Notre Dame de L'Assomption Primaire

I really enjoyed the time I spent in the primary section of the school today. The kids were lovely. It is so strange to see such wee kids being dropped off at school at 7.30 - 8am though. The school has a 'Maternelle' section also. Most kids begin school at 3 years of age although it's not compulsory then. It is not what we call a creche - it is school! As I saw in Noumea, so many parents work, it's convenient for them to do this and have their kids get a good start! What a long day for littlies! They finish at 4.15pm. Most have school bags on wheels with a handle ( as College kids do)so they pull it along behind them. The Years 4,5 & 6 have homework every night, as the College kids do, so bags are very heavy by the looks of it!

Primary classrooms

 

The boys' toilet!

 

The history lesson this afternoon was particularly interesting. They were learning about the Battle of Verdun in WW1. Verdun is not far from here and I was amazed at the detail the kids understood and talked about e.g mustard gas etc. To be able to have these places on their doorstep gives them a different perspective from that our kids have. They had researched information on the internet at home for homework, printed it off  and highlighted key points before they brought them to school! Anne Giles, your influence far preceeds you!!

 

The 'naughty corner' outside the classroom! 

 

 I have discovered that the Ardennes region is to the south of here and not the north! I'm learning all the time! Tonight we are off to Belgium to a restaurant for dinner - how odd does that sound! Looking forward to new tastes. Danielle cooks wonderful food and she is showing me food very much traditional to the area - good rustic farmhouse stuff. I love it and it is very different from what I've had in France before. Last night we had salmon steaks baked lightly on a thick bed of sea salt! It was accompanied by potatoes and a Ch'ti endive dish. The endive was simmered in water with sugar (of course!) and heaps of pepper. It was delicious and looked like leeks. The liquid was dished up with the vegetable and I'm told they add potatoes to it to make soup in the winter. Most main dishes have a sauce with them. Bread of course, is served with every meal and it is used to sop up the juices so there is a practical use for it. Plates always look as though they've been licked clean!

 

I will be away tomorrow night so probably no blog till Sunday!