Tuesday, January 12, 2010
BONNE ANNEE - Integrated Goals for 2010
At the beginning of each year I pretend I am pedantic. I set up a plan for the next decade (I'm not joking), and lay out S.M.A.R.T. goals for the upcoming year (Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Timely). I state in my journal what I am striving for in the following categories:
1. RELATIONSHIPS: Marriage; Mother-Son; Extended Family; Community; Int'l Community
2. MYSELF: Physical; Spiritual; Intellectual; Creative; Educational; Professional
3. As a FAMILY: Finances Present; Future Finances; Professional; Educational; Fun
I also set two mini-goals, adventures that contribute to the overall well-being of me and my family.
To make sure I'm on track, throughout the year I regularly reflect on/write about:
a. What I'm grateful for
b. What risks I've been willing to take
c. Where Callum is at
d. How Colin is doing
e. What's up with our extended family
f. What's going on with our friends/community
g. I check in on creativity/health/time in nature/quiet time/spirituality
h. Whether I'm living a life of service/writing/work
i. Financial check-in and budget alignment
j. What's new regarding France
k. The weather
This year my goals are STREAMLINED.
CALLUM - PEACE OF MIND
Callum is being picked on for not being/speaking French. There are a lot of kids who like him but no one to share his thoughts with, and no one to get his back when a group of boys decide he's an easy target on the playground. He's feisty, the "pack" gets a reaction, so it continues.
ACTION: I have a meeting with the Directrice, his teacher, the school psychologist and a work colleague of mine who out of the goodness of her heart is willing to be the interpreter. I am looking for solutions and I WILL facilitate change.
ACTION: Circus school - to foster skills he's proud of and to keep up his self-confidence. It will also give him collateral on the playground.
ACTION: Vitamins - Omega 3's help him stay clear and focused.
COLIN - FINANCIAL RESOLUTION, ROMANCE and HONESTY
For my husband I want a clean slate, for us to be free of debt and living in a balanced way that allows us to enjoy life in the present while making sure we're preparing for the future.
ACTION (finances): We've worked out a weekly budget and a timeline for debt clear-off-ment. We've been financially solid before, there's no reason for us not to make it happen again.
ACTION (romance): One date a week minimum, whether it's outside the home or in.
ACTION (honesty): Every day. This'll be hard, but it needs to happen. I can be martyr no more.
ME - PHYSICAL HEALTH (Derek Pritchard once told me, "If you don't have health there is nothing else."It's the foundation of being.) and SPIRITUAL HEALTH
ACTION: More sleep (more than 4 - 6 hours a night) through training and discipline.
ACTION: Exercise (3x a week minimum) with a goal (the 200km MARCH in the Netherlands).
ACTION: Writing (1x a week minimum)
ACTION: Studying French (1 hour per classroom hour- 5 hours in class/week)
ACTION: Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly Plants. (Great book - I forget the title).
ACTION: Time in the mountains (1x a month minimum) and feel the ground beneath my feet EVERY DAY.
ACTION: Do something new every day.
ACTION: Do something kind every day.
While it's not explicitly stated in my goals, family and community are extremely important to us. If I can manage the rest we'll have more energy and time for those we hold close to our hearts.
So as you begin this fresh year may you find yourself inspired by the natural wonders around you, by the people you meet, by the surprises that have yet to unfold. As I used to say to my compatriots at Outward Bound:
BE SAFE
HAVE FUN
BE TRUE TO YOURSELF
With love, passion and compassion,
Ramona Joy
Sunday, January 10, 2010
WRAP-UP for 2009
I can't believe 2009 is over, our son is five, we're living in France and we've actually been to England, Paris, Disney, Germany, Italy, southern France, Alsace-Lorraine, up Chamchaude and Chamrousse, down to Carcassonne and the Mediterranean Sea, hiked in the Alps, eaten at least 50 kinds of cheese, made at least 50 friends, had soul-mates visit, been in caves, to the circus, gathered nuts, swam in Alpine lakes, attended French music festivals and light festivals and drank our way through Christmas markets. That is only a small taste of what the year has been like. More thoughts in my New Year's posting, but in the meantime to quote a friend, "I wish everyone enough".
If you are interested in photos (which convey our experiences more eloquently than my words), you can access the screen-size (and down-loadable) versions of my slide shows through the Picasa website (photo web albums). To do this I believe you double-click on a slide show in my blog. It will open up a new tab in Picasa web albums. To return to the blog just click on the original blog tab.
Thanks for taking the time to view this window into our lives here.
Though we have met many interesting and warm people in France, we very much miss our family and community that are located elsewhere.
Lots of love and hope to see you soon,
Ramona
If you are interested in photos (which convey our experiences more eloquently than my words), you can access the screen-size (and down-loadable) versions of my slide shows through the Picasa website (photo web albums). To do this I believe you double-click on a slide show in my blog. It will open up a new tab in Picasa web albums. To return to the blog just click on the original blog tab.
Thanks for taking the time to view this window into our lives here.
Though we have met many interesting and warm people in France, we very much miss our family and community that are located elsewhere.
Lots of love and hope to see you soon,
Ramona
Joyeux Noël
Hope this note finds you cozy with family, enjoying good food and feeling the spirit of celebration and compassion.
We finally buckled and bought a Christmas tree. It's only little, the same height as Callum, with very random branches coming out at odd angles. Callum loves it. We decorated it with his stuffed creatures. He was so excited. We didn't bring any of our decorations to France because we assumed we'd be spending Christmas in the U.K. Ah well, we'll be up there sometime in 2010. We're excited to meet our new niece, Murron, who is in Scotland, and to spend time with family who we've been getting to know better since our transplant to Europe.
Callum's new expression is, "It was toughicult."
Schneider had a children's Christmas party and Callum participated in the circus school they offered. He stood on a big ball, learned to sit on a trapeze, spun a plastic plate on a stick and walked on a wire. He enjoyed it so much. The drama and balance was right up his alley. He also had cotton candy, which he's been asking for for about a year. They had nutella cotton candy, sans food colouring. Can you imagine the look of ecstasy on his sticky face?
Callum is doing well ... now. There has been bullying in school, very unpleasant. 5 kids ganged up on him at school, punched him in the face. We talked with the teacher at the time but I'm meeting with the principle and teacher in January to discuss strategy and prevention. A work colleague is coming with me to interpret. Also, we've found out about a public international school - it doesn't charge extra. He could potentially start attending next year (they start at age 6 - grade 1). He would do one hour a day in English, but more importantly kids there would understand what he is going through. Other than the bullying, school is O.K. He's learning to print, to sing in French and is proud of his monster and tadpole drawings. He read his first words the other day - Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Optimus Prime. Go Transformers go! He loves printing the letter "R", gets a kick out of "K" and his favourite numbers are currently 10 and 11. His mastery of the English language is interesting, as he spends more time talking with adults than kids his descriptions of his emotions sound particularly mature. His French is coming along: though his comprehension still far outweighs his willingness to speak French, when he does speak his pronunciation is far better than that of his parents.
Callum is ecstatic to be on holidays. We're taking him sledding tomorrow. He is completely over his Grippe A (H1N1) flu. The doctor says that's what we had for sure. Colin has strep throat and is sleeping extra hours, but otherwise he's O.K. He's becoming more relaxed, holidays always help. I worked until the Tuesday before Christmas and then we had five days off together as a family. It was nice to have some family time. Callum loves having his dad around - his hero.
My work is getting better. I have decided to be someone that people love working with, I've studied grammar diligently and can now field questions on gerund, past continuous grammar and frequency adverbs. I just wish I was learning French as fast as my students are learning English. Language acquisition is a constant frustration for me. It's brought me to my knees a few times. I can get by, but when I witness the courage of my kid in attending his all-French school for 6 - 8 hours a day, I become determined all over again to acquire this language.
Tomorrow we're having two friends over for Christmas dinner. They couldn't go home to England for holidays because the fellow of the couple has to work Christmas day. And on Saturday a Canadian friend of mine (who lives in Edinburgh) arrives for a week. We're also taking care of Colin's boss's cat for three weeks. Busy household.
Instead of buying Christmas presents for each other we took a road trip with two friends for three days. We shared the gas and found a cheap place to stay on a farm in northern France. We visited the Alsace-Lorraine region. It was incredible. We visited little villages with great ambiance, wonderful Christmas markets and even better mulled wine. Loved the ginger cookies, the timbered houses and the vineyards. (Check out the photos below.) It wouldn't have been affordable if our friends had not invited us. We were able to return the favour by offering them a place to stay for a couple of nights (they had tried to buy a house, the loan fell through but they had already given up their apartment so they had no place to live - that's why they wanted to go on a road trip!). Callum loved it because they are generous fun people AND they have a two year old dog - she's part Tibetan Spaniel. Cute, silky and quite feisty (a little bit unreliable in the biting department).
I don't know how I managed it, but I did not lose any weight while not eating and suffering from the flu, and Christmas has already attacked my ass.
My new year's resolutions are to look good in a bathing suit by summer, to take Colin on dates to refresh his spirit, and to cause the bullying at Callum's school to cease. I'll write on them in more detail in the New Year.
We are missing you this Christmas. I'm feeling quite nostalgic about it.
However you celebrate and whatever you believe, have a wonderful time this holiday season.
