News November 2010

Hello all. I know it has been a long time since my last blog but that's because there isn't much news to share. So I'll just dive in....

Over the summer we lost one of our beloved cats, Rocky. We went to Lyon to visit Xaiver's mom and when we came back, Rocky wasn't here. We suspect he disappeard shortly after we left. I was very upset and stressed about his disappearance. The kids didn't seem to care much, only Anaïs has been sad and still talks about him. All of the kids first words was either cat or Rocky. Nicolas still calls Zoé, Rocky. For him all cats are called Rocky. In one moment of particular shocking callousness, Anaïs asked if we could trade up Zoé for a hamster. I said no. They want another cat since Zoé isn't particularly friendly to kids. Again, we said no. We're not ready to add another animal to take care of. I'd rather do something else.

Xavier got a work promotion to PVC I think, which means project manager of something. I don't really understand what he does, but he is very happy and really loves his job. His contract comes to end this time in Feb, so he'll have to wait and see if he can get it extended again. I am very happy for him. He joined a gym and works out regularly and still goes crewing and canoeing on the weekends at Lac d'Esperron. I joined the same gym this year and can only go 2 days a week that I have free of children, so it's not much, but it helps my back pain.

I received a job offer to work at the int'l school part-time (2 days a week) this year and it is really great! I teach ESL for pre-schoolers PS and MS (3-4 yr olds). It is a lot of fun. Teaching is truly the one job I've had that I really like.

Anaïs: did some pony riding over the toussaint break. She seemed to enjoy that alright. She's been asking to pony ride for a year now, so that went well. We'll see what we'll do for winter break. She is in CE1 (2nd grade). She seems happy. still sruggling to read in French and English. I worked with her over the summer just in English to help her with phonics and reading in general. I didn't push, I just wanted it to be fun. I also do soutien with her during my lunch breaks when I'm at school and I don't have meetings. She seems happy. I do soutien with her in English and maths. Her maths has greatly improved over the summer because we worked on that together as well. She desperately needs to do sport, so I have to find her something. Gréoux doesn't offer a whole lot of options. Sadly dance and gymnastice are not a part of them. She is limited to tennis and martial arts. We'll see. I don't consider pony riding as a sport, it's more of a bourgeois hobby.

Austin: in GS (kindergarden). He is learning his letters, though that seems to be coming slowly. He is fairly stubborn, but wants to work with me at night. There may be a bit of jealousy with Anaïs. So, we work a little on letters and numbers at night. I discovered recently that he can't recognize numbers beyond 5. So, we can work on that I suppose. He also needs sport, but I haven't signed him up yet. He is an out-doorsy boy and would love fishing and rock climbing. Boy scouts exist in Manosque, but is has a weird reputation as a far right wing religious exclusive group. Not something you want to be a part of. It comes across a little like a milder version one of Hitler's youth groups. So, needless to say, austin isn't a part of that. I need to get more info anyway, plus I'm not keen on driving to Manosque on my days off. That would be too much driving!!

Nicolas: going well. he is in daycare 4 days a week. He likes it and seems to have some friends. he is sweet and I got him potty trained over the summer!!! Yeah!! Caca is still a problem, but at least he can wee wee in the potty. I think it is easier to train boys that girls. You simply let them run around naked during the summer and let them wee outside on plants, trees, bugs, etc. They learn quickly it's fun to wee on stuff. Gives them a goal, not to mention aim.

One of my students from last year lost her mommy over the summer about 1 week before school started. It was horrible. I have never seen more people cry at once in my life. It is horrible to see children in such pain. It was almost unbearable. It was august, hot sun, so very hot. The church was so full about half the people had to stand in the back. One young woman passed out during the service and got carried out on a stretcher. That's the first time I've seen that. I brought Anaïs with me. I wanted her to be there for my other student, since they know each other. I think it's important for children to support other children. It's bad enough to lose a parent, but it doesn't help to be surrounded by adults on that day either. Her brother played the violin when they laid their mom to rest and it was truly one of the most beautiful and saddest moments of my life. I'm sad but grateful to have been able to be a silent whitness of such love and beauty.

I read a great book called Night by Elie Wiesel. It is about his experiences in Auschwitz. It is haunting. I started doing some research about the holocaust afterwards which is also a little too vivid and hard to digest that a country could systematically murder and torture sooo many people and children for a few years and that no one said anything and just allowed it to happen. I see the people in Germany as silent whitnesses, just getting on with their lives and not asking questions about what goes on behind the barbed wire and just allowing it because they have other more important things to do like go to work and make money to feed their families. Remember this was during the time of the great depression. My mom and I visited Dachau while we were in Munich. I'm glad I saw that. It makes more sense to me after seeing that. I've seen photos of Auschwitz and it feels like I've already been there.

Genocides have happened since then, the Congo for example. There will be more as long as no one says anything. Look at Guantanimo. We know this is wrong, right? They are holding children there illegally and other adults. Yet, who of us have stood up and said something? Not I. I am ashamed of this. I have strong feelings about injustices and things that make me sick, pretty much everything that George W Bush did during his presidency, yet I never said anything, nor did I march in the street and demonstrate. I am no better than a silent whitness to crime. Perhaps, real crime is all of us who are aware of injustice, yet we are guilty of not moving a finger to stop it or to speak out against it. I don't see how anyone of us can judge the German people during the war anymore than we should judge ourselves, for we are no better.

Thanks for taking the time to read about our news. I finally bought a new camera, so I can share some photos of the kids soon.

Cheers,

Jennel