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Before Christmas, Santa made a special visit to Makenna’s dance class!  The children were told to dress up in a costume and they danced for the parents for a little while until Santa arrived.  They danced for Santa and then he handed out presents and chocolate.

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We kept very busy in the weeks leading up to Christmas this year.  We made several trips to Place de Jaude so the kids could ride the carnival rides.  One night Ryan and I went out to a very very delicious dinner, where I ordered risotto with truffle and then we rode the Ferris Wheel.  It was so beautiful overlooking the town at night!  My friend Emily had her annual cookie decorating party with a couple of our friends, and my friend Katie threw the annual expat ornament exchange party with a big group of ladies.  And of course, the kids had fun decorating the apartment for Christmas and making a gingerbread house.  It’s almost Christmas!

We were so happy that we were all healthy most of this month and that Makenna was able to attend her school Christmas party since she was sick last year and missed it.  The party was held after school on a Friday night and was for all of the classes together.  It started with a Christmas market, where parents could buy things that the kids made in school or food and drinks donated by parents to help raise money for the school.  It was a bit chaotic with all of the kids and parents in a small space, so we didn’t stay there for very long.  Then Makenna’s class and another class sang some songs that they had learned over the last few months.  They weren’t Christmas songs, rather songs all focused on a theme of books they had been reading.  This year the theme is bears, so all of the books have a bear theme and the school hallway was decorated to match the theme.  For one of the songs, one of the teachers sang and played guitar, and the principal was standing up and clapping along.  It was really cute, especially hearing the songs in French!

We have now been in France for 4 years!  We came here thinking we would be here for 3 years but Ryan must be too good at his job because they have asked us to stay longer.  Clermont Ferrand has really become home to us, and it’s where our kids have grown up so far (Makenna was 9 months when we moved here).  We love it here, in Europe in general, and we will really really miss it when we return to the US.

Here are some reflections on our time here:

1. I’ve realized that living here has made me go outside more.  Back home, if it was raining or really cold, I wouldn’t stay outside any longer than I absolutely needed to.  Here, it is the norm to sit outside of a café even if it’s 30 degrees outside and now I find myself doing that!  It’s also a lot easier for me to walk places than to get the kids in the car and drive (especially because of 1 way streets and trying to find parking) so even if it is pouring rain  we grab our umbrellas and walk to school, the grocery store, a friend’s house etc.
2. I’ve accepted that “being excited” is not a thing in France.  I recently read an article that talked about why the French don’t show excitement and it summed up the cultural differences that some people take as the French being rude.  While it is normal for Americans to smile a lot, talk loudly and show excitement easily, it is quite the opposite for the French.  In fact, there’s not really an equivalent translation for “I’m excited” in French (the direct translation would mean “I am aroused”).  It goes on to say how the French are just culturally more reserved and that sometimes Americans are over-the-top with their feelings and enthusiasm whereas the French only show excitement when it is truly meant.  This rang true for me when I think back to experiences of shopping or going to a restaurant in the US and the salesperson/waiter is constantly smiling and asking if you are ok etc, or meeting new people that are too nice and “fake” when they don’t even know you.  And the main takeaway- Americans live in the “to do” whereas the French live in the “to be”….being excited is living in the future, while the French are content where they are now.  On est bien là (we are good, here).
3. In the US, we sometimes focus TOO much on education at a young age.  I once showed a friend some of the things Makenna had learned at school and made.  She said “oh my daughter did some of that in her daycare program”.  Which is fine. But when I thought about it, does a 1 and  2 year old need to be learning colors, numbers, shapes, letters, how to draw straight lines and more? Or should they be learning how to socialize, how to listen to instructions, how to play fairly, how to include others, how to be creative and imaginative?  I recently had to apply to send Makenna to a public school in Greenville that is a language school where she can continue part of her education in French.  It is a public school but we won’t be living in that area so we need to apply for special permission.  The school requested a letter from Makenna’s preschool stating her attendance and behavior, as well as an evaluation of her knowledge.  When I told Makenna’s teacher this, she said “why? she’s only 4”.  Touché.
4. Every now and then I am reminded of my appreciation for American conveniences. In the month of December, many stores will open on Sundays when they are otherwise closed. It reminds me of how nice it can be to run errands on a Sunday if you forgot something or didn’t have time on Saturday.  Or if you would like to order food for delivery before 7pm, that is much easier to do back home than it is here.

As we get closer to moving back home, I think of all the things I will miss about our life here.  And I also think about how much I look forward to having a bigger house with room for guests and more storage and not having the kids’ toys everywhere between the kitchen and the living room…..