While most people (including some of my new friends in my Terrebonne Est group!) were enjoying the holiday, I got up bright and early to start my first day of work at Camp du Jour de Crabtree (day camp at Crabtree). On the flip side, because it is a holiday, we had less people at the camp, about 30 today. One of my coworkers was telling me that they expect upwards of 100 kids throughout the summer! I was accompanied with my homestay brother, Remy.
Today was quite the learning curve, as obviously most of my coworkers and virtually all of the kids speak rapid French. If I thought that 4 years of intensive French class (with two years in honours French, thank you very much!) was good enough preparation, well, j'avais tort (I was wrong)! It was a blessing to work with people who also speak English, and that all of the kids were very understanding with the fact that I am a girl who speaks English very well and that my French n'est pas bien (is not good). At the beginning, I will admit, I was very homesick again, probably because the French is so present everywhere, every time.
It was a fun day though: my boss/coordinator at the Camp du Jour is also a Zumba teacher, so we did a massive work out which then segwayed into a full on soccer game where yours truly scored a goal! The kids then went swimming in a gigantic swimming pool that was inside the arena/community centre.
Lunchtime was spent at La Cremiere du Pont, an ice cream shop in the area that had it's 10th birthday today. There was a celebration that consisted of hot dogs for the kids and a rally (scavenger hunt) around the neighborhood. The prize was un pop-sludge (popsicle) for each of the kids... and some very delicious cake! It was a very extravagant cake, and I wish I had gotten a picture of it! My camera ran out of battery -.-"
When we returned, we were playing little games that I recognized from my own experiences as a camp leader at home - Squirt; Duck, Duck, Goose; Stella Stella Ola - but all in French. I have to say though, all the kids were great and I tried my best to communicate to them in my broken French. I find that kids in Quebec are really sophisticated, but maybe it's because of the fact that they are speaking French.
I was happy to spend the rest of the day at home. We had spaghetti for dinner, and after my chores I played Life (the board game, but in French!) with Remy. It was a great first day, and I feel that it can only get better from here on out. Here is to 6 more weeks with Quebecois kids!
<< Playing Life!
(L-R) Me, Remy, Mathieu
C'est tout pour aujourd'hui (that is all for now). Currently listening to this on my Youtube mix as I blog - la chanson du jour, ma chanson favorite, "Beautiful Disaster" by Jon McLaughlin (and no, he has no relation to Sarah McLaughlin).
Later alligators! Happy Canada day once again! :)
Dragon (Rachel)
Lol we played life as well...rock star version!! (:
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