tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80838597888049634602024-03-13T11:30:28.853-07:00Fairytales From France..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-19447825661487120742018-12-21T11:38:00.001-08:002018-12-21T11:53:20.900-08:00Our Charming Village in FranceAlthough I’ve mentioned that the village Issigeac that we’re staying in is well known for its huge Sunday market, it has so much more to offer than just that. The house we are staying in is a three story stone house, medieval style on the outside with the standard working French shutters, of course, on door and windows. It is open plan living/kitchen on the ground floor with a wood burning stove, beautiful stone walls, tiled floor and high beamed ceiling. On the next level, there is a huge master bedroom, a charming office/single bedroom and a bathroom with bath/shower combo, a sink and toilet in same room. (Often in France, the toilet is in a separate room). The top story has another full bathroom and a large bedroom with slanted ceiling and a sitting area. The house is charming and cozy, the kind where you instantly feel at home. The girls and I are so comfortable in our French home that we venture out reluctantly!!!! Even the pigeons that we hear softly cooing on the roof each morning add to the ambiance! Our residence is located in the village but has some privacy the way the front entrance is facing a private lane. Outside there are two nice gardens and also a separate courtyard with outbuildings, beautiful trees and plants, certainly a lot more than you’d expect for a house in town!!!!<br />
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The town is circular in shape and dates back to the 13th century. Our house is on Rue Sauveterre... (See #6 on the map)<br />
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The Tourist Office has a imposing residence in The Palace of Bishops, a 1660 castle built on the site of an old abbey. The beautiful Gothic style church is listed as a historic monument.<br />
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The village has a river that meanders its way around the outskirts along with several parks and loads of parking areas. While walking through the picturesque streets, I was fascinated that you actually walk under houses that have a second story but no ground floor. Wonder if the home owner’s own the street level too (as market stalls set up in those sheltered spaces)?<br />
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The girls and I meander through the village's network of lanes and streets, never tiring of admiring the incredible design and individuality of each house, not to mention the history that oozes from each one and the stories they all secretly hold within their walls!</div>
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<br />..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-37503811792118025762018-12-19T15:08:00.000-08:002018-12-21T11:12:15.041-08:00Chateau de Duras on a Sunny AfternoonThe girls and I took another scenic drive to the village of Duras, just over half an hour away from our Issigeac on narrow country roads. The majestic <i>Chateau de Duras</i> rests regally in front of the town of Duras, an impressive sight with beautiful countryside flowing down from the castle as far as the eye can see...... Jess, Blue and I felt like royalty ourselves today when we were the only ones touring this impressive relic of French history......dating back to the 12th century, it boasts owners such as the uncle of Pope Clement V, the Duke of Aquitaine, the King of England and the King of France......It took us a couple of hours to wander around the extensive interior that had several stories, including banquet halls, kitchens, sleeping chambers, a "Room of Secrets", and even a "Ghost's Room"!!!!! What authentic castle wouldn't have at least one resident Spirit of the Past?!!! And we got our exercise for the day climbing the very narrow circular stone staircase (that seemed to go on forever) till finally we reached the top of the tower and a stunning rooftop view of the whole area bathed in sunshine on this glorious day.<br />
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..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-56964975699045665702018-12-19T03:45:00.000-08:002018-12-19T03:45:24.755-08:00Montflanquin and The Crab Claw Tree!Less than a half hour drive from Issigeac is the bastide town of Montflanquin. We were thrilled at the picturesque drive heading up on a straight road towards the town as it sits on top of a hill with the church at the highest point. There was a huge empty parking lot near the church so the girls and I parked there and walked around the town. Montflanquin was built in the 1200’s as a fortified town with a wall around it. The surrounding wall no longer exists. As a bastide town, it was designed with a central square with streets leading off in a grid pattern. The girls and I walked around the deserted town square, admiring the beautiful houses and windows decorated for Christmas . A market is held in the square every Thursday. <br />
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On a side street leading into the square we passed a curious sea shack, <i>La Cabane du Pécheur </i>(The Fisherman's Cabin)<i> </i>with a tree next to it decorated in crab claws. How random is this???? and no, this is not near the sea!!!! We have no idea what the meaning of this is and unfortunately, the tourist office was closed as were all the shops so we will have to investigate further on a future trip!!!!! Definitely need to know the story of this oddity!</div>
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..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-68450100530696935542018-12-18T07:15:00.001-08:002018-12-18T07:15:30.288-08:00Our First Morning: The MarketThe girls and I were so exhausted after all our long trip from USA to France but after arriving, we made a quick trip to the Intermarché to pick up a few necessities (water, milk, teabags, bread, butter, etc.), knowing that the shops might be closed the next day Sunday, and possibly Monday too (which they were!). We were starving coz we hadn't had time during our layovers to grab a bite at the airports like we thought we would, so we just had a quick dinner and headed to bed. Our beds were super comfy and we all slept great. Thought I'd be bothered by one of the cats in the house sleeping on his cushion at the bottom of the bed but I was too tired to care!!! I had to wake the girls up in the morning so we wouldn't miss the Sunday market in Issigeac......luckily it was only two lanes away! Gotta love being in the village and everything right on our doorstep!!!!!<br />
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I had been to the Issigeac market before in the summer where it was HUGE spreading through the square and side streets of the village. Although it is considerably scaled back in winter, they still had a lot more than I expected. The first stall we came to had chickens roasting on a rotisserie and the smell got our tummies rumbling! There were a variety of dried sausages, home made jams, honey, huge variety of cheeses, fresh truffles, clothes stalls and other trinkets to name a few. Quite the turnout for a disappointingly drizzly day! I bought a fresh baquette (a daily requirement for the French!), and a few pastries for breakfast. A farmer was selling a selection of paté off his own farm so I bought a duck one to try for the cheap price of €3.60. I also got a piece of fresh goat's cheese and then went to look at wine from one of the many wine stalls. A friendly Frenchman was handing out generous samples of each wine to try in real wine glasses, and a new glass for each sample. I picked a bottle of wine that I liked (I'd be liking them all if he kept handing me glasses of wine!!!). We had a quick look through the clothes stalls and Jess saw designer leggings that she liked and they were only €6 so we bought a pair along with some lacy hair scrunchies. By then, Blue was feeling a bit sick, still exhausted from the long trip, so we stopped at another rotisserie stall and bought a <i>coquette</i> <i>au jus</i> which was smaller and cheaper than the chickens (<i>poulet</i>)).......thinking it might be a young chicken but in France, it could be anything!<br />
