the institution. Amongst the crowds were members of the French class of 1979, reuniting […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":4795,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","iawp_total_views":17,"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[781,782,783,776,777,778,779,780,219,784,267],"wf_post_folders":[181],"class_list":{"0":"post-4790","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"tag-781","9":"tag-50-years","10":"tag-50-years-on","11":"tag-france","12":"tag-french","13":"tag-french-graduates","14":"tag-graduates","15":"tag-graduation","16":"tag-rugby","17":"tag-visitors","18":"tag-womens-rugby"},"acf":[],"author_meta":{"display_name":"Kirsten Koss","author_link":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/author\/kirsten-koss\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/French-graduates.heic","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["News<\/a>"],"unlinked":["News<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["1979<\/a>","50 years<\/a>","50 years on<\/a>","France<\/a>","French<\/a>","French graduates<\/a>","graduates<\/a>","graduation<\/a>","Rugby<\/a>","visitors<\/a>","Women's Rugby<\/a>"],"unlinked":["1979<\/span>","50 years<\/span>","50 years on<\/span>","France<\/span>","French<\/span>","French graduates<\/span>","graduates<\/span>","graduation<\/span>","Rugby<\/span>","visitors<\/span>","Women's Rugby<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":"0","relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 2 years ago","modified":"Updated 2 years ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on 23 October 2024","modified":"Updated on 5 December 2024"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on 23 October 2024 00:01","modified":"Updated on 5 December 2024 10:08"},"featured_img_caption":"French Graduates. Credit: Kirsten Koss","series_order":"","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4790","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/37"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4790"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4790\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4799,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4790\/revisions\/4799"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4795"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4790"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4790"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4790"},{"taxonomy":"wf_post_folders","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wf_post_folders?post=4790"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}