La rentrée

In France, there is a name for the annual return of students to school each fall. It's call la rentrée and it literally means the reentry or the return.  

Jack, Kate and Liv had their own mini rentrée today, going to visit their former classmates and teachers at the little village school surrounded by vineyards. Part of their nervousness was because they had never actually been to the building we visited today -- it was under construction in the spring of 2010 and didn't open until that fall. So back in 2010, Jack went to class in the mayor's office of one village 3 km in one direction, while Kate and Liv's class was house in the mayor's office of the village 1 km from our home  (and now just across the street).


But today, they walked into a bright, beautiful, big new school -- and were immediately swarmed by friends. Jack went off and played, looking occasionally like a rock star surrounded by fans. He would check in with me from time to time, but spent most of the time running around and answering questions (ARE YOU COMING BACK HERE TO LIVE? I heard many of the kids ask him). Kate and Liv clung to my legs, not sure what to make of everyone who remembered les jumelles -- the twins -- when their own memories of our time here seems a bit hazy.

It was so wonderful to talk with their former teachers and see so many happy faces. After about a half an hour, we went into the new gym (gorgeous but lacking one important feature -- windows that open) and heard kids perform various musical pieces. We learned that today is La fête de la musique -- The Feast of the Music -- and all across France people performed music at schools, on streetcorners, in parks and other public places.

Sitting in that hot, happy gym and looking around at the familiar faces was a moment that reminded me -- as so many moments have reminded me this last week -- of just what a magical time we had the months we lived here. In retrospect, it seems kind of incredible that we were welcomed so warmly into a community, especially since we were here such a short time. But as the shouts of "Jack! Jack! Kat-eeee! Olivia!!" rang out across the playground, I just felt so lucky. Lucky that we got to come here at all, and find these friends, and have that experience. And lucky now to be able to return, if only for a visit.