Re-bonjour! Kira here… January and February flew by, as daffodils, blossoming trees, and sunshine now mark the advent of spring.
In January, Covid cases were rather high, but there was a sense of solidarity working at the school through it all, with everyone doing their best to keep things running as normally as possible. I sometimes worry about the impact the pandemic has had and will continue to have on kids. They have many moments of saying goofy stuff and being silly, of course, but my time as an animatrice during recess and lunch has given me the opportunity to get to know the kids here outside of class and, in doing so, to see just how much some of them are carrying on their shoulders already. Some of them have dealt with significant loss in their lives that they’re struggling to make sense of; some of them are feeling torn apart by family problems and are struggling to stay strong through it all. Then, to add a pandemic and its ever-changing restrictions and social distancing to the mix? It makes me realize how little I had to worry about when I was their age. I remember one afternoon, a girl was crying during recess because her grandpa had passed away suddenly, and she was still processing being unable to say goodbye. Her class gathered around her in support, as they shared stories of how each of them had been impacted by grief in their lives, reassuring that she wasn’t alone, that they were there for her. Of course, there are times that some of the kids don’t listen, times that their recess romance dramas rival those of soap operas… But in moments like these, you can see the quiet strength, pure kindness, and growing maturity that gives me hope that we’re going to be okay after all, despite all the pain and uncertainty in the world. They’re good kids.
It’s a joy to see them gaining confidence in a foreign language so early in life and that they look forward to our English lessons. It makes me incredibly happy. The past several months, we’ve read many stories together including The Gingerbread Man, practiced our counting, played lots of “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes,” and worked on “I have” in conjunction with family members. My colleagues are amazing to work with (I couldn’t ask for better ones) and have taught me a lot about teaching and supported me all along the way. And the notes and pictures my students have made for me are precious gifts…
Louvre-worthy artwork
Breezy beach walk in Deauville From the top of Mont Canisy
I’ve branched out from beach walks to include hiking around Deauville and in la Suisse Normande. Clécy is one of my favorite places here in Normandy (lots of good outdoor activities!), and my favorite place to hike locally is Mont Canisy… Besides being historically interesting, it has some beautiful views of the sea and the surrounding towns!
We enjoyed a two-week vacation in February. Kelly and I spent a sunny day in Honfleur, and she also kindly invited me to go climbing and helped me face my fear of heights! Later on, I went to Spain for a couple days and had a lovely visit with some dear friends from Transy.
Toledo
Happy Spring 🌸
À bientôt,
Kira
