Wednesday, September 10, 2008

La rentrée

In France pretty much nothing gets done between, oh, I'd say May and August, though the French will only admit to the deadlock between July and August. Then comes "La Rentréé". Beginning of September everything comes back to life : school starts, gym classes, leisure activities, and athletic clubs start back up, the governement comes back from hibernation with the passage of various stupid laws, you can actually take care of paperwork again, you can apply for jobs, etc... Unless you've lived here to see this first hand, you'll think I'm exaggerating...I'm not!
So, kids are back in school. They are going to the public school instead of their Catholic school of the past few years. They are doing very well! Lots of new friends and Rémi has a new girlfriend, Lisa. I really like their school and Rémi's teacher seems great. I will meet Alex' teacher for the class meeting tomorrow and will get to talk one on one with Rémi's teacher on Monday of next week to talk about her innovative teaching methods and how they are going to work with Rémi...
Rémi is going to do competion swimming this year and Alex is going to do girl scouts. Things are looking great for them. The schedule is more laid back, I get to see them more, and they seem more relaxed. I'm really happy for them and glad we decided to change schools. Wish we had earlier!
Another crazy thing about this country - every single employee has the right to "continuing education". Some classes are offered by the employer for groups of employees together. But you also cumulate 20 hours/ year that you can use outside of your job. You can ask for any education that you want, even if it has nothing to do with your job though you typically try to stay within your realm. On top of this, every employee has the right to ask for an 80% paid year off to pursue an education that is typically paid for by a government agency and again can be outside of your realm. Is this crazy or what??? No wonder France is in major debt. Of course, George Bush can also do that to a country, huh...
Anywho, I want to take advantage of the 71 hours I have saved up and eventually ask off for a year. But I'm not quite sure in what. I have several things that really interest me : I've been wanting to go to massage school for a long time. And that can be justified in the ICU if the hospital is avant-gardist... The massage school works by week long classes and 3 weeks gives you a first certificate, 18 weeks the full certificate and you can branch out into different modules as well (relation d'aide, sophrologie...) which would also be helpful in my job OR in opening up my own massage salon!!! One of my dreams. (don't laugh) And I have this other dream of becoming a yoga instructor (really, don't laugh!). And I could even take a year off to train for psyhco-motricienne. I want to do this by starting off small with my 3 week deal and then going for the year of schooling but in which sector??? Hmmmmm.......
I'm off this week and want to get my project written up to ask for the 3 week course but want to make sure I go for the right thing. It's only a plus in my job, but I also want to think long term as the ICU is very stressful and about has gotten the best of me. I want to eventually get into another line of work but want to make the right choice this time. Three years of nursing school to realize you don't really like it is not something I want to make the mistake of doing again.
Looks like it's La rentrée for my blog as well! Hehehe Sorry! Let me get a pic in here to liven things up a bit.

This is La bambooseraie, a beautiful privately owned bamboo garden and plant "library" near where we live. The family went on a two day one night minivacation to a few tourist attractions within an 8 hour loop of the house.

We also went to la cave des demoiselles, the Haribo factory, and canoeing. That was really fun! All of us, even Christophe who isn't fond of water really enjoyed that. I have to add, though, that the water was about 1 foot deep and the "rapids" were not rapid. And can a add (snicker snicker snicker) that Christophe wore a life jacket anyway.
Wow, I've rambled on enough I guess. Hope you are all well! Thinking of you.
Tyler's tests come in?
Ben doing ok in school?
Belly getting bigger Nicci? (as if i don't know the answer to that)
Wendy - I lvoe hearing from you - thanks for getting back in touch!
Dianne, where are you?
Hi mom!
Hope, hope you are well, you're in my prayers daily.
Hello Caracolina.
Allison, Dad, Charlie and Karla, hope to "see" you more often.

5 comments:

Wendy said...

Wow Becca, your life sounds so exotic and interesting!!! I love seeing pictures of your children and you are still so pretty, you haven't changed at all (well, except for your hair-- remember when you cut off your little black braid/tail and gave it to me?) I'm in the same boat that you are, education-wise. I realized that I didn't want to do anything with the degree I got (liberal arts). My career for years has been the writing, but now that my boys are older and more independent, I find myself wondering what I want to be when I grow up! I know in a few, all too short, years they will be off on their own, and I don't want to be left alone with empty-nest syndrome and bored out of my mind! I'm interested to know what you end up choosing, but I didn't understand what the psycho-something was! Keep us posted!!!

Nicci said...

Look at you keeping up-to-date with a long post!

All of the things France has to offer almost makes me want to be a socialist. :P

My belly, of course, is ginormous. Today someone told me I was "quite sizable," someone else told me, "You look like you're about to pop," and a third person told me, "No way you're going to make it 'til your due date."

So. I'm mightily fat and uncomfortable, but I'm down to LESS THAN two months.

Anonymous said...

yea for becca keeping blog updated. i so love reading about all you're doing and seeing pics of kids,etc. keep on keeping on. love ya, mama

Kendra said...

Wow...I am really impressed. Remi could be the next Michael Phelps. Of course, he would represent the United States in the Olympics. And Alex could be...well, I can't think of a famous girl scout. Although, my famous women have been girl scouts. Oh...do they sale the cookies there too?? I am really excited about the possible changes going on for you. It is a lot to think about. I wish I new what to tell you, but I don't know what I want to be yet. I'm in the same boat with Wendy. Although, I don't yet need the life-vest (ha ha). Why are there no pictures of DH?

Wendy said...

Yeah, I wanna see DH! (I never have you know--)