Christmas Time Is Here

Last year I experienced the magical Fête de Lumières for the first time. Four days of tea lights glowing on windowsills, music and light shows, and vin chaud stands on every corner. My Lyonnais friends told me that the best light festivals tend to come every two years. Since most people seemed to be disappointed last year, I assumed that this year would even more amazing. Despite a few mediocre displays, the general atmosphere of Lyon still exploded with excitement, energy, and happiness. The locals come out of their caves, tourists fill in from all over, and the streets clog up with tons and tons of people. You go out at sundown and stay out either until you cannot feel your feet anymore or you've had enough vin chaud that you're about to make a bench your bed. I learned last year that the best way to experience this festival is to explore different areas each night and then go back to your favorites on Sunday. There are too many people to see everything in one night (plus who says no to a crêpe pit stop every hour or so?)

Eyeballs

Hôtel de Ville put on a much better show this year. They always try to center the show around the famous Bartholdi fountain. This year the show was a lot more interactive and dramatic. The artists made use of all of the buildings, making the walls seem to pop out at you and then fall apart.  In my opinion, the young woman has lost her horses and is calling out for them. Once she finds them they turn back into the statue. Other friends thought differently. What is your opinion/story after watching it? (click here to check it out).

"Neighhhhh"

And the girl is transformed back into a statue.

Jellyfish chandeliers

Totem poles

Saint Jean was another favorite of mine this year. Although it was merely lights and music, the simplicity of the 8 minute show was breathtaking. Last year Saint Jean's beautiful facade was covered for majority of the year for a good ole cleaning. There is just something about this long weekend full of lights that stirs something deep down inside you. I definitely got a rush of emotions from this one.

Saint Jean

Bellecour

Looking down from the Fourvière hill.

Fourvière

Algae

The student designed light show

Made out of recycle plastic bottles

The wire man army at Parc de la Tête d'Or

And the wise wire dragon

Here are my two favorites from this year's festival. The first starts with a very E.T.-esque soundtrack and then moves onto what I will only assume from the repetitive melodies and scales to be Mozart (click here). Again, so very simple and perfect. The second took place on Rue de la République (right near Bellecour). The fountain was taken over by some pretty snazzy stick men. (click here) 

During the festival, I like to duck into the churches and just sit for a bit. I like to think about the Lyonnais back when they were praying to Mary, before this light festival was created, before they were saved from the plague, when the only lights that were shining were like the ones I light when I go in and sit down. In one of my favorite churches (sorry I'm not giving up my secret spot), there was a nativity (or crèche in French). Local students put together a pile of items that believed would be useful or needed for a modern day homeless couple going on a journey like Mary and Joseph.  Amazingly enough, all of this rubbish creates the perfect silhouette of Jesus' birth. On that note, I wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy (C)Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza, and Happy New Year wherever you may be! 

Students remake of Christmas Eve

It's baby Jesus yo! He's gonna be a superstar one day!

It's The Holiday Season

The end of another year is quickly approaching us. It's funny to think how fast the date goes from being January 1st to December 31st.  As a 23 year old, everything seems to fly by me.; whereas my three year olds are always shocked that the weekend is over, that they have to come back to school and start yet another week, and that they have to wait two more hours until they can eat lunch.

Bouncing off the topic of time and its untouchable power over the human mind, I'd like to turn your attention to one recent and one current event: Thanksgiving and the world renown Strasbourg Marché de Noël. This year I spent Thanksgiving with my favorite French belly dancers. What's the big deal you say? Well for one we surely ate enough food to make our bellies jiggle in all the right places for the next few classes. Second, it was the first time EVER where I only had one meal's worth of left-overs.  Third, I FOUND A TURKEY! A 9 kilogram Halal turkey at that! Oh snap! We had a wonderful time together and of course I had to bring out the child in me and make those egg-crate turkey place settings (circa 1996).

Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Turkey, Sweet Potato Casserole, Corn, Stuffing, and Homemade Cranberry Sauce :)

Gobble Gobble

Whatcha Lookin' At?

The girls

Last weekend I finally got out of Lyon and onto a train. While I already visited and appreciated the history of Strasbourg last year, I decided I should return to partake in it's annual Christmas market.  Unfortunately, this was my first weekend traveling around France this school year (I know, I'm slacking, it's killing me as much as you dear reader). I'm not sure if it was the 5 hour train ride, the rain, or the constant sugar rush that caused me to fall in love with Mr. Bron C. Hitis. We're going strong now after a month apart. Right, moving on....in all seriousness, it was a lovely weekend and put me in the mood for what's coming up TOMORROW and all weekend here in Lyon: La Fête de Lumières. 

Tram stop République has German inspired architecture that is too bold to ignore!

I love the bald eagle...so NOT French.

Général Leclerc monument with flowers from Armistice Day

Bretzel anyone?

SUGAR!

Where is the Gingerbread man?

This one goes out to my sister....decorations above a charcuterie

Inside the Strasbourg Cathedral. I light a candle for MM <3

Angel Pillar- Rumor has it that the architect claimed that there would never be a pillar built taller, nor would it ever collapse.

Christmas Tree, O, Christmas Tree

One of the larger Christmas markets located at Kleber Place

<3

Roesti= Food baby deliciousness

Yes those are real trees somehow attached to the wall of this building. Amazing

Until next week, 

Peace, Love, and Laughter.

La Petite Pamplemousse

The Fall

Ho ho ho! The countdown until Christmas has begun. That being said, I have to give you a quick glimpse at what we've accomplished (my 14 three year olds and I) so far this school year. Voilà!

In my classroom, the students have remarked at least 154 times over the past week that there is a stuffed Santa Claus hanging from our window (see last year's blog for France's bizarre suicide Santa decoration). They also love to remind me each and every day whether or not they stay for after care, whether or not they took a big poo earlier that morning, and that they will listen today because they want their frog moved up on the behavior chart (teacher's pets start early in private schools).

With the occasional potty accidents, pushing, and crying, I can say that my children are really growing on me. I have so much more patience now, especially when my children whine that they want their mommy/daddy ( since I feel the same way this fall. ) What amazes me the most is watching them develop their little habits. I'm often taken back to being little while watching my children try to put on their shoes , or try to re-button their pants, or wash their hands. i remember being such a nut about my socks. If the lines weren't perfectly lined up to the front of my toes, I'd flip out. Or worse yet, the tags on my shirts. I had to have my Mom cut them all off because they were so itchy that my little self couldn't handle it; it ruined my world. So while this job may not be the most stimulating for my brain, it definitely has provided me with an even further example of paying attention to the small things in life and appreciating the world day by day. For little children, time is so abstract. As soon as we clean up after free play, they think it's time to go eat at the cafeteria. Every little cut, push, painting activity, recess, toilet run, and minute of sleep during naptime makes a difference. But above all, the main question always seems to be: "Est-ce que t'es mon copain/ma copine?" (Are you my friend?)

Spider webs

Hey, I'm an apple.  

Apple tree

My classroom pre-chaos

Fingerprint trees

During the simplest paint projects, at least one child gets paint on his/her face.

Birdies!

Tweet, tweet

Making pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. I love the tongue-out, i'm so concentrated look.

So if you ever are having a bad day, just think back to being a child and SMILE.