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!