Christmas Party Martenelle style...

This is the last week of classes before Christmas vacation. Yah, they still call it Christmas break here. :)  Well Les Vacances de Noel.

My GS kids (Kindergarten) didn't have class yesterday because it was their annual Christmas Party.  I was invited to go, since my class was cancelled for the occasion.  It was really interesting to see how they celebrate here.  Sorry, no pictures.  I had already decided not to post pictures of the children on my blog, since I wouldn't be able to get their parents permission.

I arrived at the perfect time, just as things were starting (I missed the craziness of all the children getting into the same room for the movie to start).  GS is in Martenelle (Preschool) so the children were between the ages of 2 and 5, although I only work with the ones who are 5.  They watched some french Christmas cartoons (which were really cute, one was about a horse, and the other was Max, you know the rabbit, he's white...).

After the videos I went with my class back to their classroom.  They were so excited!  They told me that Pere Noel was coming, and that he was going to bring them chocolate.  And a bunch of other things I didn't catch, because they were THAT excited.  Just before we went into the classroom, the doorbell rang (schools have doorbells, because everything is locked up while they're in class, and if anyone wants to get in the school they have to ring).  The kids were positive that it was Pere Noel!  They rushed to the window (although it faced away from the front of the school) and they all swore they heard reindeer on the roof.  It was so cute.

They opened their classroom door to see presents under the tree.  Pere Noel had already been there!  There were 5 presents there (they were for the classroom).  Five lucky kids got to unwrap them, and then later they all get to play with them.  They got two puzzles, some bug jars, a box of plastic animals and an alphabet puzzle, so I guess really it was three puzzles.

Then we all went down to the gym to see Pere Noel.  He was there, and he answered their questions and gave them presents (a chocolate Santa each).  Then all the kids sat at tables in the gym for some chocolate and sweets.  They even had Christmas Crackers!  Well, their version.  One of the chocolates they had came with a cracker tab and a joke.  The kids weren't strong enough to pull the tabs apart, so I walked around and pulled them for them.  Screams and shrieks (none scared, just excited) surrounded me.  Then I walked over to talk with the grown-ups while the kids made a lot of noise.

Then I met Pere Noel!  I was introduced as the Canadian assistant, and he wanted his picture taken with me!  That's right, Santa had his picture taken with ME.  But it wasn't on my camera, so I can't post it, yet anyways.

And that was my awesome Christmas Party. :)

And I get to go to another party on Friday!!

Questions?

I realize I'm really bad at updating this. Honestly I just don't know what to say.

So to help counteract that, email me a question, and I'll answer it in a blog post. It can be anything from: What kind of food do you eat over there? to In your opinion, are french pickles better than canadian pickles? (Ok, it's supper time and I'm hungry, but you can ask me non-food related questions also.

I'm really enjoying my time here, and absolutely adore teaching, even when the kids sometimes drive me absolutely nuts!

Like today, when we were playing Simon Says. I had spent a good chunk of the last class teaching them some simple english actions (stand up, sit down, be quiet, listen, look), they were to play simon says using those actions. I explained the game in french for them, they said they understood. Two actions into it one of them raises their hand "I can't understand the actions because I dont' speak english!" Me, slapping myself on the forehead. GAH!!!

They're sweet kids, really. It's a great job, and it's definitely teaching me lots of patience.

Austria and Germany

Here in France we just had a week and a half off of school. I believe it's for All Saints Day on November 1st. I took that opportunity to go to Austria and Germany for a weekend (well 5 days, one of which was spent travelling). I had a great time. I went with two friends from Canada. Well one friend from Canada, Alison, and her friend from Canada, Kerry, whom I hadn't actually met before.

Photo: Alison and Kerry on Tour Bus

We went to the city of Salzburg first. It was beautiful there, all the leaves were at that perfect fall point; pretty much all changed, but still mostly on the trees. I loved it there. We went on the Sound of Music Bus tour, which is definitely a tourist trap, and the most expensive thing we did that weekend (sans train tickets), but it was worth it. We had a lot of fun and got to see some of Austria's country side.

Austria was founded by a bishop and has quite the religious history. There are a lot of churches and cathedrals in the city. They're all very beautiful inside and richly ornamented. This one was a picture of the chapel in the Fortress.

We also went to a couple of Mozart Museums, the Salzburg Museum, the Catacombs and the Fortress. The Fortress had a great view of the city.

After Austria we returned to Germany, where Alison is living this year. She went home and Kerry and I went to Heidleberg. It was also very pretty there, but I didn't get as many pictures because my camera battery died, and I didn't think to bring my charger.

