Dear Tony, Thanks for your warm welcome! Please allow me to correct some of your hostile and misleading comments: 1. Lingualearn is a UK based company offering a wide range of high quality language products and services. 2. The reason why we sell to so many schools and universities is that we provide a good range of software, magazines and other teaching materials from many top brands: e.g. Authentik, Auralog, BBC, Champs Elysees, Clarity, Collins, Dragon, Eurotalk, Global, Hodder, Intense, InPage, Linguaphone, MacMillan, Oxford University Press, Systran, Trados... We have just sent a large supply of software to University College, London University for learning French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Chinese and Arabic. 3. You are correct that I am not a Huguenot historian, but have never claimed to be one. My own expertise is in language learning and managing language courses. We have, however, recruited the services of a young Frenchman who has just spent a year writing a Masters dissertation at the University of South Carolina on the Huguenots to act as a guide to sites around La Rochelle. We can also offer talks to groups by Bertrand Vanruymbeke (he co-edited a book in 2003 on the "Huguenot Diaspora, Memory and Identity" [Columbia, USC Press] and this year published "From New Babylon to Eden" [also at USC Press.]. http://www.sc.edu/uscpress/2005/3583.html 4. You are also correct that it is relatively cold during the winter months near La Rochelle, but we are offering courses all the year round. Clients can choose to go during the low season when it is very quiet and peaceful (and slightly cheaper) or during the high season when it is warmer and busier. Some customers might find it easier to concentrate and relax during the winter months, others will prefer the high season. I hope that I have convinced you that we a reputable company offering a genuine proposition to those interested in learning some French, exploring the Huguenot sites of interest near La Rochelle in South West France, and carrying out research at the Departmental Archives with an English-speaking guide. I apologise if we have misused this mailing list in any way, but did not know that this type of message was not allowed. To avoid any problems, I suggest any further messages should be sent directly to those concerned. Regards, Mike At 17:39 16/10/2006, you wrote: >Hi folks > >Ok, declare my interest as you all know .... > >This is essentially a French language school which is permanently touting >for business. > >The list of its clients bears some reading, many of the universities >(including the one I attended and J worked at for 25 years) have their own >well established language departments/schools so why would they need this >schools services? > >And the way in which this guy went about joining and advertising is a bit >suspect - not known in the research world as a Huguenot historian as far as >I can tell and I know most of them in the UK or France by name or >reputation. > >The Huguenot bit is a bolt on to his language school for the quiet season - >you need to remember, it's going to be cold in that area at the time he's >offering the course and 70% of everything will be closed down for the winter >if you do take up his offer. > >Regards > >Tony Fuller > > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >HUGUENOTS-WALLOONS-EUROPE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' >without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message Regards, Mike ____________________________________________________ This message is from: Dr M I Freeman Managing Director Lingualearn Ltd Tel: 01273 597169 Fax: 01273 243405 E-mail: mike@lingualearn.co.uk URL: http://www.lingualearn.co.uk/ ________________________________________________ The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, re-transmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from your system.

Thank you Dr Freeman for the information. If this opportunity was offered in the south of France (especially Bouches-du-Rhone and the Vaucluse), I'd be seriously thinking about taking advantage of it, and would be especially interested in the part about having a knowledgeable guide. Unfortunately, none of the families I work on were from the La Rochelle area. On Oct 25, 2006, at 4:59 AM, Dr Mike Freeman wrote: > We have, however, recruited the services of a young > Frenchman who has just spent a year writing a Masters dissertation > at the > University of South Carolina on the Huguenots to act as a guide to > sites > around La Rochelle.