Happy New Year (bonne année) to all! It has been a few weeks since our last post, but there isn’t much to catch you up on. We are finishing up our Christmas break today and looking forward to resuming classes tomorrow. Because so many students in the language school have kids, it is necessary to base the language school calendar on the local French school calendar–hence our time off from class has been 2+ weeks. I feel like a kid on Christmas break. I have enjoyed the time to allow my brain to heal, yet I’m definitely ready to get back into the routine of class and studying.

We have stayed somewhat busy this break. We were able to get out of town for a few days just before Christmas–it was our Christmas present to each other this year. Last week we were able to stop by an art museum here in Paris to see the Mona Lisa and The Code of Hammurabi. In case you were wondering, the Mona Lisa looks exactly like she does in all her pictures. She isn’t really all that impressive in my opinion, but I’m no art critic. The Code of Hammurabi is impressive when you consider it dates back to the 18th Century B.C. That’s Old Testament Israel time period! Pretty cool.

We’ve also had the opportunity to help some of the new students who are arriving here at the school. Some folks were a great help to us when we first arrived, so it is our privilege to help others get pointed in the right direction (very important on the transit system)!

One of the reasons I am enjoying the new students so much is that they remind me just how much we have learned in four months of language school (though we are mindful of how much we still have to learn). A short time ago, Mattie and I jumped off the plane and arrived in Massy knowing how to say “bonjour” and not much else. God is so good to enable us to live and study here. The other reason I enjoy the new students is that they are easily impressed (like I was too). At the bakery or on the train, they think my French is great! I could tell them the truth, but why ruin it for them?

We wish you all a blessed New Year!