In the end it was a "good week" in both Tom and Liam's words despite a few hard challenges, and a few tears, mid-week. The bilingual adaptation program seems to be structured to present some of these challenges so as to figure out where the children are with respect to French language skills. Poems (the first of many many poems!) were memorized, projects started, essays were researched and written, and yet more school supplies were purchased. We had two parent receptions too, some in English and some in French. The rest of them throughout the year will be in French (quite an incentive for parents to take French lessons!).
The approach to school supplies here is really distinctive, with exacting guidelines provided for all 100 + items needed, with no variation allowed on any one item (lest parent and child get a public scolding). Tom's backpack weighs approx., 12 kg (26 lb) when loaded up for the trek via Metro to school. And when the Metro is packed with people, as it has been this week in the mornings, it is a real physical challenge to squeeze on and off at the right spots. The trip to school in the morning involves nine stops and making one line switch and certainly wakes up the boys! The nicest thing about the trip is that the Metro car emerges above ground three stops before they get off, and the sights are memorable - old buildings, interesting streets, and quick sightings of Hôtel des Invalides (see the pic above) and the Eiffel Tower as both are nearish the boys' school.
In any case a gloriously warm and sunny Friday helped end the "good" week and we're on our way forward. It is now Saturday morning - the other pic above is an early morning reading session while Dad nurses a wee hangover.
