The next few days

Had an adventurous day on the bus, got in a slight panic cause the bus I though I should be on said no, no la longuville where I am living, eeek to that, but 40 min later, yep good bus!

Tomorrow I am off on a school trip to Arras to see the tunnels of WW1 and then to le quesnoy, the town that NZ soldiers liberated in WW2 from the Germans. Apparently NZ people are treated like Royalty there so should be quite a fuss. Dinner with the Mayor or something.

Friday train trip to Brussels, am looking forward to that! ROAD TRIP. Have been working very hard teaching a Maori song, the haka, and a poi song so having a day off again! hehe.

Anyway, on the downward slope to home, am somewhat looking forward to italy because it is very rural here! Like Kerepehi!

Photos of the trip a demain.

Abientot

Suzette

Horse Chruch...

New Pics

BERNARD

Naomi

Frog legs, yummy!

Ok, frogs legs, Naomi, Daniele and Bernards daughter and Bernard. We were at a kitch resturant in Belgique. Still had Xmas decorations up, and halloween, and easter....

Yoh Kidzs!

Hi Guys, glad the production was fun! Hope they took a video so I can see it. Enjoy your last week with Mrs Y, behave! I al in Bavay for 2 more weeks, so a busy time I return to Paris on the 1st october for 2 days then off to Italy, perhaps >I will get time to shop there. Tor, I have pics of the frogs legs, will load them when my camera is charged I am learning new french every day so yay to that.

The students here are the same as you! Cheeky and lots of fun! They now make that phsssssssh noise I make, cute huh !

Anyway, have a good week, more photos tomorrow.

Phonetic transcription and other things

Snail Takeaways anyone?

Pat the Monkey for luck

Je suis fatigué, yawwwwwwwn, no one told us just how tiring it is to constantly be thinking about language transcription/translation. The amount of brain power that goes into thinking about blends/translation is like running a brain marathon. C`est la vie!

Anyway we are half way through our experience now and I am actually enjoying every minute! I manages to go to a market alone today and get a coffee, and another, pay and then purchase a Melon for tomorrow! Woo hoo, small steps!

The children here are much the same as in NZ, some are cheeky little ...err ... brats, and some have quite big social issues as at home. The children enjoy talking ot me in English to practice and then chat away in French, not that I understand.

This morning I worked in a year 6 class making batons for Eh Papa. On the 29th we are having a BIG AFS day as there are 8 different nationalities in the Bavay region, 2 Adults and 6 teenagers. Each country is putting on a display. So, the boys have learnt the Haka off YouTube, the girls and I are busy practicing Poi, and the littlies are learnign patterns and English numbers via theEh Papa stick game. Volia! Tres Busy.

This weekend is another busy one, Bernard has a stall at the Milk Fair on Sunday, he makes Whisky, Oh la la! Then out to dinner. Daniele tells me we are out to dinner somewhere on Saturday night, and an English teacher, Nadine invited me to lunch tomorrow, her husband teaches English also, then out to Valenciennes to shop. Think of the Luggage Suzette! Think of the luggage! Smile

Anyway, Italy loomes, lots to do before hand, school trip to see Tunnels left over from WW1, A visit to a village NZers liberated in WW2, Kiwis are somewhat famous here, I hope I can live up to the mana, with such little french I am sometimes speechless.

a bientot

Suzette

PS, keep those emails coming, helps to feel not so far away!

Arohanui

Meeting the Mayor of Bavay

haha, so I have just met the Mayor of Bavay. I had to do a speech! In Maori explaining the Haka that the boys learnt of youtube yesterday and performed to Him. hehe lucky I had used a website that had english translation. The boys did a very good job, thank goodness for visual learners!

Then, at 11.00am I was offered a beer, Bavay Beer, so could not say NOn, merci. That would be rude huh! So, with the boys laughing I drank it, at 11.00am. Not bad actually. Boys thought I was funny, they had Coke!

Having lots of new excperiences, mega fun, many challenges, but good life experiences, I just wish I could speak more French, give me another week and who knows.

