Volunteering in Versailles
Donation protected
Bonjour Family and Friends,
With much gratitude, I would like to share some great news with you! I have been offered a position working in France at the Palace of Versailles this summer with the French Heritage Society.
This opportunity began after opening a rather cryptic e-mail from my past supervisor at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Asking what my plans were for the Summer, she mentioned she had something exciting for me. She ended her e-mail with the question, do you happen to speak French? She had recommended me to the director of a horticulture program in Versailles, and after an application and interview process, I was selected!
This unpaid service position will entail working in the Palace of Versailles gardens, as well as restoring the landscapes of historical chateaux sites in the French countryside - all while living at the palace itself and with host families in landmarked homes.
This is the opportunity of a lifetime for a budding horticulturalist and landscape architect such as myself. If able to raise the necessary funds to cover my trip's expenses, I look forward to helping protect and preserve the beauty of these educational gardens. And, of course, travel the French countryside while immersing myself in the language and culture of France.
Here are some pictures to give you an idea of what type of sites I will be working to preserve...
Palace of Versailles
Le Potager du Roi (The King's Kitchen Garden)
Parc et Jardins du Château d'Acquigny
Jardin Botanique du Château de Vauville
Château de Valmer
Château de Brécy
...and here is a breakdown of what your donations will be funding:
Trip Expenses
With much gratitude, I would like to share some great news with you! I have been offered a position working in France at the Palace of Versailles this summer with the French Heritage Society.
This opportunity began after opening a rather cryptic e-mail from my past supervisor at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Asking what my plans were for the Summer, she mentioned she had something exciting for me. She ended her e-mail with the question, do you happen to speak French? She had recommended me to the director of a horticulture program in Versailles, and after an application and interview process, I was selected!
This unpaid service position will entail working in the Palace of Versailles gardens, as well as restoring the landscapes of historical chateaux sites in the French countryside - all while living at the palace itself and with host families in landmarked homes.
This is the opportunity of a lifetime for a budding horticulturalist and landscape architect such as myself. If able to raise the necessary funds to cover my trip's expenses, I look forward to helping protect and preserve the beauty of these educational gardens. And, of course, travel the French countryside while immersing myself in the language and culture of France.
Here are some pictures to give you an idea of what type of sites I will be working to preserve...
Palace of Versailles
Le Potager du Roi (The King's Kitchen Garden)
Parc et Jardins du Château d'Acquigny
Jardin Botanique du Château de Vauville
Château de Valmer
Château de Brécy
...and here is a breakdown of what your donations will be funding:
Trip Expenses
$1,900 Travel: Roundtrip Air Fare and Train Pass
$2,400 Room and Board: Sublet in CA
$900 Living Expenses: Food, Lessons, Liesure
$500 Language Course
$456 8% Fee for GoFundMe
TOTAL: $6,156
Your money will be going to fund an educational experience that will allow me to continue working in the field of landscape architecture, horticulture, environmental science, and land stewardship. No amount is too small, and all amounts are securely transacted via PayPal, in addition to being refundable at any point in time.
I appreciate your help in allowing me to do this, because without your donations, this experience will not be possible. I will be starting a blog to document this summer in Versailles, and can't wait to keep you all updated on my work, teachings, and travels. Until then, santé and merci beaucoup!
Best,
Sophie
$2,400 Room and Board: Sublet in CA
$900 Living Expenses: Food, Lessons, Liesure
$500 Language Course
$456 8% Fee for GoFundMe
TOTAL: $6,156
Your money will be going to fund an educational experience that will allow me to continue working in the field of landscape architecture, horticulture, environmental science, and land stewardship. No amount is too small, and all amounts are securely transacted via PayPal, in addition to being refundable at any point in time.
I appreciate your help in allowing me to do this, because without your donations, this experience will not be possible. I will be starting a blog to document this summer in Versailles, and can't wait to keep you all updated on my work, teachings, and travels. Until then, santé and merci beaucoup!
Best,
Sophie
Organizer
Sofa Couch
Organizer
Oakland, CA
