Connections.

I've been working on a project (a visual journal) for my Teaching Language Arts class. One of the entries is a chapter extension, so taking a chapter from the textbook and extending my learning or discovery of the topic in whatever way that I choose. We were introduced to the wonderful world of Wordle (www.wordle.net) in class, and I decided to use it for this particular entry. 

I have chosen Chapter 6: Expanding Academic Vocabulary from our textbook, Literacy in the Middle Grades by Gail E. Tompkins. It explains all sorts of things to do with vocabulary: its use and how to help students grow their vocabularies; it describes word-study concepts such as synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, root words and affixes, and etymologies. I found this particularly interesting, especially in relation to French language-learning. Why is it that we separate our subjects so much when so much overlap is possible? We talk about the fact that repetition helps with memory, so why not repeat concepts between classes? English has antonyms; French has antonyms. What? Really? Woah. Same concept, two classes. Crazy, right? Maybe, maybe not. But I'd be interested in seeing what would happen if the French class and the Language Arts class ran a little more parallel than they do now.

And now...my Wordle image.

Below is the paragraph that I stuck into Wordle to make this image.

I look at Chapter 6 and I wonder if the same principles can be used in a Language Arts classroom and a French classroom.

I wonder if maybe the two can help each other with vocabulary acquisition. French and English. Language Arts. I believe that they are connected. Foundations in Latin; similar root words and etymologies.

Students need to learn synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms in each language; why not study the same concepts in each class at the same time? Cross-curricular learning. Students gain connections in their learning, which helps to build connections and nerve passageways for concepts within the brain.

Language-learning needs to make sense to students; it needs to have a purpose.

French is taught with the idea that it is an island, not connected to any other learning that students do. Language Arts is taught as a means to an end, making students read and write with seemingly little purpose. Neither subject is taught with much passion.

What would happen if teachers became passionate about what they were teaching? What if they made connections between the disciplines that they teach? Would students become more passionate? More excited? Would curiosity arise? Would imagination be sparked? Would they be in awe of the design of language? Would they find differences amusing? Would they stand in amazement of their ability to communicate in a multitude of ways? Would they marvel at the beauty of language?

Play around with Wordle, if you'd like; it's fun, free, and fantastic!

~Lynette  

1 year. 5th year.

Today is September 15, exactly one year since I left for that adventure in France. I can't believe that an entire year has already passed. A lot has happened, but I guess it does each year. This year was just easier to keep track of because it was so different. 1 year already. It boggles my mind. The longer that I'm away from it all, the more I appreciate the whole experience.

Now I'm in 5th year, an Education student. We have had 8 days of classes. It feels more like we've had a whole month of classes. We have been thrown into it all very quickly, and it's a lot of work. Welcome to life, eh? It's a definite difference to last year when I had a couple of grammar exercises a night as homework. These days I'm constantly re-organizing and re-prioritizing my schedule to make sure that everything happens as it should. It's a steep learning curve, planning ahead with homework, but it's good. I think this semester is going to fly by, so I'll try to enjoy it while it lasts, as crazy as it is.

Blessings,

~Lynette

Passion.

I'm where I'm supposed to be. I don't know how they do it (I'll let God take the credit on that one), but every time that I begin wondering what I'm supposed to do with my life and if I really should be studying Education, and if I really should be studying it at Redeemer, the profs speak up and I am reminded exactly why I am here.

Passion.

Our profs are passionate about education. They are passionate about teaching. They care about us, they want us to succeed, they want us to love this profession as much as they do, and they stress this as being our calling. It's not just a job, a profession, we're called by God to teach. I am in the right place. Awesome.

The swing of things.

Back to school time. For quite some time now, it's been one of my favourite times of the year. I love new school supplies, seeing friends again, telling stories, hearing about other peoples' summer experiences, etc. It's generally a pretty great time of year. 

This year I am entering this time with a bit more hesitation. I registered at Redeemer on Friday and it was good to see people there again. However, it feels a little odd to be back. This was my life for a few years, and then France got in the way. Once again I need to work to figure out where 'my place' is. Sometimes that's enjoyable, other times it's just plain tiring and draining. Now, to be fair, I've only been here for a couple days and school hasn't started yet so I haven't really had the opportunity to get back into the swing of things. I'm sure it'll be a good year, I'm just not quite as geared up for it as I have been for previous years. There has been a lot of change in the last little while and the adjusting is taking its time. All in good time, I suppose. School will start and I won't have any choice except adjust, accept it, and run along with it. This year is most definitely going to fly by.

