We returned home from Geneva with one week of school left for Henry. The last Saturday before school gets out, his school hosts an end of the year festival for the families called Kermesse. Each class performs a dance, the kids play with water guns, they have a big dinner, and release the balloons for the school year. It was fun, but so different from anything I have ever been to in the U.S. for Henry's schools. It started at 3 pm and lasted until well after 11 pm!!! French events are a bit longer than American ones! ( well, maybe except swim meets!)
Here is Henry's class doing their dance- he looks like he was having fun!
Here the balloons are released to symbolize
the end of the school year.
So we are down to our last few days of school this week- finally!!! We won't complain since we get so much vacation time here, it's just odd to be in school in JULY!!
Here we are on the plane one year ago headed to France.
We celebrated our "Franciversary" Sunday night with a trip to one of our favorite spots ( it's actually Vietnamese!) for dinner and discussed all we had learned this year. The main thing we noted was the amazing time we have had as a family and how much we have grown individually and together. This year has certainly had its challenges for us as foreigners, but I am so thankful for this experience and how it has shaped our perspectives on so many areas of our lives. Thank you all for your encouragement and kindness to us in so many ways!
Here we are on our last day before my mom, Margaret/ "Honey" heads back to Birmingham. The temperature today is 103 degrees. We are HOT- there is no air conditioning anywhere because this kind of heat is unusual here. Last year at this time we were wearing sweatshirts. We have a system taught to us by other expats of keeping your apartment cool. It actually works- well, mostly. I think once you cross 100 degrees it's tough to keep anywhere very cool! We haven't let it stop us from having a wonderful time together!!!
