Writing/Social Studies BLOG #7

Camargue: The Wild West of France

There are 16 major regions of France. We live in the most southern and eastern part called the Cote D'Azur. However, there is a region of France where we just visited which is really the wild west of the country and it is called The Camargue.

The wild west of The Camargue is an area with many wild white horses and bull farms. They even have rodeos and real bull fights every Wednesday night. The land is very flat and full of marshes where there are beauiful wild flamingos. I liked it alot. I even got to go to a ranch and ride a special white horse named Guardian.

The Camargue is a beautiful place and is really the wild west of France.

Writing/Social Studies Blog #6

The Castle in My Back Yard

In Florida, there are many wonderful things in back yards, but my back yard in France is very special because I have my own castle looking at me every day.

The castle in my backyard is very old. I love to imagine what happened in my castle so many years ago. It was built around the year 1500. That was about the time that Christopher Columbus discovered Amercia. There were no kings or queens that ever lived in this castle, but it was built by a very famous Duke from Italy. Dukes were really rich people but were not always royal like kings. The castle is on a cove on the Méditerranéen Sea. In the olden days, pirates used to attack the castle and the Duke used to let people hide inside the castle walls to protect them.

Many people have beautiful back yards but I still love what I see every day in my 600 year old castle in my back yard. Do any of you ever want to come visit it with me?

-Maddy Rosenberg

Writing/Social Studies BLOG #5

My Magic Garden

At my house in France I have the most amazing Magic Garden. Every night I surprise my family and I go get the best food in France for my harvest.

My Magic Garden has a beautiful view of the sea. It also has super soil because the earth has been here without anything growing on it for hundreds of years. That is why I get such special things in my Magic Garden. One night for dinner I used the purple shells around the bananas from my super banana tree for my for dessert plates for the chocolate cake I made. They were so big they were perfect. This year in my magic garden we grew an extraordinary zuchinni. It was almost as big as me!

Garden's grow many wonderful things but my Magic Garden grow's the best food in France.

-Madison Rosenberg

Writing Social Studies BLOG #4

What Is So Special About Wednesdays in France?

Wednesdays in France are very different than Wednesdays in the United States because there is no school on Wednesdays. This makes it very easy for me to do all of my favorite things.

First of all, on Wednesdays I get to play with my friends. It is so much fun not to have to wait for the weekend to play all the games we love to play. Wednesdays are also special for my pet animals. That is the day of the week I make them rides like those in Disneyland. Their favorite one is sliding down a basket on a string I tie on our stairs. Lillian, my Guinea Pig thinks that is her favorite. But best of all on Wednesdays, the most fun of all, is I get to do several hours of my Florida homework and send it to Mrs. Santello.

Since school is out on Wednesdays , I get to do many of my favorite things and that is why Wednesdays are so special in France.

-Maddy

Answers to Class Questions

Bonjour Class:

Thank-you for all the great letters and questions you have sent me in the past 3 weeks. It has been so nice to hear from you.

In this letter I have tried to answer some of the questions you have sent me in your comments on my BLOG. Merci beaucoup.

Jack: Have you had escargot?
Maddy: No never but I play with the snails on my walk to school after it rains.

Kate: Is school getting better?
Maddy: Yes it is better each week. My French is better too. We even have to memorize a poem in French.

Taylor: Are you having trouble speaking French?
Maddy: Yes very much. Plus my friends here speak so fast. Do we speak English that fast?

Maddie: Do you like it in France?
Maddy: Yes I like it a lot. It is so different from Florida though. Hopefully you like my stories on how different it is.

Jordan: Is it cool in France?
Maddy: The temperature here has been great . High of 28 (C) and low of 17(C) Can you figure out what that is in Florida temperature?

Anthony and Bryce: I hope you are having a good time in France.
Maddy: Oui, Bien sur (Yes of course I am)

Charlie: Hi Maddy
Maddy: Bonjour Charlie. Comment Ca Va? (Hello Charlie. How are you doing?)

Izabella: We miss you.
Maddy: Tu me monque (This one is really hard because in English it means I miss you but it really says You me miss. That's French for you)

Raine: I like your house
Maddy: Me too. It is really very old here. Our house was built hundreds of years ago.

Laura: The story was nice. I have a dog too.
Maddy: Merci beaucoup. The word for dog is chien unless it is a girl dog then it is a chienne. All words here are either male or female. Yikes!!

Hannah: I love you an miss you too.
Maddy: Je t'aime. (I love you too) And you have no idea how much I miss you.

Thank-you again class for keeping me so close to you. I hope I didn't forget anyone who wrote a comment. Please write soon.

Love
Your friend Maddy

Writing/Social Studies BLOG #3 Adventures In My French Zoo

My zoo in France is full of adventures and is quite different than zoos at home. The biggest difference is that you can get very, very close to the animals. They even sell packages of food for each animal which adds to my many adventures.