This year I will be learning how to teach, practicing what I've learned, and hopefully not messing up too many kids too much along the way. ;) I have a grade 4, 5, 6 Core French placement in the fall semester, which should be a great learning experience. The closer I get to actually fulfilling an almost-lifetime dream of teaching, the more excited and nervous I get. Probably a good thing, as it'll keep me humble and on my toes. We'll see what the winter semester brings, but hopefully a high school placement to give me experience in all areas of my degree (gr. 4-6 in the fall, gr. 7 for my pre-practicum, and then high school for the last bit). Hopefully by the end of it all, someone will think I'm teaching material and decide that I should be a part of their staff for the 2012-2013 school year, and I'll have a job! And that's a crazy thought - no longer being a student. But that's still months away....for now I still get to be the student. 


Lydia got married on August 5th. It was such a beautiful day, and I was thrilled to stand up for her. It was so great to be able to celebrate with her and Nick. 

Lydia & I.

Friends!

Fall is coming. That's another reason why I love this time of year. I really like fall. Autumn. Whatever you want to call it. I like pants and sweaters and scarves, I like colourful and crunchy leaves, I like chilly jacket weather, and the smell of leaves in the air. There is so much to love.

May God bless you in this change of seasons,


~Lynette

August. Already?

Hey there.

So, life's pretty different, not living in France anymore. Being home in Canada is pretty normal. I can't believe that I have been home for (only) 2 months (already). Crazy. It's been a bit since I updated this blog on my life, so I thought I should write a little blurb. I have other things to do (possibly more important) but what better time to procrastinate, right? ;)

I have a summer job as an admin assistant. I am enjoying it. I'm working with a great group of people, learning new things, helping out a bit, and keeping busy, which is most definitely a good thing. I have about 3 1/2 weeks left of work and then I'll have about 1 1/2 weeks before the move to school to go through all my stuff (in my closet and the basement), organize it, re-pack things, and get all ready for my last year of university. I'm both looking forward to it and dreading it. I like the idea of finally finishing school, but it's also really all I've ever known, so it's weird to think about finishing that (and taking on all the responsibilities after...debt repayment...working...you know, life). One step at a time, though, and this next little bit holds enough excitement to last for a bit. 

This weekend I had the opportunity to spend some time with family. Every August long weekend, we have "Hoef day," a family day with my dad's side of the family (the van de Hoef family). So today we were there. Yesterday we drove down, visited my sister and brother-in-law, and spent the night at my uncle and aunt's. It was nice to be able to connect with them again. Then today was spent chatting and laughing with more uncles, aunts and cousins (and Oma), as well as some friends and family who were visiting from Holland. Good times, for sure. 

This week I only get to work for 2 days. Since today is a holiday, that leaves 4 days, but Thursday and Friday are taken up by Lydia's wedding. So, on Wednesday night, I get to make the trek back down to Southern Ontario (with Abbey, so it'll be fun) and help to set up for the wedding, and then be able to be a part of the celebration on Friday. Should be a good party! I'm excited for Nick & Lydia! It's a big step that they're taking and I'm thankful to be able to be there for them as they begin their life together. 


Other than that, there is one month before school starts (plus a few days). This year should be interesting, with only a couple months of class each semester, with practice teaching, and the joys of interviewing for a job for next fall, it seems to be shaping up to be a very transitional year.


As for now, I'm going to enjoy summer for one more month. One more month of the river in front of "my" house, of listening to crickets at night, of having most meals cooked for me, of no homework, and no rent payments. Woohoo. :)

Here are a couple of the marvels of God's creation that I've had the pleasure of witnessing over the last couple weeks:

Sunrise remnants and unbelievably calm water on the St. Lawrence River.

 

Sunset across the marshes found on the outskirts of Brockville,

a part of the Mac Johnson Wildlife Area.

I hope you have a great August of 2011. 