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Seamus staking his claim..... <span style="font-size: x-small;">Blue & Jess, two sleepyheads, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> going to the market</span></div>
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Amazing selection of fresh flowers for winter.....</div>
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Me, at the market stalls in the church square......</div>
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Thinking I did pretty good with my market purchases!!!!!!</div>
..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-85025146104575413182018-12-16T16:18:00.000-08:002018-12-16T16:18:18.377-08:00Chasing Rainbows! As 2018 nears to an end, I desperately needed a place to clear my mind, recharge my weary bones and boost my low spirit by celebrating the end of a pretty crappy year, so I got the rusty brain wheels spinning and came up with a plan to return to the <i>Land of a Thousand Chateaux</i> in the Dordogne region of France. I can't believe it has been over three and a half years since the girls and I were last here!!!! How did I let my dream of France slip out of my grasp???? Jess, now a seasoned teenager at 16, and Blue, 12, will join the teen club next year! Time to reintroduce them to this fairytale land.......<br />
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This trip puts a new spin on things as, instead of renting a country villa, we are housesitting in the historical village of Issigeac. Our home for two glorious weeks is an amazing three story stone house actually smack-in-the-middle of this renowned town with the best market in the whole region, not only because of the huge amount of stalls and best variety of fresh-off-the-farm produce, but also because of the quaint and charming Issigeac with its cobblestone streets and medieval style houses dating back to Roman times.<br />
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We arrived here after a long trip travelling from Philadelphia to Dublin to London to Bergerac. Bergerac is a small airport, off the beaten track, and definitely a harder place to get to as it is a forgotten destination, especially in winter. But, even having to stand outside in the drizzly rain waiting in line for passport control could not dampen our excitement at being back in France, looking forward to the amazing food, the friendly people, and the unspoiled countryside and villages. Yes, we are ready to step back in time and immerse ourselves in the <i>joie de vivre </i>we find here in this special place!<br />
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Imagine having a bathroom wall like this!!!</div>
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Our landlord exhausted from listening to the three of us!!!</div>
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This evening’s sunset welcoming sunset.....</div>
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<br />..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-12007738639213267952015-06-07T15:42:00.002-07:002015-06-07T15:42:19.977-07:00Beaumont Du Perigord - Our Local Town<div class="MsoNormal">
Beaumont du Perigord is our nearest town, about five minutes
drive from where we are staying. It is one
of the dozens of “bastides” in the area.
A bastide means it was built as a
fortified walled town, probably in the 1200’s, to protect its
inhabitants. It is very picturesque and quite small. As with all the villages and towns we have discovered, the church
(catholic, of course) is the focal point, a magnificent building, inside and
out. In the evening from our house, we
can hear the church bells ringing insistently through the countryside.<br />
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There is
a central market square where the weekly market is held every Tuesday. There are stalls with fresh produce, fish,
meat, fruits and vegetables, handcrafted jewelry, summery clothes and floppy
straw hats, baskets, fresh honey and other items right off the local
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Here at this market, I have sourced my fruit & veg man
who has tables of vibrant colorful produce tempting me to buy more than I
actually need, especially as his prices are ridiculously cheap. I am trying to buy small amounts and go
shopping every day or two so I can buy a fresh baquette or two each day,
cheese, pate, and other local specialties to try out. Monday is a closed day in the town (and
Sunday) and shops are closed for a long lunch hour from <st1:time hour="12" minute="30">12:30</st1:time> to <st1:time hour="15" minute="0">3pm</st1:time>.<br />
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The streets are pretty and clean, the pale stone buildings gleam in the sunshine and flowers and vines add vibrancy to the quiet streets.<br />
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..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-31016153068461927842015-05-20T15:31:00.003-07:002015-05-20T15:31:32.306-07:00Sunday Market In Medieval Issigeac!<br />
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The girls and I were delighted when our landlady informed us
that there was a Sunday market in the nearby <st1:place><st1:placetype>village</st1:placetype>
of <st1:placename>Issigeac</st1:placename></st1:place>. What a great way to launch our first full day
in <st1:country-region>France</st1:country-region>!!!! We got up to a hot sunny morning, got dressed
and headed off to one of the best and biggest markets in the area. We were lucky to source a parking space right
away and headed down the streets of this medieval village filled with stalls
and people in the picturesque streets with a beautiful old church as a
centerpiece. There were so many
different stalls from huge varieties of fresh fruit & veg, meats, pastries,
hot food (even one selling Chinese food!), wine, clothes, shoes, jewelry, crafts,
souvenirs, etc. Lots of interesting stuff!!!
I went to take a picture of a stall with ladies handbags and the man
from the stall jumped out from behind a table so fast he nearly knocked me down
to shout “no, no!!!!”(…..must be knockoffs of designer goods!!!) We stocked up on fruit and vegetables, bought
some pastries to try, some chicken lo mein, and a chicken & veg pie! <st1:street>A French street</st1:street>
musician’s songs drifted through the market, adding the perfect atmosphere to
this wonderful part of French culture myself, Jess and Blue immersed ourselves
in with pure joy!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful church reigning over the action!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Market Music!<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who knew there were so many different olives?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is only a small portion of the huge market that took up many streets!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue and Jess in Issigeac heading for Sunday Market</td></tr>
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..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-2269114416440733142015-05-19T16:41:00.000-07:002015-05-28T04:27:30.148-07:00BACK AGAIN!!!!! Return to France!<br />
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Following three surgeries, the sale of our <st1:country-region>USA</st1:country-region>
farmette, and an international move, the girls and I have finally returned to <st1:country-region>France</st1:country-region>!!! I feel, for the first time ever, both physically
and emotionally depleted from various goings-on in the last 6 months and am not
in my normal “full throttle, I can tackle anything, nothing phases me” mode. I am hoping this journey to <st1:country-region>France</st1:country-region>
will help me recharge, gain momentum, find direction, and feel less like a lost
soul. No better place to relax and
rejuvenate than soaking in the beauty and peace of the unspoiled French
countryside and no better way to strengthen oneself than with my two girlies, Jess and Blue, infusing energy, life and smiles into me!!!!! </div>
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Blue and Jess excited to be on first walk around the farm</td></tr>
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Before we had to make our unscheduled departure from the <st1:place>Dordogne</st1:place>
(due to an unexpected medical diagnosis for me), we had settled into a residence a
half an hour directly north of Bergerac.