My first adventure begins when I discovered a secret tunnel that lead to a cave full of flying bats. Then we went to see the monkeys and there are wild lemurs running around all over the zoo. You can feed them if you want. They even take the food out of your hand with a tiny black fingers that look just like mine only smaller. But the biggest adventures happen in the big petting zoo mountain. I was once chased by a crazy goat who tried to buck me. My mom and I named him "Awahwawa" because that was what he was screaming when he came after us. We now visit him every time we go to the zoo just to say hello.

There are so many adventures in my French zoo that I can't count them all but mostly I love it because you can get much closer to the animals than zoos we go to at home.

Letter To Class Week 3

Dear Class:

I am having a fun time in France. School is hard but last week we started English class. Since I know English they asked me to be the assistant teacher. They are learning words like "hello", "what is your name?" and "goodbye". We only have one hour per week of English and the rest of the time they only speak French. It is still hard for me as I learn their language.

I also got a pet lapin (bunny) and a pet Couchin D'Inde (Guinea Pig). I named them Sugar and Liliane. Every day I play with them after school. Last week I made them rides and roller coasters. My Dad and I tied a string from up high on the escallier (stairs) and we attached a basket on the string and slid my pets down. It was fun for me but I think it was also fun for them.

Thank-you for all the great letters you wrote me last week. It made me very happy. I will see all of you in 5 weeks.

A bientot.

Maddy

Maddy Letter #2 To Class

Dear Class:

I am having fun in France. Plus I am very excited because my Grandma from Florida just arrived.

Some of the different things we learn in France are cursive writing and memorizing poems. Plus we can take toys to school to play at recess. Also, lunch is 2 hours long, but the food there is icky.

Next week we start to learn English. I will be the best at that I am sure.

Here is a picture of my teacher Madam Saponaro. She is very nice but a little strict. She likes me a lot.

I miss all of you and can't wait to hear your comments.

Love

-Maddy

Social Studies BLOG #2 : Dogs Rule in France

Dogs are treated very differently in France than in the U.S. Dogs can go almost anywhere in France. Dogs can even come with us to restaurants. It is funny to see dogs sit at tables with people. (See picture) The waiters even take their orders. They always get their water bowls before humans get their drinks. Even though there are cats here in France, they do not get treated the same.

People in France love their cats and dogs but dogs rule.

Writing/Social Studies BLOG #1

Our Town Villefranche Sur Mer

In our town Villefranche there are many little shops to see. There are many long stairways leading to our house. We also have a castle in our town. There are many fishermen in Villefranche because the city is on the Sea. Villefranche is very different than Florida and I like it very much.

Maddy's Picture of The Week

This is our back yard at our house in France.

It is very blue here and that is why it is called Le Cote D'Azur ( The Blue Coast)
The front of the picture is our piscine. (Swimming Pool)
The back of the picture is the Mediterranean Sea.
I hope you like it.
-Maddy

Maddy's First Days at French School

Dear Class:

I am having fun at French School. It is very, very hard. First of all they are doing only cursive writing. And we have to write it very small. Plus the words are in French and I do not understand all of them. But I like it anyway.

Monday we went to the library. (Biblioteque) One of the things that was interesting were the books. There were many little minature books that were fun to read.

Yesterday, my second day, went much faster than Monday. It seemed like a half a day. I was much more conmfortable with that. That is good because our days are much longer here than in Florida. We start school at 8:30 in the morning and we do not get out until 4:30 in the afternoon.

But, today is Wednesday (mercredi) and there is NO SCHOOL on Wednesdays. Yeah. But it is really not so great since today I have to do my Florida homework all morning.

I miss all of you so please write back some comments on my BLOG when you have time.

A bientot.
Maddy

Dear Class

Here is the picture I forgot to send in the last BLOG.

Je suis desolee` (I am sorry)

Maddy

The Vendange

Dear Class:

We all made it safely to France but it was a long trip. Almost 18 hours. Our 2 dogs slept most of the way under our seats.

The first thing we did when we got to our villa is pick this years grapes. (The Vendange) It was a lot of work especially after the long flight. My Dad said we picked about 500 pounds of grapes.
Here is a picture of me picking grapes.

Tomorrow I start school. There is no Labor day off here. I think my teacher, Madam Sapporino, is going to be very strict. And she does not speak a word of English. I am very scared.

I hope everyone had a good weekend.

A bientot, (See you soon)
Maddy

Letter To Mrs. Santello And Class

Hello Mrs. Santello and Class:

I am getting ready to leave tomorrow for my studies in France.
I have been working hard with Anne-Laure who is my French tutor in Florida.
I will write you all every Wednesday with pictures of what I am doing.
I start CE1 which is second grade in France with a new teacher.
I am very nervous.
Have a great 8 weeks and I will see you on October 29.

A bientot. (See You Soon)
Maddy