Much love, Ramona
We finally buckled and bought a Christmas tree. It's only little, the same height as Callum, with very random branches coming out at odd angles. Callum loves it. We decorated it with his stuffed creatures. He was so excited. We didn't bring any of our decorations to France because we assumed we'd be spending Christmas in the U.K. Ah well, we'll be up there sometime in 2010. We're excited to meet our new niece, Murron, who is in Scotland, and to spend time with family who we've been getting to know better since our transplant to Europe.
Callum's new expression is, "It was toughicult."
Schneider had a children's Christmas party and Callum participated in the circus school they offered. He stood on a big ball, learned to sit on a trapeze, spun a plastic plate on a stick and walked on a wire. He enjoyed it so much. The drama and balance was right up his alley. He also had cotton candy, which he's been asking for for about a year. They had nutella cotton candy, sans food colouring. Can you imagine the look of ecstasy on his sticky face?
Callum is doing well ... now. There has been bullying in school, very unpleasant. 5 kids ganged up on him at school, punched him in the face. We talked with the teacher at the time but I'm meeting with the principle and teacher in January to discuss strategy and prevention. A work colleague is coming with me to interpret. Also, we've found out about a public international school - it doesn't charge extra. He could potentially start attending next year (they start at age 6 - grade 1). He would do one hour a day in English, but more importantly kids there would understand what he is going through. Other than the bullying, school is O.K. He's learning to print, to sing in French and is proud of his monster and tadpole drawings. He read his first words the other day - Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Optimus Prime. Go Transformers go! He loves printing the letter "R", gets a kick out of "K" and his favourite numbers are currently 10 and 11. His mastery of the English language is interesting, as he spends more time talking with adults than kids his descriptions of his emotions sound particularly mature. His French is coming along: though his comprehension still far outweighs his willingness to speak French, when he does speak his pronunciation is far better than that of his parents.
Callum is ecstatic to be on holidays. We're taking him sledding tomorrow. He is completely over his Grippe A (H1N1) flu. The doctor says that's what we had for sure. Colin has strep throat and is sleeping extra hours, but otherwise he's O.K. He's becoming more relaxed, holidays always help. I worked until the Tuesday before Christmas and then we had five days off together as a family. It was nice to have some family time. Callum loves having his dad around - his hero.
My work is getting better. I have decided to be someone that people love working with, I've studied grammar diligently and can now field questions on gerund, past continuous grammar and frequency adverbs. I just wish I was learning French as fast as my students are learning English. Language acquisition is a constant frustration for me. It's brought me to my knees a few times. I can get by, but when I witness the courage of my kid in attending his all-French school for 6 - 8 hours a day, I become determined all over again to acquire this language.
Tomorrow we're having two friends over for Christmas dinner. They couldn't go home to England for holidays because the fellow of the couple has to work Christmas day. And on Saturday a Canadian friend of mine (who lives in Edinburgh) arrives for a week. We're also taking care of Colin's boss's cat for three weeks. Busy household.
Instead of buying Christmas presents for each other we took a road trip with two friends for three days. We shared the gas and found a cheap place to stay on a farm in northern France. We visited the Alsace-Lorraine region. It was incredible. We visited little villages with great ambiance, wonderful Christmas markets and even better mulled wine. Loved the ginger cookies, the timbered houses and the vineyards. (Check out the photos below.) It wouldn't have been affordable if our friends had not invited us. We were able to return the favour by offering them a place to stay for a couple of nights (they had tried to buy a house, the loan fell through but they had already given up their apartment so they had no place to live - that's why they wanted to go on a road trip!). Callum loved it because they are generous fun people AND they have a two year old dog - she's part Tibetan Spaniel. Cute, silky and quite feisty (a little bit unreliable in the biting department).
I don't know how I managed it, but I did not lose any weight while not eating and suffering from the flu, and Christmas has already attacked my ass.
My new year's resolutions are to look good in a bathing suit by summer, to take Colin on dates to refresh his spirit, and to cause the bullying at Callum's school to cease. I'll write on them in more detail in the New Year.
We are missing you this Christmas. I'm feeling quite nostalgic about it.
However you celebrate and whatever you believe, have a wonderful time this holiday season.
Much love, Ramona
Friday, January 8, 2010
GOOD FOOD, GREAT WINE and EXCEPTIONAL CONVERSATIONS – NOVEMBER 2009
HIGHLIGHTS:
- 11 11 11
- Epiphanies about French culture through interactions with my students
- Breakthrough – recognizing the gypsy
- The weather and how it changes people
- Colin’s possibilities
- Lifestyle Fair
- Cremaillere(Housewarming)
- ILLNESS
11 11 11
This was a particularly powerful event for me this year. There is so much history here related to the war that it comes alive in my mind in little ways every day: memorials to classmates that are embedded in school walls; buildings that have been bombed and repaired; museums hosting photographs of the life and times of people who lived through "the war", or didn't. The stat holiday activities reflect the honour, rebellion and celebration that such a huge event as the consummation of a war deserves. We've appropriately ritualized that in Canada too, but I think what's different here is that there are physical reminders everywhere. The majority of people have had their families and communities impacted by the wars. It's the power of shared memories.
EPIPHANIES ABOUT FRENCH CULTURE
Through my students I am gaining insights into French culture. Simple exercises like "What did you do this weekend?" reveal their passions, home lives and habits. I feel privileged to have this insider's peek. I'm often amazed at how resourceful, physically driven and integrated into the Alps they are in their daily routines. Everything from biking up and down a mountain after work to restoring homes they've had in their families for three generations to creating and acting in a theatrical company to visiting elderly parents every weekend who are stubbornly sequestered in remote villages ... each of these revelations show me more layers to these passionate people, and reveal the relationships to land and family that they hold dear.
It's not all rosy. I was appalled when I taught my first set of classes and witnessed the students ignoring each other or acting bored when another person struggled to talk in English. As a student my French classes tend to be populated by 6 - 12 different cultures (ie. Turkish, German, Chilean, American, Hungarian, Portuguese, Italian, Polish, you name it and it's possible). These classes have an aura of mutual respect and attention. When I teach I spend the first class assessing goals, motivations, expectations and language levels. It was tricky figuring out how to hook the students and motivate them to pay attention to each other. I soon realized that discussion, acting and the interplay of words is what they love. I facilitated a murder mystery scenario in my classes and they loved it. They paid rapt attention and got seriously involved. It was great! They are present, intense and willing if I present an idea they can sink their teeth into.
It is with sadness that I realize I won't be integrating into this culture. I'm too Canadian. I don't regret it or apologize for it, I just recognize that I am polite and thoughtful, don't barge in front of a line or let fights in the playground work themselves out between 5 year old boys and their fists. I'm not as open-mouthed or quick to act as the majority of the French. I'm not soft either, that's not what I mean. I like to resolve conflict with a win-win. I prefer to make someone feel like sunshine has touched their life rather than prove I'm right. I love lively discussion, but want to end with a handshake and maybe even a hug. And neither culture is wrong. There is a lot for me to learn from these people, these French mountain people who are true to themselves, honest in their interactions and passionate in discussions. They are as quick to help as to point out an injustice. At the same time it's neat realizing that I am partially a product of my Mennonite upbringing and my nationality. I like being Canadian: global thinker, active outdoor-person, educated environmentalist and compassionate humanist. Even my competencies as facilitator, educator and team builder puzzle into having a Canadian outlook. It suits me like a hand-knit toque hanging in a sugar-bush shack.
I must point out here that there are many cultures in France and my diatribe is not to be taken as a generalization, but as a slice of my experiences at this moment in time (how Canadian is that statement ... think about it).
Another epiphany I've had through teaching in France is that some of the self-centered and short attention span culture I'm witnessing is due to being in the silicon valley of Europe. In Grenoble there are many head offices of global companies who are interacting with several country-cultures every day. At the same time, because a lot of the work is IT or research oriented, there are people here who are used to working long inwardly-focused hours. Sometimes they need to be obsessed to excel at what they do. In contrast to this there are four universities and the tourist industry, both of which are very social. Plus Grenoble has a history of farming, herding and industry - fabric, gloves and paper - and therefore there's a history of immigration as well. What a complicated town!
Gypsies are another faction of our population. One of our local guys who squats outside our neighbourhood bakery almost daily, is someone I greet every time I see him. We had a breakthrough the other day when I recognized him hanging out with his kids at the mall. He's my neighbour. We both acknowledge that now. I don't give him money but we give each other respect.
The weather changes people. The fall is full of festivities. The snow makes people play. I don't notice irritation so much as I see people smiling at one another, united in our experience of a grand force we cannot control. My Manitoba roots are a tickled alive in this environment.
COLIN'S POSSIBILITIES
Colin is enjoying his job - finds the problem solving stimulating and the variety of clientele refreshing. At the same time we know we eventually want to end up in Canada again so he's keeping his ear to the ground regarding opportunities in Victoria. A few potential positions have crossed his path but none of them are due to come to fruition before next summer. We'll keep you posted on any new developments.
LIFESTYLE FAIR
The lifestyle fair was fun! The enormous exhibit was held at Alpexpo and showcased sports and hobbies, food, clothes, home works, gardening, furniture, technology, farming techniques, wine, kitchen appliances, etc., etc., etc. It offered us an opportunity to examine lifestyle habits across Europe, taste local foods and wines, and enjoy the theme - Italy. Plus Callum and I timed it right and got in free!