This time around, we are staying in a place a half hour east of
Bergerac. It will give us a chance to
explore another area while being near enough our old “neighborhood” to revisit
our favorite haunts. Our previous villa
was on a huge historical estate and was a large residence with extra bedrooms
booked with the intention that friends and family could come visit us and experience
some of <st1:country-region>France</st1:country-region>
with us. Alas, that wasn’t to be…….(perhaps
another time!)</div>
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Our French stay this time we already know to be only several
weeks long as we will be returning to Donegal, Ireland for the summer so it
will just be the girls and I initially and the last 10 days my husband Donald
has been talked into coming over to join us and see what all the fuss is about
how <i>magnifique </i>France is! We are
staying in a 17<sup>th</sup> century farmhouse "<i>Cantegrive</i>" on 50 pastoral acres. As we were traveling from Donegal, I was
delighted to find that Ryanair had flights from <st1:place>Derry</st1:place> to
London Stansted and a connecting one from Stansted to Bergerac. The warm air and gentle breeze enveloped us
as we walked down the steps from the plane.
I had left my car parked at <st1:place><st1:placename>Bergerac</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype>Airport</st1:placetype></st1:place> all that time and was
seriously considering have a car rental booked as a backup plan in case the
Peugeot wouldn’t start and the girls and I were stranded at the airport. My hubby assured me that it would definitely
start so I hoped for the best…..and the car started on the first turn. (Gotta
love Peugeots: reliable, nippy, economical!!!!)
Bergerac has very reasonable long term car parking rates but as it
happened, I couldn’t find my ticket so paid the lost ticket fee of €100,
reattached my faithful Garmin navigator to the window and we were on our way to
rekindling our French adventure!!!!! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Cantegrive"</td></tr>
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We are so glad to be back and more than ready for more <i>Fairytales From France</i>!!!!!!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking in sunshine!!!!</td></tr>
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..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-88707120720670162372014-12-11T16:14:00.002-08:002015-06-06T01:57:11.265-07:00Voices From The Grave<br />
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Today Jess and I visited the peaceful country graveyard in Issac which is perched on a gentle slope surveying the countryside just at the edge of the village. It is surrounded by a high gray wall with a wrought iron gate at the entrance. How fitting that the ones who have gone before are laid to rest in a place of prominence as you head into the village........<br />
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Some people might find visiting a cemetery a bit morbid.....not me (or Jess, a mini- me!) Perhaps it is the Irish is me.... In Ireland, when one dies, it is custom to celebrate their life as it is done with an Irish wake.....to laugh, to cry, to tell stories, to relive your memories of the deceased. The graveyard is a glimpse of the story of who lived here and died here, last year, or perhaps last century, what families populated the area, what secrets lay beneath the concrete beds? To me, walking and stopping at each and every grave in the Issac cemetery brings those souls back to life for a moment just as it says on a plague on one of the graves;<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UYhkBAyPDmQ/VIofgWztp9I/AAAAAAAAAe4/IsGhKg-YEy8/s1600/IMG_3354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UYhkBAyPDmQ/VIofgWztp9I/AAAAAAAAAe4/IsGhKg-YEy8/s1600/IMG_3354.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<pre class="tw-data-text vk_txt tw-ta tw-text-small" data-fulltext="" data-placeholder="Translation" dir="ltr" id="tw-target-text" style="background-color: white; border: none; color: #212121; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px !important; height: 144px; line-height: 24px !important; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0.14em 0px 0px; position: relative; resize: none; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 237.5px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></pre>
<pre class="tw-data-text vk_txt tw-ta tw-text-small" data-fulltext="" data-placeholder="Translation" dir="ltr" id="tw-target-text" style="background-color: white; border: none; color: #212121; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px !important; height: 144px; line-height: 24px !important; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0.14em 0px 0px; position: relative; resize: none; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 237.5px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>Translation:</b></i></span></pre>
<pre class="tw-data-text vk_txt tw-ta tw-text-small" data-fulltext="" data-placeholder="Translation" dir="ltr" id="tw-target-text" style="background-color: white; border: none; color: #212121; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px !important; height: 144px; line-height: 24px !important; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0.14em 0px 0px; position: relative; resize: none; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 237.5px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>
</b></i></span></pre>
<pre class="tw-data-text vk_txt tw-ta tw-text-small" data-fulltext="" data-placeholder="Translation" dir="ltr" id="tw-target-text" style="background-color: white; border: none; color: #212121; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px !important; height: 144px; line-height: 24px !important; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0.14em 0px 0px; position: relative; resize: none; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 237.5px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>"One is never quite gone as long as there is someone to remember and talk about you from time to time and so bring you to </b></i></span><i style="font-family: inherit;"><b>life for a moment."</b></i></pre>
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<i>"Que ton repose soit doux comme ton coeur fut bon"</i></div>
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May thy rest be as sweet as your heart was good</div>
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The majority of the graves are cased in concrete, and there is a mix of old and new, of tended and abandoned, of the prosperous and the paupered. The Angel of Death shows no distinction......rich or poor, young or old.....<br />
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I was shocked to find that a lot of the graves only have the family name, no dates or specifics about who is actually buried there. It was interesting to see that even with the graves spaced generously and the rows having bigger spaces, the graveyard is half empty. There are not that many graves altogether, but perhaps it is just how many families that are in the area and each family continues to use the same plot? The population of Issac has decreased in recent years dropping from 472 people in 1968 to 370 in 2007 and judging from the lack of people around since I have been here, it has decreased again since 2007!!!!<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ILI6XDGThsY/VJdiiXWlnsI/AAAAAAAAAi8/ShOfqqt8XNo/s1600/IMG_3391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ILI6XDGThsY/VJdiiXWlnsI/AAAAAAAAAi8/ShOfqqt8XNo/s1600/IMG_3391.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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There were loads of fresh chrysanthemums and beautiful potted plants and shrubs on many graves throughout the cemetery so it is obvious that the graveyard is frequented and graves tended by family members. <br />
