The rush to the finish of this assistant experience is here! This weekend I went up to our departmental capital of La Rochelle. I was hosted by the wonderful Kelly Robinson, a primary assistant from Barbados who works in La Rochelle. Kelly was such a gracious and fun host; I was so glad I got to know her better this weekend.
Friday afternoon in La Rochelle I met up with Laurel Schuirmann, one of the girls I went to Morocco with last month. First we indulged in a little bit of Morocco nostalgia and had lunch at a Moroccan café in La Rochelle. Then we went to climb one of the towers in the port area, Tour St. Nicolas. It was definitely worth the entry to walk up and see the views of the harbor and city itself, opening up into the Atlantic Ocean.
In the evening Kelly and I went to see La Belle et La Bête, a new film version of Beauty and the Beast released here in France. This is my favorite fairy tale, and I loved this movie version. The director created a very real sense of fantasy throughout movie, we both agreed that we felt almost transported to another place. Belle's dresses were stunning, and there were plentiful uses of roses, my favorite flower, throughout the scenery. We then went back to Kelly's apartment and split two tarts and had some tea. It was really a much needed fun, relaxing evening for me.
On Saturday we went out to Ile de Ré, an island just off the coast of La Rochelle. I really enjoyed visiting there and would love to go back again. At the recommendation of a friend, we stopped off at the part of the island called Saint Martin. We found there a quaint port area with cobble stone streets and cute shops that I could have easily spent several hours shopping in. We took an hour also to visit the island's museum, which I was pleasantly surprised by. Ile de Ré has a fascinating history, formerly the site of a prison, and being an important sea site in both the Hundred Years' War and World War II.
The day passed too quickly and it was time to head back into La Rochelle! There was a small birthday party for another one of the primary assistants yesterday evening, and it was fun to see other assistants from around the area. Poitou-Charentes is a slightly isolated region, but I feel blessed that there is a great group of girls who work in the primary schools throughout the département. Every time we get together, whether in a meeting or to just hang out, everyone gets along so well. It is nice to have a friend in almost every town in the département!
Friday afternoon in La Rochelle I met up with Laurel Schuirmann, one of the girls I went to Morocco with last month. First we indulged in a little bit of Morocco nostalgia and had lunch at a Moroccan café in La Rochelle. Then we went to climb one of the towers in the port area, Tour St. Nicolas. It was definitely worth the entry to walk up and see the views of the harbor and city itself, opening up into the Atlantic Ocean.
In the evening Kelly and I went to see La Belle et La Bête, a new film version of Beauty and the Beast released here in France. This is my favorite fairy tale, and I loved this movie version. The director created a very real sense of fantasy throughout movie, we both agreed that we felt almost transported to another place. Belle's dresses were stunning, and there were plentiful uses of roses, my favorite flower, throughout the scenery. We then went back to Kelly's apartment and split two tarts and had some tea. It was really a much needed fun, relaxing evening for me.
On Saturday we went out to Ile de Ré, an island just off the coast of La Rochelle. I really enjoyed visiting there and would love to go back again. At the recommendation of a friend, we stopped off at the part of the island called Saint Martin. We found there a quaint port area with cobble stone streets and cute shops that I could have easily spent several hours shopping in. We took an hour also to visit the island's museum, which I was pleasantly surprised by. Ile de Ré has a fascinating history, formerly the site of a prison, and being an important sea site in both the Hundred Years' War and World War II.
The day passed too quickly and it was time to head back into La Rochelle! There was a small birthday party for another one of the primary assistants yesterday evening, and it was fun to see other assistants from around the area. Poitou-Charentes is a slightly isolated region, but I feel blessed that there is a great group of girls who work in the primary schools throughout the département. Every time we get together, whether in a meeting or to just hang out, everyone gets along so well. It is nice to have a friend in almost every town in the département!