FWC welcomes members to participate in a variety of interest groups. If you want more information about an interest group, please email the FWC Sections Administrator at FWC.InterestSections@umich.edu and your name will be forwarded to the section leader(s) listed below. Contact information for section leaders also is available in the FWC directory.

Coordinator: Diane Conde

Around the World
This section meets at 7:15 p.m. on the 3rd Monday of the month at Glacier Hills. There is no meeting in December. Spouses and guests are encouraged to attend. Members or guests show slides or make digital presentations and discuss their travels.
Update: Please contact section leader for update information.
Leader: Kathryn Benford

Friends From Around the World
We are women from all over the world who get together monthly from September to May for an activity and to socialize. We share our American and international traditions with one another. If you are new to town, we will help you get acclimated to the University and Ann Arbor. Section dues are $10 per person per year.
Update: Please contact section leaders for update information.
Leaders:  Karen Stern and Margaret McClamroch

Travel
The goals for this section are to share our own adventures; to provide tips on aspects such as destinations, transportation, lodging, food, sights, tours, etc.; and perhaps, to offer opportunities to travel together. US and international destinations will be included. Initial meetings will be on Zoom.  For more information read the introductory story in the September 2022 FWC member newsletter or contact section leader.
Leader:  Kay Erdman

Languages

Advanced Spanish Conversation
We meet in members’ homes with our Spanish-speaking instructor Lidia Kaku on Wednesdays from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. from September to April. We enjoy spontaneous conversation, and read and discuss literature in the Spanish language. Tuition is $12 per person per lesson. Our last meeting of the year is a potluck “fiesta” with Hispanic foods. Join our lively and fun group for intermediate to advanced speakers.
Update: We will not be meeting in members’ homes, but will be meeting on Zoom until further notice.
Leader: Sandy Anderson

Beginning Spanish
Our group meets weekly Oct-May on Thursday’s 10:3o-11:00 on our teacher’s Zoom or in member’s homes.  Lidia Kaku, a Spanish-speaking native, is our outstanding teacher. We learn vocabulary, pronunciation, conversation and structure of sentences. Purchase of News in Slow Spanish-Latino is necessary. This provides weekly news articles to our computers. Tuition is $15 per person per lesson.  New members are welcome.  Come join us!
Update: Please contact section leader for update information.
Leader: Frances Flory

Conversational French
An excellent opportunity to polish skills in French speaking, writing and reading. We discuss in French our reading assignments, novels, short stories, poems, plays, current events and individual activities. In addition to our weekly meetings, we attend local theater productions with French themes after reading them in French. Our instructor is Molly Walker. Tuition is $20 per person per class. We meet at University Commons every Friday from 10:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.
Update: We will be meeting only on Zoom until further notice. Our Zoom meetings are half the class at 10:00 a.m. and the other half at 11:15 on Fridays.
Leader: Jeanne Lewellen

Intermediate Spanish
Our group has enjoyed many years of learning Spanish with our native Spanish-speaking instructor Lidia Kaku. We meet in members’ homes September through May on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. for informal discussions and light refreshments, followed by a lesson from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. We enjoy Spanish conversation as well as reading and writing in Spanish. Tuition is $15 per person per lesson.
Update: We will be meeting over Zoom until further notice.
Leader: Diane Conde

Theatre et Conversation
This group brings together people with some fluency in French to provide a relaxed opportunity for speaking and a pleasant way to maintain and improve our competency. We read plays aloud in French, unrehearsed, ranging from the 17th century classics to 21st century contemporary theatrical pieces. Before reading, we enjoy general and informal conversation over dessert and after reading we spend a short time discussing the play. We meet in a member’s home on the 2nd Tuesday of the month from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. from September to June. The last gathering of the year is usually a potluck. We always welcome new members at any time of the year.
Update: Meetings are held by Zoom or in person outside, weather and hostess’s home permitting.
Leaders: Mary Pedley and Rosiwitha Lugauer

Food & Wine

Global Gourmets
Global Gourmets enjoy cooking and eating new and exotic dishes as well as socializing around the dinner table. International-themed dinner parties may include spouses or partners. The dinners usually are on the 3rd Saturday evening from September to May and we meet in member homes. Section members volunteer to create the dinner theme, plan a menu and find recipes. Hosting duties are shared across the membership. Members attending a dinner prepare specific dishes and meal cost is shared among attendees.
Leaders: Judy Compton and Ruth Jones-Pfingst

International Cooking
This group enjoys planning and executing meals based on various international cuisines. It is open to singles and couples. The heart of our section is the opportunity to socialize with people from all parts of the university community while enjoying gourmet meals. We meet six times a year, three times meeting in small groups (8 to 12 people) in members’ homes on Saturday or Sunday evenings in fall, winter and spring. Members are assigned a dish to prepare and bring to the hostess’s home. The cost is shared by attendees. The whole group meets for potlucks in September (a tailgate), December (a holiday party) and May (a picnic). Annual dues defray expenses for our whole-group functions.
Leader: Bonnie Ion

Wine Tasting
The group meets to taste and learn about wines two or three times a year in members’ homes at 5:30 p.m. on a Sunday. At each meeting, six wines are selected around a theme or geographical area. Attendees bring a plate of hors d’oeuvres to share. Each member is welcome to bring a guest. Costs of the evening are divided among those present and are usually between $10-$12. Dates of tasting are announced by email to those on the Wine Tasting mailing list.
Update: In 2022 we will hold an outdoor wine tasting.
Leaders: Karen Stern and Donna Wicker

Updated 9/21/2022