My mom, someone who I love to the moon and back, officially just landed in London.
I am taking a train tomorrow at 8 at night to meet her.
I haven't seen her in 7 months.
It's her first time outside of the USA.
It is time to do it up Peterson style for a week in London, a weekend in the English Countryside with family, and a week in Paris.
I'm off to pack, listen to Adele & then get to bed so it comes faster.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Easter Class
With my real young ones at school this week we are doing some Easter things, because we have another two week vacation starting this weekend and won't get back to school until May. This includes singing "Peter Cottontail" and hopping around the class while doing so and coloring pretty easter eggs. I explained to them what we do in the states and they were shocked at the mention of the Easter Bunny. They have bells in France that three days before Easter stop ringing, go to Rome to the Pope, and come back on Easter Sunday with candy from him. Yup.
At the end of class, I am showing the kids some pictures of my family from last Easter...
like my dad sitting at the pretty table
like my mom & bro cooking together
like the hot air balloon that landed in our yard as we were eating dinner
like my cat, Bojangles, that I put bunny ears on once when I was bored.
The best remark thus far is hands down was one of my 6 year old boys named Andréa who after seeing the picture of my dad at the kitchen table shouted, "C'est une maison des rois!" ((It's a king's house!))
At the end of class, I am showing the kids some pictures of my family from last Easter...
The best remark thus far is hands down was one of my 6 year old boys named Andréa who after seeing the picture of my dad at the kitchen table shouted, "C'est une maison des rois!" ((It's a king's house!))
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Homemade
Just in this last week, for assorted social gatherings, I made my first cake from scratch and my first quiche from scratch.
Extra vanilla-y cake with a hard milk chocolate top & sprinkles.
Spinach quiche with comté + swiss cheese & onion
and BOTH tasted good!
Success.
I'm starting to scare myself with how much I am enjoying this cooking/baking thing. I am in love with going online and finding a recipe that looks good, making a little list for the store, going to the market, coming back and doing it up, then feeding it to people and seeing if it tastes good.
France! You're domesticating me.
and BOTH tasted good!
Success.
I'm starting to scare myself with how much I am enjoying this cooking/baking thing. I am in love with going online and finding a recipe that looks good, making a little list for the store, going to the market, coming back and doing it up, then feeding it to people and seeing if it tastes good.
France! You're domesticating me.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Picnic, etc.
Yesterday I spent the day with my French friend, Mélanie. We had the most French picnic of my life at the pretty lake in town. I am talking several baguettes, wine, assorted cheese & charcuterie, some interesting spreads that I ended up not being grossed out by after all, and eclairs for dessert. Minus the fact that I got my first sunburn of the season, it was so great.
We were sitting and relaxing and people watching for a while. We even got to giving life stories to people, which I think is super funny. I had never done it in French before so that was a first.
Then, we had tea and just chatted at her apartment.
Later on, we went to see this band play called Breizh Amazir. It was about 7 people total- a violin (this girl musician had great style), bagpipes, several guitars, some flutes, etc. The music was really pretty and different and it was in this remarkable stone building dating from the 13th century, that was actually used to house the lepers during the Middle Ages. Hence it is called the "Maladrerie"- "malade" meaning sick in French. It had a courtyard and a fountain and it was just altogether charming. Three of my students were there at the show. One of whom, Silya, was running around the place in circles at one point and each time she passed us would say "Hello, Miss Sara!".
Pretty silly.
After some music, we went to my friend Nazim's place. A few of us met him a while back and he loves hosting get togethers. Last night he made sushi and we all hung out because a bunch of my fellow English teachers finish up next week and leave. Not me though- I still have 2 months left with my munchkins.
Also, there was a gourmet market in town back in October that I think I mentioned. Well, it was back this weekend. It is quite nice. I ate a vanilla macaroon today that was delicious. Mmmm! France tastes good. That is for sure.
We were sitting and relaxing and people watching for a while. We even got to giving life stories to people, which I think is super funny. I had never done it in French before so that was a first.
Then, we had tea and just chatted at her apartment.
Later on, we went to see this band play called Breizh Amazir. It was about 7 people total- a violin (this girl musician had great style), bagpipes, several guitars, some flutes, etc. The music was really pretty and different and it was in this remarkable stone building dating from the 13th century, that was actually used to house the lepers during the Middle Ages. Hence it is called the "Maladrerie"- "malade" meaning sick in French. It had a courtyard and a fountain and it was just altogether charming. Three of my students were there at the show. One of whom, Silya, was running around the place in circles at one point and each time she passed us would say "Hello, Miss Sara!".
Pretty silly.
After some music, we went to my friend Nazim's place. A few of us met him a while back and he loves hosting get togethers. Last night he made sushi and we all hung out because a bunch of my fellow English teachers finish up next week and leave. Not me though- I still have 2 months left with my munchkins.
