Field trip for the kids- Albertville summer program

We had hoped to put our  kids in the city's summer kids program.  We hoped the kids could casually get to know French kids and pick up some language before school begins in September and the back up plan was to have them in our school's program.  Unfortunately on the sliding scale for pricing, we, as foreigners, get to pay the most for a day in the program.  It really wasn't unreasonable - 15 Euros per child per day for the whole day (about $20) - but times 3?  Hmmm.  $60/day is not in the budget!  So we chose one day: one day that had something special that all three (they are in different age categories for events) could do.  We had to make three trips to the office to get it done.  One for paperwork and to choose the event with a translator the day after we arrived in France, once with vaccination records, and  one last time after Noah got a shot we didn't know he needed to turn in the records. Thankfully everyone was kind and patient with us!

Thursday they went to a lake near Chambery: Lac du Borget, at Aix-les-Bains.  Noah and Kristin seemed excited and Ben was definitely scared.  The night before we made lunches, set out clothes and bags, and I put names on bags and wrote our address and phone # on a paper and safety pinned it to the bag. Thursday we got up early, ate breakfast, prayed with them, and drove to the school/community center where we signed them in helped them hang up their bags and make sure they were okay! Poor Ben thought he was going to be all alone because the other two had to hang their bags in a different room.  But, when we left, he was riding a bike and smiling.

As we drove away, I thought again, 'This is the first field trip EVER I have not been with them.  Ever. And now here they go, I don't know the teachers, the kids, and they don't speak the language.'  I had a moment or two of reflection, which Chris promptly broke into with, 'They'll be fine.  Stop worrying.' I claimed no worry, just reflection, but I admit they were sobering thoughts!

After class we waited a bit and went to get them.  Again the workers were very nice, but the bus hadn't arrived back yet. So, we went to the grocery and when we got back, there they were.  Ben said, "We weren't there all day, were we?"  Yes Ben, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. is all day.  He had a very good day.  They all did.  They said they were glad we packed a lunch because the French lunches that were served looked yucky.  They ate the snack though. Who passes up bread and chocolate?  They played UNO with French kids, swam, and played all day.  So thankful they could do one day!

Thankful also for Megan, who we didn't know would be here with us when we initially hoped to send them every day to the program.  Megan made dinner that night. All by herself with very little instructions except Chris's comment, 'No such thing as too much seasoning!'  Excellent pork roast!  Thank you Megan, and thank you God for the blessings again and again.  And as Ben begins to fear school this fall, we can remind him of his day at the lake and how nice everyone was.

His mercies never end. So thankful to be allowed to serve.  So glad He accepts broken clay vessels and makes them whole.

This is not the lake they went to - it's lake Annecy, where we went today.  No picts of the other-

I volunteered in Sunday School today at church.  There were 26 kids today, from 5 to 11 years old.  About half were French and half American.  The main teacher is French and her regular helper is American.  During the school year there are separate classes, but in summer there is a shortage of teachers and usually less kids!  I think it was good I was there!  The class is studying Psalm 23 for the summer.  They are to memorize the Psalm in French and listen and participate in class.  Fortunately for now, there is translation into English.

Hard to follow God when your eyes are not on him.
Ben has a blindfold on and was to walk towards God's name on the board.

Large class, many ages, 2 languages

Classes

French is, well, hard.  But we are learning.  My friend Julie told me today, 'If you don't cry at least once a week in class, you probably aren't learning much.'  Hmmmm, I don't think that was encouraging!  But we are learning.  Today our teacher went over pronouns and how to know which one to use and where it goes in the sentence.  She said that we can not equate it to or translate it from English, but to memorize the rules and begin to apply it to our speech.  But there are so many pronouns and so many rules.... Pray for us to do this!

Let me back up.  The day usually begins with chapel given by a fellow student in French.  This talk is a  10 minute exercise for the speaker who has written out the speech, had it checked, and checked again, and practiced speaking it.  Most of the students who are here for the summer have not much more French than I do, but are able to speak about what God is doing and has done and will do.  I'd like to say I understand it all, but well, if I get half of it, I feel pretty good!

Then we walk upstairs. Our class meets on the 3rd floor, or the duexième étage, as the French say.  This week it has been hitting upper 80s or low 90s and there is no a/c here.  Needless to say, even with fans going, it is HOT in class.

Our teacher, Anne, gives us assignments to get us talking, increase our vocabulary and help our grammar.  She explains things in French and writes examples on the board.  I love it when she is rattling along and suddenly say, 'and whatever' in English. She is quick to smile and uses a lot of body language that seriously helps me!  I am adding vocabulary slowly but have a long way to go.

Our classmates: Etienne, Troy, Jerry, Sarah, Julia and Ariana.  We work together on dialogues and laugh with each other about our mistakes.  We struggle with pronunciation and grammar and vocabulary.  We took field trips- to an ancient forge, a fromagére (cheese maker), a local market, the Tour de France, and a café- all in French.  It was mind numbing, but just a taste of what the regular semester will be like.  Lots of homework to come.  In the meantime, we will study verbs, vocabulary, and and grammar, and keep muddling through talking to people in shops and around town.  It is getting better- slowly!

The Forge

The shepherd 

The cheese in the Cav

And samples to taste

YUM!

Tasting the local products from the market

Waiting for the Tour

Watching the bikes on TV after they passed our place.
Eliette in the front did an internship this summer as a teacher
at our school and worked with our class.

