Four National University of Samoa (NUS) students are brushing up on their French, after being chosen to attend the Universite de Polynesie Francaise (UPF) in Tahiti as exchange students. VAIMOANA TAPALEAO reports.
Indeed it may be a teary goodbye, but the prospect of travelling overseas to attend university and not to mention the French cuisine, will surely bring smiles to the faces of four NUS students.
Victory Falevalu, Fiafaitupe Tuiloma, Avali’i Asa Tomuli and Lucie Isaia are this year’s recipients of an opportunity to travel to Tahiti on an exchange programme between the National University of Samoa and the Universite de Polynesie Francaise. Following last year’s group, the four students will study and attend classes in Tahiti for four weeks, before returning home.
Organised by the two universities, the Pacific Fund is granting SAT$25,000 (Samoan tala) for the exchange programme.
This year’s students are anticipating what lies ahead, as well as preparing themselves to make good use of the great opportunity given to them. Lucie, who hails from the villages of Saleimoa and Vaisigano, is majoring in Environmental Studies. For him, self-improvement is something he’s seeking.
“I’m looking forward to improving my knowledge about environmental science,” he says.
Avali’i, from Manunu, is majoring in Computing and is looking to gain helpful experience for career prospects in the future. Fiafaitupe of Vailele-uta, says she is hoping to investigate the different environmental issues at stake in Tahiti; while Victory, who majors in Computing, hopes to compare the university institutions while practicing her French skills.