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There are beautiful ceramic flowers on a lot of the graves - a great idea because they seem to be better than real flowers or artificial ones for their lasting power from the elements:<br />
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I was excited to see a "<i>Famille Mazieres"</i> grave.......the name (<i>Domaine de Mazieras</i>) of the estate that my villa is on.....a connection to the family and its place in the locality and a history I intend to investigate further (when my French improves!!!!)<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">I went through the whole graveyard thinking there would be at least one Irish name in it, but no, they were all French except for a baby who died with the last name Ball which I take to be English, and it was a recent death. I must also say that the Irish hold the award for the best crosses (especially the celtic ones, of course!!!)</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">It was interesting to see some trends through the years. S</span>ometimes pictures of people were put on the gravestones:<br />
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Long ago, slate (and concrete) were used to mark graves:</div>
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In the 1900's, ceramic plaques were common:</div>
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Sometimes plaques were put on that obviously represented an interest or love or occupation of the deceased such as this wild boar one for a hunter, I presume, or one for a soldier:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KcQKdMYD5Mg/VKHHmL9mUhI/AAAAAAAAAmI/W77au1bkGeM/s1600/IMG_3304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KcQKdMYD5Mg/VKHHmL9mUhI/AAAAAAAAAmI/W77au1bkGeM/s1600/IMG_3304.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1rN0aM2XAQI/VKHHuG2zjKI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/TynD-eEANlo/s1600/IMG_3379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1rN0aM2XAQI/VKHHuG2zjKI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/TynD-eEANlo/s1600/IMG_3379.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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I loved seeing really ancient looking cement flower urns. The moss is definitely an aging touch!!!!!<br />
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.......and older above ground cement coffin graves:<br />
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The trip to Issac Cemetery was intriguing. It is my guess that the graveyard only dates back to the 1800's, possibly 1700's and that there must be another earlier graveyard somewhere else near the village. Even so, Jess and I saw some really interesting stuff and enjoyed our graveyard exploration and we look forward to learning more about the families of the area and their history!!!!!</div>
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-mCRvcrSEUXw%2FVJdeyKE2EwI%2FAAAAAAAAAiQ%2FnYU1ydcw5yo%2Fs1600%2FIMG_3364.JPG&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mCRvcrSEUXw/VJdeyKE2EwI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/nYU1ydcw5yo/s1600/IMG_3364.JPG" -->..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-63923668881474289762014-12-09T15:15:00.000-08:002014-12-10T13:35:19.314-08:00A Typical DayI guess I have been in France long enough to have fallen into a daily routine (having a child at school actually fasttracked this daily routine process!!!) I get up about 7:45am and Blue gets up at the same time. I make my morning cup of tea and Blue gets herself dressed for school and then watches some cartoons while she is eating her breakfast (cream crackers with butter or cinnamon toast crunch cereal!). It is my intention every school morning to leave the house at 8:30am but I am always a few minutes later than that by the time we get shoes and jackets on, find keys, etc. Blue walks down to open the gate of our courtyard while I drive the car through the gate and she closes it and gets in<br />
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. The gate out of our courtyard:<br />
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The village of Issac is only down the road (about a mile) but our driveway is very long also and has quite a few pot holes so I have to drive slowly with my little Peugeot!!!! Blue has to be at school at 8:45am and if I don't get her there at that time, the gate is locked and she has to ring the bell for the teacher to come with keys to open it.....highlighting her tardiness, so I <i>try</i> to be on time!<br />
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The gate to Blue's school yard:<br />
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Blue looking <i>tres chic </i>heading to school!!!!</div>
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After Blue is dropped off at school and I have another cup of tea at the house, Jess and I go for a walk to explore the extensive estate we are on. (Jess hasn't gotten the go ahead to start school yet) There is so much to see and so many roads and paths and fields to explore that each outing is an adventure. In the middle of a field away from all the houses and outbuilding, there is a grove of trees and bushes that hides cave-like entrances into five underground chambers that must have been used during war time to hide from the enemy. I hope I can find out more about the history of the estate and unravel some of the mysteries that surround it!<br />
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After our walk, it is time to pick up Blue for lunch at 11:45am. We bring her back to the house and the girls play outside while I prepare something to eat. Blue has to be back at school at 1:15pm, except on Wednesdays when she has no school in the afternoon. Blue could stay at school for lunch but she hasn't asked to, so until she does, I will pick her up and bring her home for a break from hours listening to all french! On Wednesday afternoons, we usually plan a trip further away to see some cool place that we have read or heard about and want to see.<br />
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When I drop Blue back at school, we normally go for a drive to explore the endless country roads and hidden villages. If I need to, I also run to the Intermarche, the local supermarket chain in either Neuvic or Mussidan to pick up something to cook for dinner. We are back to pick up Blue at 4pm. In the evening, I light a nice fire in the wooden stove to make the house toasty and warm. The girls and I chat while I make dinner and then relax for the rest of the evening.<br />
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Pictures from our walk this morning......<br />
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..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-42881218981991534782014-12-08T13:01:00.001-08:002014-12-08T13:22:55.219-08:00Vive La France!!!!<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, I have been living in <st1:country-region>France</st1:country-region>
for a few weeks now and I must say the whole French country experience strikes
a cord within me. I love the unspoiled
countryside with houses that have been there for centuries and whisper tales of
bygone days….. I love the sleepy little
towns that rarely show any signs of life (like ghost towns really). I love that the French (here at least) have
the audacity to just enjoy life. Imagine!!!! No one seems to be killing themselves
working. They take their time to greet
people properly (the kiss on each cheek as a greeting!!!!), to eat leisurely
(at least two hours for lunch), and to enjoy life by putting living life to the
fullest and family first instead of working and making money as the number one priority. </div>
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The shops are closed a lot, butchers and bakeries especially
only opened early in the day, and most have closed days not only at the
weekends, but on Mondays and sometimes Tuesdays too. Restaurants are the same, opening on what
seems to be a whim. Some people coming
to <st1:country-region>France</st1:country-region> would
find this simply inconvenient and annoying.