Blessings,


~Lynette

Oh Canada...

Greetings from Canadian soil.

I have been home for approximately 18 days. 2.5 weeks or so. It's another interesting adventure.

My flights went well, no complaints. I arrived in Toronto in good time, made my way quickly through customs, picked up my bags, dropped them off again, found my connection and got onto the next plane. I then took the short flight to Ottawa where I met my parents and my sister. It was pretty perfect timing. They arrived with a couple gifts:

 

The domestic arrivals area in the Ottawa airport makes for a rather anticlimactic reunion, add on to that 12 hours of early-morning and travel fatigue, and you understand why I didn't seem quite as excited about being home as I thought I would be. 

The drive home was really odd for me. I enjoyed chatting with my family, talking about the day, the drive, home, all kinds of things but surprisingly little about France. The weirdness came in the fact that it felt so normal. I didn't quite know what to do about that. It's hard to explain why normality became an oddity, but I'll try. The evening before, Thursday night, I had enjoyed a picnic with some friends by the Eiffel Tower. The next day, I was in Canada, home, back in my "normal life." It was normal to be driving down a highway with my parents in Canada. But there was so much distance between my two days and I just couldn't comprehend it.

 

Martha, Lynette, Maria. My last night in Paris.

 

I promised a co-worker last summer that I would get

a picture of me in front of the Eiffel Tower with a beret. 

We added a baguette and a cork that we found in the grass. 

 

Mario, Luc, Claire, Lynette, Maria, Adriana. 

We had a wonderful bit of time together with lots of laughs and some good food. 

It was such a blessing and a pleasure getting to know these friends throughout the year.

I hope that I will be able to see them again some day. 

Those pictures are from the Thursday. The first photos are from Friday. Saturday morning, Jessica drove me down to Hamilton where I had the joy of watching friends and classmates graduate, and surprising a few of them! It was so good to be able to see them all again! There were smiles and tears going around. A great big thank you to Jessica for all the driving she did that weekend, just so I could see friends and family. After the graduation, we stayed overnight in Hamilton (thanks to Aunt Liz), attended my church there (my 2nd English service since September, the first being in Venice), and then we headed out to see my older sister and brother-in-law. We had a nice little visit and then headed home, stopping off at my brother & sister-in-law's place for dinner and some time to chat. It was really good seeing (almost) everyone again! 

 

Friends! Lynette, Abbey, Cassie, and Jantina.

 Three "generations" of RIF girls. Stephanie, Abbey, Lynette.

 

Dr. Rusthoven with a few of "her girls." 

And that's that. I have been spending quite a bit of time at home over the last few weeks. I have been job searching, sending out resumes, setting up interviews, attending interviews, and hoping to get a job soon. This weekend I get to see Lydia, who is getting married this summer, and meet her fiancé! I also get to see my grandparents and some cousins and other relatives! I'm excited! Sometimes I feel like I'm doing very little, but my mind is often quite busy. It's trying to sort through everything that happened this year, keep memories, think through the cultural changes, figure out who I am now, and how I fit back here at home.

I'm enjoying the view, being at home again. The river has so many different "moods" and it's fascinating to see them change, hour to hour, day to day. Here is one of the more violent ones that we have had somewhat recently when a storm blew in. It was cool to be able to watch it blow up the river; I could hear the rain on the river before I could see it!

 

The view from the protection of our porch. It was pretty cool.

I think that's the end of my updates. I don't really know what I'm going to do with this space now that I'm finished the France adventure. I guess I'll update it as I feel or as I remember. I apologize if anyone checks this habitually and finds it getting rather boring. I'll do my best to come up with great things to say now and again. :) 

As for now, though, I want to say Thank You to those who have kept up with me along my adventure this year. Thanks for the time you have taken to read this blog, for your interest, and your prayers. It's been a bit of a roller coaster, but very good all in all. I miss friends already, and definitely hope to go back sometime to visit. I think what I miss the most is worship at l'Église Évangélique Baptiste de Paris-Centre, also known as 72 rue de Sèvres, along with the amazing people that I met there. I bought a couple music books at the Maison de la Bible before I left, books that I had seen used before at the church. I've been flipping through them randomly while at home, trying out the tunes on our piano here, remembering them, getting pieces stuck in my head, and enjoying the memories. It will be a good while before I figure out how to play those that don't include a left-hand staff, especially because instead of chords, the book uses the French version of do-re-mi to explain what to work with. I have some figuring to do.

