Seven Gardois in the starting blocks to explore Frankfurt, the German twin of Nîmes.

Les jeunes gardois pressés de partir découvrir l’Allemagne. Midi Libre – Alissandre Allemand

Dans le cadre du jumelage entre Nîmes et Francfort-sur-Oder en Allemagne, sept adolescents gardois de 15 à 18 ans, partent vendredi 19 juillet pour deux semaines avec des animatrices de la Maison de l’Europe.

It is wisely gathered around a giant screen that Célia, Shérazade, Antonin, Zoé, Frida and Anaëlle are preparing for a two-week trip to Germany. At the home of one of the twins in Nîmes, Frankfurt-sur-Oder. Among the happy group, only two speak the language. Some have never even said a word.

So, in order to have some basics to make themselves understood once there, the Maison de l'Europe, the partner-organizer of the trip (as part of the Erasmus + program), offers two days for them. On the agenda: review of the functioning of the European institutions and their missions, but also refresher of the basics in English and acquisition of vocabulary in German: hello, thank you, my name is, I am such and such an age, I live in, etc.

25 years of twinning between Frankfurt and Nîmes

And it is in a good mood but with seriousness that the young people practice. So happy at the idea of ​​going abroad. Moreover, whether they are educated at Daudet, Philippe-Lamour, the Second Chance School, or in Tarascon, the candidates discovered the opportunity on the Maison’s social networks of Europe. Instagram precisely. "When I saw the post, I immediately applied", explains Shérazade, 17 years old. "Thanks to the Second Chance School, I had already had the chance to participate in a language exchange. I loved it. So obviously, I jumped at the chance."

Especially since the experience is financially very advantageous. As the trip was supported by Erasmus and the cities of Nîmes and Frankfurt, participants only had to pay 65 euros from their personal funds. And so for the 25th anniversary twinning, the young people will bring the colors and culture of Nîmes to around a hundred other young people of their age from the four corners of the European continent.

To accompany them, Fanny, a bubbly Greek who lived for several years in Germany and Alexandra, a young Polish girl who has been in France for a year. A shock duo with whom the group will be well accompanied. Especially since "Frankfurt", as told by Michael Stange, the director of the Maison de l’Europe, ’ quot;is located on the border with Poland. Only a bridge separates them. A situation which offers the city a rich culture. Antonin, a happy 18-year-old high school graduate, is pining. "I made German friends during a previous Erasmus trip with my high school. Since then, I have learned a few words and I am looking forward to going to this country."

Develop an interest in German

Among the objectives of the trip, Michael Stange does not hide his hope of seeing young people develop a particular interest in German culture and the Goethe language and of giving the desire, perhaps be, for young people to learn to speak the latter.