Not me, I love the eccentricity and charm of it all! I love the grandeur and flair that the French
put into everything. I love the way they
speak, the smoothness and romance in every rolled syllable. I love the style and sense of fashion that is
put into every outing.</div>
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This is a simple country life, a way of life that has
spanned generations. I can breathe in
the deep history of every place I go. Pain
and pride intertwined. The toil that
went into each and every stone in every building. The craftsmanship and life put into each and
every thing, not enough to build, everything had to be and is, a work of art
and beauty.</div>
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The rolling hills and beautiful green fields are reminiscent
of my beloved Donegal, rekindling childhood memories of freely roaming the unfenced
land, of beautiful summers and days filled with laughter and the smell of fresh
hay and turf fires. Here I find the
peace my soul craves. Here I am finding
my long lost self…..I feel like I have come home!!!!</div>
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..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-23288178089314334682014-11-30T13:36:00.001-08:002015-01-23T07:18:28.501-08:00Fairytales Always Have Villains!All fairytales have villains and mine is no exception. The big villain in my story is CANCER. I am reluctant to even mention it in this blog because I like to give cancer as little validation as I possibly can in my life. It exists. I do what I have to do to fight it but it does not get any more of my time and energy than that. I do not waste my time worrying about it and I count my blessings that I am still here in this world and that I have gotten to go to France and have this fairytale experience. In other words, I get up and get on with it!<br />
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I have mentioned my cancer in this blog because, on the off chance that someone who thinks their life has ended with their diagnosis reads this blog, perhaps it will give them the courage and the determination to go and do the things they always wanted to do. No matter what!!!! Make it happen!!!!<br />
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In February 2010, I had a neck ultrasound because I thought I noticed a lump on my neck (I had previously had a thyroidectomy in 1992 after having my second child). The ultrasound showed that there were three bigger lumps and more than a dozen smaller lumps and a lot of my thyroid had grown back. Amazing what can be growing inside your body that you don't even notice!!! <br />
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I had a thyroid completion surgery in June 2010 and was diagnosed with thyroid cancer (papillary carcinoma). When they did a body scan at that time, they found that the cancer had already spread to my bones (my left sacrum and possibly to my spine where there are undeterminable spots there). I had radioactive iodine treatment four times and they say that I have maxed out the number I can have. I had more tumors growing in my thyroid and had a neck dissection in June 2012 where 5 of the 8 lumps removed were cancerous. There are more growing again but I have had three neck surgeries already and each one is more risky with all the scar tissue and the closeness to the carotid artery, windpipe, etc.<br />
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The same year that I was diagnosed with the thyroid cancer, they found a lump in my left breast and after I had surgery to have it removed, they determined it was cancerous and I had thirty three breast radiation treatments in 2011.<br />
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I had always wanted to come to France to live and experience life here, but getting married in 1988 and raising five children took the priority for many, many years, especially as my children have a broad range in ages (25, 22, 19, 12, 8). I finally decided earlier in the year when we had a sale contract on our house in Maryland, USA, that I would just go to France like I had always dreamed of doing. The house contract fell through and I was upset at first, but then determined to find a way to make it happen ....and I did!!!! <br />
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Before leaving, I tried to get as many of my medical appointments done as possible so I would not have to worry about anything for six months. One of these appointments was a dermatologist skin check. I had starting going to a dermatologist twice a year several years ago mainly because my dad died from melanoma in his fifties. However, when I got diagnosed with thyroid cancer, I had to switch health insurances and my dermatologist didn't take the new insurance. I was busy getting my treatments, exams, tests, etc. so it ended up being four years since my last appointment (this I now know was too long!). I found new dermatologists before I left the States for France and went to see them on October 31st. They found a brown suspicious lump on my back and they removed it in the office and sent it to pathology to have it analyzed. Ten days later, I went to France and the night I arrived at my beautiful French country villa, I opened an email to find the pathology report results: "malignant melanoma".......the villain in my fairytale was here before I even got a chance to settle in. Cancer has no conscience. How dare it intrude upon my French dream, but it has.......but as a mother of five, with the two younger children, my youngest daughters, only 8 years and 12 years old, I am a warrior and I stand proud and fearless in the face of another battle!!!! (I just wish the timing wasn't quite so bad.....but I guess there isn't a good time to get cancer, is there? ....or more cancer......)<br />
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My philosophy for battling cancer (and for life in general!):<br />
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BE POSITIVE - I truly believe that keeping a positive attitude slows or stops the growth of cancer. I don't cry or wallow in self-pity. Remember no matter how bad you are, there are <i>always </i>people worst off. To put things in perspective with my cancer, I always am grateful that it is me and not any of my children. When I go to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore for my appointments and I see patients wheeling their little babies through all hooked up to tubes and looking very ill, it makes me very humble.<br />
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MANAGE YOUR OWN HEALTH - Do your own research, be knowledgeable about your cancer, and push your doctors for what you think you need. Fight for yourself, coz no one else will! Don't ignore checkups and tests that you know you need to have. Keep up with your medical stuff!<br />
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LET GO - There will be people in your life that won't stand by you when you are diagnosed with cancer, give them a chance to adjust but if they don't, just let them go and save yourself some heartache. You will replace them with people who are loyal and true...you need to be surrounded by positive people, not negative ones bringing you down. <br />
Positive - in, Negative - out<br />
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LIVE YOUR LIFE - This is a hard one. Sometimes cancer makes you put your life on "pause", but you need to find a way to do the things you want to do, to go on living your life and <i>doing </i>things!!!!<br />
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LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE - Don't underestimate how powerful a sense of humor is, don't forget how to laugh, it is tremendous medicine!!!!<br />
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HEALING & PRAYER - I believe religion is a personal thing and I won't elaborate on this one too much, just to say don't underestimate the power of healing and prayer. I feel that all the prayers and healing that I have received has somehow helped me to still be here........<br />
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BE KIND - It doesn't hurt too spread a little kindness in this world. Kindness seems to be losing momentum somehow. Be kind and it will make you feel good inside (and that will boost your physical wellbeing tenfold!)<br />
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SING, DANCE AND FEEL JOY - I can't sing (in the musical correctness sense of the word) but it doesn't matter to me and it doesn't stop me, I sing, I dance around the house and I feel the <i>joie de vivre </i>(joy of living). Do things that make you feel happy and joyous. That is what life is about!<br />
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LOVE - If you are lucky, you have a great love in your life, or have had a great love during your lifetime. To experience and to have found the love of your life is a special, wondrous thing. If love has caused you pain, let that go and just hold the love in your heart. It is powerful medicine and what life and living is all about.......<br />
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Don't think that because I am a positive person that my life has been easy.....it hasn't.....There have been a LOT of bumps along the road of life for me and it has been a hard haul but I think of life as a journey and that our trials make us stronger.....<br />
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I <i>do </i>believe in fairytales, in knights in shining armor, in magic......shouldn't everyone???!!!!<br />
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I definitely am living in a fairytale setting here at <i>Domaine de Mazieras</i>, Dordogne, France......so beautiful it doesn't seem real!!!!!!<br />
