Oregon Beauty

Posted March 25th, 2008 by Jen in carnivals, education, family life, france/french
8 Comments »

This is a view of Mount Bachelor from Sparks Lake, from a hike we took last summer. Talk about The Perfect Day - we hiked and picnicked with dear family friends, and also our French exchange student. Of course, our French guest had to mention the Alps. Mount Bachelor is part of the Cascade Range, and is the youngest prominent volcano in the Three Sisters (three volcanic peaks) area. Apparently, none of the three sisters could win over the bachelor.

Anyway, I had to give you something pretty to look at while I make some public service announcements. Get your submissions in for the Christian Carnival by tonight, Midnight ET. Submit here, and also, Parableman has further information on the carnival. Publishing right here at Diary of 1 tomorrow.

Other blog carnivals of interest:

Make It From Scratch
Mothers and Daughters Blog Carnival
Carnival of Travel
Carnival of Homeschooling - up later today
Learning in the Great Outdoors - coming April 1
Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival

This concludes the public service announcement. You may continue to gaze at Oregon beauty.

Two homeschooling families on a log; same hike (my four kids on the right end):

Technorati Tags: blog carnival, Central Oregon, Christian Carnival, France, Mount Bachelor, Three Sisters

Blog Spotting to France and Back

Posted February 26th, 2008 by Jen in carnivals, france/french
4 Comments »

Why are there so many good blogs? Dang, it just eats up my time and I have to exercise great restraint. At any rate, Here are a few cyberstops that may be worth your time.

There’s the round of carnivals, including last week’s Carnival of Homeschooling and this week’s; a collection of insane blog posts, family-themed blogs, and Christian blogs, just to name a few.

As I was putting together my list of French books last week, I couldn’t help but spend a bit of time in France, bien sur, and came across a few très bon resources that you may enjoy. I was intrigued by an organic old-vine winery in Provence; I’d like a Postcard from Provence (a daily painting blog); some help with your French (the wife of the wine blog I mentioned); a family living the “aixtreme life” in Aix-en-Provence.

On the way back to this side, I stopped in the U.K. at a bend in the road. I discovered a new blog, just one month old, the fascinating faith journey of a boomer in the pew; some blogs which are new to me, but give great inspiration and charming art mixed with thoughtful words.

Have a terrific Tuesday!!

Technorati Tags: blogging, blog carnival

My French Book List for 2008

Posted February 20th, 2008 by Jen in book reviews, france/french
15 Comments »

Why French books? Mostly because I’m enamored with France, though I’m not entirely sure why. I began to learn the language in high school, and slowly began to absorb the culture, cuisine, and history of this fascinating place. On a trip to France after college, my fate was sealed: it was all better than I had imagined. I couldn’t get over the history and romance of the land. To stand in the Cathedral at Chartres which dates back to the 12th century, to walk through the gardens at Versailles, the halls of the Louvre, the vineyards of the Loire Valley, the beaches at Normandy — it was all breathtaking. I realize that every nation has its flaws and dark places, but I simply choose to love France. I appreciated this piece from Crunchy Con about his unreasonable love of France:

My love affair with France began when I was a little boy, not even old enough to read, and I listened to my elderly great-aunts tell tales of serving as Red Cross nurses in Dijon during the Great War. Aunt Hilda was seized by a Frenchman on the Champs-Elysees when the armistice was announced, and he kissed her madly. She pretended to be scandalized 60 years later. I thought it was amazing. Just think! The old ladies sat me on their leather couch in their cabin and showed me their photo album from France in the war, and I was in heaven.

I will not read all these books in 2008, I just know it. This is an ambitious list for a busy mom like myself, with so many other things to keep up on, but this is the Year of French for me, and my book list for the year is comprised entirely of books about France, the French, set in France, by a French author, or anything a Francophile would love. Without further adieu ado, here is my list of great French books - in English- (well, I hope they’ll be great…I’ll review them as I go), an eclectic mix of serious, light, and historical books. But for the acclaimed French classics, like Madame Bovary or The Count of Monte Cristo, go here.

1. Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky. This is the one book on my list that I’ve read already. I just finished it last week, and will review it shortly. Wow. Here is a piece of the review from The Washington Post’s Book World:

This extraordinary work of fiction about the German occupation of France is embedded in a real story as gripping and complex as the invented one. Composed in 1941-42 by an accomplished writer who had published several well-received novels, Suite Française, her last work, was written under the tremendous pressure of a constant danger that was to catch up with her and kill her before she had finished.

Irène Némirovsky was a Jewish, Russian immigrant from a wealthy family who had fled the Bolsheviks as a teenager. She spent her adult life in France, wrote in French but preserved the detachment and cool distance of the outsider. She and her husband were deported to Auschwitz in 1942, where he was gassed upon arrival and she died in the infirmary at the age of 39. Her manuscript, in minuscule and barely readable handwriting, was preserved by her daughters, who, ignorant of the fact that these notebooks contained a full-fledged masterpiece, left it unread until 60 years later. Once published, with an appendix that illuminates the circumstances of its origin and the author’s plan for its completion, it quickly became a bestseller in France. It is hard to imagine a reader who will not be wholly engrossed and moved by this book.

2. A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle. There are many books in this genre of American/Brit type of adventurous person who leaves it all behind to live in France, renovate a house, or open a restaurant. This is the beginning of the explosion of the genre, and from what I hear, a fabulous read. From Amazon.com:

Who hasn’t dreamed, on a mundane Monday or frowzy Friday, of chucking it all in and packing off to the south of France? Provençal cookbooks and guidebooks entice with provocatively fresh salads and azure skies, but is it really all Côtes-du-Rhône and fleur-de-lis? Author Peter Mayle answers that question with wit, warmth, and wicked candor in A Year in Provence, the chronicle of his own foray into Provençal domesticity.

3. Fields of Glory by Jean Rouaud. Set in the Loire Valley, this book has been beautifully translated from French; it’s the story of three generations and the memory of the battlefields of WWI. From Library Journal:

This book represents a dialog between two generations seemingly far apart: three elderly veterans of the post-World War I era from the French lower Loire Valley and their grandchildren. Set in the 1950s, the novel is mainly a journey through the memories of grandfather, grandmother, and Aunt Marie, which reach as far back as battlefields near Ypres and Verdun–the “fields of glory.” The memories are narrated from the perspectives of the grandchildren, whose initial boredom and impatience with the nostalgic stories from another era progressively become affection and understanding for the psychological urge to remember and be remembered. Rouaud was unknown even in France until he won the Prix Goncourt 1990, France’s highest fiction honor, for this novel.

4. The Diary of a Country Priest by Georges Bernanos. First published in 1937, this is the story of a young Catholic priest in an isolated French village, and his diaries of his faith and failures. From Amazon.com:

In this classic Catholic novel, Bernanos movingly recounts the life of a young French country priest who grows to understand his provincial parish while learning spiritual humility himself. Awarded the Grand Prix for Literature by the Academie Francaise, The Diary of a Country Priest was adapted into an acclaimed film by Robert Bresson. “A book of the utmost sensitiveness and compassion…it is a work of deep, subtle and singularly encompassing art.”

5. Blame it on Paris by Laura Florand. This is pure fun, ladies! American girl goes to Paris for study abroad, meets French boyfriend, ends up staying in France. Who doesn’t like a little French fairy tale? From Booklist:

Southern belle Laura is perfectly happy to spend her time as a graduate student in Paris gorging on chocolate, complaining about rude locals, and eschewing any sort of romance. Enter Sebastien, a cute waiter-aspiring graphic artist. What starts as a crush turns into a full-fledged relationship, and soon Laura is contemplating staying in Paris, and maybe even marrying. What follows is a sometimes hilarious and sometimes ridiculous adventure involving four weddings, two in rural Georgia and two in France. Florand’s romance relies heavily on cultural stereotypes and misunderstandings to set up humorous situations. Ultimately, it’s how well Laura and Sebastien’s families take to each other, and to helping the newlyweds, that generates the sweet surprise. This is a fun, frothy tale for anyone who has ever conjured up a dashing foreigner to sweep her off her feet.

