Vive la Journée internationale de la francophonie!

Enrolled in an International school and therefore honouring diversity, my kids celebrate everything from the Chinese New Year to the Diwali, from Purim to Halloween, from St.Patrick's Day to Santa Lucia. However, working closer with the French department lately, it struck me that we were not celebrating our host country. We are all on vacation during France's National Day July 14th and I wonder how many kids would know what the La Marseillaise is.

Trying to raise more French awareness, I had a brainwave during a meeting and suggested a French Day. Not expecting much reaction, but nevertheless, always the obtrusive mum ready to come up with ideas and suggestions.

Sitting at my desk a while later that day, what do I read on one of the French news blogs? The following week was to be "La semaine de la langue françaises" with the March 20th marking La Journée internationale de la francophonie. I couldn't have planned it better myself!

A quick e-mail to the school's language coordinator and tomorrow all the Primary kids will be marching to school dressed in red, white and blue showing off their best French skills throughout the day.

A big bravo to the school for having taken the initiative onboard so rapidly and marked it in their scholastic's calendar as a yearly institution. We are after all living in Paris.

One teacher actually wrote back to me and called me an Eclaireur. To be honest, I had to google that and thereby have learnt a new word today. Merci Madame. A free translation I have come across is: “L’Eclaireur, is to go ahead, to be in what will come, to dare, to dis­turb, it is the duty always to seduce, always to sur­prise”.

This is just the beginning towards a more focused and active French department, I hope!