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<span id="goog_1464549492"></span><span id="goog_1464549493"></span><br />..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-87710417506192342472014-11-27T14:03:00.001-08:002014-11-27T14:03:28.084-08:00Jess Registers For SchoolToday Jess had an appointment with the guidance counselor at the college in Mussidan to assess her entry into the school. She was given four pages of math problems to complete and we were asked about how many years of school she had completed. She had done two years of preschool and then 6 years of elementary, and had started middle school this year (6th grade). The French school years in college actually go down so 6th is a lower year than 5th. They decided to put her in 5th year. There is an English girl already in that grade and coincidentally, it is a girl Jess has already met and made friends with. She is the daughter of the English horse trainer on the property we are living on.<br />
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The forms have to be sent off to the Department of Education in Perigueux for approval before Jess is allowed to start school. We already waited nearly two weeks for this appointment with the guidance counselor. The school said it will probably be another week or two before she can start. Hopefully, in the meantime, we can get her a few French lessons to give her a headstart for school. The guidance counselor has a little English but not a whole lot. Jess seems a bit nervous about starting school but tries to hide it. I hope it all goes well, that she makes a few friends to help her through it all, and that she picks up the French quickly!!! ..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-7594401062127362592014-11-26T15:09:00.001-08:002014-11-30T14:03:08.502-08:00Blue Starts School!!!!I am amazed my daughter Blue! She started school on Monday in the village Issac, just down the road aways.......What a brave little girl, all excited about going to school, not at all nervous......and wanting to go back yesterday and today!!! Not easy going into a French school with no French and not knowing anyone, but she is doing it all with a smile! I am <u>so</u> proud of her!!!<br />
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The school has two classes......with 50 kids in total (including Blue!). This is the schedule:<br />
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Monday Class: 8:45am - 11:45am then lunch and class again 1:15pm-4pm<br />
Tuesday Class: 8:45am - 11:45am then lunch (and 1 hour sports) and class again 2:15pm-4pm<br />
Wednesday Class: 8:45am - 11:45am 1/2 day - go home early<br />
Thursday Class: 8:45am - 11:45am then lunch and class again 1:15pm-4pm<br />
Friday Class: 8:45am - 11:45am then lunch and class again 1:15pm-3pm (sports till 4pm)<br />
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Lunch break is an hour and a half on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and two and a half hours on Tuesdays. They only go to school on Wednesday mornings. The school has a canteen and serves a 4 course lunch every day that costs 2 euro 15 cent. You also have the option to pick your child up and take them home for lunch, which is what I did with Blue on Monday and Tuesday. The sports on Tuesday and Friday are optional so if she comes home for lunch on Tuesday, she doesn't have to go back till 2:15pm and she can come home at 3pm on a Friday. She informed me yesterday that she didn't want to be picked up for lunch anymore. She wants to stay in school with her class and have lunch there so I might let her do that tomorrow. It will probably be easier for her to make friends if she is there for lunch and recess time, but picking her up for lunch also gives her a break from all French for a while!!! She already has a friend named Maisy, a little English girl who has been at the school for two years. <br />
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The school has before school and after school care. You can drop your child off at school from 7:30am onwards and it costs 1 euro. You can leave your child in afterschool care until 6:30pm for 2 euro per day. Tomorrow my daughter Jess has an assessment at the school she will be attending in the town of Mussidan at 8:30am so I will drop off Blue 1/2 hour early and she will be in her classroom with her teacher who is very kind and speaks a little English.<br />
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This is the school calendar for 2014 - 2015<br />
School starts: September 1, 2014<br />
Midterm break: October 17 to November 3<br />
Christmas break: December 19 to January 5<br />
Winter break: February 13 to March 2<br />
Spring break: April 17 to May 4<br />
School finishes: July 3, 2015<br />
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Blue getting dropped off at school the first day<br />
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L'ecole d'Issac<br />
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<br />..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-86230762850149425382014-11-23T07:01:00.003-08:002014-11-23T07:21:55.765-08:00The Historical City of PerigueuxYesterday we went to the historical city of Perigueux. Saturday is market day.......a big day in all French towns (different days in different places). I was impressed by the beautiful buildings, all so well preserved. The city was quiet except for the French music drifting through the air from French street accordion players. Here is a slideshow of some of the sights of Perigueux, so typically French!!!! Click on the link below:<br />
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<a href="http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/openTheBox?sendevent=4e4445314e4451324e44493d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_instructions_directurl_makeyourown">http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/openTheBox?sendevent=4e4445314e4451324e44493d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_instructions_directurl_makeyourown</a>..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-27683771461056604402014-11-21T16:22:00.000-08:002014-11-21T16:22:11.036-08:00Car registration AND Phone!!!!I got my <i>carte grise</i> (car registration) yesterday by registered post. It shows the details of the car and that it is registered in my name. In France, you must keep your <i>carte grise</i> in your car when you are traveling. I then had to go to a place to get my new number plates. They did the plates while I waited (took less than 5 minutes!) and they also put them on the car so I am all set now!!!<br />
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My daughter Nikki and her 16 month old baby Dylan came to visit from the UK yesterday and I picked them up at Bordeaux Airport. I had gone into a phone shop here after I came but decided I would be better have my daughter pick a phone for me so she bought one in Guernsey and brought it with her. Today we went to the phone shop in Bergerac and got a French sim card (pay as you go) and loaded on credit so I now have a phone......another thing off the list!!!! I am relieved because Blue is starting school on Monday and I definitely need the reassurance of having a phone just in case the school needs to contact me!!!</div>
..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-88247263640349701322014-11-21T01:45:00.001-08:002014-11-21T10:44:33.354-08:00Moving to France = 12 Things I Did to Prepare - #3) Research Education and Schools<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px; margin-left: 37.5pt; text-indent: -19.5pt;">
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Here are 12 things I did to prepare for moving to France.....and below is a detailed account of #3 -</div>
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(1)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR">Find the perfect place</span></div>
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(2)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR">Buy a car and get car insurance</span></div>
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(3)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR">Research education and schools</span></div>
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(4)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR">Get Irish passports for the girls</span></div>
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(5)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR">Update the children’s physicals and vaccinations</span></div>
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and get up to date on my own medical appointments</div>
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(6)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR"> Have dental appointments before leaving</span></div>
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(7)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR"> Flight shop to find the best fares</span></div>
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(8)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR"> Get 6-month prescriptions</span></div>
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(9)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR"> Order euros</span></div>
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(10) Notify schools and get copies of school records</div>
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(11) Set up direct debits for bills</div>
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(12) Pack<br />
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Probably <i>the </i>most important thing about moving to France is my two daughters going to a French school that they are happy and content at. I read a lot on expat forum about other people's experience with them moving to France and their children going to school here. The general consensus seemed to be the younger the children, the quicker they settled into school. A lot of people had stories of their children being miserable and crying every day for months at their school experience, saying stick with it, it will get better. I can't imagine sending my girls to school and them so traumatized that they would cry all the time -- not an option for my girlies!<br />