CREMAILLERE
We had a hoppin' housewarming. On November 6, 38 adults and 6 children warmed our home with their laughter and conversation. Good food, great wine and exceptional people. Our friends are from Australia, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Persia, Poland, Switzerland, Turkey, the U.K. and the U.S.A. The album below also includes photos of our place the morning after the party (but I show them first). The master bedroom is actually FREE of boxes!!!
DISCIPLINED WRITING
I miss writing. Between adopting a new country, acclimatizing my family to France, being a student of French and working in a fresh area of my chosen profession, my creative life – my essential life – has been delegated the back seat. In the New Year I will realign my goals.
ILLNESS
The down side to November was that at least three weeks of it passed in a blur. H1N1 struck our household hard. I didn't want to admit to H1N1 at first, because so many people were dramatic about the epidemic and I didn't want to cry wolf. But our doctor is convinced that H1N1 is what we had. There were no other flues going around at the time in our area, we had all the symptoms and the only other times I have been that sick were when I couldn't walk (because of my back) and when I had an appendicitis attack. I recovered faster from giving birth than I did from this flu!
Colin - had a cold, H1N1, an ear/nose/throat infection and then got strep throat.
Callum - had H1N1 quite badly - delirious during four nights of fever and hit all the symptoms head-on. Good news: he skipped the lice and scarlet fever that were doing the rounds at his school. Bad news: he was choked that he missed the field trip to the art gallery. I'm pleased that Ecole Maternelle Marceau is successfully fostering a love of art in my preschooler.
Me - after a week and a half of tending to sickies and not sleeping through the night, I fell prey to H1N1. So sick it hurt to move my eyeballs.
The great news is: We're all immune for 3 - 5 years!
Schools here were hit hard, especially the ones with kids aged 3 - 6. Can you imagine what they touch and how many times a day they put their fingers in their noses and their mouths? H1N1 was in optimal territory! One mom I know, her son's class of 26 kids had only a few kids one day. Another mom told me a similar story, 20 out of 28 were down for the count. Parents of little kids fell like trees in a Canadian forest. It was brutal. It seems to be better now though and I'm glad quarantine for our family is OVER! I actually turned to "Farmville", a games application on Facebook, for solace and space when we were all cooped up in our apartment. ANY flu is contagious for seven days. And the first day people generally have not cottoned on to the fact that they're sick. Do yourself and everyone else a favour and stay home if you are not well. Take a reprieve from the madness of life and return refreshed.
Be well.
With joy, Ramona
- 11 11 11
- Epiphanies about French culture through interactions with my students
- Breakthrough – recognizing the gypsy
- The weather and how it changes people
- Colin’s possibilities
- Lifestyle Fair
- Cremaillere(Housewarming)
- ILLNESS
11 11 11
This was a particularly powerful event for me this year. There is so much history here related to the war that it comes alive in my mind in little ways every day: memorials to classmates that are embedded in school walls; buildings that have been bombed and repaired; museums hosting photographs of the life and times of people who lived through "the war", or didn't. The stat holiday activities reflect the honour, rebellion and celebration that such a huge event as the consummation of a war deserves. We've appropriately ritualized that in Canada too, but I think what's different here is that there are physical reminders everywhere. The majority of people have had their families and communities impacted by the wars. It's the power of shared memories.
EPIPHANIES ABOUT FRENCH CULTURE
Through my students I am gaining insights into French culture. Simple exercises like "What did you do this weekend?" reveal their passions, home lives and habits. I feel privileged to have this insider's peek. I'm often amazed at how resourceful, physically driven and integrated into the Alps they are in their daily routines. Everything from biking up and down a mountain after work to restoring homes they've had in their families for three generations to creating and acting in a theatrical company to visiting elderly parents every weekend who are stubbornly sequestered in remote villages ... each of these revelations show me more layers to these passionate people, and reveal the relationships to land and family that they hold dear.
It's not all rosy. I was appalled when I taught my first set of classes and witnessed the students ignoring each other or acting bored when another person struggled to talk in English. As a student my French classes tend to be populated by 6 - 12 different cultures (ie. Turkish, German, Chilean, American, Hungarian, Portuguese, Italian, Polish, you name it and it's possible). These classes have an aura of mutual respect and attention. When I teach I spend the first class assessing goals, motivations, expectations and language levels. It was tricky figuring out how to hook the students and motivate them to pay attention to each other. I soon realized that discussion, acting and the interplay of words is what they love. I facilitated a murder mystery scenario in my classes and they loved it. They paid rapt attention and got seriously involved. It was great! They are present, intense and willing if I present an idea they can sink their teeth into.
It is with sadness that I realize I won't be integrating into this culture. I'm too Canadian. I don't regret it or apologize for it, I just recognize that I am polite and thoughtful, don't barge in front of a line or let fights in the playground work themselves out between 5 year old boys and their fists. I'm not as open-mouthed or quick to act as the majority of the French. I'm not soft either, that's not what I mean. I like to resolve conflict with a win-win. I prefer to make someone feel like sunshine has touched their life rather than prove I'm right. I love lively discussion, but want to end with a handshake and maybe even a hug. And neither culture is wrong. There is a lot for me to learn from these people, these French mountain people who are true to themselves, honest in their interactions and passionate in discussions. They are as quick to help as to point out an injustice. At the same time it's neat realizing that I am partially a product of my Mennonite upbringing and my nationality. I like being Canadian: global thinker, active outdoor-person, educated environmentalist and compassionate humanist. Even my competencies as facilitator, educator and team builder puzzle into having a Canadian outlook. It suits me like a hand-knit toque hanging in a sugar-bush shack.
I must point out here that there are many cultures in France and my diatribe is not to be taken as a generalization, but as a slice of my experiences at this moment in time (how Canadian is that statement ... think about it).
Another epiphany I've had through teaching in France is that some of the self-centered and short attention span culture I'm witnessing is due to being in the silicon valley of Europe. In Grenoble there are many head offices of global companies who are interacting with several country-cultures every day. At the same time, because a lot of the work is IT or research oriented, there are people here who are used to working long inwardly-focused hours. Sometimes they need to be obsessed to excel at what they do. In contrast to this there are four universities and the tourist industry, both of which are very social. Plus Grenoble has a history of farming, herding and industry - fabric, gloves and paper - and therefore there's a history of immigration as well. What a complicated town!
Gypsies are another faction of our population. One of our local guys who squats outside our neighbourhood bakery almost daily, is someone I greet every time I see him. We had a breakthrough the other day when I recognized him hanging out with his kids at the mall. He's my neighbour. We both acknowledge that now. I don't give him money but we give each other respect.
The weather changes people. The fall is full of festivities. The snow makes people play. I don't notice irritation so much as I see people smiling at one another, united in our experience of a grand force we cannot control. My Manitoba roots are a tickled alive in this environment.
COLIN'S POSSIBILITIES
Colin is enjoying his job - finds the problem solving stimulating and the variety of clientele refreshing. At the same time we know we eventually want to end up in Canada again so he's keeping his ear to the ground regarding opportunities in Victoria. A few potential positions have crossed his path but none of them are due to come to fruition before next summer. We'll keep you posted on any new developments.
LIFESTYLE FAIR
The lifestyle fair was fun! The enormous exhibit was held at Alpexpo and showcased sports and hobbies, food, clothes, home works, gardening, furniture, technology, farming techniques, wine, kitchen appliances, etc., etc., etc. It offered us an opportunity to examine lifestyle habits across Europe, taste local foods and wines, and enjoy the theme - Italy. Plus Callum and I timed it right and got in free!
CREMAILLERE
We had a hoppin' housewarming. On November 6, 38 adults and 6 children warmed our home with their laughter and conversation. Good food, great wine and exceptional people. Our friends are from Australia, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Persia, Poland, Switzerland, Turkey, the U.K. and the U.S.A. The album below also includes photos of our place the morning after the party (but I show them first). The master bedroom is actually FREE of boxes!!!
DISCIPLINED WRITING
I miss writing. Between adopting a new country, acclimatizing my family to France, being a student of French and working in a fresh area of my chosen profession, my creative life – my essential life – has been delegated the back seat. In the New Year I will realign my goals.
ILLNESS
The down side to November was that at least three weeks of it passed in a blur. H1N1 struck our household hard. I didn't want to admit to H1N1 at first, because so many people were dramatic about the epidemic and I didn't want to cry wolf. But our doctor is convinced that H1N1 is what we had. There were no other flues going around at the time in our area, we had all the symptoms and the only other times I have been that sick were when I couldn't walk (because of my back) and when I had an appendicitis attack. I recovered faster from giving birth than I did from this flu!
Colin - had a cold, H1N1, an ear/nose/throat infection and then got strep throat.
Callum - had H1N1 quite badly - delirious during four nights of fever and hit all the symptoms head-on. Good news: he skipped the lice and scarlet fever that were doing the rounds at his school. Bad news: he was choked that he missed the field trip to the art gallery. I'm pleased that Ecole Maternelle Marceau is successfully fostering a love of art in my preschooler.
Me - after a week and a half of tending to sickies and not sleeping through the night, I fell prey to H1N1. So sick it hurt to move my eyeballs.
The great news is: We're all immune for 3 - 5 years!
