A report

As of the morning of day 2 of French school, we had a 50% success rate...Kathleen was thrilled…Her teacher was “cool” (her word), a few girls had asked her to play with them at recess, and she had decided that math was now her favorite subject since she could understand it! She was eager to go back to school, and even looking forward to getting there before the bell rang so that she could play in the courtyard for a few minutes with her soon to be new friends. Lucie…not so much. Day 1 at college (which I learned is ‘junior high’ and includes 9th grade) was “hard” (her word). She reported that school was different than she had expected it to be and reminded her of middle schools that are depicted in movies. She recanted her foibles with humor, but I could tell that it had been a tough day.

So, on day 2, I accompanied her again to school and got some of basic issues clarified so that she would be armed with more information, and hopefully have a more successful day…After a few tears (hers and mine!), I left her in the sea of French teenagers and hoped that she would swim. Day 2 was a very long day for this mother! I picked up Kathleen for lunch and she filled me in on the success of her morning…Monsieur Blanchard had shown a picture she had drawn to the class and complimented her on her completed homework. During lunch, she watched the clock so that she would get back to school in time to play for a few minutes before lunch period was over, and we practically skipped back to school for her afternoon classes. I was watching the clock too…waiting until I could go pick up Lucie at 5pm.

We decided that Bucky would pick up Kathleen after school and that I would head to the college early so that I could park and wait for school to end. The pick-up procedure (or lack thereof) would drive Jane Davis bananas…most kids take the bus and there are about 6 or 7 HUGE busses that come into the parking lot in the afternoon. They aren’t the normal yellow school busses that we Americans are used to, but these gigantic busses that people usually take for tours and trips. They are really big! Plus, the car-drivers park and pull up to various curbs in a very French-way so, as I approached the pickup point on Monday afternoon, I decided then and there that I would go early every afternoon (and take a book or knitting!), park and wait patiently for Lucie. So, that was exactly what I did on day 2. (Although I will admit that I was probably not as patient as I could have been because I was anxious to find out how Lucie’s day had been!) At 5pm, the doors of the school opened up and the dark-clad masses started dashing to the busses and the parked cars. Luckily, Lucie wears a precious red coat, so I could spot her from a mile away. I asked her how her day had gone and she said “good” (her word). She even smiled! She filled me in on the happenings of the day (eating fish at lunch, listening to the history lecture in French, answering silly questions about the US) on the way home. I listened with excitement and relief…real relief…and was happy to report the positive day to Bucky and Kathleen when we arrived home.

Today (day 3) is Wednesday and here in France, the elementary school kids don’t have class at all and the college students just have a half day - until noon. So, when I head back to college shortly to pick-up Lucie, I will be hoping for a good report. I guess I have a 50-50 chance! Stay tuned…