As Haut-Lac International Bilingual School is set to celebrate its 30th anniversary this year (complete with festivities, of course), we've been digging into the archives. Now is a great time to reminisce over the many years of events, activities and shows we’ve shared with our students, teachers and families, so keep an eye out for throwback articles in the run up to the big milestone.
Whether you're a new family or were around in our very early days, you’re an indispensable thread that keeps the international Haut-Lac tapestry together despite borders and distance.
Today, we're looking back at the family events we’ve run over the years. Current families perhaps love our international day and our family ski day. Did you know, however that these events have been held for over ten years?
Who skiied, swam and partied in Gstaad & Les Sciernes?
When Haut-Lac was smaller, we also held family ski weekends with slaloms and prizes for parents and kids, but in Saanenmöser. And when the weather got warmer, we’d all gather in the same region for a bike ride/walk down to the Gstaad swimming pool - home of the frigid water and intimidating 3m diving board. Let us know if you were ever brave enough to jump off!
That last event ended with a classic barbecue at the old Haut-Lac Camps building in Les Sciernes d'Albeuve, which was also the home of our Themed Fancy Dress Evening. Families made the journey up to the far reaches of the Fribourg countryside in their costumes before parading up and down the catwalk and ending the night by a giant bonfire in the garden, watching fireworks whizz up into the sky.
Remember getting to know each other at the start-of-year rafting?
Another great barbecue paired with a beautiful sunset evening on the French side of the lake happened after our rafting excursion to Thonon. An event the new Haut-Lac boarders eagerly brought back at the start of this year.
Or skiing and cycling up an appetite for fondue or a BBQ?
Some of you might also recall having to peel red wax from your ski jackets after a torchlit descent from the top of Moléson, heavy with fondue and the medals won from the slalom before dinner.
Or perhaps winning goodies at the end of the treasure hunt bike ride in Les Grangettes, where our eco-committee now clean the shoreline once a year. Did you get lost trying to find answers to the PE department's cryptic questions, or did you just turn up for the barbecue?
Looking back on all the events we have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy together makes us feel very fortunate. We are honoured to have been able to create and be part of the memories of so many families and hope this trip down memory lane has you feeling as nostalgic as we do.
Katie Harwood
Haut-Lac Alumni