Also, there was a gourmet market in town back in October that I think I mentioned. Well, it was back this weekend. It is quite nice. I ate a vanilla macaroon today that was delicious. Mmmm! France tastes good. That is for sure.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Michael Jackson
One of my classes is working on an environmental project and the teacher asked me if I would help them learn the lyrics to Michael Jackson's "Heal the World", so that they can sing it at a little show for their parents.
So, that is what we are doing for the next few weeks at the end of class.
Helping children appreciate the late king of pop while also teaching them to respect the earth?
I can die happy.
So, that is what we are doing for the next few weeks at the end of class.
Helping children appreciate the late king of pop while also teaching them to respect the earth?
I can die happy.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Chantilly
This past Saturday, my friend Lauren & I went to a charming town called Chantilly, a little bit further south- known for horseracing, lace, porcelain, whipped cream and their château- adorable, right?
It was sunny and 70 degrees out. Glorious!
We took the train in the morning and played some Rummy to pass time. Recently, we have been on a kick and usually have an ongoing tournament to play. I lost this one. I usually lose. Yeah, I'm working on it.
We arrived at around 11am and walked along this little dirt trail that led to the racetrack, l'hippodrome de Chantilly. The first horse race here took place in 1834. Also, apparently a James Bond movie shot a horse racing scene here. Voilà.
When we went up to get a ticket to see the premises, we get told that we are being given a complimentary wine glass. We think, "hey that is kind of odd, isn't it?" As it turns out, there is a three day wine festival going on inside with specialties from all over France. We go in and act as serious as we can muster while trying the wines. We enjoy wine but we know practically nothing! Well, we tried a bunch of different sips of things and loved it. Everyone was getting a kick out of us and it probably showed that we had no idea that this wine thing even existed until 10 minutes before. We also bought cherry nougat, which was delicious.
We then proceeded to have a photo shoot with the contraptions that the horses start in to race.
After that, we continued to the château. It is surrounded by a forest and everything was so green and pretty. The château from the outside was wonderful, with these silver roofs looking like snake skins in the sun. We went inside and appreciated some history and then meandered through the French and English gardens. Then- we found a fabulous nook with a perfect view. We sat on the steps of a small house on the property and classical music was coming out of the windows. We each ate a clementine and took a moment. The sun shining. Me in my prescription Ray-Ban sunglasses. Hearing classical music and people speaking French in the distance.
dreamy.
On our way back to the train, we bought fresh raspberries and ate those while people watching.
It was sunny and 70 degrees out. Glorious!
We took the train in the morning and played some Rummy to pass time. Recently, we have been on a kick and usually have an ongoing tournament to play. I lost this one. I usually lose. Yeah, I'm working on it.
We arrived at around 11am and walked along this little dirt trail that led to the racetrack, l'hippodrome de Chantilly. The first horse race here took place in 1834. Also, apparently a James Bond movie shot a horse racing scene here. Voilà.
When we went up to get a ticket to see the premises, we get told that we are being given a complimentary wine glass. We think, "hey that is kind of odd, isn't it?" As it turns out, there is a three day wine festival going on inside with specialties from all over France. We go in and act as serious as we can muster while trying the wines. We enjoy wine but we know practically nothing! Well, we tried a bunch of different sips of things and loved it. Everyone was getting a kick out of us and it probably showed that we had no idea that this wine thing even existed until 10 minutes before. We also bought cherry nougat, which was delicious.
We then proceeded to have a photo shoot with the contraptions that the horses start in to race.
After that, we continued to the château. It is surrounded by a forest and everything was so green and pretty. The château from the outside was wonderful, with these silver roofs looking like snake skins in the sun. We went inside and appreciated some history and then meandered through the French and English gardens. Then- we found a fabulous nook with a perfect view. We sat on the steps of a small house on the property and classical music was coming out of the windows. We each ate a clementine and took a moment. The sun shining. Me in my prescription Ray-Ban sunglasses. Hearing classical music and people speaking French in the distance.
dreamy.
On our way back to the train, we bought fresh raspberries and ate those while people watching.
Friday, April 1, 2011
April 1st
I walked into one of my classes today and instead of setting up our calendar, I looked at all 25 of those seven year olds and I told them that we are having an essay test on the history of the United States of America. I told them to get out their pencils.
They did so very promptly and in silence.
After a few moments of them exchanging glances and looking pretty concerned about this exam, I told them that I was kidding because 1. all we have said about the United States is that that's where I'm from and that we speak English there and 2. it was April Fool's Day!
It almost made me cry when they all just took out their pencils right when I said that, ready to take this so called exam at 7 years old.
Happy Fool's Day ya rascals!
They did so very promptly and in silence.
After a few moments of them exchanging glances and looking pretty concerned about this exam, I told them that I was kidding because 1. all we have said about the United States is that that's where I'm from and that we speak English there and 2. it was April Fool's Day!
It almost made me cry when they all just took out their pencils right when I said that, ready to take this so called exam at 7 years old.
Happy Fool's Day ya rascals!
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