6. God Still Loves the French by Marc Mailloux. Written by an American missionary with a deep passion for the French and a desire to share God’s love with them. From Stevan Horning, Reviewer:

Although Mailloux paints a bleak picture of France’s modern soul, he cherishes the hope that God’s power and grace continues to create beautiful souls in the spiritual desert that is France today. Proof of God’s effective love emerges mainly in the cameo portraits Mailloux gives of people he has seen convert from darkness to light. He writes with consistent humor, sprinkling each page with witty observations. No doubt he cultivates a light-hearted hope in order better to endure the exasperations of a twenty-year effort in that resistant mission field. He now broadcasts, teaches, and preaches to French-speaking Haitians, Quebecois, and Caribbean Islanders. An easy but thought-provoking read, full of truth. I have never seen another book on this subject.

7. Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World by René Girard. What I really wanted to read by René Girard was a book published fairly recently in Italian, Verità o fede debole. Dialogo su cristianesimo e relativismo (Truth or Weak Faith: Dialogue on Christianity and Relativism). It’s about what Girard believes is a coming Christian Renaissance. But I can’t find the book in English. So I’m going to read this one instead. Girard presents the idea that human culture is based on a sacrifice as a way out of the mimetic, or imitative, violence between rivals. Here’s a quick review of Things Hidden. You can read an excellent interview with René Girard here.

Girard is a French anthropologist and has been called one of the most influential intellectuals of our time. For a man with outspoken Christian views, it’s amazing to me that he’s held in such high regard in French intellectual circles, and has even been named to the Académie française.

8. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway. Time-travel to Paris in the 1920s - great art, beautiful women, literary icons. From Amazon.com:

In the preface to A Moveable Feast, Hemingway remarks casually that “if the reader prefers, this book may be regarded as fiction”–and, indeed, fact or fiction, it doesn’t matter, for his slim memoir of Paris in the 1920s is as enchanting as anything made up and has become the stuff of legend. Paris in the ’20s! Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley, lived happily on $5 a day and still had money for drinks at the Closerie des Lilas, skiing in the Alps, and fishing trips to Spain. On every corner and at every café table, there were the most extraordinary people living wonderful lives and telling fantastic stories.

9. French Women Don’t Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano. We all know the French paradox, and this book will enlighten us all, I’m sure! From Amazon.com:

Author Mireille Guiliano is CEO of Veuve Clicquot, and French Women Don’t Get Fat offers a concept of sensible pleasures: If you have a chocolate croissant for breakfast, have a vegetable-based lunch–or take an extra walk and pass on the bread basket at dinner. Guiliano’s insistence on simple measures slowly creating substantial improvements are reassuring, and her suggestion to ignore the scale and learn to live by the “zipper test” could work wonders for those who get wrapped up in tiny details of diet. She sympathizes that deprivation can lead straight to overindulgence when it comes to favorite foods, but then, in a most French manner, treats them as a pleasure that needs to be sated, rather than a battle to be fought.

10. My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud’Homme. From Publishers Weekly:

With Julia Child’s death in 2004 at age 91, her grandnephew Prud’homme (The Cell Game) completed this playful memoir of the famous chef’s first, formative sojourn in France with her new husband, Paul Child, in 1949. The couple met during WWII in Ceylon, working for the OSS, and soon after moved to Paris, where Paul worked for the U.S. Information Service. Child describes herself as a “rather loud and unserious Californian,” 36, six-foot-two and without a word of French, while Paul was 10 years older, an urbane, well-traveled Bostonian. Startled to find the French amenable and the food delicious, Child enrolled at the Cordon Bleu and toiled with increasing zeal under the rigorous tutelage of éminence grise Chef Bugnard. “Jackdaw Julie,” as Paul called her, collected every manner of culinary tool and perfected the recipes in her little kitchen on rue de l’Université (”Roo de Loo”). She went on to start an informal school with sister gourmandes Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle, who were already at work on a French cookbook for American readers, although it took Child’s know-how to transform the tome—after nine years, many title changes and three publishers—into the bestselling Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961). This is a valuable record of gorgeous meals in bygone Parisian restaurants, and the secret arts of a culinary genius.

