Thursday, April 22nd

HOME!!!!

That's the goal for today. I arrive at the Nogent High School at 5:20 in the morning, and everyone is already there, American and French students alike. There is much hugging and crying. The Americans had such a good time, and the French were such good hosts, nobody wants it to end. But deep down, most of us want to be home also. The luggage is loaded aboard the bus. I swear it weighs twice what it was when we arrived. The bus finally pulls out of the parking lot about 5:40 to much cheering. There are very few dry eyes among the American students. That tells you what a good time they had.


The ride to Paris is dark and quiet. We catch a beautiful sunrise, which is accentuated by the ash in the sky from the Icelandic volcano. We hit the morning rush hour in Paris, and finally arrive at the airport about 8:30. Unfortunately the security officials won't let the bus pull up in from of the terminal, so we have to drag the luggage a considerable distance. I though I was so smart traveling with only a large duffle bag. Not so when you have to carry it forever, and the students are all pulling their HUGE suitcases on nice sets of wheels.

We get our boarding passes and make our way through security. We have to show our passport to get the boarding pass. We have to show the passport to leave French customs. We have to show the passport at airport security. We have to show the passport to board the plane. The passport is going to be worn out before we even get home. The beauty of flying Paris to Montreal direct is that there is no chance of loosing the luggage. The disadvantage is that we travel through three countries, France, Canada, and the US, each with their own sets of security and customs regulations.

We finally board the plane and departure is about forty-five minutes later that the scheduled 11:55 AM. The plane is full with 340 passengers. I don't see an empty seat anywhere. The flight is very uneventful, and very long. We touch down in Montreal at 1:35 PM. Factor in the time changes, and we were in the air about seven hours. We gather up the luggage, which seems to take forever. Then we pass through Canadian customs. The school bus is waiting for us, and we finally arrive at Potsdam High School at 5:00 PM. Seems early, but remember, our body clocks are still on French time, which means the brain thinks it is 11:00 at night. But the adrenalin rush has kicked in, and we are all wide awake greeting parents and friends.

Now, get home, get some dinner, get some sleep, and get to school the next day. There will be plenty of time Friday to share all the stories.

In a couple of days I'll post some of my reflections on the trip. In the mean time, I need to get my internal body clock back on New York time.

Wednesday, April 21st

Today we visited the city of Le Mans. Most people know Le Mans because of the 24 Hour Auto Race there. However, it also contains some of the oldest Roman remains in France. Le Mans is an hour drive from Nogent, and has a population of about 200,000.

As usual, the American students meet at 8:00 AM. We arrive at Le Mans shortly after 9:00, and take a two-hour walking tour of the old city, also called Cité Plantagenêt. The very oldest part of city dates back over two thousand years to Roman times. In fact, some of the original Roman walls can still be seen with it's distinctive pattern of red brick and stone. The construction of the Cathédrale St-Julien du Mans started in 1080 and was completed around 1254. The cathedral was originally intended to be even lager than it is, but never achieved that goal because of construction costs. Seems like cost over run was a problem even back then. In one corner outside the cathedral is an artifact called the menhir of Le Mans. This piece of sedimentary rock reportedly dates back seven thousand years to prehistoric times in the Le Mans area. Legend has it that if you insert your finger into a mall depression on the rock, your wishes will come true. Several students tried it, but I have no idea of their wishes, nor do I want to know. :-)

Cobbled streets and "half timbered" buildings characterize the old city. Half timbering is a construction method now referred to as Tudor style construction. The building is constructed using timber framing and then plaster or bricks are used to fill in the wall spaces between the timbers. This style of construction also employed the use of jetties. Jetties are when the upper floors of the building are cantilevered over the lower floors, thus allowing the second and third floors to actually have more square footage than the ground floor.

After touring the old city, everybody dispersed to eat and get some last minute shopping in. The modern part of Le Mans is full of wonderful places to eat and shop, all located around a center plaza. My hosts, Jean and Catherine say that Le Mans is their favorite place to shop and see concerts.

An hour bus ride and we are back in Nogent by 4:00 PM. We remind the students to get their packing done this evening. We are to meet the bus at 5:30 tomorrow morning for the two ride to the airport, and we don't want anyone oversleeping! Final checks on our flight show it as being still scheduled.

We'll be home soon.....

Tuesday, April 20th

Today the American students shadow French students at Nogent High School. Their school day is quite a bit different than a typical day at Potsdam or Canton. All the classes run on the hour. School starts at 8:00 AM. Then the next class is at 9:00, and so forth. Lunch is one hour long, from 12:00 to 1:00. Some classes my even run from 5:00 to 6:00 PM. Students can come and go from the school grounds when they are not in class, as can teachers. Sounds exciting, right? On the other hand, you might end up with a 5:00 to 6:00 class, which makes the day really long. Your schedule is not the same everyday. I guess you could say the schedule resembles a college type of schedule. There are about one thousand students at the school. That's close to what Canton and Potsdam would be combined. Which brings up another difference. Nogent HS is a regional high school. The school has a dormitory! Some students live so far away that they stay in the dorms during the week. The dorms are heavily monitored, with very specific check in times, and all lights go out at 10:00 PM.

