Thursday, April 1, 2010

A belated happy birthday to Milana, who asks the best questions

Some of the best questions we've gotten in our two big trips came from our former neighbor, the now 10????-year-old Milana (that can't be true... is it true? Isn't she still just starting kindergarten?). In Japan, she asked about holidays and how you can be friends when you don't speak the same language. Her mom emailed me these questions a while back, and I've been meaning to answer them (with a little help, as you'll see).

M. What do you like best about living in France?

Jack: The castles.

Katie: Um, I like everything.

Olivia: I like our house. Because it looks beautiful and it has shutters.

M. What kinds of toys do kids play with in France?

Jack: Wii, soccer, other video games, Pokemon cards, and lots of other toys

Olivia: We play with lemurs (Foo-Foo), bugs, plants, tissue paper flowers.

Katie: Toy horses and ponies and playhouses and play swimming pools.

M. What is your favorite food in France?

Jack: All of the little cakes and cookies and chocolates.

Katie: I like the salami here. And Nutella.

Olivia: We have drinking yogurts here.

M. How is school in France different from Lethbridge?

Jack: We don't go at all on Wednesdays. We don't have half days on Fridays. I have one hour and 40 minutes for lunch. I don't home from the bus til 5 p.m. on Mondays, and Thursdays (because I stay at school for lunch).

Katie and Livie: We ride bikes and scooters here at recess.

M. What do you like best about going to school in France?

Jack: Everything. I like everything.

Livie: The snacks. And coloring. We always color.

Katie: Just coloring. And painting.

M. What is the most difficult part of going to school in France?

Jack: All of the work. It's in French. No recess where you can speak English.

Katie: Almost all of it is hard.

Livie: People take my bikes.

M. What subjects does Jack learn at school?

Grammar, Math, Science, Reading, English, Spelling, and more

***

I think Milana may have a future as a journalist, and we'd all like to wish her a belated but beloved happy birthday. Thanks for your good questions! Anyone else have any for the five of us to answer?

4 comments:

chswenson said...

Milana is 10, how is that possible?!?! Ellie says hello :)

Beth said...

Yes, I have a question! (I feel like I should have my hand up and be bouncing on my computer chair). With all the posts about gathering with friends for delicious food, castle and monastery and museum visits, running races, etc. - is John actually getting done what you all went to France for him to do? :-) It sounds like all play and no work - but maybe you're just not mentioning that part.

Mikey Bikey said...

Those ARE some good questions. I learned a lot about the kids in France. Thanks, Milana (and Lisa).

Lisa K. said...

Connie: I know -- I can't believe it either. She is so amazing (not surprising, but fun to see anyway).

Beth: John is getting a lot of interesting work done, and he works a lot late at night, early in the morning, when the kids are at school, and weekends (when we aren't visiting a castle, etc). A lot of trips we've done involve a side trip of something he needs to do (most Paris trips, the driving trip to Vezeley included a stop at a Buddhist site, etc) or are a reason for the trip (colleagues in Bristol to meet with, upcoming trips to Lyon and Denmark). And in the same stream of thought as the "it isn't always this amazing" -- I tend to write about the interesting and cool times -- but there are a lot of times when he is just here, writing and reading... boring professor stuff! It's a good question, though!

Mike: Glad you liked the questions (and I thought David and Lisa might, too). Hope you four are well.