“It’s the first time with strangers” A big celebratory meal organized for students far away from their families

Around a hundred students from the University of Caen (Calvados) participated in the dinner organized by popular relief, Friday December 20, 2024. Most of them far from their loved ones, they were able to forge new links as the holidays.

“Come on, to start this evening, I suggest you play the icebreaker game. Are you ready?”says Ahmed, a computer science degree, in front of around a hundred students in festive outfits. In the large amphitheater of the University of Caen, these young people who are isolated or in precarious situations will share a few hours together for an end-of-year dinner, offered by the Calvados Popular Relief.

Launched four years ago, this popular relief evening aims to offer “something other than a festive package” to isolated young people. This Friday, December 20, 120 students from the university responded.“We said to ourselves that a meal was an opportunity for them to see each other, to exchange ideas, to share a friendly moment for those who cannot spend the holidays with family”explains Nicolas Champion, secretary general of popular relief which supports 450 young people at the Caen faculty.

Students welcomed by popular relief very often experience a family breakdown. Either because they are far from their country, or because they have conflicting relationships.

Nicolas Champion

Secretary General of Popular Relief in Calvados

Around one of the tables set with a white tablecloth, Mélissa, 18, chats with two friends she met in her Crous residence. The applied foreign languages ​​student spends her first Christmas in France. It was by going to get a packed lunch from the popular relief that she registered. “I have completely changed my environment but I feel at home this evening, it’s very pleasant. I’m happy to meet people”testifies the young woman, originally from Algeria.

For the first time this winter, the evening was also open to non-beneficiary students to encourage social diversity. Julie, 22, paid a solidarity rate to enjoy the meal. “It’s a good thing that the money is donated to the association’s actions. And then a Christmas dinner is always nice,” smiled the student, coming alongside her roommate.

At the foot of the stage, a group of friends are sipping glasses of apple juice. They sat together around the table, while the atmosphere in the amphitheater relaxed. “We came to expand our circle of friends. This evening, there are people and it's warm, it feels a lot of good. We rarely go out in Caen and at any time we could find ourselves alone”says Mohamed, 20 years old.

There are students who don't have families here. Parents sometimes live very far away and cannot afford a plane ticket to bring them over for the holidays.

Lynn

Health sciences student

With the school holidays, most of the young people will return to their families when Mohamed and his friends spend the holidays in Caen. Lynn, a health sciences student, knows that this period is not easy to get through. She sees this dinner as a cure for depression. “It’s the first time I’ve spent a moment like this with strangers. I tell myself that after a year spent in France, it’s time for me to open up more”the young woman tells us.

If Lynn is planning to celebrate December 25 at a cousin's house, she is still figuring out what she will do for New Year's Eve. “We don't know, maybe there will be another evening like this. I've already met five people”dares the young woman. This evening, all hopes are allowed.