The cafeteria is huge, and everyone eats at the same time, and they have an hour to eat. The teachers have a separate faculty area off to the side of the cafeteria. I found the lunch to be large and good. In fact, I couldn't finish all of mine. I don't know the cost.

The day started at 8:00. The American teachers met with the Nogent Principal and Assistant Principal. He spoke almost no English, so I sat through an hour of French conversation. Tom Ham would occasionally fill me in. Surprisingly, I was able to understand bits and pieces of the conversation. It is amazing how much of the language you can pick up just by being totally immersed in it. The principal is an avid supporter of the exchange.

After the meeting with the Principal, I spent a couple of hours in the faculty room. It is large, with several chairs, couches, tables, and about ten computers, all connected to a working printer. The room is actually two floors with the computers on the second floor. I logged on to a computer and worked on updating the travel blog. I still have to fight with the foreign keyboard. I brought my latest blog entries and some photos on a USB drive just in case I found a computer. For once, all the technology worked and I was able to upload everything I wanted.

At 11:00 I attended an English class. There were about twenty-five in the class. Now this is another area where Nogent High School is different. The class was for students who have already completed the traditional High School route, but are taking additional classes to prepare them for work in the business world. In general, at about the end of eight grade students are directed toward specific programs. Some may attend trade schools, similar to the BOCES schools in the US. Others are directed to college prep work, such as the high school in Nogent.

After the English class, we spent an hour in the lunchroom. Boy, this is a far cry from the twenty minute lunch we get in Canton or Potsdam! After lunch, I went walking around Nogent's streets and downtown with Danielle and Martha Chisolm, the Canton French teacher. They shopped, I watched. :-)

At 3:00 Martha, Danielle, Tom and I joined Pat for tea (oh all right, maybe a beer) at her house. Pat is the English teacher who's class we visited earlier in the day. Pat and her husband Dan are also Tom's hosts. Pat and Dan have this amazing home right across the street for the huge castle in Nogent that we visited early in the trip. Pat has developed her garden into a very pleasant and beautiful surrounding. The setting was gorgeous.

The American students, and some of their French hosts, met at the Mayor's office at 5:00 for a short welcoming ceremony. There was just a short speech by the Mayor's assistant, followed by cookies and punch.

Last item on the day's agenda was the potluck dinner at the High School at 7:00. All of the French host families brought in all kinds of dishes. The crowd was huge. The American students were mixing with all the host families. This was probably the last chance for such a large gathering of American and French students before the Americans go home on Thursday. These students are becoming such good friends that the farewells on Thursday are going to be difficult.

Speaking of Thursday, as far as we know, our flight is still a go. The volcano in Iceland is still raising havoc with European air travel. We have heard that the travel situation is improving, but nowhere back to normal yet.

More tomorrow...........

Monday, April 19th

I was up at 5:30 again for coffee and to work on the blog. Hard to believe that when I'm up at 5:30, it's only 11:30 in the evening the day before in Potsdam and Canton.

We meet again at the now usual time of 8:00 AM at the high school. By 8:15 we are on the road for the coast of Normandy to explore some of the D Day memorials. We have a three-hour bus ride ahead. The first stop is the Pointe du Hoc Ranger Memorial. The Allied Command needed to capture the gun placements there to facilitate the D Day invasion. Two hundred Army Rangers attacked the gun placement, having to climb a cliff first. Finally successful, only ninety Rangers were left when reinforcements arrived days later. The memorial has left the original bomb craters and German bunkers intact. It is a very graphic reminder of the danger and horror that the young soldiers faced.

Next stop was Omaha Beach. This is one of five beach heads that the Allies landed troops on during the invasion. The students just had to take their shoes off and play in the water of the English Channel. Of course, many of us had to collect a sample of sand from the beach as a souvenir. There is a memorial sculpture built on the beach sand that looks like jagged pieces of metal. Everyone had their picture taken around it. Omaha Beach is about four miles long. The Allies started landing here at 6:30 on the morning of June 6th. Three valleys, each leading to a small village, open up on to the beach. After intense gunfire, the first of the villages, Saint-Laurent was liberated at 9:00 in the morning of the next day, June 7th.

The visit to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial was very moving and emotional. First a stop at the new Visitor Interpretive Center, where we had to go through airport type security, to view a short movie and walk through a small, but informative museum. Then we had an hour or so to walk among the head stones on the grounds that overlook the English Channel. There are over 9,000 headstones in the cemetery, all perfectly aligned in rows. The grounds are immaculate, and in fact are on American soil. You are free to walk among the stones at will, and many headstones had flowers laid that the base. It was a very moving experience.

Last stop of the day is the village of Arromanches, located on what was referred to as Gold Beach by the Allies. Gold Beach is one of the five beach-heads where the invasion occurred. A temporary harbor was established by the Allies, in this case the British, when they set up a system of temporary piers. In fact, during the war it became the largest harbor on the Normandy coast. Now all you can see are remnants of the old piers and the village is a quaint tourist town with shops and cafes.

We grabbed a quick dinner in Arromanches and boarded the bus by 6:15. We arrived back at Nogent at 9:15 and were picked up by our hosts. It was a long day, but I learned a lot.
Tomorrow we spend the day shadowing teachers and students at Nogent High School. There is still no real information on the airport situation. We've been told that some airports are opening up. We should have a better idea of the situation by Wednesday morning.

