Orientation day

They might not be here, but we will still remember them

by Georgia Betbese Pont  Seconde 1

Orientation day was partly organized to get to know each other and bond with other students in the OI section. It did its job beautifully. We got to know other people and to expand our knowledge about World War 2 and the landing in Provence. We had a day with plenty of activities, places to discover, and people to encounter, which I surely enjoyed very much.

              Now, if you ask me what I preferred out of the whole day, it would be the American Memorial Cemetery. I will remember it until the very last day of my life. I had never seen a cemetery like that one. Every cemetery that I have gone to is a place of sadness, of mourning, death and tears. However, this memorial changed my way of looking at it. Those immaculate white crosses, the olive trees, the fresh air and that marvelous landscape made me want to lie flat on the grass and stay there. I felt peaceful, calm and I felt honored to be amongst the ones who sacrificed their lives for the war effort. I really liked that place, and I think I was not the only one. It felt right: that chapel with its beautiful mosaic in it, that massive sculpture facing the graves, a mother with a baby representing the power of love and family, those huge fountains, the large marble wall full of names carved out to remember those whose body was not found were all pieces of eternity.

               Johnny Matherne, a former soldier himself and our guide explained it all enthusiastically. He talked about those dead soldiers as if he had known them. Colonel Brucker, the president of the Franco-American association welcomed us into that safe space. I felt grateful to be there.

              The gorgeous American Memorial Cemetery has marked me in a positive way. It was a great way to make us, students of the Lycée Alber I^er O.I. section, realize what history / the past was like.  In Draguignan, on September 25, dignitaries and veterans passed their knowledge onto us.

I am grateful to the soldiers who fought and to the teachers who took us there, especially to Ms. Sakatni.

Time-travel to 1945 for the OI/BFI students

by Louise Verrando, Seconde 1

7 :30: two buses leave Monaco, direction: Draguignan. On Thursday, 25^th 2025, all the OI students of  Lycée Albert 1 went on an Orientation Day to discover more about the military and the Landing in Provence. The first stop was at the military museum where I had the opportunity to meet with military soldiers who explained the different sorts of equipment and the different Army corps and divisions that were present on the day of the Landing and the month that followed.

After the museum came what I consider my favorite part: the American Memorial cemetery. It was presented by Johnny Matherne and Colonel Brucker, the president of the Franco-American association. What really hit me was the peacefulness of the site. The rows of white crosses and stars of David were almost shining and provided an atmosphere where sadness was not allowed. Both guides gave stories about World War II soldiers; which made the visit very enjoyable and touching. The cemetery even has the only woman buried there as female corpses were not allowed in army cemeteries back then.

I regretfully had to leave, as we needed to go to our next stop: the La Motte Memorial of General Frederick. This was where we ate, all together, and learnt to know each other as students of the OI/BFI section, but also as teenagers. After lunch, a short conference was held by the Mayor of La Motte and the President of the Rotary Club to present the statue of General Frederick and of a young resistant they had inaugured last year, in the presence of his grandson. The love and sense of thankfulness that these two women had was really touching. In addition, their effort to keep remembrance alive was extraordinary.

We ended the day by a small conference on Operation Dragoon, which was very interesting and made me feel thankful and impressed for all the people who gave their lives for our freedom.

It was a very interesting day, that not only taught me things about the Landing in Provence, but also about my fellow OI/BFI classmates and amplified everybody’s sense of belonging. I would like to thank Mrs. Sakatni and all the people who made it possible.

Silence and Memory

by Khalafallah Omar Seconde 1

On 25 September, I visited the Artillery Museum in Draguignan with my class. A soldier accompanied us and gave a short introduction to “Operation Dragoon”, the Allied invasion of Southern France during World War II. As I explored the museum, I noticed that most of the exhibits were weapons. Looking closely at the replicas, I was struck by a deeper reality: these weapons were not just historical objects, but symbols of the millions of lives lost in war.

After the museum, we visited the American Military Cemetery. Our guide, Johnny Matherne, explained how the cemetery was created, the many reasons soldiers lost their lives in battle, and how families still come today to grieve. Standing among the graves was a powerful experience. The atmosphere was peaceful and solemn, filled with respect. I was impressed by how well the cemetery is maintained — the gardeners do an excellent job preserving it in such a beautiful state.

At the Wall of the Missing, I read the names of soldiers whose bodies were never recovered. In that moment, I imagined the pain and sadness of their families, and it moved me deeply.

We then went to pay tribute to General Frederick. The mayor of La Motte and the president of Rotary Club  International spoke about who General Frederick was, and they also shared the story of a child, about my age, who took part in the Resistance. I was amazed to realize that young people like me once fought with such courage to help liberate France.

Of all the places I visited that day, one lesson stood out above all: the duty to remember. Honoring the sacrifices of those who lived and died during the World Wars is essential to prevent such catastrophes from happening again. I left with a personal promise to always remember, and to pass this memory on to future generations.

Discovering History and Friendship

by Stella Jarach Seconde 1

Orientation Day took place in Draguignan on the 25th of September 2025. The memorable trip was a gathering of all the BFI students and a learning day about American culture. All the students got to come together and meet each other like one big family. That is why one of my favorite parts of this trip was the bus ride, as I felt we could chat and get to know everyone.

The most memorable part of this sunny day was the visit to the American Memorial Cemetery. It was unlike any other sad or “depressing” cemetery. Instead, it was beautiful, peaceful, interesting, and moving. My favorite part of this visit was how passionate and knowledgeable the guides were. Their enthusiasm immediately caught my attention. The most striking guide of the day was Johnny Matherne, an American from New Orleans, who spoke with great passion about the cemetery and its soldiers. I was deeply moved by the stories of the two fighters he shared. The first was a soldier who died very young in the war but what interested me the most was the story of the fighter nurse. I never knew women fought in the war as nurses before, and as a woman myself, I was struck by her dedication and courage to risk her life for her country. It was inspiring to learn that man or woman, anyone could participate and fight for their country.

I want to thank Mrs. Sakatni and the teachers who made this amazing trip possible, allowing us to learn more about American history. As a student with personal struggles, this experience was extremely positive, helping me focus and discover new things. I also want to thank Mrs. Sakatni personally for everything she organizes for her students and for her passion for the BFI section and its trips.

Orientation day