Que Dieu vous bénisse.   

~Lynette

The end is in sight...or is it?

The end.

A story doesn't usually begin this way, although authors sometimes use it as a way to draw people into their story because they're confused and want to understand why they've done what they've done. There's probably a fancy literature-word for that and most likely a much better explanation, but that's what came to mind first, so that's what you get. Anywho, that wasn't really my intention, the whole getting-your-attention-thing. Mostly it's just to state the fact that I'm almost at the end of my stay in Paris. 

To begin with, we'll start by going back just a little ways. Last weekend, James & Jantina visited me (a friend from Redeemer & her husband)! It was really great to see people from home again. We did lots of touristy things, walked a lot (just ask them...), enjoyed time together, ate good food, etc. Here are a few photos:

 

 Père Lachaise Cemetery: one of the most interesting 

and beautiful cemeteries I have ever seen.

 At Trocadero, known as one of the best places to view the tower.

On our walk towards the tower to see it close up, I mentioned something about riding on the carrousel. I had never done that before (not that I remember, at least). Jantina thought it was a good idea; so we did. All of the parents who had put their young girls on there kept looking at us funnily (I know, not a word, but it works best here) as we went around and around and around. We had a good time.

 We took pictures of the tower from underneath and then sat around, waiting for it to get dark enough to get cool night-tower pictures. This is one of the almost-dark pictures. I'm hiding in the right corner. We actually ended up being able to see it "twinkle," but we had to wait until 10:00ish until it was dark enough for them to put on the sparkly lights.

 We found a park that I had seen pictures of from a previous RIF student. It has a man-made waterfall (not bad, eh?), lots of grass and trees, lots of people, and an awesome view of part of the city from up on top of a hill.

 

It was a nice day and there were kids playing in the water wherever they could find it. What I found strange was that they were all still in their normal clothes; no bathing suits to be seen. Some had stripped down to their underwear! Kids are kids anywhere, I guess.

This month happens to be the last one that I will spend here in Paris. Back in December/January, I received a calendar from my friends as a Christmas present. This is the picture from the  month of May. I added the chocolate, as a suggestion from Erica. See, I mentioned to her that I had 30 chocolates, enough for one per day before I went home, and she said I should make an "advent calendar." So I did. Yum.

 This week is the third week of May. That means that it's almost time to go home. Before that, though, I have 3 conference exams, one phonetics exam, one mega grammar exam and one tiny, stressful oral exam. It's going to be a blast. Exams are always a good way to finish off one's time in a foreign land. I can't really complain too much, though; I chose the student life and exams come with that. On an awesome (and kind of crazy) note, once I finish these exams, I will officially be finished my Bachelor of Arts! 

So the end is in sight. Or is it? The end of my time here in France is in sight. It's a bitter-sweet feeling; I have mixed emotions about it all. However, it's not the end. Inserting cliché here.....the end is just the beginning. It's true, though (hence it becoming a cliché). My time here in France is quickly coming to a close, but it means the beginning of so much else back home. It's the beginning of summer 2011, of a continued discovery of myself once I'm back in my "comfort zone," of continued schooling, of figuring out how to keep in touch with friends from Paris, and the list goes on. This year is ending soon, but there's so much more still ahead. I'm thankful for everything that I've seen and experienced and the people that I have gotten to know while I've been here, and I look forward to whatever and whoever lies ahead.

Blessings,

~Lynette

"Run in such a way..."

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." 1 Corinthians 9:24

So, life has changed a bit since I last posted. I have wedding news. No, I'm not getting married (Dad, you can breathe easily again). One of my best friends, Lydia, is getting married! She has asked me to be a bridesmaid. This August I get to witness her promise to love her man, Nick, for the rest of their lives, God helping them. What a blessing! I look forward to being able to share in her joy in person and to meeting this man that I have heard so much about!

Cassie, Lydia, Abbey & I. 

This is the last time that I saw them before I left for Paris. 

They are all now done their undergrad, and Lydia's getting married. 

