30 juin 2009

TUESDAY
Today was my last day of teaching. This is a picture of my bedroom before I began taking everything off the walls and packing up for traveling and leaving Montluçon.

29 juin 2009, Leslie arrives

MONDAY

Today was my last day of teaching at École Jean Moulin.
My fifth graders came into the classroom and started writing all over the chalkboard, phrases of the like of: goodbye and I love you.

CM2 (fifth graders) at École Jean Moulin

This is a graffiti wall I came upon while walking between École Jean Moulin and the train station.

Leslie steps off the train in Montluçon.
Leslie waiting for the bus.

28 juin 2009, Club anglais BBQ

SUNDAY

I attended my last Club anglais gathering, which was a picnic/BBQ at one of the member's house. It was a lovely time and a beautiful day at that. I have truely enjoyed the time I have spent with people from Club anglais during my séjour in Montluçon.

The president of Club anglais stands up to give a small toast.

I had just closed the shutters on my bedroom window for the evening, then I heard bangs coming from outside and I reopened my shutters to a firework display. I am not sure what the fireworks were in celebration of, but it was neat to have a free show from my window.

27 juin 2009

SATURDAYA sunny Montluçon day and people are sitting outside in the cafes in the cité médieval.

26 juin 2009, École Jules Ferry

FRIDAY
The end of the scholastic year is rapidly approaching and the students prepare for the performance they will do for their parents. The performance consists predominately of singing and dancing.
This morning while at École Jules Ferry I saw my students practicing their acts for the End of the Year performance.
Some of my students during recess.
The third and forth graders practicing.The CM1 (fourth graders) rehearse a country dance. video

In the evening, I returned to École Jules Ferry to watch the performance.
For the last act of the performance the third, fourth, and fifth graders sang "Toi Plus Moi," which was a hit song in France this year by the artist Grégoire. It was cool to see my students up on stage.

25 juin 2009, maintaining Montluçon

THURSDAYToday while on the bus, I saw city workers tending to small garden on the side of the road...
And the community recycling containers being emptied.

24 juin 2009

WEDNESDAY

I spent the afternoon enjoying the Montluçonnais atmosphere and did some writing up on the castle, le Château des Ducs de Bourbon.

The sun shines through the clouds over le Cler River.

23 juin 2009, Auvergnat Cola

TUESDAY

A while back I saw a segment on the news about Auvergnat Cola and now there is advertisement all around Montluçon for the product.

*An Auvergnat is someone or something from the region of Auvergne; Montluçon is in the region of Auvergne.

22 juin 2009

MONDAY
Ducklings in le Cler



Two policemen question a driver they pulled over at quarter to midnight.

21 juin 2009, First Day of Summer

SUNDAY

Becky waves goodbye to Montluçon for the third time now... she just cannot seem to leave.
From the train station, I walked a scenic route home along the bank of le Cler.


La Fête de la Musique. On the first day of summer every year, there is a free music festival that takes over downtown Montluçon. The streets were closed off to cars and the Montluçonnais wandered around through the music and socialize.

Musicians were set up all around town.

View of the crowded street from the castle.

Supposedly parts of la fête went on until three in the morning. I stayed around until a bit after midnight, but on the walk home I could still hear the festivities