A FAMILY ADVENTURE FROM FRANCE TO ST. VINCENT

Ben Harrison-International Correspondent

In July of 2003 an adventurous young couple Laure Chiquillo and her partner Gildas Courrier, along with their two year old daughter Lola, left the Brittany Region of France in a 32 foot sloop called ‘Obock’, They were setting off on a nine month adventure that was to take them to the island of Martinique, where they lived for two years while Laure taught primary school and gave birth to their second daughter Enore.

In September of 2007, Laure was recruited by Alliance Française in St. Vincent to be its Executive Director. Again the good sloop ‘Obcock’ carried the family to St. Vincent where they now live.

Three weeks ago, the family sailed to Union Island in the Grenadines where they met Laure’s parents from France, plus friends from Martinique and Union Island. On April 5, anchored in picturesque Saline Bay off the island of Mayreau, Fr. Andrew from Union Island united the couple in marriage.

The Alliance Française of St. Vincent and the Grenadines opened its doors in 1969. It is a not-for-profit organization, part of a world-wide network of 1085 Alliances. Under the directorship of Laure, it coordinates artistic and cultural shows, conferences, exhibitions, seminars, films, lectures and a music festival. It provides French language lessons to upwards of 200 students each year. With its many activities it has significantly added to the cultural profile of St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

We are fortunate to have Alliance Française located in St. Vincent. We congratulate Laure and her husband Gildas on their marriage and warmly welcome the two of them along with their daughters as members of our island community.