Student Exchange-Xiberoa 2009

NABO is proud to be participating in a cultural exchange with students from the Lycee de Pays de Soule.  The Lycee is located right outside of Mauleon in the province of Xiberoa.

For the past year, the high school age students at the Lycee have been working on the pastorale, or Basque play, EUSKAMERIKAN ARTZAIN.  This pastorale, written by Mixel Etxekopar, is based on the Basque emigration experience.  It has been performed in the towns of Gotein, Alkay and Usurbil earlier this year.  Our Basque American bertsolari, Johnny Curutchet, was able to perform in the pastorale via the internet - the first time this has been done in a pastorale.  See the video of Johnny's pastorale performance:

The exchange would start with 15 high school students from the United State exchanging correspondence via email in English with the students from the Lycee.  This would start at the end of October 2008, and continue throughout the school year.  The 15 NABO participants would travel to Xiberoa in mid-June 2009, and would stay with the students from the Lycee for two weeks.

During their two week stay in Xiberoa, the American students would take classes in Euskara, dance, do some sightseeing, and learn what life in this region of Euskal Herria is like.

The second phase of the exchange would take place in August 2009, when the students from Xiberoa travel to California to present their pastorale at the picnics of San Francisco and Chino.

American participants are asked to:
1.  Commit to the 8 month email exchange with their Xiberoa counterparts.
2.  Be prepared to travel to Xiberoa in June 2009
3.  Be prepared to cover the cost of airfare to Xiberoa (food and lodging will be provided the Lycee).
4.  Be prepared to participate in the Euskara and dance classes offered while in Xiberoa.

We would like to start gathering the names of the participants as soon as possible so that the correspondence can start in the end of October.  The program can be done in conjunction with the Anita Franzioa's Youth Travel to Euskadi program.

To sign up, or for more information, please contact Valerie Etcharren Arrechea at (415)859-1154 or etcharren@msn.com