The last time I updated was right before we went to Normandy and Pierrefonds and Compiegne..
Saturday morning, Sibel (one of the students who came to Oklahoma), drove Felicity, Travis and I to see the castles of Compiegne, and Pierrefonds. About an hourish from Amiens. They were both beautiful. My favorite was Pierrefonds because apparently part of Harry Potter was shot there. It also looked like a castle out of a fairy tale. It was incredible. Compiegne was beautiful, the gardens reminded me of the gardens of Versailles. It amazes me that these places exist because they are so different from anything in the United States. It is crazy to me that people just live in towns with these castles, and can look out their window and see them. I am envious.
On Sunday, Amandine (one of the students who came to Oklahoma) took us to Normandy. About a 3 hour drive from Amiens. It was such an experience..I am glad that I got the chance to visit the location but, at the same time I wish a place like that didn't exist. I'm not sure if that makes sense.. The beaches are beautiful and the view is spectacular but, there is this gloom hanging over everything. You can just feel it. The death and the pain are clearly still in the atmosphere. It is very hard to explain how it feels to be in a place like that. It is something that I think everyone should experience, because it really makes you think about war and fighting in a different way. We went from beach to beach seeing all the different locations, such as Omaha beach. Next we went to the American cemetery and that is when everything just felt extremely real. You walk down the path and slowly the graves start to appear..rows and rows of white crosses that go on for what looks like forever. As you get closer the immensity of the cemetery really takes over. I couldn't help but get choked up, I was fighting back tears. All of these men and women...some only 18 years old, it is heartbreaking. I walked through the rows and found an Oklahoman, but as I was walking I saw a grave from almost every state. There are 9,387 graves..and around 300 of them are unknowns, 4 are women. When you walk away from the cemetary you walk towards the Garden of the Missing..which is exactly what it sounds like. The garden that commemorates those who were never found..there are 1,557 names. And remember....these were JUST american soldiers.
Normandy was an incredible experience for me, although the weather was awful. Very cold and rainy, though that is how the weather was in 1944.
Monday, June 13th was a holiday here in France so, we had the day to ourselves. We met up with the group of friends that we have made here in Amiens and had a night of fun. Nights like that are my favorite because it makes me feel like a person who really lives here.
Tuesday was our first day at l'école maternelle..which is pretty much like kindergarten and preschool. École maternelle is 3 years long, I believe, and then after that they go to elementary school (ecole élémentaire). The maternelle was great, they are teenie tiny..I'm talking about 3-6 years old. The first day, I was with the littlest ones. They are so sweet. They color and read books and play, take a nap and then start it all over again. The other days I moved up to the older ages 5 and 6. They work on cursive and recognizing words. I went to the pool with them on thursday. I didn't swim but I watched. It was a good week, I have never worked with children that age.
This weekend we went to Paris..which, I think I will do a separate blog for.
This week (last week :( ) we start at the elementary school. But, Felicity and I are both sick. I think from lack of sleep and being insane and trying to see most of Paris in 2 days. We took sick days today. My throat hurt terribly this morning, but I slept and I am feeling much better now. Sleep is very important, guys. Remember that. :) Poor Felicity, all weekend she had no voice because her throat started hurting Friday afternoon.
Anyway, I will update and make a Paris blog soon. I will post photos from Normandy/Pierrefonds/Compiegne first though!
<3
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