Hello from Deauville! I can’t believe it’s 2023, the first part of the school year flew by! After the fall vacation, I am now working two days a week teaching English at the elementary school in Villers-sur-Mer, a 15 minute drive down the coast from Deauville. It’s the first time an American has come to the school to teach English, so I’ve enjoyed being a bit of a novelty for students. At the holidays, we sang “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” and I’ve been working on animal vocabulary, how to talk about family, and how to describe yourself and others with my students of various levels. I still get to see students at the elementary school in Deauville for lunch and after-school activities, so it’s been fun to be a part of two different school communities.
Outside of school, Kira, Ella, and I have enjoyed getting to know our colleagues. Last weekend, we hosted an “American Night” to celebrate Ella’s birthday. We enjoyed introducing our French colleagues to the wonders of homemade chili, cornbread, hot cheetos, chips and salsa, and various other American treats that Ella and I brought back from the States after the winter break. We even played a little American-themed trivia, with “how many states are in the United States” proving to be a bit of a stumper.
I’ve also gotten involved in the local community by playing for the women’s soccer team, at the local club, AS Trouville Deauville. We won our league in the fall and got promoted to the next division in the spring. As the weather outside is the typical Normandie winter mix of rain, wind, and cold temperatures, the team has taken refuge inside to play a few futsal tournaments in the region, winning our first. Ella and Kira came to cheer me on, chanting U-S-A whenever I scored!
As the days start to get a little longer, I’m looking forward to warmer weather and the sunshine of spring. Though Deauville is a bit quiet in January, it’s fun to feel like a local and start to feel like a part of the community here in town.
À bientôt,
Kelly