Sunday, April 18th

Today is a catch up and family time day. I got up at 5:30 (trust me, 5:30 is sleeping in for me) and worked for a couple of hours on the blog. I did so much in Paris and I need to write it down while still fresh in my mind. Jean has scheduled a visit to a cereal farm (crop farm in US terms) at 10:30 and there is a lunch with most of the past teachers of the exchange program at 1:00. Again, the weather is just perfect with sunny and warm skies. We have not had rain for the ten days I've been here. This is great for tourists, but not so great for the farmers who are complaining of lack of rain.

The cereal farm visit was interesting. The farm belongs to Terry and his wife, Christine. Christine is one of the teachers involved in the Exchange Program. She is an English Teacher at the Nogent High School. Terry and his brother each have separate farms, but they share all the equipment. Terry explained that the crops they produce are very regulated by the French Government and European Union. A farm can grow anything they want, but if they want to qualify for the government subsidies, then they have to grow what the French Government specifies. They grow five basic crops on five-year rotation. The crops are wheat, barley, rape seed, corn, and beans. Barley, wheat, and rape seed are all planted the previous Fall. Beans and corn are planted in the Spring. Beans are just coming up and Terry had planted the corn last week. Terry does all of his own marketing through the computer and internet. He logs on daily to the Chicago Board of Trade and follows the markets online. He bought the farm from his father. However, his sons are not interested in farming so he and Christine don't know what the future holds.

I have never seen such neat farms as the ones I have seen here. All of the machinery is stored inside. You never see any machinery left outside when it not in use. The farmsteads are immaculate. There is no junk or clutter anywhere. Wherever you drive, at least in this area, any farm could be a postcard photo.

We had lunch with about twenty-five teachers involved, both past and present, in the Exchange Program at a wonderful restaurant located on an old restored Manor that is part of the Park System. Also, the gift shop at the restaurant specialized in selling local and regional farm products, such as wine, cider, jellies, mustards, and canned meats. It was nice to see gifts for sale not made in China. Come to find out, Nogent is located in the center of a large government park, much like Tupper Lake is located within the Adirondack Park. Building construction and renovation is regulated to maintain the authenticity of appearance. While as a homeowner you might not appreciate that regulation, remember that many of the buildings here are three hundred to seven hundred years old. I think it's great that they are being preserved.
I needed a wifi fix, so Jean took me to the local McDonalds for an hour or so. We each bought a coffee. He graded papers (teachers in France are just like us, they put off grading papers until the last day of vacation) while I uploaded so more of the travel blog. The photos take forever to upload, so I pretty much just uploaded text. I'll work on photos when I get home. A lingering concern in the background is the volcanic eruption in Iceland. Most of the airports in France have been closed for the past three days. Some may reopen on Monday. Our flight is scheduled for Thursday. It could take several days to clear out the congestion.

Monday we are off to the Normandy region and Omaha Beach, the site of the D-Day landings. It will be a long day. 8:00 in the morning until arrival back in Nogent at 9:30 PM.

Friday and Saturday, April 16 and 17

Paris!!!

When you think of France, you think of Paris. Everyone gets to the train station on time. We are to pick up five students in La Loupe, the first stop on the train ride to Paris. We are also meeting one student in Paris. First minor crisis comes when only four students show up at the La Loupe station. Nothing we can do. The train can't wait. Repeated cell phone calls yield nothing. However when we arrive at the Paris station, there is our missing student. Unbeknownst to us, she had arranged to ride into Paris with the other prearranged student. Miscommunication. GRRRRRR!! But all ends well.

The Paris train station is not like your typical bus station in Potsdam or Canton. It is HUGE! The trains and metro (subway) were to be our means of travel for the next two days. The chaperones had to act like a cross between mother ducks leading their ducklings and border collies herding their sheep. We are responsible for forty-one students, some of whom pay attention and are travel savvy, while others chat and are clueless. Fortunately, the fear factor kicked in and they all made sure to get on the metro, regardless of how crowded, and to all get off, regardless of who was in the way. We didn't loose a single student. :-)

Danielle Wilson had an appointment at the American Embassy at 9:30 AM to replace Ryan's passport that burned in the fire. So the other chaperones led the group to the Musée d'Orsay. The Orsay Museum is spectacular! It is actually a converted rail station, but the architecture is stunning with a high arched ceiling. I really enjoyed this visit. There were great works there from the impressionists, such as Monet and Manet. The Potsdam art teacher, Leslie Sutter had given the Potsdam students a list of eight works to not miss. I was able to find six of them, including Monet's huge painting of water lilies, "Nymphéas bleus" and the sculpture "Porte de l'Enfer" by Rodin. Danielle called to say that the embassy appointment went well, and she and Ryan (with a new temporary passport in hand) would join us at 11:30.

