France 2.0: Tuesday, April 12

Today we spent the entire day in Nogent. From 8:00 to 10:00 we are at the High School. The students are attending classes with their French hosts.


I'm using the time to work in the faculty room and catch up on the travel blog. This faculty room is amazing! There are a dozen computer work stations, lockers, tables to spread out materials, bathrooms, comfortable chairs, microwave, etc. Everyone collects here to exchange greetings, do school work or grab a coffee. It is a very pleasant work environment.

At 10:00 all the American students met with the PE teacher (they call them the sports teacher) for a two hour canoe and kayak paddle. There is a river just a couple of minutes for the school and the school owns a couple dozen canoes and kayaks. It was great fun, and the exercise did the kids good. We only has one tip over. Fortunately he was able to borrow some clothes from other students and the school was able to dry his wet clothes.


After lunch, we gathered and walked to the Chateau St. Jean, which is located at the highest point in Nogent. It was originally a fort built for defense of the region. Parts of it date back almost 1,000 years. Later, the structure was converted into a home and now is a museum.


After the the Chateau, we had an hour to shop and walk around Nogent. I found a chocolate store that was out of this world. I also found a street named Gouverneur. I couldn't resist a picture. The street names in France are posted on the sides of buildings at the intersections. There are no street signs as we know them.


At 5:00 everyone met up their host and went their own way. This is our last evening in Nogent. Dan, Pat and I went to visit the farm of Isabella, an English teacher at the high school. Isabella and her husband, who is a carpenter, have a small organic farm in the country.


Their farm is located on a high ridge with a fantastic view. In the distance you see fields of yellow, which is Colza. In America Colza is often called Rape Seed. The seeds are harvested and from them Canola Oil is produced.


Tomorrow we leave Nogent.

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