This is how they paint the lines!
On the way to class-

Our class and family after the bikes went by-

In class

After the cafe

Looking for a cool place to study in August.
Too bad it's not open many hours in August!

Class and being overwhelmed

Week two of class and we discussed the field trip we took on Friday.  I listened to the discussion and tried to understand the words.  My turn and I could think of nothing to add, not even in English.

My sweet teacher reminded me my pronunciation needs help (and many prayers).  I am struggling.  It is hard.

At break I hugged 2 friends but then they asked how I was and suddenly I was fighting tears.  Why?
Intellectually I know I am learning and that everyone in class has had months or years more French lessons than I have, but to feel so inept, so inadequate, so stupid is not a good feeling.

I made it through the morning, the trip home, lunch, and while walking to the bank, I realized that the feelings of despair, while are understandable, are not from God.  'What ever is good, what ever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about these things,' he tells us.

So I prayed for God to pull me through, to help me, to be my strength and my hope, because I am totally inadequate on my own.  Only the Holy Spirit can help me focus on the truth of what is and not the fuzzy feelings of self-doubt.  He is good, all the time.
And he sent me friends. And Megan to help and rub my back. And Chris.  And my sweet kids.
Oh, HE is so good.
I will not despair, for He is with me - and 'not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit' says the Lord.

Classes and Megan

First day of class

Our class started Monday.  There are about 6 of us and I think I know the least of anyone in there!  We are reviewing some things I've had before and plugging away at pronunciation and speaking.

Our teacher

I LOVE my teacher Anne.  She is cute, funny, and tries to make everything fun.  And, unlike the French stereotype, she gives positive reinforcement and is very encouraging.  We laugh in class and make jokes sometimes. :)

Class is all French. The exercises and explanations are all in French.  Sometimes I use our French to English dictionary, but everything else is in French.  Sometimes I am lost and everyone around seems to understand everything, and then, sometimes, I understand whole phrases and can think of the responses.  It's coming up with words that is hard. It is much easier to read, and easier to hear the words than to think of how to say something.

Our guide and children

Today we went on a field trip to a Forge called Le musée de la Taillanderie Busillet.  It is in a community 10 minutes north of Albertville and was apparently important in the history of the area. The guide gave us a very in depth history in the museum for about an hour and then we went to the Forge below and the blacksmith talked and made a link of a chain and a wedge connected together (I think that's what they were).  Really cool machinery powered by a water wheel.  At the beginning he pulled a lever that made a log the width of a telephone pole go up and down to pound the metal for the first piece.  It was like something from the Princess Bride in the Pit of Despair, except for good not evil. Very cool.  But my sweet daughter was quite board by the time they did the cool stuff.  Oh well.  At least we saw a blacksmith in VA this spring at Red Hill on a field trip whose talk was in English!

 

Megan arrived Wednesday.  :)  We got up at 5:45 and drove to Geneva to get her.  So glad we could go!  The drive is SO beautiful!  We still didn't see lake Geneva, but Lake Annecy is fantastic!





We stopped at some little town and bought pain du chocolate and patisseries on the way home.  The kids are thrilled to have her.  She brought presents from home, stuff we forgot, and HUGS!  She has been to the grocery, the school, the park and ridden her bike by herself a few places.  Megan doesn't know much French (less than I do) but she knows some Spanish and that helps a lot.  She went on the field trip today and tonight, she had dinner with some new friends.  It is good to see her happy.

Megan and my kids at the park.
Megan got them to introduce themselves  to the French children

Megan and some of her new friends

  Bon Soirée.  That's enough for tonight!

It's been a good week or two-

Sunday July 7, 2013

Good things:

I found my razor.  Good for everyone.

Colds are better. No more coughing all night.

It's been mostly cool.  Sometimes rainy- but never too hard when we needed to walk somewhere.

We went to our first birthday party.  An MK turing 6.  It was really fun!

We found sandals in the clothes closet at our school for Kristin.  The boots we had for her until we moved fell apart.  We also found sneakers for 10 Euros.  Good deal!

We walked a lot and got everywhere we needed to be.  Our 4th of July route turned out to be 7.7 km.  That's a lot of walking!

In front of Olympic Parc on our walk

 

In Centre ville Albertville

Olympic Parc

Skate Park

We bought 4 bikes (have possession of one until Tuesday when a lot of folks leave).

Kristin has the new bike and while she was trying it out, a man in our old building spoke to me about a chapeaux and got his car keys, and voila, he returned Kristin's hat!  What a nice man!

We moved into our new apartment- much bigger, more kitchen stuff, and significantly closer to our school.  Still have beautiful views.

We got to know a lot of folks who are leaving.  So blessed even for a short time to know these people! We were also able to attend graduation and say goodbye.  Wonderful ceremony.




The Wood family came to visit! Found our first geocache with them, and spent the afternoon.  How good it was to catch up a bit and share stories.  Who ever would have thought we would both be in France at the same time? Blessing upon blessing!

dinner

Michelle and Darren- good times!

Geo-catche

Sierra knitting with Kristin

   

Homesick only once or twice.

I made tacos one night!  No cheddar cheese, but something similar!  Yum!

All the kids like it here.  And there are a few MKs the same age as my kids that are not leaving yet.

The washed Star Wars cards aftermath

I got a conversation partner.  She deserves her own whole blog entry.  She is wonderful and I get to meet with her 2x/ week!

Megan is coming Wednesday!

The view from our apartment

View from the boy's room late evening