Life changes quickly!

We recently had 2 weeks of vacation. In total this month, I have spent more time on vacation than in school. Awesome. Below you'll find a bit about my travels.


Scotland. It's a beautiful country, at least the bit that we saw. We, Rachel & I, had a really great week. 
     We got a full-day walking tour of Glasgow from a friend-of-a-friend, learning about the city, its inhabitants, the passion that the Scottish have for football, getting completely confused because of accents, and enjoying some local cuisine. The weather there was actually bi-polar. Apparently because of its proximity to the ocean, it can be raining, and then just a few minutes later become sunny, turning into rain again just a bit later, and back and forth again and again. From Glasgow we took a 3-day tour of the Isle of Skye and the Highlands, finishing in Edinburgh. 
     The "mountains" on Skye are very unique, being formed from a long-ago erupted volcano. They are black with lines running down them. There is only one mountain in Scotland that is actually high enough to count as a mountain, according to world standards, and that is Ben Nevis. We saw it. What else was there....small lakes (lochs, like Loch Lomond), cliffs, a water fall, a beach, cemeteries, castles, tiny villages, Loch Ness (we took a cruise on it), and wind on one particular cliff on day that was so strong it could nearly knock you over (or make running MUCH easier, in one direction!). It's hard to describe everything, so I'll leave it mostly at that. We made a traveling buddy right before the tour started when, as Rachel was trying to take a picture of the two of us together, Emily kindly suggested that she could take it for us: the beginning of a beautiful friendship. ;) We spent the next few days of touring together, as well as some time in Edinburgh as we were all staying there for a few days. 

 Loch Lomond.

 English/Scottish Gaelic

In a super old, small cemetery. 

 This castle has been in the same family for some 800+ years.

The capital of Skye, Portree: "The King's Port."

Eilean Donan Castle, the most photographed castle in Scotland, 

also ironically the newest, rebuilt in the early 1900s. 

Loch Ness.

     Edinburgh, at least the "old city" part, is beautiful. The buildings are interesting, the accent is much easier to understand than that of Glasgow, and we once again had beautiful weather. We took a free walking tour on the Friday morning and wandered on our own a bit in the afternoon. I climbed the big hill and enjoyed some alone-time, the view of the city and the "Firth of Forth", and some wind. 

This is where John Knox is buried. The cemetery has become a parking lot.

Edinburgh Castle (side view).

St. Giles' Cathedral: The High Kirk of Edinburgh.

Holyrood Palace: Where the Queen stays when she visits Edinburgh.

One of the views from Albert's Seat, Edinburgh.

     On Sunday we headed back to Paris via Ryanair and I thought about the fact that it's very possible that the next time that I'm on a plane, it'll be on the way back home. That's crazy.


Holland. Just as beautiful in the spring as in the winter. I was very lucky to experience incredible weather during both of my visits!
     On Monday morning I left for Amsterdam. I spent the afternoon there, enjoying incredibly beautiful weather, the canals and bridges, standing in line for 1 hour at the Anne Frank House and then walking through it, discovering a part of history. On my way back to the train station, I saw so many people heading home on their bikes; I've never seen anything like it! It's like the end of the day rush at home, but on bikes! 
     The main goal of the trip was to visit Dad's cousins that I met at Christmas one more time before I go home. So that evening, I took the train to Assen and met Gera there. She drove me to Veendam where I stayed with Rita and her family. I had a good week of doing mostly nothing, enjoying the 30C temperatures and the sun, and enjoying time with Rita and my "Holland brothers," Niels & Stefan. On Saturday, Rita brought me to Barneveld where we spent the afternoon with Janneke, Martina and Joke. That night we had a delicious bbq at Martina's house. Sunday morning (Easter) I went to church with Janneke's family, my second large celebration service of the Christian calendar (the other being Christmas) at her church. That afternoon I began my trip back to Paris. Monday was another day off yet, and I spent my day sleeping, cleaning up, and catching up on emails. 

Amsterdam

Barneveld Castle

Barneveld chickens - "The Barnevelder".

Bikes at the train station. 