11. Wine & War: The French, The Nazis, and the Battle for France’s Greatest Treasure by Donald Kladstrup. The Nazis’ looting of treasures went far beyond the works of art most of us are familiar with. From Library Journal:

Husband-and-wife journalists and contributors to Wine Spectator, the Kladstrups recount the dangerous and daring exploits of those who fought to keep France’s greatest treasure out of the hands of the Nazis. Whether they were fobbing off inferior wines on the Germans, hiding precious vintages behind hastily constructed walls, sabotaging shipments being sent out of France, or even sneaking people out of the country in wine barrels, the French proved to be remarkably versatile when it came to protecting their beloved wine. The authors craft a compelling read that shifts back and forth between individual tales of bravery, including those of five prominent wine-making families, and the bigger story of how World War II affected the French wine industry.

12. The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. by Sandra Gulland. The French Revolution comes to life, with Josephine Bonaparte center stage. From Amazon.com:

Since completing high school history, few of us have managed to keep straight the details of the French Revolution. Beyond suggestions of eating cake and the effectiveness of the guillotine, this sordid time period has remained–for many–somewhat obscure. Now, through the novel The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B., not only do we learn of the many differences between Robespierre and Rousseau, but we gain insight into the marriage of one of history’s greatest political couples: Napoleon and Josephine.

Standing beside the charismatic Napoleon, Josephine’s own importance and fascinating history have often been overshadowed. In a fictionalized account of Josephine’s diaries and her correspondence, author Sandra Gulland has shed light on Josephine’s pre-Napoleon life. This, the first of three books about Josephine, covers her childhood in Martinique, her first marriage, the birth of her children, her life during the revolution, and her marriage to Napoleon.

13. Murder in the Marais by Cara Black. A little French mystery to top off my list! This is the first book in the series starring detective Aimée Leduc, set in modern day Paris. From Publisher’s Weekly:

The initial installment of a projected series of mysteries set in Paris, this standout first novel introduces dauntless private investigator Aimée Leduc. The French-American, whose specialty is computer forensics, is confronted with a seemingly mundane task: to decipher an encrypted photograph from the ’40s and deliver it to an old woman in the Marais (the historic Jewish quarter of Paris). When Aimée arrives at the home of Lili Stein to present the photo, however, she finds the woman dead, a swastika carved into her forehead. Thus begins a thrilling, quick-paced chase involving neo-Nazis, corrupt government officials and fierce anti-Semitism. With the help of her partner, René, a computer hacking expert, Aimée uncovers tantalizing clues relating to German war veteran Hartmuth Griffe, the Jewish girl he saved from Auschwitz, a French trade minister and other enigmatic figures. But the data Aimée and René come up with only takes them so far. In order to understand the true motive behind the killing, Aimée must delve into history, confronting older residents of the quarter who’d prefer she leave the past alone. The suspense is high as she fraternizes dangerously with the enemy, even becoming briefly involved with an Aryan supremacist. Black knows Paris well, and in her first-rate debut she deftly combines fascinating anecdotes from the city’s war years with classic images of the City of Lights.

Are there any other Francophiles/bibliophiles out there who’d like to join me in reading any of the books listed here? I’d love some company along the way - we could have a cyber book club of sorts.

For more Thursday Thirteen lists, go here.

Technorati Tags: book list, France, French books, Thursday Thirteen

“Homeschooling is Illegal in France,” She Said.

Posted July 28th, 2007 by Jen in education, france/french
7 Comments »

My 15 year old niece, Karen, who has been staying with us this summer, along with Elise (who sadly just returned to France - we miss her!), asked me the other day that question that so many homeschoolers have heard: “How long do you plan on homeschooling?” What this question implies, as we all know, is that surely you won’t homeschool forever? At least you’ll send the kids to middle school or high school? Before I could even respond to Karen, Elise piped in, “Homeschooling is illegal in France.”

I immediately assured Elise that homeschooling was, in fact, legal in France. Not so in Germany, but France, yes. Elise would not back down. She insisted over and over that it was illegal, that her teachers had told her so. I’ll try not to go on a rant about that kind of propaganda, but the source of her information infuriated me. It wasn’t until I sat her down at the computer and showed her Les Enfants d’Abord that she relented. I wanted her to see, in her own language, the truth of the matter. Homeschool Legal Defense Association is also a good source of information on the legality of homeschooling across the world, but for Elise, she needed French intelligence.