Schools here were hit hard, especially the ones with kids aged 3 - 6. Can you imagine what they touch and how many times a day they put their fingers in their noses and their mouths? H1N1 was in optimal territory! One mom I know, her son's class of 26 kids had only a few kids one day. Another mom told me a similar story, 20 out of 28 were down for the count. Parents of little kids fell like trees in a Canadian forest. It was brutal. It seems to be better now though and I'm glad quarantine for our family is OVER! I actually turned to "Farmville", a games application on Facebook, for solace and space when we were all cooped up in our apartment. ANY flu is contagious for seven days. And the first day people generally have not cottoned on to the fact that they're sick. Do yourself and everyone else a favour and stay home if you are not well. Take a reprieve from the madness of life and return refreshed.
Be well.
With joy, Ramona
Thursday, January 7, 2010
RETOUR des ALPAGES (Return from the High Pastures) - OCTOBER 2009
A Time of Thanksgiving and Reflection - HIGHLIGHTS
- Thanksgiving
- Retour des Alpages mid-Oct
- Fruit and Nut Gathering Walk Oct 21
- Chamechaude and Habert de Chamechaude Oct 25
- Girls’ Night out
- Martine’s party
- Callum’s cut finger
- Halloween
- Le Millesime – 10 days
- Pet Expo
Oct. 20, 2009
We’re still alive (at least now that the heating is working!)...
October is a wonderful time of year to live in the Alps. Mountain people disregard official national borders and treat each other like the neighbours they really are. The hills are alive with autumn colours, dramatically back dropped by white-iced mountains. Food and vin chaud (mulled wine) flow like fountains of youth and cholesterol. Thanksgiving is not a festival here, but there is a plethora of gratitude and much celebration of old skills and customs. The interdependency of animals, plants, land and humans is held like a precious rare egg.
RETOUR DES ALPAGES
On October 17th we went to Annecy for a celebration of alpine culture, traditions and the return of the herds from the high mountain pastures. It was a time to acknowledge and enjoy a bountiful harvest, fantastic foods, tasty drinks, amazing music, insightful art, colourful costumes, valued relationships with the land, animals and neighbours. It was a time of thanksgiving, the alpine culture transcends borders. While it is influenced by countries that wander the Alps (ie. Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, etc.), these mountain people recognize they have more in common with each other than not. They are neighbours.
NUT FESTIVAL - ALLEVARD
On October 21st we gathered walnuts, chestnuts, apples and pears near the village of Theys. In the process we made new friends (Amanda, Ellen, Jack, Sindhu, Tejus and Eleanor). And check out the sheep!
CHAMECHAUDE
On October 25 I hiked through and above the clouds with Mark and Sam (from the U.K), Janelle and Matt (from Australia). We peaked at 2082m. Location: Col de Porte to Chamechaude (2082 M), near Grenoble. Definite highlight for me!
CALLUM
Callum is doing well, but the language barrier is still stressful.
He gets two French classes (about 1.5 hours) per week at the end of school, and a tutor helps him once a week for about 45 minutes doing French language games on the computer. About two weeks ago he was really struggling and Colin and I had a hard time with it. What seemed to be extra difficult was lunch time at school (he ate at the canteen instead of at home because of my work) twice a week. It's not monitored closely and he would get bullied and then he'd stand up for himself and get into trouble. Things seemed to have settled down now though. The hard part is having Callum be so lonely. He plays with kids in the playground, but they don't understand him and he misses sharing imagination games and cooperative play. I know this will all get better. The school's assessment is that he understands a lot of French words already, but only "speaks" English. That's a typical progression of language acquisition.
Callum takes swimming classes once a week through school and is a strong swimmer. He's also taking more interest in creative and academic pursuits. He's developing a delightful wit, a keen mind for questioning and is very articulate when describing his feelings. Also, he's learning to think of consequences before taking action and is growing out of his stubborn phase (!). This is probably temporary but while it lasts I'm going to revel in it. He's calmer and more cooperative. Happier than when school started.
A not so happy incident at school was when they were making soup and Callum was given a knife. He did the classic bagel cut across the inside crease of his left pointer finger ... right where it joins the hand. Colin happened to be sick that day and took Callum to emergency. He appears fine now, but it was a shocking incident and a pain to keep clean. Callum dealt with it remarkably well, and Colin didn't even pass out!
He asked Colin to read him stories the other night. Colin said, "I'm so tired I would fall asleep." Callum replied, "That's the point." He wanted Colin to be sleeping with him. Smart cookie.
When Colin and Callum were play fighting Colin pinned Callum's arms. Callum, as feisty as ever, said, "Remember, I can still chew."
ANIMAL EXPO
We went to the Animal Expo this weekend. Loads of dogs, cats, birds, reptiles and other odds and sodds pets like ferrets and chinchillas. There were a gazillion puppies and Callum was beside himself with delight. He's so gentle with creatures. He asked how long he would have to save his allowance to buy a puppy. Colin told him 400 weeks, until he was 16. He wasn't very happy about that.
MY JOB
I've had mixed feelings about teaching English. I'm grateful to have my job and have some fun students, but the first meeting with my students is always really stressful. There are times when I receive very little information beforehand. The other teachers are old hats at this and can more easily walk into unknown situations. Currently I'm teaching a few students one on one, but in November I start teaching 2 classes, maybe 4, with groups of people. Yikes. Two of the classes are in the high security synchrotron facility. I'm having to study a lot (ie. English grammar) so that I can be giving my students what they need. It'll get easier as I do it more I'm sure. Currently, I'm working, studying English, studying French (I have classes in French 2 nights a week), training and running a household. No time for writing at the moment. We're all tired as we adjust to the new schedule, but we're glad of the extra income. Colin was a superstar this weekend and let me lie in on Saturday morning. I'm usually up at 6:45 am or 7 and I got an extra 2 hours kip.
PHYSICAL GOALS
I was training for either a triathlon in Annecy or the March in the Netherlands (20, 30, 40 or 50 km a day for 4 days. I want to do 200 km in 4 days). Wow. Then my foot started acting up again (the cyst on the nerve between two toes). I'm currently getting that checked out to see if it's the same condition or a fresh curse. X-rays, ultrasound and potentially an MRI.
COLIN
Colin is doing better. He's biking back and forth to work and it's already changing his body. His calves look fantastic! they are as defined as David Suzuki's. It brings him peace of mind too, riding into the sunrise and being next to the river instead of in a crowded bus. His new boss Melanie gets a lot done and he has fewer headaches around red tape when he needs things. He's also enjoying the job more since he's got relationships now with people all over Europe. He says it's interesting, challenging, and the frustration is less than before. Also, because I have French class, Colin is at home by 5:30 twice a week, rather than home by 7:30 or 8pm. It has made him a more balanced person and Callum is happier (he adores his dad).
HALLOWEEN
For Halloween Callum has a party at school, a party with Open House (the international group we're part of) and we're going to an adult Halloween party on the weekend as well. I don't know if they do trick or treat house to house like in North America. Callum is dressing up as either Batman or Darth Vader. He can't decide which. He has the black cape and two masks. Both are very cute.
Another great party that we attended was Adam and Martine's dip party. Great people, fantastic dips, conversation into the wee hours. We've met some really neat folks here.
CUTE! AND HAPPY
We're very excited about Ang and George's new daughter Murron. Since Colin is not going to be getting the break between Christmas and New Year we will have to wait until spring or summer to meet her.
LE MILLESIME
Christmas There is a wonderful festival here, in Place Victor Hugo close to our place, which celebrates wine, food and music. For 6 Euros you get a wine glass and entry, and then people wander around for hours going to lectures on wine and tasting the nectar that is created here in our own backyard. There are definitely some perks to living in France!
Christmas should be fun. The Noel festivals and illuminations look amazing. There are also a number of our friends who are staying here for the holidays. We're going to adopt them all for Christmas dinner.
Hope all is well with you.
With joy, Ramona
- Thanksgiving
- Retour des Alpages mid-Oct
- Fruit and Nut Gathering Walk Oct 21
- Chamechaude and Habert de Chamechaude Oct 25
- Girls’ Night out
- Martine’s party
- Callum’s cut finger
- Halloween
- Le Millesime – 10 days
- Pet Expo
Oct. 20, 2009
We’re still alive (at least now that the heating is working!)...
October is a wonderful time of year to live in the Alps. Mountain people disregard official national borders and treat each other like the neighbours they really are. The hills are alive with autumn colours, dramatically back dropped by white-iced mountains. Food and vin chaud (mulled wine) flow like fountains of youth and cholesterol. Thanksgiving is not a festival here, but there is a plethora of gratitude and much celebration of old skills and customs. The interdependency of animals, plants, land and humans is held like a precious rare egg.
RETOUR DES ALPAGES
On October 17th we went to Annecy for a celebration of alpine culture, traditions and the return of the herds from the high mountain pastures. It was a time to acknowledge and enjoy a bountiful harvest, fantastic foods, tasty drinks, amazing music, insightful art, colourful costumes, valued relationships with the land, animals and neighbours. It was a time of thanksgiving, the alpine culture transcends borders. While it is influenced by countries that wander the Alps (ie. Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, etc.), these mountain people recognize they have more in common with each other than not. They are neighbours.
NUT FESTIVAL - ALLEVARD
On October 21st we gathered walnuts, chestnuts, apples and pears near the village of Theys. In the process we made new friends (Amanda, Ellen, Jack, Sindhu, Tejus and Eleanor). And check out the sheep!