Need a Nana nap now, LOLZ

More from France, again

Emily, who I helped write her speech about Justin Timberlake..., Trying to teach Poi, the boys just had to give it a try!

Flanders horses, These belong to Christoph, he is my host familys daughters Fiancee. He has a horse farm and some of them are for eating, some for showing.

My travels so far

This is the blokes playing dress up at Malplaquet.

Have had some wonderful adventures. Yes here is proof I ate a snail! Was aweful! Never again, but I did it!

Aussi, Daniele, my host mum and Little Nana, her mother!

At school

Ok, where to start. The school system is so very different than ours. It is so very teacher directed, very little interactions between the students, no co operative learning anywhere. the students seem to copy what teh teacher writes and then leave with homework. For sure, not a wiff of formative assessment anywhere. Room 4 will think this is so funny, but the kids come up to me and say is this GOOD Miss?, eeek!

I Was in class yesterday till 5.15, yes that is when class ends for the day. Caroline and I were in quite a few different classes doing Maori art and talking about New Zealand.

The children are putting on a show at the end of the month, I am going to attempt to teach a >Poi song, stick game, perhaps the Haka, although I know I am not really allowed the boys are so wanting to give it a go, and produce some Maori art.

The classrooms are very small and the children go to different classes each block, much like high school.

It is difficult to explain their school system, it is just so `'foreign'. Although professionalism and not wanting to offend keeps my smile on my face. I think I am experiencing this week educational culture shock, perhaps it will get better.

Next week I am going to a primary school to teach some 6 year olds, lucky I bought my puppets!

Today we are not at school but at home creating exemplar art pieces for the students to see how to retell the story of Maui and the sun for next week. I also have to make 20 poi and 20 batons for the stick game. Busy Busy.

I am also helping a ratbag called Emily to present a speech on Justin Timberlake, tres drole.

Until next time, a bientot.

If you want to email, feel free, its great to hear news from NZ. iamsuzette@gmail.com

More from France

These are pics of an actual Roman built road! Fantastic!

Also the host family car!

The Roman gates to Valiannces spelling?

2000 year old Roman Remains at Bavay.

Here are some pictures of the remains at Bavay and a couple of other places I have been recently as per last blog entry.

Also, my first coffee I ordered myself. Apparently to came with lots and lots of cream.

a bientot

Wednesday

Well, another day en France. We went to Cambrai and Valenciennes, two big towns not far from La Longville where >I live. Tres, tres bon! The history of this place never ceases to amaze me! On one street, normal every day shops, turn the corner and hello, a 17th century building.

ON Friday we have been invited to attend a 300 year anniversary celebration of some battle, Mal Paquet. should be interesting.

Tonight we had horse for dinner, yep I had a small taste. Tastes like beef.

Camera just went flat so will upload pics tomorrow.

Bonne Nuit

Thank you for the nice comments

Bonjour Room 4. Thanks for the lovely messages. Am at the school today showing them all of your Maori Art pics, we will try to do that here! Bon Chance huh

be good, be the best you can be! Say hi to Mrs Y and do your work well

The last few days

THURSDAY

7.00 leave for airport! I was feeling quite sad to be leaving my family but I know this is going to be an experience that will help me develop many skills. I have been managing myself well, coping with change, being organized and trying my very best to communicate with others.

After traveling for over 30 hours we were all very tired. Day 1,

Day 2, We decided after falling asleep at dinner last night to go exploring Paris early to avoid the crowds.

When we got to the Tower de Eiffel…there were queues…lots of them, so being the adventurous Kiwi’s that we are, and the shortest queue was on the stair entrance, we walked…up and up and up 640 stairs…yes I did it! I can tell you, it was quite a journey on jetlag, heat of Paris and the whole overwhelming feeling I was having.

After looking about for a bit, we (Fran from Auckland, Nigel from Whangarei) we almost ran down the stairs, easy peasy. There are many beggers in Paris, sitting in train stations, with their hands out for money. Apparently this is quite normal and we shouldn’t give them anything or there will be more to come. An interesting experience on the Metro on our first trip…a beggar with a dog, apparently they have dogs to protect themselves at night, got on the Metro and started shouting for money to feed his dog. Interesting. Dogs are allowed everywhere in Paris, even on a plane. We had one just in a bag next to us on the plane from Frankfurt! Odd.