For the next hour we strolled down the sidewalks along the River Scène. We arrived at the Notre-Dame Cathedral about 12:30. The students had forty-five minutes for a quick lunch and were to meet back at Notre-Dame by the statue of Charlemagne. From there we went for a brief tour of Ste Chapelle. This church is one of the oldest known buildings of Gothic architecture in Europe, and dates back to the 1200's. The students then had some free time and we met back at Charlemagne's statue at 3:30. A short metro ride takes us to the Arc de Triomphe. We tell the students to meet us at the Place de la Concorde at 6:30. This gives them almost three hours to walk the length of the Champs-Elysées, which is about a two miles long. This grand avenue is lined with stores, shops, restaurants, and cafes. The weather was sunny and warm. You couldn't ask for a more perfect day. Again, I dinned on more fine French food. Good thing I'm walking off the calories. There must really be something to the French paradox. In spite of the fantastic food, I have seen few obese French people.

At the end of the Champs-Elysées we collect everyone, and walk to the Louvre. This museum is large and beautiful. The famous glass pyramid at the entrance is stunning. I'm sure most people remember it from a scene in the movie, The Da Vinci Code. The museum is so elaborate; it is easy to get lost in the many rooms. We did look for the famous "Mona Lisa" painting by da Vinci, and found it. We also found the "Venus de Milo" statue. The Louvre is so large; you get overwhelmed trying to view it all. Jean tells me later that the best way to see it is to choose specific portions, and visit that section only. Then choose another area for another visit.

At 9:00 PM we gather and take the metro to the Eiffel Tower. At night, the lighted tower is spectacular! By 11:30 everyone has managed to take the elevators to the top of the tower. The view of Paris at night is magnificent. At 11:45 everyone meets at the base of the tower to take the metro to the hostel where we are staying for the night. We have to take two trains, and low and behold, the second train is closed. We just missed the closing time. Yikes! So what do you do when there is no public transportation? You walk. After a two-mile walk down the sidewalks of Paris, we arrive at the hostel at about 1:15 AM. By 2:00 AM, all are in bed and sleeping. You have to admit, this is a real immersion trip. :-)

Everyone gathers at 9:00 on Saturday morning after a continental style breakfast. We take the metro (the one that was closed last night) back to the Eiffel Tower, where we have an appointment for a one-hour tour boat ride on the River Scène . Again we luck out. The weather is warm and sunny. We view many of the sites we saw yesterday, but this time from the relaxing comfort of a boat. After the boat tour, we take the metro to an area of the city called the Latin Quarter. It is called the Latin Quarter because was the center of education. This area contains the Sorbonne, one of the first Universities. We found a cafe and had a leisurely lunch in the courtyard just by the Sorbonne. I splurged for my last meal in Paris with wine, roasted duck, mashed potatoes, and followed by crème brulée for dessert. After lunch we found the Pantheon. this is were the most famous of French authors are buried. Then we strolled through the Luxembourg Gardens. These gardens are not a botanical garden, but rather a public space. In fact, there were signs encouraging people to sit on the grass. Thousands of people of all ages were out reading, picnicking, napping, and soaking up the sun. Children were playing with sailboats in a large shallow pool. I don't think I have ever seen such a large group of people sharing a public common space. When I returned to Nogent, Jean told me how he and his cousin who lived in Paris used to play with the sailboats on the pool there.

At 3:00 everyone gathered and we took the metro to the train station. Here we caught the 5:18 train to Nogent, and arrived back in Nogent at 7:00. I am dead tired, but just overwhelmed by the experience of French history and culture. I would like to come back someday, but even if I never do, I will remember the two days in Paris forever.

Thursday, April 15th

The Americans collect at the Nogent High School at 8:00 AM again. The weather is brisk and hazy, and the sun was a brilliant red when it rose this morning. Today we are off to see La Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres. The translation means we are going to the Notre Dame Cathedral in the city of Chartres. This Cathedral is one of the best examples of Gothic architecture in all of Europe. There are parts of the building that date back to the 12th century. I am still getting used to the fact that "old" in the US means three hundred years, while "old" in Europe refers to one thousand years ago.

The bus ride to Chartres only takes about one hour. We arrive at 9:15, which gives us slightly more than an hour to find a coffee shop for a snack before meeting the tour guide at 10:30. I end up having the most intense hot chocolate I think I have ever had.

Malcolm Miller is a most original and entertaining tour guide. He is British and has a wonderful British sense of humor that the students found very entertaining. He is one of the most widely know experts on La Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres. The present church is built on the foundations of several previous churches. Building commenced in 1194 after the destruction of a previous church by fire. The draw and interest in this particular church is that it houses a religious relic. This piece of fabric is said to have been worn by Mary when she gave birth to Jesus. The fabric was given to Chartres in 876 by King Charles the Bald, who had inherited it from his grandfather, Charlemagne. Whatever the origin, the relic is old and holds historic and religious significance. The present day cathedral is actually a composite of several generations of architects and construction. It is even larger than the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The citizens of Chartres were so worried that the church would be destroyed during World War Two that they removed all of the stained glass windows and stored them in secret crypts. Fortunately the church survived the war and efforts continue to raise funds for the restoration and cleaning of the walls and windows.

After the time at the cathedral, Tom, Danielle and I had lunch at an outdoor cafe and did some shopping. I found a McDonalds and logged on to their wifi and was able to upload some additions to the blog and get my email. We collected the students at 3:00, and almost everyone fell asleep on the bus ride back to Nogent. As usual, Jean and Catherine had a fantastic meal of grilled steak. How am I ever going to live when I get back home and have to prepare my own food again?

