Here are some other blogs to check out:
Vendee Blog is written by a witty Brit. He lives in the Vendee, the same region we will be in. I have sent him some e-mails with questions about cars, etc and he has been very gracious in answering my questions.
American mom in Paris I like this one because I think the writer has a good sense of humor.
Pret a voyager is about traveling and has lots of links to other blogs. There are some well-traveled people in this world.
Fabulously French has lots of style.
A taste of garlic is a review of French blogs. This one has more French blogs than I will ever have time to read.
David Lebovitz American chef living in Paris. He has written several cookbooks. From this blog I learned that flour is different in France. Good to know!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Fly your car to France?
Lately Rod has been looking into shipping our station wagon to France. Just to get prices. Since he works in transportation he has some contacts. He got in touch with a company that sends containers to France. He didn't realize at first that the containers go by plane.
Yes, you can fly your car to France on a plane. We were told to drain the oil and gas first.
Can you even guess the price??
$9,750. One way.
So we are still looking around!
Yes, you can fly your car to France on a plane. We were told to drain the oil and gas first.
Can you even guess the price??
$9,750. One way.
So we are still looking around!
Joey's passport
Rod and I took Joey to the post office on May 28th to get his passport (both parents have to go) and it arrived today, June 16th! Quicker than the 4-6 weeks I was told it would take. I did not pay extra to have it expedited.
We didn't take Ellie to get her passport until June 8th. Her passport is the last one we are waiting on.
After we all have our passports we need to go to the French Consulate in Chicago to apply for a visa. Since we are staying longer than 3 months in France we are supposed to have a visa. I know of other people who have chosen not to get a visa and didn't have a problem. I will just feel much more confident going through customs if I know I have all the right paperwork.
We didn't take Ellie to get her passport until June 8th. Her passport is the last one we are waiting on.
After we all have our passports we need to go to the French Consulate in Chicago to apply for a visa. Since we are staying longer than 3 months in France we are supposed to have a visa. I know of other people who have chosen not to get a visa and didn't have a problem. I will just feel much more confident going through customs if I know I have all the right paperwork.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Gabi's blog
Have you seen Gabi's blog? Don't miss it! She has her own thing going on.
Fifthgradefrance.blogspot.com
She loves comments!
Fifthgradefrance.blogspot.com
She loves comments!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Gabi interview
I interviewed Gabi, (almost 10 years old) about going to France.
Are you excited to spend a year in France?
Yes. But I am nervous about my grades and I am worried I will miss my friends, especially Georgia.
What are you looking forward to in France?
I want to visit the Eiffel Tower and I want to see the Louvre, the biggest museum in France. I want to explore the house we are renting.
What do you think the first day will be like in school when everyone speaks a different language?
Oh wow. I will go up to my principal, who speaks English, and ask her to explain my homework. I might do that or I might be too nervous to do that.
Do you think you will have a hard time talking to the other students?
No.
Why not?
Because mom always says that I talk a lot. It will just be in a different language. It depends which day of school it is.
What does that mean?
If it is the first day it will be difficult, but if it is May 2, then it will be easier.
Any more questions?
No, Gabi, this is quite enough. Thank you.
Are you excited to spend a year in France?
Yes. But I am nervous about my grades and I am worried I will miss my friends, especially Georgia.
What are you looking forward to in France?
I want to visit the Eiffel Tower and I want to see the Louvre, the biggest museum in France. I want to explore the house we are renting.
What do you think the first day will be like in school when everyone speaks a different language?
Oh wow. I will go up to my principal, who speaks English, and ask her to explain my homework. I might do that or I might be too nervous to do that.
Do you think you will have a hard time talking to the other students?
No.
Why not?
Because mom always says that I talk a lot. It will just be in a different language. It depends which day of school it is.
What does that mean?
If it is the first day it will be difficult, but if it is May 2, then it will be easier.
Any more questions?
No, Gabi, this is quite enough. Thank you.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
The Plan
The plan is to live in France from September, 2010 through June, 2011, so the kids can go to school in France. My mom and I rented a house on the outskirts of Fontenay le Comte. Fontenay le Comte is about 30ish miles from the town of La Rochelle, a resort town on the Atlantic Ocean. We aren't far from the Loire Valley.
The kids will attend the French public schools within walking distance from the house.
Our oldest daughter, Katie, age 11, will attend middle school. (She loves that the middle school is called college.)
Gabi, age 10, and Joey, age 7, will attend elementary school.
Ellie, age 5, will attend maternelle, similiar to our preschool. In France children from age 2-5 attend maternelle. Luckily for Ellie, her maternelle is attached to the elementary school. She is excited to go off to school every day with her older siblings.
I love that I will be walking the kids to school. In Michigan we live too far from town to walk so the kids ride the bus. I hope I still like walking the kids to school at the end of the year.
So, for 10 months, my mom and I are going to live in a house in France with the kids while my husband stays back in the States and works. Isn't he a good sport? He will visit periodically through the year.
So this is the big overall plan. What is left to plan are the smaller details, like figuring out what we are going to do about a car.
A bientot!
The kids will attend the French public schools within walking distance from the house.
Our oldest daughter, Katie, age 11, will attend middle school. (She loves that the middle school is called college.)
Gabi, age 10, and Joey, age 7, will attend elementary school.
Ellie, age 5, will attend maternelle, similiar to our preschool. In France children from age 2-5 attend maternelle. Luckily for Ellie, her maternelle is attached to the elementary school. She is excited to go off to school every day with her older siblings.
I love that I will be walking the kids to school. In Michigan we live too far from town to walk so the kids ride the bus. I hope I still like walking the kids to school at the end of the year.
So, for 10 months, my mom and I are going to live in a house in France with the kids while my husband stays back in the States and works. Isn't he a good sport? He will visit periodically through the year.
So this is the big overall plan. What is left to plan are the smaller details, like figuring out what we are going to do about a car.
A bientot!
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