I asked Elise why she thought her teachers would have told her homeschooling was illegal. She could barely stand to admit that she was wrong about this. “I think because it’s not normal,” was her reply. Of course, she doesn’t actually know any homeschoolers. That’s propaganda for you, mes amis.

Let me take a moment to highlight a family successfully homeschooling in France, the Hoffmeisters. This family of five up and moved to France about four years ago! They set aside their homeschooling way of life initially, opting for the French schools to help the kids with the language immersion. After a few years of great difficulty for one of the children in particular, the Hoffmeisters resumed homeschooling in France. Despite what many consider to be heavy regulation on homeschooling in France, such as annual inspections and certain mandated educational outcomes, they are doing it!

By the way, the Hoffmeister Family has started a wonderful home business to help with the costs associated with homeschooling, such as the fact that one of the parents is most likely to be without an income. Since we have a family business as well, I just love supporting other families in this endeavor whenever I can.

Their business is called A Present From France. Since my children have been learning French for the past several years, I’m always on the lookout for creative ways of teaching. The variety of items included in this “care package” are sure to please all. I will most definitely be adding A Present From France to my repertoire!

Here’s what it is, as explained on the website:

Imagine, every two months receiving a ‘present’ from your new penfriend Juliette who lives in France. In your present you will receive lots of lovely gifts to help you learn French; toys, games, worksheets, CD’s with stories and songs, posters, bookmarks and lots more. It’s a fantastic way for your child to learn French and have fun at the same time. I’ll bet they can’t wait for the next box!!

And from the About Us section of their website:

‘A present from France’ is produced by The ‘Hoffmeisters’, a home educating family who live in a little village called Moncontour in Brittany, north west France. Being lucky enough to have a recording studio installed into their 17th century home, they have been able to write and produce their own music and story tapes, an integral part of the ‘presents’. With the help of French teachers, French speech specialists and friendly natives to advise, proof-read and perform on the audio CDs, ‘A present from France’ has come into existence. 


For Americans, you need to email for pricing. info@apresentfromfrance.com.

If you are a homeschooling family in France, I’d love to hear from you!! Bonne chance pour tout.

The French Atheist Still Wanted Jesus on the Cross

Posted July 24th, 2007 by Jen in france/french, religion
12 Comments »

I took Elise to church this past Sunday. Mostly because she had never been to church before, except for a wedding or two. And she was soon returning to France, so I wanted to be sure to include this visit in her small tour of America.

I wrote earlier about some perceptions this French teenager has of America. I don’t entirely understand her view of American religious life, but here’s what I observed.

We pulled into the parking lot of the church I chose for her to experience. “It’s so modern!” Her country’s churches, as you can probably guess, look more like the Notre Dame of her famous city. “It’s so big!” Yes, I did take her to one of the largest churches in this small town, but by no means is it what Americans would consider a megachurch.
Then we escorted the children to their respective Sunday School classes. She was surprised at the gaiety of the rooms, colorfully decorated and with plentiful activities. As we walked the halls, we passed a large rack filled with bread and other food items, part of the church’s Food Pantry Ministry for the poor or homeless. She was shocked to see food displayed inside a church. Some sort of violation of these sacred halls, maybe?

“Is there a concert today?” she asked, as we entered the sanctuary with worship in session. She saw a stage set up with a band and several singers, and the quality of the music was so outstanding, she thought it must be a performance. Kudos to the worship band at this church, it was amazing.

Elise nudged me again. “Where is the Christ on the Cross?” she wanted to know. I pointed to the large wooden cross on the wall. “But the Christ?” I’m so used to being in Protestant churches it took me a moment to understand what she was saying. I told her that Jesus rose from the grave after three days, so He was no longer on the cross.

Then came the laughter. The preacher was telling jokes, and the entire congregation was laughing out loud. This totally shocked her. I had to explain to her why it was funny, and in my opinion completely appropriate, for the pastor to joke about an old, unmarried lady at a conference, who, upon being asked her life verse, gave the scripture about “If any man would come after Me, let him.”