Now I'm back at school. My friends and family and finished school back home. I can't really complain much because I started a month later than them, but I'd really like being on summer vacation like they are right now! Such is life, and it's not so bad. We have come to the "last leg of the race" here in Paris. As of today we have about 32 days left here; we've come a long way since we began with 258 days left, or something like that. What a change! I am so very much looking forward to being back home, able to spend time face-to-face with my family and with my friends. In the meantime, though, the verse from 1 Corinthians comes to mind, as well as that of Hebrews 12. The first I have quoted at the beginning of this post, the "Run in such a way as to get the prize." The second is this:


"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."  Hebrews 12:1-2


Right now this verse, for me, is a reminder to finish this year off well, to make the most of the last weeks that I have here in Paris. It's a reminder to "run with perseverance" at a point in time when I have little drive to work hard. Run with a purpose. Live with a purpose. That's kind of what it comes down to, doesn't it? I do have a purpose here, and I should live like that. I don't think that I always do that. It's never too late to begin, though.


I wish all my fellow university students back home a wonderful summer break. I hope the weather starts to brighten up for you all soon. 


Blessings and strength for your race,


~Lynette

"It's opener, out there, in the wide, open air."

Title credit: Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!


I spent a little bit of time this evening being "inspired" by Dr. Seuss and because of this, you can probably expect him to pop up a few times in this blog post. March, as a month, is finished. However, I have not recounted much of it to you, so I will procede with that now, finishing up with today, April 9.


On the 17th of March, I woke up early in the  morning in order to join a couple of the other Redeemer girls as well as a few other young adults from the church for the "lever du soleil." It was beautiful, as you can see in the picture below. We: drank hot chocolate and tea; ate croissants, viennoises, yogurt and fruit; had a couple of random running or skipping races across the bridge; said good morning to runners, bikers and garbage collectors; played the ukelele; shivered; and we laughed. We walked through the "inner courtyard" of the Louvre and took a couple pictures in front of it and the pyramids. It was (surprisingly) void of tourists at 8:00 on a cloudy morning. We had a good time even though the weather wasn't what we had hoped it would be.

This past month I officially registered online as a Canadian living abroad. Now the government finally "knows" that I am living in France and if there is a catastrophe here in the next month & a half, they will know that they should look for me. Oh good.


On March 25, Jessica (my younger sister, for those of you who don't know) turned 20. This ends the teenager chapter of the life of my family. This also begins the year+ when all of the (original) van de Hoef siblings (of my family, at least) will be in their twenties. We are now a family of "adults."


In school news, I am enjoying my social geography of France course more and more. We've been talking about more interesting subjects as of late, such as the creation of national and regional parks in France, their purpose, the reasons behind their creation, etc. Pretty interesting stuff. One of my favourite films from my film course has been "Entre les murs." We don't get to watch the whole film in class, so I don't have a complete idea of the story, but it's about a teacher and his class in the French system. From what we saw, it seems to be one of the most realistic films that I have ever seen on teaching and what it's like. It was pretty interesting. So for those of my friends who know French, if you can find it, it's probably worth checking out.


March was a month of longing for home, for time when I could actually sit in the same room with my friends and/or family and spend real time with them, sharing in their lives face-to-face. The weather is becoming increasingly beautiful and it makes a return to home seem so fantastic. The catch is that the beautiful weather here seems to come about a month or so sooner than back at home, so in reality, I'd like to spend the the next month or so here and return home when it's actually nice there, too. It has indeed been beautiful weather here. 

"This is not good. This is not right. My feet stick out of bed all night. And when I pull them in, oh dear! My head sticks out of bed out here!" ~ Dr. Seuss

I found this quote today and it made me smile. Sometimes I feel this way. My bed here has a headboard and a footboard and I am not used to that. If my toes need to hang over the end of the bed (as they sometimes do), it is not quite as possible because of the footboard.

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, 

Nothing is going to get better. It's not." ~ Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

To start off my thoughts on this quote is a shout-out to Angela, whose favourite book (at least favourite Dr. Seuss book) happens to be The Lorax. From there, I move on to more serious thoughts. Election thoughts, specifically, because those are what popped into my head as I read this today. I won't say much about it. I'm disappointed that the election is taking place while I'm away. I'm going to try to vote from afar, so we'll see how that goes; I know it's possible. I think the best way for me to explain what I'm thinking is to refer to a brief blog post that my brother Steve wrote. Steve and I have been talking quite a bit recently about all of this as he knows much more about politics than I do. I've been working on being a more informed voter for this election so that I will not be voting blindly. It's what I encourage you to do, as well (if you're Canadian, that is).  


