Dear Friends and Family,
Our few days in the Loire Valley were both relaxing and productive. We picked right up with our language lessons, with a particular focus on vocabulary that would come in handy with our students' French host families. We learned about the different rooms in a house, a typical daily routine, and how to say, “Can I help you with the dishes?”. We also played some games that got the kids to describe their own families and interests so that they could better inform their hosts as to who they are as individuals. We even played Jeopardy to quiz them about what we have accomplished so far on our trip and where we will be going.
While we were in Blois we visited a number of beautiful chateaux. We saw Amboise, complete with the chapel that is home to Leonardo da Vinci’s remains, learned about Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici at Chenonceau, checked out the beautiful spiral staircases at Chambord, and watched the hunting dogs feast at Cheverny. And then, just to mix it up, we went kayaking down the Loire River! All in all it was a lovely time, and we ate well too!
Yesterday afternoon our students joined their welcoming host families; we have told them to call us at any point if there are any problems. So far we haven’t received any phone calls, so no news is good news! The kids will be spending two full days with their families, going to the beach, exploring Montpellier, going to movies, etc. before we all meet up on Friday for a canoe excursion. By “all” I mean to include their French 'siblings' as well, which should be really cool. More updates to come on host family experiences!
à bientôt,
Tim and Laura
