By Ann Wang, ’26
This year, WPGA is excited to continue its yearly Gateway Exchange tradition with Lycée Raoul Vadepied in Evron, France. On October 3rd, Elise, Kelyan, and Melissa arrived in Vancouver after a 10 hour flight from Paris, France. Jet lagged but still enthusiastic, they walked through the busy hallways of WPGA for the first time the very next day. If you have not had the chance to meet them, below are some brief introductions!
Kelyan:
“Hi, my name is Kelyan Gaibazzi. I’m 16 years old and I live in a village called Ste Suzanne in the north of France. I like to play sports and spend time with my family and friends. Currently, I enjoy going to the gym and swimming in my free time. I study at the Raoul Vadepied school in Evron, a town 10 minutes from home, which allowed me to participate in this gateway experience. I wanted to participate in this program for the travel experience, to discover Vancouver, the customs in Canada (Halloween, etc.) and to improve my English. I arrived on October 4 and I am excited to get to know all of you! See you soon :)”
Elise:
“Hi, my name is Elise, and I am staying in Canada for two months to participate in an exchange program named Gateway. I am 16 years old and I live in a small village, Chartres-la-forêt. Since I was 6 years old, I have loved to play cello and read. I also play badminton in a sport club with my friend. I study at the Raoul Vadepied school with Kelyan and Melissa. This is actually my first time travelling beyond France and I hope to travel all around the world. And of course, I want to improve my English!’
Melissa:
“Hi my name is Mélissa, I’m 15 years old and I’m one of the three French exchange students in the Gateway program. I live in a village called Brée, which is close to my high school Raoul Vadepied where Elise, Kélyan and I had the chance to participate in the program and go to WPGA. I’m the youngest of my family, I have one sister and one brother (Mélinda and Samy) and I do gymnastics and dance. In joining this program, I hope to discover Canada and Vancouver, meet new people and also to improve my English.”
From October to early December, Elise, Kelyan, and Melissa will be staying with Ann, Frankie and Mary. If you see our new friends around the school, be sure to show them a warm welcome to the West Point Grey community!