Beau temps

At the moment everything is blooming. In the space of roughly a week everything has turned bright green, pink and white, the sky is deliciously blue and Becca and my spirits are high because school's nearly over.

Of course there will be some things I will miss. This week the old assistant Cecelia, who did my job last year, came to visit us, all the way from Boston. On Monday we went to school together. My Monday kids and I are beginning to get a better understanding and things have been running more smoothly. They were all very happy to say hello to Cecelia, though it thoroughly threw them to see us together and despite us being about a foot apart in height and totally different in appearance many asked if she was my sister. Likewise when I explained to one of the classes that Cecilia came from America and I come from England, one of the girls piped up, 'ah, she lives in Africa!'. Some things really are just too difficult.

However, when I left each class I explained, next week will be my last week, the reaction on Monday was generally disappointment. My first class were mildly disappointed and one girl offered kindly that I could come and live with her in France. The second class more so and prompted one of the boys to howl, I want you to stay with me, which was met with paralytic laughter. And finally my little class were outraged and when they went out to play and I followed into the playground two of the girls came up and wrapped their arms round me and said very solemnly, 'Amy, tu va nous manques' (the very awkward french translation of 'we will miss you,' literally, 'you are going to miss us').

Sunday night Cece, Becca and I went out for dinner and had tapas at a new restaurant in town. It wasn't bad, there were some dodgy mussels, and a poor selection of bread, but some delicious cheese and honey parcels, meatballs and fried calamari, all washed down with a jug of sangria. We had a very friendly waiter who spoke some english with us, and one of my old teachers arrived later, came and sat next to us, and scolded me for speaking in french ('you are here to learn french, you should be speaking in french!' all in good humour of course). Cece treated us to the meal which was really very kind of her, and it was a nice memorable evening to spend in Apt, eating outside, before we shortly leave.

Tuesday was good also. I did feelings with my children, 'I am afraid, I am fed up...' and again told them I would be leaving the next week so we could play games. Again they seemed disappointed, especially my favourite little ones, and my teachers pet, Alba, who said 'Amy, est-qu'on peut faire un bingo?' (I played bingo with them the first or second week I was there, and she has asked every single week if we can play bingo since. I promised next week would be the week.) 

The weather remains beautiful, and I'm hoping it will last for Mum, Dad and Kate who arrive in two weeks. Until then, à la prochaine fois!