“This does not seem religious,” she stated firmly. I just can’t believe this is religious - over and over again this was the confusion in her head. Exactly!! It’s not religious, it’s faith, relationship, fellowship…

Why in the world would a young French girl who considers herself an atheist even care about any of these things? Every one of her comments or observations thus far had come from a critical place - not against church, really, but the fact that this church was different from what she knew in France. I concluded several things. First, it’s human nature to be critical of anything new, unknown, or different. It’s funny, because even with her incredibly limited church experience, she still knew enough from her culture and society to know that this American church was strange and unfamiliar.

I also concluded something about her unbelief in God. Having not given me an exact reason for why she doesn’t believe, I assumed a few motives. France has a very high rate of folks who report they are either atheist, agnostic, or simply don’t believe in God. Somewhere between 47% and 54%, depending on what study you examine. Compare that to an unbelief rate of just 3% to 9% in the U.S.A. Thanks in huge part to the French Revolution and the following rise to power of the Jacobins. There followed the Reign of Terror, in which more aggressive atheists sought to de-Christianize France. Religion was replaced with reason, and much of this influence remains today.

Elise is very in tune with French culture and society, and probably just accepts atheism as a normal way of thinking. She says her father is an atheist, but her mother believes in God. Her family does not practice any religion and does not encourage her to do so. “They wish me to choose what I want,” she explained. She doesn’t have any Christian friends, except her best friend’s mother. And this woman, from what Elise described to me, is involved in the occult. Moving glasses around the table, calling up spirits…this is the only person (other than her mother) Elise could tell me about that she knew and considered to be a Christian. I begged Elise to steer clear of that activity.

Some French paradoxes emerged as I continued discussions with Elise. She does not believe in God, but does believe in angels (”Just one person could not have created the world, but perhaps many angels”). She does not believe in biblical prophesy, but does believe that some guy on a French radio talk show can tell people’s future. She does not believe that it’s healthy for children to be taught that there is a God, but she wants children to believe in the tradition of Santa Claus.

So, this French atheist wants the crucifix displayed in church, maybe because that is her norm. She has been enculturated with being “normal,” which makes sense for a socialist, secular country.

Oh, but she was really, really impressed with the free buffet of snacks and drinks available to all after the church service. “I might go to church in France if it was like this,” she announced in between bites of delicious cake, and I half think that would be the case. And you know what? I’m certain the Holy Spirit was/is at work, drawing her to Himself. The following morning, my radio happened to be on, tuned into the local Christian station. “Everyday” (It’s You I’ll live for) from Hillsong Australia came on, which we had just sung in church. Elise recognized the song, and later told me she liked the song, and wondered where she might find it. Hmmm, interesting. As the pastor said at the end of the service, “It is no coincidence you are here today.” Perhaps concerts and free food will convert the French.

In Which We Are Not Like The French

Posted July 5th, 2007 by Jen in france/french
7 Comments »

Our dear guest Elise has arrived from France. She will survive her trip to the U.S.A. despite 100 degree weather to which she is not accustomed. That would be 37.7 degrees Celsius.

Waffles are not for breakfast and are especially not served with butter and syrup. Perhaps plain for lunch or with other various toppings at dinner. Bacon and eggs are also not for breakfast. Just bread and coffee, please. But the Ile Flottant dessert Elise prepared for us last night was made with 6 eggs and over a quart of milk.

Our roads are too big, our cars are too big, our stomachs are too big. We Americans are gluttonous, McDonald’s eating, environment killing, religious freaks. Yes, these are some of Elise’s many perceptions of this big country. I hope to put some to rest, but others will never be removed. Some for good reasons, others for deep-seated cultural differences.

This really is fun. As much as Elise has some serious French issues with America, she loves our T.V. shows, our music, our movies, our stars (as in Hollywood). We about choked when she said she listens to Snoop Dog. And so do all of her French friends. If that is her view of American music, God help us.

My husband let her borrow his iPod (filled with worship music), and upon returning it, she said, the music is nice, but it’s all religious. She has very strong barriers up to religion. As we passed a Catholic church in town, I said, “Est-tu Catholique?” “Non, rien.” She is nothing. Irreligious. Like most of France, other than the burgeoning Muslim population. I’m fervently praying for this very sweet girl, but rarely have I sensed such fierce opposition to God. Ah, there is a reason she is a guest in my home.