Next, we spend Friday and Saturday in Paris. I have to be at the train station in Nogent at 6:00 AM. Fortunately, Jean only lives ten minutes from the station. Some of the others are not so lucky. I'll have lots to write about when I get back from Paris.

Wednesday, April 14

This is the first morning while in France that the sun is not shinning. But while the morning sky is overcast, the afternoon brings warm sunshine. Like yesterday, everyone meets at the Nogent High School at 8:00 AM. This time the Nogent students are spending the day with us. Two motor coaches pick us up forthe nearly three-hour drive to see Monet's Gardens.

Claudet Monet was born in Paris in 1840. Monet was part of a group of artists who were labeled as impressionists. These artists were ridiculed at first and they struggled financially

The grounds and home have been restored to the condition of when Monet lived and worked there. Monet is famous for his paintings of his gardens, water garden and lilies, and the arched bridge. While the gardens were not yet in their prime yet (we were told that the optimum time is late May) they were beautiful. They were full of tulips, daffodils, and pansies. Thencially. With the support of dealers and patrons, his success began to grow. In the 1880's he acquired the property at Giverny, and lived there until his death in 1926. Monet once wrote, "Apart from painting and gardening, I'm not good at anything".

The water garden was spectacular, even with out the bloom of the water lilies. The house and studio was interesting as well. I'd have to say that this stop was one of the high points of my trip to France. I think most of the students enjoyed the gardens. In fact, there was one who took over 250 pictures of the gardens and flowers!

After a picnic lunch at the Vernon city park on the bank of the River Scène, the students were free to wonder Vernon for a couple of hours. Tom Ham, my host Jean, and I found a coffee cafe and we reminisced about going to college in the late 60's. Tom and I discussed the American perspective while Jean talked about college in France. We spent a great afternoon sharing stories and drinking French coffee, or in Toms case, tea.

We left Vernon, and arrived back in Nogent about 6:30. As usual, Jean and Catherine prepared a wonderful meal of salmon, followed by a type of homemade apple pie. Fortunately, I'm walking enough (I hope) during the day to work off the calories I consume eating fine home cooked French food.

Thursday's schedule is less hectic, so I hope I can get caught up on uploading the blog. Jean does not have a wifi router, and the keyboard on his computer is French style with several of the keys laid out in a different arrangement, which makes typing frustratingly slow. However, most McDonalds here have wifi access. I plan to spend some time there, not for the burgers and fries, but the internet access.

Tuesday, April 13

The morning brings some light haze/fog and brisk temperatures. The American students are to meet at the High School by 8:00. There are a couple of stragglers, but by 8:15 we are on the bus and everyone is present. We have a two-hour bus ride to the visit the first stop, Château de Chambord. The trip takes us in a southerly direction and you notice a change in the trees and vegetation. Everything is greener. The farmers are planting cereal grains. It's the equivalent of going from Potsdam to Ithaca, in NY. The season is about ten days to two weeks ahead. We travel through miles of farmland. I continue to be amazed by the amount and scale of farming, especially cereal grains. As usual, the roads and streets are narrow, and the bus driver has to carefully jockey the bus through some of the small towns, sometimes with only inches to spare between the bus and the shops. We pass by several farm machinery dealers, including John Deere and New Holland ones.

The Château de Châmbord is a HUGE structure built during the Renaissance period. That means it dates back to the early 1500's. It was the hunting lodge of François I. The massive structure contains 365 chimneys and over 400 rooms. A massive stone wall surrounds the entire estate in order to keep all the wild game corralled. One part of me is appalled at the opulence, while another part admires the architecture and design and detail. I guess it's no different than today's wealthy and the mansions they build. After the visit, we have a picnic lunch on the grounds.

The second stop is about one hour away and it is the Château de Chenonceau. Again, this is another example of over the top opulence, but beautiful in every respect. The Château is built right over the River Cher. It was built in the 16th century by the Thomas Bohier and his wife Katherine Briconnet. Like most of the history of the European wealthy, this building contains stories of wives and mistresses. The unique feature of this Château is that it is built right on the river and actually can be used as a bridge. In fact, during World War Two, the Château was used to smuggle downed pilots across the River Cher, since the river was the dividing line between occupied France and Vichy France.

The last stop of the day was the home of Leonardo di Vinci. The Château du Clos Lucé was built in 1471. Leonardo never owned this home. The Château was provided to him as a place of residence by the King, François I. The King appointed da Vinci "First painter, architect, and engineer of the King". The King provided a stipend and paid for his works. With such support, Leonardo was free to dream, paint, and design.

Leonardo da Vinci's home was the most impressive stop of the day for me. Many of the students enjoyed it as well. Not only was the home displayed as it was in Leonardo's day, but many of his designs and drawings where recreated into hands-on operating models that could be used and manipulated. The historical significant of walking in the same building as Leonardo da Vinci walked really impacted me.