CHAMECHAUDE
On October 25 I hiked through and above the clouds with Mark and Sam (from the U.K), Janelle and Matt (from Australia). We peaked at 2082m. Location: Col de Porte to Chamechaude (2082 M), near Grenoble. Definite highlight for me!
CALLUM
Callum is doing well, but the language barrier is still stressful.
He gets two French classes (about 1.5 hours) per week at the end of school, and a tutor helps him once a week for about 45 minutes doing French language games on the computer. About two weeks ago he was really struggling and Colin and I had a hard time with it. What seemed to be extra difficult was lunch time at school (he ate at the canteen instead of at home because of my work) twice a week. It's not monitored closely and he would get bullied and then he'd stand up for himself and get into trouble. Things seemed to have settled down now though. The hard part is having Callum be so lonely. He plays with kids in the playground, but they don't understand him and he misses sharing imagination games and cooperative play. I know this will all get better. The school's assessment is that he understands a lot of French words already, but only "speaks" English. That's a typical progression of language acquisition.
Callum takes swimming classes once a week through school and is a strong swimmer. He's also taking more interest in creative and academic pursuits. He's developing a delightful wit, a keen mind for questioning and is very articulate when describing his feelings. Also, he's learning to think of consequences before taking action and is growing out of his stubborn phase (!). This is probably temporary but while it lasts I'm going to revel in it. He's calmer and more cooperative. Happier than when school started.
A not so happy incident at school was when they were making soup and Callum was given a knife. He did the classic bagel cut across the inside crease of his left pointer finger ... right where it joins the hand. Colin happened to be sick that day and took Callum to emergency. He appears fine now, but it was a shocking incident and a pain to keep clean. Callum dealt with it remarkably well, and Colin didn't even pass out!
He asked Colin to read him stories the other night. Colin said, "I'm so tired I would fall asleep." Callum replied, "That's the point." He wanted Colin to be sleeping with him. Smart cookie.
When Colin and Callum were play fighting Colin pinned Callum's arms. Callum, as feisty as ever, said, "Remember, I can still chew."
ANIMAL EXPO
We went to the Animal Expo this weekend. Loads of dogs, cats, birds, reptiles and other odds and sodds pets like ferrets and chinchillas. There were a gazillion puppies and Callum was beside himself with delight. He's so gentle with creatures. He asked how long he would have to save his allowance to buy a puppy. Colin told him 400 weeks, until he was 16. He wasn't very happy about that.
MY JOB
I've had mixed feelings about teaching English. I'm grateful to have my job and have some fun students, but the first meeting with my students is always really stressful. There are times when I receive very little information beforehand. The other teachers are old hats at this and can more easily walk into unknown situations. Currently I'm teaching a few students one on one, but in November I start teaching 2 classes, maybe 4, with groups of people. Yikes. Two of the classes are in the high security synchrotron facility. I'm having to study a lot (ie. English grammar) so that I can be giving my students what they need. It'll get easier as I do it more I'm sure. Currently, I'm working, studying English, studying French (I have classes in French 2 nights a week), training and running a household. No time for writing at the moment. We're all tired as we adjust to the new schedule, but we're glad of the extra income. Colin was a superstar this weekend and let me lie in on Saturday morning. I'm usually up at 6:45 am or 7 and I got an extra 2 hours kip.
PHYSICAL GOALS
I was training for either a triathlon in Annecy or the March in the Netherlands (20, 30, 40 or 50 km a day for 4 days. I want to do 200 km in 4 days). Wow. Then my foot started acting up again (the cyst on the nerve between two toes). I'm currently getting that checked out to see if it's the same condition or a fresh curse. X-rays, ultrasound and potentially an MRI.
COLIN
Colin is doing better. He's biking back and forth to work and it's already changing his body. His calves look fantastic! they are as defined as David Suzuki's. It brings him peace of mind too, riding into the sunrise and being next to the river instead of in a crowded bus. His new boss Melanie gets a lot done and he has fewer headaches around red tape when he needs things. He's also enjoying the job more since he's got relationships now with people all over Europe. He says it's interesting, challenging, and the frustration is less than before. Also, because I have French class, Colin is at home by 5:30 twice a week, rather than home by 7:30 or 8pm. It has made him a more balanced person and Callum is happier (he adores his dad).
HALLOWEEN
For Halloween Callum has a party at school, a party with Open House (the international group we're part of) and we're going to an adult Halloween party on the weekend as well. I don't know if they do trick or treat house to house like in North America. Callum is dressing up as either Batman or Darth Vader. He can't decide which. He has the black cape and two masks. Both are very cute.
Another great party that we attended was Adam and Martine's dip party. Great people, fantastic dips, conversation into the wee hours. We've met some really neat folks here.
CUTE! AND HAPPY
We're very excited about Ang and George's new daughter Murron. Since Colin is not going to be getting the break between Christmas and New Year we will have to wait until spring or summer to meet her.
LE MILLESIME
Christmas There is a wonderful festival here, in Place Victor Hugo close to our place, which celebrates wine, food and music. For 6 Euros you get a wine glass and entry, and then people wander around for hours going to lectures on wine and tasting the nectar that is created here in our own backyard. There are definitely some perks to living in France!
Christmas should be fun. The Noel festivals and illuminations look amazing. There are also a number of our friends who are staying here for the holidays. We're going to adopt them all for Christmas dinner.
Hope all is well with you.
With joy, Ramona
EEK! - SEPTEMBER 2009
Highlights/Lowlights:
- Going to Bourg d’Oisons for the motorcross to celebrate our anniversary
- Callum struggling with the transition of being back in an all-french school
- My new job and workplace
- Colin going to Hungary to support technical training
- Exercising – my health
- 36th Coupe Icare – spectacular!
JUMPY/TOP DOWNER/FLY PIPER – these are the pigeons which used to roost across from our sunroom. They’d peer in, threatening to come inside for a visit. Now that house is torn down and Callum wonders where they’ve gone. The two fat healthy rats that used to live by our building have also deserted us because of the construction next door. Though I’m not usually enamored of rats I was sad to see them go. They were interesting to watch from two stories up. They particularly loved to dine on the flowers that grew on the vine that entwined up the wall.
SEPTEMBER 7th - TURBO SPEED ... BRING IT ON.
Everything has sped up.
I had a job interview on Callum’s first day of school.
I was hired on the spot (yesterday).
I may start training for my job tomorrow afternoon, and have my first client on Friday morning.
I may have three "missions" by next week - three sets of students... and that's the week Colin is in Hungary.
I feel like I'm riding a firecracker.
Callum’s school had the school parents' assembly and grande section orientation to goals and expectations by Callum's teacher. I spent 1.5 hours of desperately trying to understand French and realizing how ill-equipped I am for preparing my child for what is to come.
We'll just have to take it one permission slip at a time.
Monday - Callum started swimming with his class today.
They get 16 classes of swimming.
Apparently he sat near the back of the bus with a friend, so he can't be doing too badly.
What a brave little soul.
His teacher is very "structured".
The classroom is almost entirely decorated in Black and White.
That tells you a lot about him right there.
Hopefully his strength will be preparing the kids for Grade One academic expectations.
Hopefully he'll do it in a kind and sometimes inventive manner. I get the feeling he has the discipline part nailed. That may be a blessing given how many rambunctious little boys are in the class. They are, after all, born in the year of the monkey.
SEPTEMBER 9th - REFLECTIONS ON MY NEW JOB
I'm excited to be employed by ETC Group/Logos for several reasons.
a) I love to teach. I take great pleasure in assisting people in achieving their goals.
b) It works with my current time constraints (Callum's schedule) and the need for family balance.
c) I was shit scared about finding a job in France when I speak Francaise like a three year old, there are hiring freezes on and people are losing jobs.
d) Working part-time means (theoretically) I can continue with my French classes.
e) My new boss is already talking about possibilities for the future.
I will start as a teacher with specific contracts. I will teach individuals and groups (2 - 5 people) in either the Logos meeting rooms or within the corporations themselves. There is potential for more though in the next year or two, which would be perfect timing for me and my family, and as a transition into the regular work force (with networking opportunities to boot).
The ETC Group has three streams - relocation, translation and language instruction. Over the last few years the ETC Group has been acquiring businesses all over France which specialize in these areas. They started restructuring in January and are currently trying to establish consistency in quality and presentation, from marketing to proposals to execution and follow-up. Fanny is potentially interested in how I can contribute to their goals (from my resume and experience) as a full-time employee presenting workshops, coaching, developing and consolidating teaching materials, assembling best practices, team building, and other areas that require the pursuit and establishment of pedagogical excellence (when she used that pair of terms I grinned inside - I used to have "pedagogical excellence" near the top of my resume and actually had to remove it because some people who were interviewing me didn't understand it). The ETC Group vision is to provide a united front to their many international and local clients (in the fields of science and health [ie. the synchrotron; Schneider Electric; pharmaceutical companies], tourism [ski hills and outdoor equipment ie. Petzel], IT [ie. Yahoo], utilities [ie. Isere Gas and TransIsere - the bus company], etc.). It is a company in transition and that's an exciting time for me to arrive. I tend to thrive on those types of change waves. Currently though, I am strictly an English teacher.
