Rebecca is on vacation!

[rebecca_in_blue]

Today was the last day of school before vacation, which was a really wonderful feeling. We are off all of next week, and the first three days of the week after that, in honor of All Saints Day. It's a rather strange thing to give a holiday for, especially considering the unique situation of the Catholic Church in France. Anyway, All Saints Day is also Mom's birthday, and I mailed a little birthday package to her yesterday, which I hope will arrive on her birthday or the day after. I am hoping to make a trip to Belgium, maybe from Tuesday to Friday, to see the grave of George Llewelyn Davies (one of JM Barrie's adopted sons, for those of you who don't know). It will be expensive, but really, when am I ever going to get another chance to see George's grave? I think Heather and Nakeisha are planning a trip to EuroDisney in Paris. Heather also wants to go to Germany, if she can.

Heather, Nakeisha, and I went out to run some errands today and found the French translation of the last Harry Potter book at the bookstore. It was just released yesterday, and the store had a big display of them right in front of the door. I got the first book in French a few weeks ago, but so far reading it was been much more difficult than I expected. We also bought some groceries, and I just had an extremely delicious dinner of a two-foot long baguette with goat cheese, a lemon (Nakeisha and Heather stared at me like I was crazy the entire time I was eating it), and a chocolate pastry. Nathalie is going to try to drive us to the big store tomorrow, if she has time, which would be nice, because I need to buy some more warm clothes.

My teaching experiences were better this week than they were last week. It was Week B, so I only worked with Madame Y, who is probably the nicest English teacher at the school – although I like the other three, too. So far she has just had me stay in the room with her and assist in the lesson, rather than leave me alone with students (which I really prefer, but I'm not sure how long my luck will hold out.) The worst that happened this week was when Madame Y asked me to raise the window blind. Window blinds in France hang on the outside of the window, not the inside, and they don't look at all like the blinds we have in America. They are operated by cranking a stick – it's difficult to explain – and since I don't have one in my room, I didn't know how to do it. I tried pulling and twisting the stick instead, which the students found extremely funny, until Madame Y showed me how to do it.

Comments

[makebeliever.livejournal.com]

Yay for vacation! I hope you have a good time. I'm making you a CD right now to put in your package that I hope to send off next week.

I went over to Grandma's tonight, and she said to thank you for the article and the pictures, she really likes them. I think your hair looks so cute in those pictures! And it is growing out, even if you don't think so. She also said (Grandma, that is) that in the Woods' sunroom on the second floor of their house you had to open their shutters by turning a stick in a hole (damn, that sounds nasty), so maybe something like those French shutters exists here as well.

Anyway, try to find a computer in Belgium and update so I know you are okay. Have fun and be careful!

[(Anonymous)]

Dear Rebecca, Glad to hear things are going more smoothly. Belgium- I can't wait to hear what that is like. Is George buried in a big city or do you have to go searching for it in a village. Either way it sounds like a grand adventure. We are well here. Eva can now make a great fire all by herself in the firepit. She loves adding pine needles to the fire to make it rage, that is the only time she worries me alittle. I am trying not to worry so much and think of only the best things that could happen instead of the worst. Juliana and Olivia spent the night in the tent last night, Eva is going to sleep in it on Sunday night, she is off from school Mon. teachers in-service meeting. McNeese must be having a game tonight, I can hear the drums practicing at the stadium in my dining room. Going to play raquet ball this morning, hopefully I'll have less bruising today. Take care and have a great trip. I look forward to reading about it.
Love, aunt connie