Help needed please about Sunday...

[Rose]

Dear all... in our school 'cahier de liaison' today there is a letter telling us about the village ceremony on Sunday.  We've translated the letter and I think we understand what will happen except for one bit. I'm not sure if our son is meant to lay his own flowers or if the school children are doing it as a group, or just participating in the general ceremony. The text in question is

Les enfants de l’école présents ce jour là, seront les bienvenues et pourront participer au dépôt des gerbes

 

I didn't do the school run today otherwise I would have asked.  I don't want to arrive with flowers if they're not required but likewise I do want to arrive with flowers if they are -  can anyone help please?  Also, if flowers are needed would it just be a simple little posy?  And finally, do the French wear the Bleuet like the British do the Poppy?  I've been looking but haven't seen any in the local shops?

 

Thanks in advance for any information or assistance! [8-)] [:$]

[TWINKLE]

Hi pps!

The flowers will be provided by the Mairie and the children who attend the ceremony will be asked to place the bouquets on the monument. 

Last year my daughter understood the news items about Armistice day so I asked her if she would like to attend the ceremony and she said yes.  I got the times wrong though and so we missed it.  She was upset so we went to the florists and bought a little posy and she proudly laid it down anyway[:)]

Hope you are settling in okay!

[TWINKLE]

I just found this thread from last year (God time flies!). 

 I didn't get the times mixed up - I was working which is why we couldn't attend.

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1/791975/ShowPost.aspx#791975

 

[Rose]

Thanks Twinkle - much appreciated. 

We are settling in - in many ways the settling has been a lot easier than we anticipated.  I had expected a lot of tears about school but there have been hardly any - just one day when we had friends from the UK staying.  Our son isn't saying much but he is understanding things and managing to do his homework .  He's starting to make new friends and we can see the difference when he arrives and leaves school as friends come up to him or say goodbye.  Apparently one day when he left school with his cousin, one little girl shouted after him ... " I love you...."  Considering it's only been 12 weeks since we arrived in France he is doing brilliantly!

People in our village have been kind, helpful and very welcoming.  It does feel as though everyone knows who we are and where we live (but in a nice way)!  We try and walk to school each day (about 1.5 km each way) so far it's good but most days we get someone stopping in their car and asking if we need a lift or if we need help... I think they think we're a bit mad walkng on frosty mornings when the car is at home!  [:D]  We are the second british family to have lived in the commune but the first to make a permenant home here and to come with young children.  Our son is the first non-French child at the village school! Our neighbours have introduced themselves and invited us for drinks, I've made a new friend and our french is improving daily... it feels like we've been here for ages and I wonder why it took us so long to make the move!

The house needs more urgent attention that we had imagined.  We had thought we could put up with things for a while but the reality is we want to get cracking as soon as poosible.  This is OK ... just wish it wasn't about to be winter!  roll on spring!! [:D]

So... in answer to you question - yes we are settling in - and thanks for the information too! [:D]