New Year, New Term

Some new students arrived, making things interesting, no doubt. The old students returned with such joy - it's amazing how attached they became to this spot, this routine, but mostly to each other. New term begins Monday with newly configured classrooms. The hotel transition - from a ministry to the homeless and displaced to the academic priorities of a study abroad campus (and the creature comforts of its students) - is, like many changes, marked by some melancholy. Someone's gain is someone's loss.

St Gery, the restaurant on the fashionable Rue du Bourg, where we have supper, also has new owners (may I add, better food and service!). Not the land where the customer is always right (not always in debt either), last term was a cultural adjustment tough to swallow. Very chewy.

On the other hand, since the level of training here is rather high among tradesmen and shopkeepers, the chances of being helped by someone who knows little about their own merchandise or just plain getting screwed by a home repair job - I remember our Yellow Pages ads back home: "licensed contractor!" - is very slim.

Carolyn and I spent the afternoon in the old city, visiting this great toy store where Michael could slide down from the 3rd to 2nd floor via this serpent .This is Michael on the Rhododendron ferry to Vashon the first week after coming home from China. It's interesting how marked we are physically. I'm struck at his wide, crooked mouth here...
and here in his handsome Christmas outfit. It's like having a cartoon character among us.
Jack is demonstrating the shopping cart "grip" - the wheels fit into grooves going up or down moving walkways.
A book bordered by leaves. These tiles cover the exterior entrance of Michael's school. Bookleaf? Tree of knowledge?
Michael's school goes until early July, so we are now figuring out the remaining months; where to travel, live, etc. It's amazing what things we haven't done. Time. It just escapes you.

More cliches next posting!