The Shriners are a sect which would not be allowed in France because they are dangerous. This observation came from Elise as we watched the 4th of July parade yesterday. Personal fireworks are very rare; most of the French enjoy Bastille Day (France’s Independence) with the city fireworks only. She was delighted with our little firework celebration at home.

Daily we discover ways in which we are not like the French. Sometimes it’s really funny (what, you don’t eat rabbit?), other times it’s troubling.

Preparing for Elise

Posted May 6th, 2007 by Jen in education, family life, france/french
6 Comments »

We have the great pleasure of hosting a student from France this summer. I’m a serious Francophile, so this is awesome for me! I’ve been thinking about what I can do to prepare for her visit, to make it as memorable as possible for her. For those of you out there who have hosted an international student, or been hosted, feel free to pass on your words of wisdom.

Elise is fifteen years old, and lives in a small village outside Paris. She speaks German, some English, some Danish, and of course, French. I tell you, those Europeans and their languages - we Americans have a few things to learn. The letter she sent to introduce herself was adorable. (Voici le courrier d’Elise destiné à ce présenter…) I wondered what she must think of America and Americans…”I like pets, but I’m little anxious when they are big and wild.” “I eat everything, but I don’t like dry fruits.” “I’m not a good climber, so if we go to hill walking, I’m not very stirring.”

I stumbled across this fun opportunity through my dear friend, Catherine. Catherine is from France, and is hosting her nephew this summer. The nephew is only ten years old, and understandably his mother wanted a travel partner for him. Elise is a family friend, and given her love of travel and foreign languages, she was the perfect fit. Catherine just couldn’t stuff another person in her home, and when she asked me, I jumped at the chance. Catherine doesn’t live far from me, so we’ll all get to spend a lot of time together.

So, I’m preparing. The language, of course, was the first thing on my mind. Although French was one of my college majors, my skills are pitiful, in my opinion. I completed my undergraduate work fifteen years ago (is that possible?), and in the years since, have done little language work. I did start teaching my kids French about a year and a half ago, and that has actually been quite helpful - the teacher must know the subject ahead of the kids and I was forced to get myself back in shape. We’ve also been meeting with Catherine and her kids once a week for French conversation and games - this is invaluable! Better than any of the French children’s curriculum or books or videos - we’ve used Le Francais Facile, Muzzy, The Learnables and love them all- but if you’re trying to learn a foreign language or get a refresher, there’s nothing better than a native (except moving to the country in question)! Also very helpful for adult learners is the free website learner.org by Annenberg Media. Their French in Action video instructional series is something I used in college, and have been revisiting lately as well (I feel like Mireille and Robert are my friends).

I have to insert here the funny story of how I met Catherine. I was standing in the checkout line of Fred Meyer, our local grocery/merchandise store, and I heard from the customer ahead of me an accent! I could be mistaken, I thought, but that English sounds very French. I, who am constantly embarrassing my husband by talking to strangers, immediately pounced on her. Are you French? She was. I begged her to call me, and gave her my phone number. She must be the only French person in this entire little Central Oregon town, and I’m not about to let her get away. Much to my surprise and delight, she didn’t think I was a raving lunatic, and she called me several weeks later, and the rest is history…I now count her among my dearest friends.

Back to preparations. She must have a room. The room I’m sitting in right now, typing away, will transform from my office and storage room to Elise’s room. This means several trips to Goodwill to get rid of stuff that I store and haul from house to house…why do we do these things? Get rid of it. I have a lovely picture of the French countryside (posted there to the right) that I’m moving from my living room to this room, to keep her company. Oh, and I still need a bed.

I have some recreation and travel plans for our family while she’s here, including trips to the Oregon coast, the zoo, OMSI, a local museum, Smith Rock (but nothing too “stirring”), and just hanging out. I don’t want to overwhelm her, but I want to bless her socks off with a good time! What do you think? What is a French girl’s expectation of spending a month in Oregon, USA?

photo credits for Eiffel Tower: http://www.offrench.net/photos/gallery-5.php