Photo: Me at the top of the Holy Ghost Church Tower in Heidelberg.

We had a lot of fun, and just enjoyed ourselves. It was a trip well worth it. If you want to see some more pictures I have put a collection of them up on my Facebook page!

Photo: Me dancing at the fountain where parts of Do-Re-Mi was filmed.

Vichy

This week, in France, schools have a week and a half off for the november 1st holiday. The only catch is they now have school on Wednesday (of next week) when normally they don't have school on Wednesdays.

So to take advantage of this time off I decided to explore some. This weekend I'm going through Germany to go to Salzburg, Austria! So excited. The beginning of this week I explored Moulins and went to Vichy on Monday, where I visited another primary school english assistant, this one is from India.

Vichy is known for it's spas, specifically the amazingly healthy, natural source waters. While you're there you can walk in the parks (which are gorgeous), enjoy a nice spa, massage, whatever you like. They also have some really interesting mineral waters which you can drink. As much as you want, for free! (Unless you don't have your own cup, then you can buy one for 0.25 euros) I tried all 4 types of water, 'cuz it's just mineral water, right? Sounds delicious. The first one caught me off guard, it had a strange taste. I didn't like it, at all. Oh well, on to the next one. Now that I know what they taste like I'll be able to handle them better.

Drink number two! It was hot!!! Wasn't expecting that, it was awful. Drink number 3 and 4 didn't fare any better. I am not sure why they are healthy, assuming it's the mineral waters. Maybe it's just getting you used to consuming bad tasting stuff? Whatever it is, older people hang out there all day, drinking the water and walking through the parks, trying to improve their health. I partially think it's due to all the walking in the fresh air, more so than the mineral waters.

After the water I had lunch with a great friend, and then went for a bike ride, through a park, around town, stop for a coffee and back to her house. Arrived only to realize she had forgotten the key and we couldn't get in, so instead I just went back to the train station to go home (I would have been leaving soon enough anyways). It all made for a lovely day in Vichy. Did I mention that I stopped at a Candy store????

My address

People have been asking me if they can mail me things so here is my mailing address.

Debbie Chute
College Charles-Peguy
2 Rue Pape-Carpentier
03000 Moulins
France


I also have a phone number, but you'll have to email me to get that (debbiechute @ gmail . com).

Life in Moulins - My Apartment

So I have been bad at updating my blogs, but that was partially due to my moving around so much and ending up without internet for a while, and partially due to my lack of pictures. Pictureless blogs just aren't as much fun.

Just letting all of you know that I am really enjoying living here, and really enjoying teaching. Over the next little while I will update on different aspects of my life, today my apartment.

Welcome to my aparment. This is the entry way. To the left is a closet and next to that the toilet, which is a small room, kind of clausterphobic... The phone that you see doesn't actually work.

If you turn right, you will reach the kitchen (and my room mate's bedroom). It's a small kitchen. No we don't have a stove/oven. Yes, that is a mini fridge. On the table just out of view are two hot plates!

Now turn left at the entryway and you will head down the hallway to find....

The washroom/laundry room on the left. Isn't that such a lovely shower? Well, really just a tub, since you definitely can't stand an shower in it. Also the washing machine. Our living room is our dryer. Yup, we are environmentally friendly and hang our clothes to dry! (well, we just don't have a dryer)

On the right side of the hall is my bedroom. I moved into the apartment (for the second time) on October 3rd. My bedroom looked like this until today, when my furniture arrived!!! :)

Now it looks like this!!!

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Isn't it so pretty?

In France!

I have arrived in France!!! My plane arrived in Paris at 1 yesterday afternoon and then I took a train to Moulins were I am living this year! The family that I am staying with this week met me at the train station and brought me home. They are really nice people and it was great to hear them speak English as I was way to tierd by that point to get anymore french out of me.

Not much else to say yet. I don't have a phone yet nor do I know my mailing adress; so email and facebook are the best option of contact as of yet. :)

P.S please forgive any typos or weird punctuations in this post, I am not used to the French keyboard yet.

On my way...

I leave for France tonight! My plane takes off at 10pm.

I've packed and repacked trying to get all my bags within the proper weight limits. It's crazy how much stuff I need to bring for 7 months. Then I have to get it all within two suitcases.

I've started this blog because I have had many people who want to me to keep them updated on my travels, so I thought I would start a blog. The easiest way. I promise to try and post once a week.

Until next time!

Debbie