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I was amazed to learn that there are a lot of international schools in France that cater to english-speaking but the tuition is very high, and none in our area. Blue is 8 and is starting school on Monday in the local village school in Issac. There are two classes in the school of 26 students and 23 students. The teacher she will have speaks some English, is very nice and there is a little girl from England who has been attending the school for two years so Blue will have an English speaking friend. The teacher says the little English girl has had a difficult time because the parents don't speak any French at all. We met her and the other students and she seemed quite happy and settled in with her peers. Blue is excited to start school and not at all nervous. The school starts at 8:45 am and finishes at 4 pm. They break for lunch at 11:45 am for an hour and a half and I can take her home for lunch. On Wednesdays, they have a half day and finish school at 11:45 am. On Fridays, they finish early at 3 pm.<br />
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For Blue, the registration process was simple. I had to go to the <i>mairie </i>(town hall)<i> </i> and get a form to fill in with name, address, phone number, Blue's age and date of birth and that was it.<br />
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For Jess, things are a little more complicated. We went to the <i>college</i> in Mussidan, the nearest town 10 minutes away. Neither the office staff nor the principal spoke a word of English. At first I was told it was <i>impossible </i>for Jess to go to school there but they have to accomodate her because it is the law that she goes to school and they are her district school. After calling up the <i>professeur d"anglais </i>(English teacher), it was a lot easier to see what the procedure was going to be with a translator. Jess is 12 and will have to be assessed by someone who only can do it on Thursdays so they will email me a time (coz I don't have a phone yet!!!). Then there is a long form to fill in (in French) and that has to be sent to the Department of Education in Perigueux and approved for Jess to be able to start at the college in Mussidan. In the meantime, I am trying to find other options because I think it will be very hard to be at school from 8 am to 5 pm daily (except for half days on Wednesdays) without <u>anyone</u> who speaks <i>any</i> English. The English teacher teaches older students so wouldn't have any contact with Jess and Jess, at the moment, has no French, at all!!!! . I had read that there are a lot of English speaking people in France, but none in Mussidan apparently!!!!<br />
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To be continued......as we find out more!!!!!! </div>
..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-15983180198493273322014-11-19T15:41:00.002-08:002014-11-20T01:32:30.360-08:00Moving to France - 12 Things I Did to Prepare - #2) Buy a Car and Get Car Insurance<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px; margin-left: 37.5pt; text-indent: -19.5pt;">
Here are 12 things I did to prepare for moving to France.....and below is a detailed account of #2 -</div>
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buying a car and getting car insurance.</div>
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(1)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR">Find the perfect place</span></div>
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(2)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR">Buy a car and get car insurance</span></div>
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(3)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR">Research education and schools</span></div>
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(4)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR">Get Irish passports for the girls</span></div>
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(5)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR">Update the children’s physicals and vaccinations</span></div>
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and get up to date on my own medical appointments</div>
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(6)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR"> Have dental appointments before leaving</span></div>
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(7)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR"> Flight shop to find the best fares</span></div>
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(8)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR"> Get 6-month prescriptions</span></div>
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(9)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><span dir="LTR"> Order euros</span></div>
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(10) Notify schools and get copies of school records</div>
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(11) Set up direct debits for bills</div>
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(12) Pack </div>
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While surfing the expat forums on the web, I came across people recommending Gary Automobiles for English speaking people moving to France. Gary is English, married to a French woman, is located in Succieu near Lyon, France, and he has an inventory of vehicles for sale in various price ranges. You pick the car, pay a deposit (which is refundable if you don't like the car or transferable to another vehicle if you decide you like another one better), he stores the vehicle for as long as it takes for you to move to France with no time limitations, he organizes the insurance and car registration, and he picks you up at the airport. (He is also very patient answering any questions or concerns you have about the car or the whole buying process). </div>
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Here is Gary's website: www.gary-automobiles.com</div>
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I found a 2008 Peugeot 207 SW diesel that I really liked and was well maintained with full service records. I paid a deposit through Paypal and Gary held the car for me. We flew into Lyon, spent the night at the excellent NH Airport Hotel which is conveniently located directly across from the terminal I flew into, and Gary picked the girls and I up at 9 o'clock sharp the next morning. He was very nice and didn't bat an eyelid about our heavy bags!!!! He stopped at a shop on the way back to his office to help me buy a gps, I signed a few papers, and we were on our way. He had taken care of the insurance for me. I had emailed him the information he needed and had wired him the money the week before so it was as easy as that. I had read that it is very hard to find secondhand cars in France and also that there is a lot of red tape and paperwork involved in buying and registering a car so I am delighted that Gary made the process so easy and I love my nippy economical Peugeot!!!<br />
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More on the list of Things I Did to Prepare moving to France on next blog!!!!!!!</div>
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..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-55802860197674033362014-11-18T12:43:00.001-08:002014-11-18T12:43:33.497-08:00Moving to France – 12 Things I Did To Prepare - #1) Find The Perfect Place<div class="MsoNormal">
Moving to another country is a big step and there are numerous things that need to be done to prepare for the big move. These are the top 12 things I did to prepare to move from Maryland, USA to Dordogne, France:</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->(1)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR">Find the perfect place</span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->(2)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR">Buy a car and get car insurance</span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->(3)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR">Research education and schools</span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->(4)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR">Get Irish passports for the girls</span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->(5)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR">Update the children’s physicals
and vaccinations</span></div>
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and get up to date on my own medical appointments</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->(6)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"> Have dental appointments before leaving</span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->(7)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"> Flight shop to find the best fares</span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->(8)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"> Get 6-month prescriptions </span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->(9)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"> Order euros</span></div>
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(10) Notify schools and get copies
of school records</div>
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(11) Set up direct debits for
bills</div>
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(12) Pack </div>
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(1) <b><u>Find the perfect place:</u></b></div>
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My perfect place kinda found me. I am a great believer in destiny and I can't even remember how I came upon finding the place I am now living in in France!!!! I have always had an interest in the Dordogne.....why? I don't really know......perhaps the 1001 chateaux? perhaps the beautiful countryside? I don't really know. I have never been here before. I was in Paris <i>once</i> for 4 days 17 years ago and that is the only time I was ever in France previously.<br />
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Anyway, sometime ago, I bookmarked this place, <i>Domaine de Mazieras</i>, on my computer. When we had received and accepted a contract on our house in the spring, it got me thinking what do you <i>really </i>want to do? I had always wanted to go to France so I looked into the place I had saved way back on my computer. It was in the country, had enough room for family & friends to come visit, had the old house character that I love, and it had a stable & horses. Perfect! Some people were already going to lease it but, as I said, I believe things work out if it is something you were meant to do and the landlords out of the blue agreed to rent it to me instead. (I am leaving out the part where our house sale fell through and I wasn't able to afford going to France......that will be another entry!!!) <br />
