Quebecers experience 4 seasons in one week in Neepawa

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By Nora Heschuk

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From May 15 to 22, 16 students and their teachers from Beauceville, QC experienced our four seasons as well as many cultural and tourist attractions around Neepawa and Winnipeg as they completed the last week of their SEVEC exchange. 

After a get-together and barbecue with families at the school on Friday, our guests experienced our friendly-Manitoba hospitality, while also experiencing some of the most interesting weather conditions that we could possibly endure during May long weekend. Saturday resembled a fall day while Sunday brought with it winter’s fury of freezing rain, snow and wind. Spring arrived on Monday and we enjoyed glorious summer-like conditions for the rest of the week! 

On Tuesday, the group traveled to Austin to visit the Manitoba Agricultural Museum where they experienced life as it may have been in the 1800s. On Wednesday and Thursday, the group took part in activities in Winnipeg including a visit of the Human Rights Museum, a tour of St. Boniface University, “Theater in the Cemetery” and a visit of the St. Boniface Museum where they learned more about prominent people and events from Manitoba’s history, the Forks, Sky Zone trampoline park, the Aviation Museum, and Fort Whyte where they played “Predator and Prey”. On Friday morning, the group also squeezed in a visit to the Winnipeg Zoo where the animals were quite active and entertaining for our guests before they boarded the plane to head back to Quebec that afternoon.

The SEVEC exchange is an experience unlike any other that we are able to offer our students. Because of very generous funding from SEVEC as well as through our French revitalization grant, we are able to offer this opportunity to any student who would like to live with a French-speaking family and experience the Quebecois culture for a week and to, in turn, be a host to his or her twin. Students return with a better appreciation of the diversity of Canada as well as their own community and province.