The down side is that currently there are no best practices being discussed, team meetings, training, etc. for the language teachers. It's a very solo/fly by your pants type of job. I'm glad I've got experience with teaching/training in so many different types of environments. I'm also glad that I have friends who can offer me a few insights. I take this seriously and I'm surprised at the lack of support they offer their teachers. Consistency of product and presentation are so critical. And training is way less expensive than turnover or damage to an international reputation. I know that teaching language takes a lot of skill, experience and insight. I intend to represent the profession, ETC Group and myself with integrity, enthusiasm and results.
I am truly fortunate with both my experience and my timing. Someone is looking out for me.
CALLUM, FRIENDS and SCHOOL
I've met a few moms, but many of them don’t live downtown like we do. However, I have made connections through Callum's school, random meetings in the parks and Open House International (the organization for bringing together people from elsewhere and French people who have lived in other countries). Of the two connections through Callum's school one family moved on to the local primary school (Callum is in the Grande section, equivalent to kindergarten), but I hope to keep connecting with her anyways. The other family I’ve invited over for a playdate. What's great at this point is that we keep bumping into people that either I know or Callum know. It's becoming OUR town. And there are certainly many interesting people here.
There are many types of individuals/families who are attracted to living here (I'm talking specifically about transplanted people). There are the adventurers who are healthy of mind and body. They embrace change. There are those who are eager to leave where they were and just ended up here. There are many who found professional opportunity in Grenoble and stayed because they grew to love it. There are those who are unhealthy and here they can hide - ie. those who are estranged from their families or don't want to live by the rules of the country they were born into. Here they can lay low or be exotic or be righteous or blossom into who they were meant to be. I'm open to all, but am trying to cultivate relationships that are a mutual trade of energy/insights/etc... I don't have as much energy as I used to. I need to make sure I have enough chutzpa to keep my family on an even keel in a foreign environment.
In any case, because I cannot speak French, the % of the population that we have to choose friends from is as motley a hodge-podge as the group that was on the first boat from England to Oz. Therefore it will take time to find people who resonate - who get along with all three of us and vice versa. In the meantime, it's lonely. I can easily find people to hang out with, but not so easily find people who are ready, willing or able to "understand" me/us and incorporate the desires/delights of a 5 year old acrobat.
Regarding language acquisition, I inquired about French classes for Callum when we arrived. I wanted to help him prepare. The only thing I could find was tutoring at 40 Euros an hour. That's more than $60 Canadian! It seems that people believe kids will just get it by osmosis. I think they get it because they don't survive otherwise. Our friends' little girl, a year older than Callum, cried every day for the first 4 months. It's brutal. I ache for Callum a lot of times, and am grateful that he is social and brave. But I get very frustrated that I can't help smooth the way for him in regards to learning French. I can't even coach him or help him on the playground. Yesterday he came home with scratches all over his face - missing skin really near his eye. Callum told one story and his teacher told another. I'm not happy about this but we will prevail and I'll keep a close eye on the situation. I am hoping that the teacher will be good at preparing him for next year, while still providing the room and support for these kids to be kids. At least Callum has friends in his class, and he's not physically small(their age group is the oldest in the school, so I'm hoping there'll be less chance of bullying. Callum isn't a push-over, but some of the big kids last year were problematic).
While I'm concerned about the language issue and bullying, I do believe there are benefits to this school system. They certainly prepare the Grande section for academia, and the students are also offered a well-rounded curriculum. Callum's taking swimming classes for 16 weeks, they do gardening for six weeks in the fall and the spring, they participate in gymnastics, they attend choir on Monday mornings from January to June, they take field trips to museums and art galleries, they do visitations to homes for the aged, they have special projects on Thursday afternoons where the classes mix and each teacher provides a special theme not specifically focused on the three R's (maybe safety, special art projects, how to drive, music, animal care, etc.). And Callum doesn't have to "nap" at school anymore, which he is happy about.
Callum loves being social, so he's motivated to make friends and is well liked. But it's hard for him. He doesn't have a single English-speaking friend here that lives close by and sees on a regular basis. He's lonely even though he's intensely active and involved. This is the part of living in France that is hardest on our hearts.
HOMESICK
We're all homesick. We don't regret coming to France and there's a lot to appreciate here, but we definitely miss Canada. We miss our community of friends, family, the ocean, the ease of living in a place where we can understand the language and where service is a value many people share. I miss the writing community too. I know that when we don't live here anymore there are things we'll miss about the Isere region and Europe. I love how entwined human and natural history can be here. The Alps are amazing, we've done some great day trips, lots of hiking, attended cool festivals, and explored parts of England, Germany and Italy as well as France. The architecture is fantastic, the people are warm, and every day contains unexpected challenges and delights. It's exhausting though. It doesn't seem to get easier.
Callum is amazing. He's been hiking with us, sometimes up to 9 km in a day. There is such a plethora of places to explore around here. It will get easier for him as he learns more French. Kids gravitate towards him.
Colin has had a hard time. The French people he works with are sometimes resentful that English is the business language. As a result they ie. sometimes refuse to slow down their French or speak in English in internal meetings or in the cafeteria. He is making some good allies though and has a solid professional reputation. He went to Budapest for work one week this month and will likely be going to Spain next month. Schneider shows a lot of trust in his abilities. He's also biking back and forth to work on a path that follows the river, that helps him recalibrate and find some peace.
We're finding loads of things to do. The festivals are amazing. Two weeks ago we attended the Coupe Icare (www.coup-icare.org) which is an international festival of air (hot air balloons, paragliding, parachuting, etc.) and the next day I did a 7 hour hike over the Chartreuse mountains. I love the villages, the markets, the Alpine activities year round, the cafes, the way the French are passionate about everything and wear their hearts on their sleeves and then forgive or offer help just as fast as they can lose their tempers. They are also great rule makers and breakers, so it's fascinating to figure out how to "be" here.
As for me - I'm training for an ultra-marathon (in Holland, 200 km over 4 days) or an Olympic-length triathlon (in Annecy), working, taking French lessons and run the household. Given that even paying an electrical bill can take three times as long (because it's in French) I find life very busy. Plus there are school field trips to support, play-dates in French and Colin's family is in England and Scotland - I've spent 6 weeks up there this year. And we've had 4 sets of visitors from Canada already! I do need to get back to cultivating my writing though. I need it. I can feel it building inside me like a giggle behind a hand.
Our friends who were here a year and are going back to Victoria this week have just left our home. They came to drop off some camping books and a couple of fans. It made us feel so nostalgic to talk to them. Part of me is envious that they are returning to Victoria, to their community there, to the ocean. Colin is definitely blue.
We're starting to know more people. Yesterday around town we ran into three different families that we know. Unfortunately, if the adults speak English the kids still usually don't. Callum is still quite lonely. In the evening Callum and I were supposed to go to a play (we had free tickets). We walked and listened to thunder rumbling, and then the skies opened up on us. The lightening was flashing and the BOOM CRACK sounds following were crazy loud. It was right on top of us. The air was vibrating with electricity. Callum was mad, scared and screaming and I was soaked through in about 30 seconds (Callum had the wisdom to insist on bringing an umbrella). Callum marched home yelling, "I hate France" in beat to his footsteps. He swears he will never go outside again. I love the thunderstorms. It reminds me of prairie storms and drama in the sky when I worked in Florida and Ontario.
I'm getting better at managing our money here. It's still really challenging, but we're being quite disciplined so that we can eliminate our debt. We trying to balance out taking advantage of delicious choices for adventures here, and setting ourselves up well for the future.
Hope all is well with you.
Loads of love,
Ramona J. Bucknell
- Going to Bourg d’Oisons for the motorcross to celebrate our anniversary
- Callum struggling with the transition of being back in an all-french school
- My new job and workplace
- Colin going to Hungary to support technical training
- Exercising – my health
- 36th Coupe Icare – spectacular!
JUMPY/TOP DOWNER/FLY PIPER – these are the pigeons which used to roost across from our sunroom. They’d peer in, threatening to come inside for a visit. Now that house is torn down and Callum wonders where they’ve gone. The two fat healthy rats that used to live by our building have also deserted us because of the construction next door. Though I’m not usually enamored of rats I was sad to see them go. They were interesting to watch from two stories up. They particularly loved to dine on the flowers that grew on the vine that entwined up the wall.
SEPTEMBER 7th - TURBO SPEED ... BRING IT ON.
Everything has sped up.
I had a job interview on Callum’s first day of school.
I was hired on the spot (yesterday).
I may start training for my job tomorrow afternoon, and have my first client on Friday morning.
I may have three "missions" by next week - three sets of students... and that's the week Colin is in Hungary.
I feel like I'm riding a firecracker.
Callum’s school had the school parents' assembly and grande section orientation to goals and expectations by Callum's teacher. I spent 1.5 hours of desperately trying to understand French and realizing how ill-equipped I am for preparing my child for what is to come.
We'll just have to take it one permission slip at a time.
Monday - Callum started swimming with his class today.
They get 16 classes of swimming.
Apparently he sat near the back of the bus with a friend, so he can't be doing too badly.
What a brave little soul.
His teacher is very "structured".
The classroom is almost entirely decorated in Black and White.
That tells you a lot about him right there.
Hopefully his strength will be preparing the kids for Grade One academic expectations.
Hopefully he'll do it in a kind and sometimes inventive manner. I get the feeling he has the discipline part nailed. That may be a blessing given how many rambunctious little boys are in the class. They are, after all, born in the year of the monkey.