That's all for now. Tomorrow its off to see Monet's Gardens

Monday, April 12

Today is sunny, but colder. It's too cold to be called fresh, according to Jean. "This is cold," he says. I don't have a thermometer, but I'd guess it's in the low 50's F. As the day progresses the temperature rises into the low to mid 60's. Still better that Potsdam, where I heard they had a hard frost last night with a 29 degree temperature as the low.

The entire group, both French and American students, gather at the Châteaux St. Jean this morning. It is the first time everyone has been together since Friday afternoon when we arrived in Nogent. For two full days now the Americans have been spending family time in the French homes. The students have great stories to tell. One went to a soccer match in Paris where over 40,000 fans were there. Another went to Versailles. And of course there is Ryan's story of the fire and hospital. Everyone had a great time exchanging stories. The French and American students are really bonding. It is so much fun watching them hang out, tell stories, and just be kids.

About two hours was spent touring and exploring the Châteaux St. Jean. A dry moat and high stone wall surround the entire complex. The original part goes back to the time of William the Conqueror in 1066. The structure was built as a fort for defense purposes. The walls are stone over three feet thick. Tiny slits were built into the wall to shoot arrows from. About fifty people probably lived in the fort. There was a well, chimneys and places for grain storage all located inside. Interestingly, we were told that the original was made of animal skins. Apparently the skins would not burn if attacked by fire arrows, while wood roofs would. About three hundred years later, the fort was added on to. The additions, while still stone, had thinner walls, and more windows. More recently some of the rooms and floors have been converted to a museum displaying art, sculpture, and old cooking and farm equipment.

After a picnic lunch, the students set off on a scavenger hunt. Carol Reed had a list of about twenty spots around the town of Nogent that the students were supposed to find and have their picture taken in from of. I walked with Carol Reed and Martha Chisolm, Carol being the retired French teacher from Canton and Martha the current teacher. I learned a lot from them. Off and on throughout the afternoon we would run into groups of students. Most of the stores in France are closed on both Sunday and Monday, which surprised me. Grocery stores were open, but most others (not all) were closed. The last stop on the scavenger hunt was the high school, where everyone gathered about 4:30.

I have been looking for a wifi hot spot to upload this blog and some photos. I was told that McDonalds was probably the best bet. Jean took me to the local one, and sure enough they had internet access. Would you believe that the menu is almost identical to the McDonalds in Potsdam? The coffee however, is much stronger. Jean left me there while he went shopping. I sipped coffee and worked on the blog. I didn't get everything uploaded exactly the way I wanted, but I got a start. The next few days look very busy, so I'm not sure when I'll get back to upload more.

I've only been here for four days, but I'm becoming quite comfortable. Jean and Catherine are wonderful hosts. We have compared teaching stories, vacation stories, retirement plans, stories of our youth, politics, and environmental issues. This has been a true immersion into the French culture. I have learned so much and look forward to more.

Sunday April 11th

I'm sorry to report that I awoke to another bright and sunny day. The temperatures were brisk (The French refer to this temperature as fresh) but they would later warm to the high 60's. Jean's plan was to take me to an old village in the country. We had a leisurely breakfast and left about 10:00.

The goal of the trip was a small town to the southeast of Nogent called St. Ceneri. It is about a two hour drive. As we drive through the countryside, I am amazed at the amount of farmland. I guess I had assumed that because France is so old, the farms would all be small units. Not so. Apparently back in the 60's and 70's there was a large movement to modernize. Now the fields are large and the equipment large. France is as large as the state of Texas, and produces 60% of the crops in Europe. At times I felt as if I was traveling across Iowa. The major crops appear to be various cereal grains and Rape Seed. I have not seen any corn or soybeans. Rape Seed is related to the mustard family and is grown for the oil in the seed. In fact, there were efforts to develop Rape Seed as a commercial crop in Northern NY back in the early 80's. Farmer's problems here are the same as in the States; weather, energy costs, and fluctuating crop prices.

As we drive, we pass through small town after small town every three or four miles. The towns are close to each other. There are some, but not many traffic lights. Most intersections consist of a round-about, much like you would see in Vermont. We drive a by a larger city called Alencon. Jean points out an empty factory that used to employ 4,000 workers, but is now closed. The company now has their products made in China. This is just one more example of the similarity of issues between France and the US.

The town of St. Ceneri is old and quaint. The streets are extremely narrow. The town caters to the tourist trade with several restaurants and outside cafes. There is a river front park area as well. There were many motorcycles parked in the lots and on the streets. The center of attention is a church built back in the eleventh century. This area was inhabited back in the ninth century. We Americans tend to think of three hundred years as old, while in Europe, a thousand years is considered old. I was taking a picture of an old bridge when a modern farm tractor crossed, making for a real contrast.

We dined at one of the local restaurants. I had salmon appetizer, steak, a potato dish, bread, and of course, wine. Dinner was followed with an apple tart and vey strong French coffee. We arrived back home about 6:00 and decided to have a late dinner of salads and cheese. I crashed by 9:30.

Tomorrow, we tour Chateau St. Jean, a local landmark in Nogent. Later in the day the students are conducting a scavenger hunt of places in Nogent.

