Hard to believe we arrived in France 50 days ago. A lot has happened in those 50 days! We have been completely immersed in the French culture and language, moved (after six weeks of transient living) into a most unusual apartment with a view worth blogging about, bought a German car and Japanese appliances, made some very international friends, stayed in a French hospital (not by choice), journeyed to the top of a volcano…and now it’s Christmas already!
Two things to share as I impatiently wait for the chickadees to arrive…
I was invited to teach an English as a Second Language (ESL) class through a government agency that has classes for, among various other groups, French seniors. AND IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!
Gilles, Vivienne, Marie-France, Laurence, and Francoise were able to hang around for the picture. They were quite pleased with their Christmas vocabulary worksheets and a few other holiday-themed learning activities. My next ‘lead’ will be in mid-January. There is a REAL teacher, Karen, who is on vacation over Christmas in the States, and Stuart, another substitute like me, who is British. What’s interesting is how Stuart’s English word choice and accent differs from Karen’s and mine! I also discussed how words vary in different parts of the USA — pocketbook vs. purse, generic ‘Coke’ vs. soda. And they had NO CONCEPT OF CANDY CANES OR PEPPERMINT CANDIES! Really???The baking of Christmas cookies (especially gingerbread)? “Bah, that’s German.” 🙂
The other thing that has been interesting is the colors of Christmas decor in the stores. Lots of gray, COPPER, purple, and neon greens…an unusual take on le Fête de Noël! 
The French that I’ve met think the American practice of extensive outdoor holiday lighting is quite bizarre…but our energy sources are also much cheaper. Maybe they would change their minds if they could see the beautiful displays in our neighborhoods! They have flocked trees (white, which I haven’t seen in the South, ever, and only as a youngster in Oklahoma), and even a few flocked in RED! Very different!
S-l-o-w-l-y working through the list of repairs/items to be fixed in the apartment. French customer service = molasses. I’m toning down the expectations through necessity. (I’m out of valium.) [Just Kidding, Mom]
Know you are busy, crazy, going 90 mph….hopefully our next pictures will be of #CHRISTMASINFRANCEWITHTHEKIDS
The Lord has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad. Psalm 118:24
Jusqu’à la prochaine fois!
The store on the left here is owned by the Ponson family, cutlery artists for six unbroken generations. We had a nice conversation in French with the 5th generation father (artisan) and his wife (in charge of sales!). The short walk around town was fascinating, with many stores having active workshops inside to hand make custom pieces with elk horn, ivory, and exotic wood handles or engraved blades with ornate pictures. These pieces are gorgeous – and not inexpensive.
by men laying on their stomachs for 12-14 hours at a time, honing the blades in the water on grist wheels that were turned by the power of the current. The knife makers were frequently left crippled by the physical position they had to maintain in terrible conditions, and many died or were maimed due to the wheels breaking. 
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