SEPTEMBER 9th - REFLECTIONS ON MY NEW JOB
I'm excited to be employed by ETC Group/Logos for several reasons.
a) I love to teach. I take great pleasure in assisting people in achieving their goals.
b) It works with my current time constraints (Callum's schedule) and the need for family balance.
c) I was shit scared about finding a job in France when I speak Francaise like a three year old, there are hiring freezes on and people are losing jobs.
d) Working part-time means (theoretically) I can continue with my French classes.
e) My new boss is already talking about possibilities for the future.
I will start as a teacher with specific contracts. I will teach individuals and groups (2 - 5 people) in either the Logos meeting rooms or within the corporations themselves. There is potential for more though in the next year or two, which would be perfect timing for me and my family, and as a transition into the regular work force (with networking opportunities to boot).
The ETC Group has three streams - relocation, translation and language instruction. Over the last few years the ETC Group has been acquiring businesses all over France which specialize in these areas. They started restructuring in January and are currently trying to establish consistency in quality and presentation, from marketing to proposals to execution and follow-up. Fanny is potentially interested in how I can contribute to their goals (from my resume and experience) as a full-time employee presenting workshops, coaching, developing and consolidating teaching materials, assembling best practices, team building, and other areas that require the pursuit and establishment of pedagogical excellence (when she used that pair of terms I grinned inside - I used to have "pedagogical excellence" near the top of my resume and actually had to remove it because some people who were interviewing me didn't understand it). The ETC Group vision is to provide a united front to their many international and local clients (in the fields of science and health [ie. the synchrotron; Schneider Electric; pharmaceutical companies], tourism [ski hills and outdoor equipment ie. Petzel], IT [ie. Yahoo], utilities [ie. Isere Gas and TransIsere - the bus company], etc.). It is a company in transition and that's an exciting time for me to arrive. I tend to thrive on those types of change waves. Currently though, I am strictly an English teacher.
The down side is that currently there are no best practices being discussed, team meetings, training, etc. for the language teachers. It's a very solo/fly by your pants type of job. I'm glad I've got experience with teaching/training in so many different types of environments. I'm also glad that I have friends who can offer me a few insights. I take this seriously and I'm surprised at the lack of support they offer their teachers. Consistency of product and presentation are so critical. And training is way less expensive than turnover or damage to an international reputation. I know that teaching language takes a lot of skill, experience and insight. I intend to represent the profession, ETC Group and myself with integrity, enthusiasm and results.
I am truly fortunate with both my experience and my timing. Someone is looking out for me.
CALLUM, FRIENDS and SCHOOL
I've met a few moms, but many of them don’t live downtown like we do. However, I have made connections through Callum's school, random meetings in the parks and Open House International (the organization for bringing together people from elsewhere and French people who have lived in other countries). Of the two connections through Callum's school one family moved on to the local primary school (Callum is in the Grande section, equivalent to kindergarten), but I hope to keep connecting with her anyways. The other family I’ve invited over for a playdate. What's great at this point is that we keep bumping into people that either I know or Callum know. It's becoming OUR town. And there are certainly many interesting people here.
There are many types of individuals/families who are attracted to living here (I'm talking specifically about transplanted people). There are the adventurers who are healthy of mind and body. They embrace change. There are those who are eager to leave where they were and just ended up here. There are many who found professional opportunity in Grenoble and stayed because they grew to love it. There are those who are unhealthy and here they can hide - ie. those who are estranged from their families or don't want to live by the rules of the country they were born into. Here they can lay low or be exotic or be righteous or blossom into who they were meant to be. I'm open to all, but am trying to cultivate relationships that are a mutual trade of energy/insights/etc... I don't have as much energy as I used to. I need to make sure I have enough chutzpa to keep my family on an even keel in a foreign environment.
In any case, because I cannot speak French, the % of the population that we have to choose friends from is as motley a hodge-podge as the group that was on the first boat from England to Oz. Therefore it will take time to find people who resonate - who get along with all three of us and vice versa. In the meantime, it's lonely. I can easily find people to hang out with, but not so easily find people who are ready, willing or able to "understand" me/us and incorporate the desires/delights of a 5 year old acrobat.
Regarding language acquisition, I inquired about French classes for Callum when we arrived. I wanted to help him prepare. The only thing I could find was tutoring at 40 Euros an hour. That's more than $60 Canadian! It seems that people believe kids will just get it by osmosis. I think they get it because they don't survive otherwise. Our friends' little girl, a year older than Callum, cried every day for the first 4 months. It's brutal. I ache for Callum a lot of times, and am grateful that he is social and brave. But I get very frustrated that I can't help smooth the way for him in regards to learning French. I can't even coach him or help him on the playground. Yesterday he came home with scratches all over his face - missing skin really near his eye. Callum told one story and his teacher told another. I'm not happy about this but we will prevail and I'll keep a close eye on the situation. I am hoping that the teacher will be good at preparing him for next year, while still providing the room and support for these kids to be kids. At least Callum has friends in his class, and he's not physically small(their age group is the oldest in the school, so I'm hoping there'll be less chance of bullying. Callum isn't a push-over, but some of the big kids last year were problematic).
While I'm concerned about the language issue and bullying, I do believe there are benefits to this school system. They certainly prepare the Grande section for academia, and the students are also offered a well-rounded curriculum. Callum's taking swimming classes for 16 weeks, they do gardening for six weeks in the fall and the spring, they participate in gymnastics, they attend choir on Monday mornings from January to June, they take field trips to museums and art galleries, they do visitations to homes for the aged, they have special projects on Thursday afternoons where the classes mix and each teacher provides a special theme not specifically focused on the three R's (maybe safety, special art projects, how to drive, music, animal care, etc.). And Callum doesn't have to "nap" at school anymore, which he is happy about.
Callum loves being social, so he's motivated to make friends and is well liked. But it's hard for him. He doesn't have a single English-speaking friend here that lives close by and sees on a regular basis. He's lonely even though he's intensely active and involved. This is the part of living in France that is hardest on our hearts.
HOMESICK
We're all homesick. We don't regret coming to France and there's a lot to appreciate here, but we definitely miss Canada. We miss our community of friends, family, the ocean, the ease of living in a place where we can understand the language and where service is a value many people share. I miss the writing community too. I know that when we don't live here anymore there are things we'll miss about the Isere region and Europe. I love how entwined human and natural history can be here. The Alps are amazing, we've done some great day trips, lots of hiking, attended cool festivals, and explored parts of England, Germany and Italy as well as France. The architecture is fantastic, the people are warm, and every day contains unexpected challenges and delights. It's exhausting though. It doesn't seem to get easier.
Callum is amazing. He's been hiking with us, sometimes up to 9 km in a day. There is such a plethora of places to explore around here. It will get easier for him as he learns more French. Kids gravitate towards him.
Colin has had a hard time. The French people he works with are sometimes resentful that English is the business language. As a result they ie. sometimes refuse to slow down their French or speak in English in internal meetings or in the cafeteria. He is making some good allies though and has a solid professional reputation. He went to Budapest for work one week this month and will likely be going to Spain next month. Schneider shows a lot of trust in his abilities. He's also biking back and forth to work on a path that follows the river, that helps him recalibrate and find some peace.
We're finding loads of things to do. The festivals are amazing. Two weeks ago we attended the Coupe Icare (www.coup-icare.org) which is an international festival of air (hot air balloons, paragliding, parachuting, etc.) and the next day I did a 7 hour hike over the Chartreuse mountains. I love the villages, the markets, the Alpine activities year round, the cafes, the way the French are passionate about everything and wear their hearts on their sleeves and then forgive or offer help just as fast as they can lose their tempers. They are also great rule makers and breakers, so it's fascinating to figure out how to "be" here.
As for me - I'm training for an ultra-marathon (in Holland, 200 km over 4 days) or an Olympic-length triathlon (in Annecy), working, taking French lessons and run the household. Given that even paying an electrical bill can take three times as long (because it's in French) I find life very busy. Plus there are school field trips to support, play-dates in French and Colin's family is in England and Scotland - I've spent 6 weeks up there this year. And we've had 4 sets of visitors from Canada already! I do need to get back to cultivating my writing though. I need it. I can feel it building inside me like a giggle behind a hand.
Our friends who were here a year and are going back to Victoria this week have just left our home. They came to drop off some camping books and a couple of fans. It made us feel so nostalgic to talk to them. Part of me is envious that they are returning to Victoria, to their community there, to the ocean. Colin is definitely blue.
We're starting to know more people. Yesterday around town we ran into three different families that we know. Unfortunately, if the adults speak English the kids still usually don't. Callum is still quite lonely. In the evening Callum and I were supposed to go to a play (we had free tickets). We walked and listened to thunder rumbling, and then the skies opened up on us. The lightening was flashing and the BOOM CRACK sounds following were crazy loud. It was right on top of us. The air was vibrating with electricity. Callum was mad, scared and screaming and I was soaked through in about 30 seconds (Callum had the wisdom to insist on bringing an umbrella). Callum marched home yelling, "I hate France" in beat to his footsteps. He swears he will never go outside again. I love the thunderstorms. It reminds me of prairie storms and drama in the sky when I worked in Florida and Ontario.