On a side note, some of the day was filled with frantic phone calls. One of the Potsdam students, Ryan Arno, had the bedroom where he was staying catch on fire. Ryan had to be admitted to the hospital for smoke inhalation. He lost all of his clothing, passport, and personal items. Fortunately he is going to be fine. He was kept overnight in the hospital and released the next day. Ryan now gets to go on a shopping spree for a new wardrobe and will have to get his passport replaced. During one of the phone calls, I talked to Ryan shortly after he was admitted to the hospital. He said, "Siph, I don't understand what they are saying." My response was "Ryan, don't you wish you had paid better attention in French Class?" He laughed, and I knew he would be fine. I told him that his line should be that as long as he was going to be immersed in French culture, he might as well go all the way, including an ambulance ride, hospital stay, and pretty French nurses.

Saturday April 10th

It's another beautiful day with warm temperatures and cloudless skies. A Face Book post from a friend back home revealed snow on the ground in places there. I guess I picked the right place to vacation. The view of farmland and countryside from Jean and Catherine's home is gorgeous!

After a leisurely breakfast of coffee and toast, we went to the market in Nogent. Every Saturday the town square is shut to auto traffic and vendors set up market stands. It is very similar to our Farmer's Markets, but on a much grander scale. You could buy meat, cheeses, fresh fish, lobster, scallops, roasted chicken, fresh vegetables, herbs, jams and jellies, flowers, breads, and much, much more. It seemed to be the main social gathering in town as well. Jean and Catherine were stopped many times to visit with friends, teachers, and retired teachers. Retired teachers in France seem to enjoy their freedom as much as ones in the US.

On a side street, clothing vendors and shops were set up too. So one could do all of your shopping right there at the Saturday Market. Next stop on our morning journey was a stop at a bakery. Jean buys fresh bread on almost a daily basis. A stop at a supermarket was next. They have almost the same things as we do at our supermarkets, although I think they have more offerings of fresh fish and fresh produce. Most of their out of season crops came from Spain. I did see some Florida Grapefruit. Last stop of the morning was at the butcher shop. Here Jean and Catherine selected from a host of meats and sausages.

An observation about the streets and cars is necessary. The streets are extremely narrow. What look like one-way streets are actually two-way. Cars park in whatever direction is convenient. The cars are all very compact. Large cars would not work here. I have not seen a pickup truck since I arrived. Motor scooters seem to go wherever they want. Most vehicles run on diesel. The price of gas and diesel is roughly twice what it is at home by the time you convert liters to gallons and Euros to dollars.

Just like yesterday, we had a long and leisurely lunch. In fact, Jean said that they have an hour for lunch in school. That's a far cry from our twenty minutes. Like yesterday, lunch consisted of a variety of salads, wine, cheese, fruits, and coffee.

By now I was ready for a nap! Come to find out, after I laid down Jean snuck off for a nap too. Later in the day they had a retired teacher couple stop and visit. While I did not understand much of the conversation, the talk was lively. Jean occasionally brought me up to date, and the conversations are the same things we talk about, such as the weather, additions to the house, storm damage repairs, etc.

We had company for the evening meal. Carol Reed, one of the Canton chaperones and original founders of the exchange program came to dinner along with her host. Dinner was at 7:00, and we never left the table until after 10:00. Jean and Catherine had prepared a fabulous meal of duck. The wine and conversation flowed. Dessert was a cream cake out of this world, followed up by tea. I'm getting the impression that food is serious business in France. :-)

To cap the evening off, Carol whipped out her iPad to show it off. That made me really jealous!! In bed at 11:00. Jean has an auto tour of the region planned for tomorrow.

Friday April 9th

It's about noon (France time, which is six hours ahead of EDT) and as I am writing this minute, we are stuck in traffic jams on the outskirts of Paris. The only vehicles moving at any great rate of speed are the motorcycles, who weave in and out of lanes at will. Hey, I think I just discovered a great concept for a new video game. But alas, there probably is already one.

However, back up. We left Potsdam High School yesterday at 2:00 in the afternoon. There are forty one students (twenty one from Potsdam HS and twenty from Canton HS) and five adults in the group. It took awhile to get everybody through both the Canadian Border Custom

s and then Montreal airport security. The plane took off at 9:15 PM. Dinner was served (a real one, not crackers and peanuts) and if you pulled an all nighter, you got to see two movies; Blindside and Up in the Air. I managed to catch parts of both, with uncomfortable naps in between. Factor in the time change, and we landed at 4:15 AM EDT, or 10:15 AM France time to beautiful sunny skies and warm temperatures.

After corralling the luggage pieces and the students, we still had a two hour drive to Nogent, a village about the same size as Potsdam. Here we met the host families. After all the hugs, kisses, and proper instructions, everyone scattered to their respective destinations.

I am staying with Jean Chauvin, who is the equivalent of a social studies and geography teacher in the US. Jean is one of the organizers and leaders of the Exchange from the French side.

His companion, Catherine Bonthoux, also teaches at the same High School. They live in a beautiful 200 year old stone house overlooking farmland and countryside. Jean has about a ten minute drive to work at Nogent HS each day. After a "typical" French lunch of several salads, several meats (all pork) and several cheeses and fruits, strong French coffee was served in the back yard. I could really get used to this lifestyle. :-)

After lunch we took a short walk down the road and visited the farmer who's land surrounds Jean and Catherine's home. This small farm raises beef cattle, crops, and chickens. It was one of the most immaculately kept farms I have ever visited. Like many small farms everywhere, the wife has an outside job in town. The other thing that caught my eye is the fact that the house is stone and it is attached to the barns. Some of the buildings were built in the 1700's.