April 2, 2011. Vimy Ridge. Rachel, April and Lynette. It was a good day. The sun was shining, the breeze was blowing, the sky was blue, and we headed out of Paris to visit this National Historic Site of Canada out in "the boonies" of northern France. I've included some photos below; it was indeed "opener, out there, in the wide, open air." We took the train to Arras, the city nearest to the site with a railway station. From there we took a bus to the small town nearby the site and we walked the rest of the way. It felt a little long (it was only 3 km) but that was mainly because we had no real idea of where we were going or how far 3 km actually was. It was so beautiful out, though, that the walk was just amazing. For the majority of it, we were walking along a forested area and so it was pleasant. I loved the day, so much. We were welcomed by smiling staff members who happen to be Canadian university students employed through Veterans Affairs Canada. We took a tour with one of the guides through the trenches and the "subway." We walked to the enormous memorial with the names of the lost soldiers of the First World War. We wandered through the Canadian cemetery, trying to wrap our minds around the sacrifices made, the lives lost, the horrors lived, and all that juxtaposed against a beautiful spring day. For someone who has never lived through a war and felt its immediate consequences, it's impossible for me to comprehend all that I saw. I remain thankful to those who have fought for the freedoms that I have, who are and were willing to sacrifice their lives in order that others may live, and convicted that I take so much in my life for granted.

 Self-explanatory?

Vimy Ridge, A National Historic Site of Canada (near Arras, France).

The monument is big. 

For more info about the actual monument, check out Veterans Affairs Canada.

"To the valour of their country-men in the Great War and in memory of their sixty thousand dead this monument is raised by the people of Canada."

"À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument."

"This sorrowing figure of a woman represents Canada -- a young nation 

mourning her dead." (quote taken from the Vimy Ridge pamphlet)

I found this ironic: daffodils blooming where war once defaced the ground.

"A soldier of the Great War...Known Unto God."

And it's only one of the cemeteries...

After Vimy I was able to go to Rachel's house (she's an au pair with a family, living in a banlieue) for a sleepover. It was good to spend a little time together as we don't see each other as often now that we are no longer roommates. On the Sunday, we found ourselves a little lost as to what to do with ourselves. The solution: card games. We played Crazy Eights (for the first time in how long?) and War (which brought to mind memories of playing it with Jessica). I haven't played card games like that in quite some time; we had fun. 


I am currently reading Love in the time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez. It is an excellently written book and continues to surprise me, especially since it is a translation, with the original text being written in Spanish. The vocabulary, the storyline and the formation of sentences has me intrigued and thoroughly enjoying myself.


And the final quote of the day from Seuss is one that has me thinking of the vacation time ahead of me. 

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go..." ~ Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!

We now have our spring break/Easter holidays/reading break which extends over the next two weeks, during which I will be spending time in both Scotland and Holland. Scotland will be a dream fulfilled and Holland will be a further adventure into the country of my origins and a furthering of my relationships with the family that I met over the Christmas holidays. 


I got a card in the mail this week from my parents with a nice note inside and (equally exciting?) was the piece of a Tim Horton's Roll Up The Rim To Win cup! Exciting stuff, I tell you. And that's that. We're down to a mere 51 days until my flight home and that thought runs through my head often; I find it both incredibly exciting and somewhat terrifying. I can't believe that we're here already yet I feel like it's taken so long to get this far. I feel like my life is so different and yet so much the same as when I left. It's a bizarre feeling. 


To my friends and family writing exams over the next few weeks, a couple words:
1) Please don't hate me. I know I'll be having a great time traveling while you're agonizing over your studies. Remember: I will have a month of school and exams still once you're finished, if that is any consolation.
2) Bon courage!


To everyone, blessings in this month of April, in the finishing of university or simply another semester, in the coming of spring, in the continued time of Lent, and in the remembrance and joyous celebration of Good Friday and Easter Sunday!


~Lynette