I'm getting better at managing our money here. It's still really challenging, but we're being quite disciplined so that we can eliminate our debt. We trying to balance out taking advantage of delicious choices for adventures here, and setting ourselves up well for the future.
Hope all is well with you.
Loads of love,
Ramona J. Bucknell
8th Anniversary Love Letter - September 1, 2009
(After 11 years of good lovin’)
This is a love letter.
When you begin reading it might not seem like one, but it is. Keep reading until the end.
Over the duration of our marriage we’ve navigated through many challenges …
• Between us we’ve had 10 surgeries in 11 years
o Back; shoulder; ectopic twins; D&C; Callum caesarean; D&C; knee; TL; Hernia x2
• Totaled one vehicle but owned 7 cars and 2 motorcycles in total
• Explored 14 countries and lived in 2
o Oz; New Zealand; Malaysia; Thailand; Cambodia; Laos; India; Scotland; England; Mexico; U.S.A.; France; Italy; Canada
• Experienced desert expanse, prairie flatness, bottoms of oceans and tops of mountains, from -52C to + 46 C
• We’ve driven across most of Canada four times. We’ve flown to the U.K. 6 times.
• We’ve lived in 11 places in less than 10 years
o We’ve made our home in Point Grey Vancouver, in a cabin by a lake, in a cabin by a frozen lake. We’ve owned a house that came with a coop and 6 chickens. Moved to Ontario, moved to Victoria, moved to France. The 11 places we’ve lived are: Collingwood, Vancouver; your dad and Shelagh’s; our house in Cloverdale; two cabins on the shoreline of Black Sturgeon Lake; Huntsville (Kelly and Sandy’s); Victoria (Fairfield Rd.; Carrick St.; and Newton St. [Shelbourne Apartments])
We’ve conceived five times. We’ve survived depression, two mental breakdowns and multiple kids in our home (with my daycare business). We’ve endured a law suit, a fraudulent tax accountant, being potless, both my parents having cancer, Callum’s numerous trips to emergency (in three countries) including three long hospital stays.
Professionally you’ve moved from a three-person family business to the hub of a global company. I’ve worked for not-for-profit agencies and high-tech corporations. I made it to the 2nd interview for ED of OB Canada. Together we’ve managed a base camp from conflict/community management, staff supervision, training and logistics to building and vehicle maintenance, energy source management and storm recovery. 24 hours a day 7 days a week we worked and played together and we thrived.
We’ve run dogsleds, hiked the Bugaboos, climbed glaciers, scuba-dived the Great Barrier Reef, walked around Uluru, water-sledged down a 7 meter waterfall, took the slow boat down the Mekong, skied at Whistler/Blackcomb, swam in the Mediterranean, made love on a roof-top, rock-climbed past Philosopher’s Perch, camped in Algonquin, hiked in the Lake District, trekked in the Alps and ran whitewater in kayaks and canoes. We’ve taken parenting courses, been to counseling and chilled out at Ko Phi Phi, Mazatlan, Powell River, Long Beach and Point No Point. We’ve eaten sushi, crocodile, peanut butter balls, bull’s balls, butter tea, bee larvae, haggis, dim sum, Mekong catfish, kangaroo tail and stir-fry on the streets of Bangkok containing mystery ingredients. We’ve been to the London Art Gallery, the Uffizi, and the Louvre. We’ve eaten Montreal bagels at 3 am and drunk Lao Lao with the locals. Over time we’ve adopted 2 cats, 4 fish, 6 chickens and neighbors. We’ve had better sex than 90% of the population (I haven’t interviewed the last 10%). We’ve moved countries and cultures.
We’ve created, with magic and the blessings of God and the Universe, a child; a full-on person; a Bucknell from Loewen-land. We’ve been awake at 4 am wondering why our kidlet is once again in our marital bed. We’ve watched him move every limb in a different direction at the speed of light, make jokes, orate elaborate stories, climb 25 feet up a tree, calmly pet a dog three times his size, organize and motivate a group in a game, sing a crying baby quiet. In amazement we’ve watched our incredibly social son adapt and make friends in a new culture where he can’t use his words. We watch him in amazement: inquisitive, freckled, brave. A small sturdy soldier holding an olive branch in a strange new world.
And we’re right there with him in the midst of this new adventure, struggling, persisting, overcoming; sometimes riding the wave and other times trying to put a bouncy castle between us and a crash and burn.
I get angry about it sometimes. Angry at myself for not learning French, angry about our finances, angry that you’re not happy (you were bored in Victoria though too). But I know we’ll survive it, weather it, grow from it and find our way home. Meanwhile, home must be each other, which is the way it should be.
So while we’re here, let’s be sensible with money but have some fun, invest in each other and our son … take the opportunity to solidify a relationship that is as battered, wily and good-humored as a pirate ship.
Take no prisoners but drink all the rum.
And decide to go home when the wind turns.
Cheer up Bucky-boy. Life is not permanent but spirit is, and I will love you always.
R
This is a love letter.
When you begin reading it might not seem like one, but it is. Keep reading until the end.
Over the duration of our marriage we’ve navigated through many challenges …
• Between us we’ve had 10 surgeries in 11 years
o Back; shoulder; ectopic twins; D&C; Callum caesarean; D&C; knee; TL; Hernia x2
• Totaled one vehicle but owned 7 cars and 2 motorcycles in total
• Explored 14 countries and lived in 2
o Oz; New Zealand; Malaysia; Thailand; Cambodia; Laos; India; Scotland; England; Mexico; U.S.A.; France; Italy; Canada
• Experienced desert expanse, prairie flatness, bottoms of oceans and tops of mountains, from -52C to + 46 C
• We’ve driven across most of Canada four times. We’ve flown to the U.K. 6 times.
• We’ve lived in 11 places in less than 10 years
o We’ve made our home in Point Grey Vancouver, in a cabin by a lake, in a cabin by a frozen lake. We’ve owned a house that came with a coop and 6 chickens. Moved to Ontario, moved to Victoria, moved to France. The 11 places we’ve lived are: Collingwood, Vancouver; your dad and Shelagh’s; our house in Cloverdale; two cabins on the shoreline of Black Sturgeon Lake; Huntsville (Kelly and Sandy’s); Victoria (Fairfield Rd.; Carrick St.; and Newton St. [Shelbourne Apartments])
We’ve conceived five times. We’ve survived depression, two mental breakdowns and multiple kids in our home (with my daycare business). We’ve endured a law suit, a fraudulent tax accountant, being potless, both my parents having cancer, Callum’s numerous trips to emergency (in three countries) including three long hospital stays.
Professionally you’ve moved from a three-person family business to the hub of a global company. I’ve worked for not-for-profit agencies and high-tech corporations. I made it to the 2nd interview for ED of OB Canada. Together we’ve managed a base camp from conflict/community management, staff supervision, training and logistics to building and vehicle maintenance, energy source management and storm recovery. 24 hours a day 7 days a week we worked and played together and we thrived.
We’ve run dogsleds, hiked the Bugaboos, climbed glaciers, scuba-dived the Great Barrier Reef, walked around Uluru, water-sledged down a 7 meter waterfall, took the slow boat down the Mekong, skied at Whistler/Blackcomb, swam in the Mediterranean, made love on a roof-top, rock-climbed past Philosopher’s Perch, camped in Algonquin, hiked in the Lake District, trekked in the Alps and ran whitewater in kayaks and canoes. We’ve taken parenting courses, been to counseling and chilled out at Ko Phi Phi, Mazatlan, Powell River, Long Beach and Point No Point. We’ve eaten sushi, crocodile, peanut butter balls, bull’s balls, butter tea, bee larvae, haggis, dim sum, Mekong catfish, kangaroo tail and stir-fry on the streets of Bangkok containing mystery ingredients. We’ve been to the London Art Gallery, the Uffizi, and the Louvre. We’ve eaten Montreal bagels at 3 am and drunk Lao Lao with the locals. Over time we’ve adopted 2 cats, 4 fish, 6 chickens and neighbors. We’ve had better sex than 90% of the population (I haven’t interviewed the last 10%). We’ve moved countries and cultures.
We’ve created, with magic and the blessings of God and the Universe, a child; a full-on person; a Bucknell from Loewen-land. We’ve been awake at 4 am wondering why our kidlet is once again in our marital bed. We’ve watched him move every limb in a different direction at the speed of light, make jokes, orate elaborate stories, climb 25 feet up a tree, calmly pet a dog three times his size, organize and motivate a group in a game, sing a crying baby quiet. In amazement we’ve watched our incredibly social son adapt and make friends in a new culture where he can’t use his words. We watch him in amazement: inquisitive, freckled, brave. A small sturdy soldier holding an olive branch in a strange new world.
And we’re right there with him in the midst of this new adventure, struggling, persisting, overcoming; sometimes riding the wave and other times trying to put a bouncy castle between us and a crash and burn.
I get angry about it sometimes. Angry at myself for not learning French, angry about our finances, angry that you’re not happy (you were bored in Victoria though too). But I know we’ll survive it, weather it, grow from it and find our way home. Meanwhile, home must be each other, which is the way it should be.
So while we’re here, let’s be sensible with money but have some fun, invest in each other and our son … take the opportunity to solidify a relationship that is as battered, wily and good-humored as a pirate ship.
Take no prisoners but drink all the rum.
And decide to go home when the wind turns.
Cheer up Bucky-boy. Life is not permanent but spirit is, and I will love you always.
R
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