All and all, this was an exceptional first day in France. There is no let up in the schedule for the next two weeks, so stay tuned and I'll update when I can.

Until later........

Trip to France: Prologue

Wow! I've been asked to be a chaperone for the Potsdam-Canton French Exchange trip this year. While I have traveled extensively in the US, (I've been to all 48 of the lower 48 states) I have never been out of the US other than next-door Canada.

The French Exchange is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year. For those twenty years, high school students from France have come to Potsdam and Canton and lived in American homes for two weeks. In exchange, our students have then traveled to France for two weeks and stayed in the homes of the same students who came here. This year, our students leave the afternoon of April 8th and return home on April 22nd.

My hope is to update this blog on a somewhat regular basis. I have an app for my iPhone that will allow me to make short updates on a moments notice. I will write longer reports using my laptop when the chance arises. Other than the stress of packing and making sub plans, all is well.

Stay tuned.....................

Maple Syrup

One of the rituals (and joys) of Spring and living in Northern New York is the making of maple syrup. It is something I remember as a child growing up on the farm. As luck would have it, I have been able to share this activity with my students at Potsdam High School.

In 1997 I had a parent and student come to me with a plan to construct a sugar shack and start a small maple production facility right on school property. The administration at the time was very supportive and gave the green light, as long as there was no cost to the school district. In other words, go ahead, but raise your own money. To make a long story short, four years later we started boiling sap on a small 2x6 evaporator. Since that time the "business" has passed down to succeeding generations of students and has expanded. We now hang 350 to 400 buckets and boil on a 2^1/2 x 8 evaporator with a pre-heater and automatic draw-off.

This season has been one of our most successful. I helps that I have a group of very active students. The runs started very early. In fact, we collected our first sap on the last day of February! By March 21st, we had made forty five gallons of excellent, high grade syrup.

I wish I had a tally of how many Potsdam students have had a chance to watch the boiling and taste a sample of fresh made syrup. We've made the newspaper several times and scored a TV news story once. It has been a wonderful hands-on project that the students really enjoy because they have ownership. It has been a great example of local food production. Far too many students are disconnected from their food and the source of their food.

I'm really going to miss this activity when I retire. Oh, I may make syrup at home or help my brother in law with his operation. But I will really miss working with groups of dedicated and hard working students who have the energy, creativity and enthusiasm that make this a very special project. I'll have to make sure that I expose my grandchildren to the art of making maple syrup so that they can make their own special memories!!

Back into downhill skiing

My brother in law Alfie Bigarel (Kathy's sister's husband) decided that I need something to do on weekends during the winter. So, after a thirty year lapse, he dragged me back in to downhill skiing. I think partly he was genuinely concerned about me, and partly he wanted to sell his ski equipment to me so he could get new equipment. J Anyway, I have had a blast! I've been four times now, and I feel real comfortable on the slopes. When you live in Northern NY, you either complain about the winter or do something about it. The exercise and camaraderie have been great. So far, my only outings have been to Titus Mountain in Malone. But I have my eyes set on other slopes as well. I have also developed a much greater appreciation for the talent of the 2010 Olympic downhillers in Vancouver. I scream with excitement (and fear) at 15 miles per hour, and they are going 70 to 90 miles per hour!

This past weekend Cory came to visit from Oregon. I haven't seen him since we camped at Glacier National Park last August. We met at Justin and Amy's house in Queensbury. On Saturday the whole crew packed up and went to ski at Titus Mountain. We had a real fun time together. We met the Bigarel clan there as well. Cody and Camryn got out on the bunny hill, and by the end of the day, Cody was going down the big hill. By the time the weekend was over, Cory had Cody and Cam in the local climbing gym. We all had a fun filled few days together. It was a great time!

Countdown

I've decided to restart my blog. The reason? Well, there are several. First, I have started the countdown (or is it up) to my retirement. I submitted my retirement letter several days ago. My last day of teaching Potsdam High School students will be January 28, 2011. That date is both exciting and terrifying. That means come January 31, 2011, I will be "unemployed" for the first time in forty one years! What will I do?

I want to remember my last year in the classroom. So this blog is for me, a diary. I learned from my travel blog of the summer of 2009 about how important memories are. As I reread that trip report I am constantly reminded of little events that I have forgotten. I really enjoy reawaking those memories.

Finally, I want my children and grandchildren to know who I really am/was. This diary is for them as well. And while I'm not good at it, I enjoy writing. I find it very therapeutic and relaxing. It forces me to reflect on what I do and think. Speaking of thinking, I may on occasion throw in some social commentary. I seriously doubt that my thoughts will change the world, but at least I will have said my piece.

It's been ten months since Kathy died. Life is starting to take on a normalcy now. That's not to say I don't shed a tear now and then. But most of the time now a photo or memory bring a smile. As someone who has been through this explained to me, the hurt goes away, but you never forget the memories.