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Anyway, I am here now and it <i>is</i> the perfect place: 4-5 bedrooms, office, huge open plan sitting room/dining room/kitchen, 2 bathrooms.....all sitting on 250 acres of beautiful rolling French countryside. The house is fully furnished, which is very common for Europe, and it has all the appliances, dishes, etc. The landlords live on the premises and want someone who is part of the family which suits me because I find it comforting to have someone there as it is just me and my two youngest daughters, Jess, who is 12, and Blue, who is 8. I feel secure having someone to run to if I need anything and they are very helpful and a good resource for any information I need as I settle into the French lifestyle! How lucky I am to have happened on such an awesome place!!! <br />
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Next blog, I will continue with the "12 Things I Did To Prepare" list details........stay tuned!!!!!!<br />
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..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-17401213620668480602014-11-17T16:03:00.002-08:002014-11-17T16:05:55.071-08:00Issac - Our VillageThe area we are in is filled with quaint little French villages on every country road......our nearest is Issac.....two minutes drive over the road. Issac dates back to the 1300's and it is a <i>very </i>small village, but it does have a post office, an <i>epicerie </i>(small grocery store), a bakery, a butcher, and a cafe/pub. It has a church which acts as the picturesque centerpiece of the village with the <i>mairie</i> (town hall) next door. The <i>mairie </i>is an important part of any French village, town or city and it is necessary to go there to register, to find out about schools, and other information and regulations necessary for living in the area. I actually went there this morning but after summoning the help of a passerby (actually the only person I saw there!), I was informed that the <i>mairie </i> is not opened on Monday mornings. Come back in the afternoon. I went back at 2:30pm and there was someone inside but the door was locked. After loitering outside the building for a while, a nice man who lives across the road came over. He spoke only rapid French! He asked what I needed with the <i>mairie </i>and I managed to explain to him that I wanted to find out about schools and that I had just moved to the area. He said that I needed to come back tomorrow. The <i>mairie </i>does not do that on a Monday so I will return again tomorrow and hopefully be successful then!!!!<br />
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And courtesy of Blue, my 8 year old who finds everything worthy of taking a picture of, here are a few photos of the roads here. I am so impressed with what excellent condition the French keep their roads.....<br />
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<br />..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-60123281355992788812014-11-15T15:56:00.002-08:002014-11-15T15:56:35.514-08:00Chateau Number Two Before leaving the house today, we put into the GPS for the nearest petrol station and it took us to the little town of Neuvic where I filled up my economical little Peugeot with diesel for the first time since coming to the Dordogne. We decided to follow a sign for Chateau Neuvic and we nearly missed the actual castle because it has a long drive and you can't see the name on the wall.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Chateau Neuvic resides in grandeur along the banks of the Isle River. It is an architectural feast with its turrets, stained glass windows, stonework, and different levels. The Chateau is in beautiful condition and is surrounded by beautiful gardens, pathways and bridges crossing over streams. In this part of France that I am in, you can easily be taken back in history because so much is the same as it was centuries ago and as you drive along the country roads, you don't see new houses on top of each other, you see large farms with old houses. The past is present in the Dordogne......</div>
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..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-68105888017159862432014-11-15T03:08:00.000-08:002014-11-15T03:20:35.724-08:00Trying Out My French!Had my first visit to the post office. Our local one is only opened mornings so while touring around the network of small country roads sussing out what is in the area, we came across a small village that had a post office and it was opened. Ran in to buy a few stamps and try out my French! Jess was very impressed with me so I must have done good!!!! Not one word of English was spoken! The woman working there was very friendly. Got a few stamps and a bit of courage for my next conversation en francais!!!!! <br />
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I talked to the British woman, Lindsey, who has horses at the stables here and asked her about how she learned to speak French. She talks away in French to a local girl who comes to help out and to ride. She said that she went to classes for 9 months and is now fluent. I thought maybe she was talking about evening classes or something but no, she said she went 9am to 4pm two days a week for the nine months. Learning French is something the government promotes so they actually pay for these classes. They are free!!! A Dutch girl who lives nearby said she also took these classes and they were great. They are held in the area so definitely something I plan to look into. Everyone here says it is absolutely necessary to learn French to get by. Even the French people who speak English don't want to (and sometimes pretend they don't), especially if you don't make an effort to respect their country and try to speak some French first. I'm game! Heading off to the market in Mussidan, the nearest town, to mingle and try out some more French!..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-91068542389456885212014-11-13T17:06:00.001-08:002014-11-13T17:08:06.763-08:00Medieval BergeracWe had a quick visit to the large town of Bergerac perched along the calm Dordogne River which runs lazily through the area. We parked by the water and walked along the rough cobblestone streets (should not have worn those black high heels!) to "Old Town" with its amazing medieval buildings, open air cafes and beautiful winding streets going up the hill. What a quaint place with its flower-filled markets, its river views, and French people strolling with their pocket pooches! Can't wait to go back and explore at a more leisurely pace another day. Bergerac also has the nearest airport, is 1/2 hour directly south of where we are, and has many flights coming in from different cities throughout Europe.<br />
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Europe...http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-20601577780477188912014-11-13T16:05:00.000-08:002014-11-14T04:35:18.819-08:00Schools in France and Learning A Foreign LanguageOn top of my list when coming to France was doing my best to see that Jess and Blue would not be traumatized by being dropped in at the deepend going to French schools. I was able to do extensive research on the internet about English speaking children going to schools here (expat forums are an excellent source), before we actually arrived in France. What I learned was that there are four main options: International schools that mainly teach through English, Bi-lingual schools that teach some through French and some through English, and then there are private French school and public French schools. The International schools are <i>very </i>expensive and too far away from where I am living anyway. There is no bi-lingual school nearby either. The French private schools only cost a nominal amount and are on par with the public schools, so either is an option. As this is a rural area, the local schools do not have websites and there are a few in the area so I have to visit them personally and see if I think they will work for the girls. Our landlords told us that other English-speaking people that they know who came to live here had no problems or complaints about the local schools and the children picked up French very quickly and fit in with the other children. <br />
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Our landlords are Dutch and they have Dutch satellite on the television in our house. There are a lot of American programs on, some of them in English (with the option of Dutch subtitles) and other voiced over and speaking Dutch. Funnily enough, Blue chooses to watch her American favorites with the cast speaking Dutch and is glued to the screen like she understands every word.....telling me they are speaking Spanish! With this naturalness and acceptance of foreign language, I think Blue will soak up French like a sponge!!!!! (And might learn some Dutch too from watching those shows!!!) <br />
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Jess is all about the Ipad in preparing to learn French. She has an app that you can type in English and it will write the French, and also say the French. Pity it doesn't work without the wifi when we are away from the house! Would definitely come in handy. The girls are excited to start school and learn a new language and I think that is half the battle! ..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083859788804963460.post-55452106783853591842014-11-12T16:40:00.000-08:002014-11-12T17:16:05.914-08:00Land of a Thousand and One Castles<div class="MsoNormal">
Today we went to see our first chateau in the <st1:place>Dordogne</st1:place>,
a region which is known as the “Land of a Thousand and One Castles”. It is my goal to try and visit as many
chateaux as I can while I am in <st1:country-region>France</st1:country-region>. Hope I can see them all!!!! Chateau de Bridoire, which dates back to the
15<sup>th</sup> century, was breathtaking, sitting majestically overlooking a
green valley filled with vineyards. A perfect chateau for my first in the 1001!<br />
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..http://www.blogger.com/profile/11094363624166358617noreply@blogger.com0