Bonne Année 2017 Gala Event

ASP (American School of Paris) held it’s annual Bonne Annee in order to welcome two new campus buildings and celebrate the New Year in style! It was a formal affair this past Saturday and I went down the street to check it out in a cocktail dress and warm scarf as it was a chilly night! Chris stayed home to wait for Greg who was soon returning from the The Hague (playing basketball there). I really just wanted to see how the whole thing came together because Chris and I had been at the school at 2:00pm after coaching, and the enormous tents they had rented were up, with a floor laid, but it was freezing inside them and they were empty at that point. We couldn’t figure out how they would ever prepare it with tables, and a full bar and get it heated before 6:00pm. But at 7:00pm, I arrived and it was an unbelievable sight!! They had coloured spotlights illuminating the new buildings and there were these ‘stilt people’ walking around campus, silently floating and directing people where to go with a wave of their hand…and they were all lit up too! Where do you get such ‘acts’? Cirque du Soleil? The mayor spoke about the level of education the school is known for and there was music, hors d’oeuvres and plenty of champagne flowing! It is hard to believe they can afford to just pour glasses upon glasses of champagne all night. The drinks were free and the catered food was lovely so it was a fun night out! At 9:55 a few of us jumped into the elevator of the new high school to go up to one of its outdoor balconies and watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle! It shines and sparkles (only on the hour) at night for 5 minutes and it is beautiful to see on a clear night. It is a different world we teach in here, but we are enjoying the contrasts and every now and then pinching ourselves to make sure it is all real!

Below are some of the stages as we watched the building go up. To see inside the new school online, go to this link and scroll down to the slides. There are a few photos from the ‘Inauguration’ day in November. Greg is even in one of the photos when you click through!