After seeing the tower and being struck for words, we ambled off to Champs el lesse to Arc de triompe. Seeing this for the first time was somewhat over whelming really. Seeing things that I had only read about was almost a spiritual experience. In real life (lol) things are tres, tres bon! Taking the underground tunnel was far better than even attempting crossing the road. If you really wanted to be injured, then sure, but non, non, non…in Paris, ALWAYS cross with the little green man!

There are police everywhere, carrying very large guns! Somewhat off putting for this kiwi chick although with the amount of beggers everywhere, it is nice to know there is help if you need it. Lots and lots of hawkers at the tower…they never leave you alone!

So, Saturday we left Paris for Bavay at 4.30 on the Metro. Was not so much fun dragging my bag all the way up and down the stairs in the Metro, but ces’t la vie. I can walk up the stairs at the Eiffel tower, I can drag around my suitcase. After a two hour train ride through some interesting scenery, we arrived at Maubege. Therese and Danielle were waiting at the station for us with a cheery smile, lots of kissing the French way etc. Although totally stuffed by this stage we went of a drink at a bar and a wee chat. Although at the moment, my confidence in my ability to communicate is ZERO I just sat, smiling for quite some time, while a different track, of “What the heck have I gotten myself into” flew through my jetlagged head! Mon dieu.

I am staying in a 200 year old farm house, sans dairy to the side sil vous plait. Danielle, husband and Naomi live here with ….yes this is a cool thing, a bouche fiche called Dora who has now decided that I am her mon aime. The family are very welcoming and I am happy to be placed with such welcoming people. We were then off to dinner which was to be fish and chips, in, can you believe this, Belgium! So surreal! A normal dinner out is just popping over to Belgium darling!

Still waking up at 4 in the morning, not so good! Body clock is adjusting slowly. Breakfast this morning was Baugette, black coffee and chocolate spread. Ou est la vogels! I then went for a stroll through Bavay, lovely little town, honestly the houses are awesome, very old, very French! The streets are very narrow and I have to remember to look the other way first when crossing. Oops. Of course I took Dora walking with me, although who was walking who! Hmmm.

The extended family came for lunch today. Apparently a French tradition. It would seem that wine is a big part of life en France, so I am having to develop a bit of a drinking habit to fit in. not so good for this kiwi who only has the very occasional vino! The six year old Emma loved the puppet book I brought over.

oh la la

Hi all, wow; so far so good I have walked up the tower de eiffel...600 steps, wandered around Paris, taken the Metro, had beggers ask for money ands been totally overwhelmed by it all. at the moment I cant use my laptop because the ffamilt have forgotten the password to let me on, eek

I am staying in a 200 year old farm house,, delightful, the keyboards are not qwerty so big problem. am off to the school today so will be fun.

K-Tea is on his way!

Hi all, well I have packed again, for the FINAL time and K-Tea is ready to go as you can see.

Thanks Kahikatea for the travel companion! I am sure he is going to be a big hit in Bonjour Land!

Will try to post again next week. Hope I don't snore on the plane! Not to worry I will blame K-Tea! (hehehe)

Until then, be proudly Kahikatea, sing well, sing loud and be the best you can be!

Ok, one day to go...

Have been packing,unpacking and re-packing this week! What to take, what to leave behind...such decisions, but I guess they have shops in France in case I forget something essential!

My class are ready for the change over, goals are written for next 3 weeks! Mrs Yeoman is ready to come take over Room 4! Secretly I think the students are really looking forward to seeing me walk out the door and Julie walk in, they are sooooo prepared for change that it will be a walk in the park!

I am looking forward to the warmer weather, new experiences, meeting new people and of course learning more French!

I have been enjoying texting Fran, organising or not organising our packing...planning big nights out in Paris, or not...and generally sharing the crazyness of actually going to France!

anyway, plenty to do, not enough time left to do it...

a bientot

Suzette