Sunday 15 March 2020

Project 366 :Photo Diary Week 11

Well, what a week that was ! On Thursday night, President Macron announced that from Monday morning, all schools and universities will be closed "for at least two weeks, possibly longer". As a teacher, I can say that there was absolutely no warning whatsoever. Now, most people's instant reaction is "ooh you lucky people, you're on holiday" but it's actually way more complicated than that because we have to put our lessons online, get work out to the kids and collect it back in and, when we left school on Friday afternoon, we still weren't too sure how that was going to happen ! We have an online thing that we use for doing school reports and the register every hour, so we'll be working with that. Could be interesting !


Sunday 8th March - A lazy day, sorting out the washing, clearing some of my marking and actually chilling out for a while. Juliette started tidying her room and having a dejunk, so that she could rearrange it and set up the new mat and the mirror that we bought yesterday.


Monday - Yesterday was the two-year anniversary of Madhouse Daddy's death, and today I went, along with two other teachers, to the funeral of the father of a couple of pupils from our school. Luckily it wasn't in the same place. At the end, the boys looked really pleased to see us and gave us a big hug, so I'm glad we went. I had never even thought about it from the kids' point of view, but my own kids were really touched by the presence of some of their teachers at their dad's funeral, as they were there just for them, so I'm glad we went. I finished lessons at 4.30, then had to wait for a meeting that was starting at 5.30. I was expecting it to last an hour, but we finally left school at 7.45 ! It was pitch black as I was waiting for the bus home, as you can see from the view in the port. Then I got home and still had to cook dinner *sigh* !


Tuesday - Another full day at work. After the blue skies and sunshine of last week, we were back to grey, rainy and very windy weather today. Not fair - I keep telling myself that spring is on the way ! Loads of rushing around in my hour off before lunch, photocopying tax papers, putting together papers from each of the kids' schools and getting bank account details from the cash point then going to drop off the whole lot off at my health insurance, so that they keep paying me the "orphan's allowance" for the kids. They need exactly the same thing every year and nothing changes from one year to the next so it all seems like a bit of a waste of time, to be honest.


Wednesday -  Headed back into town, jumping off the bus just opposite this building, the Bains Dunkerquois or Dunkirk Public Baths, which are meant to resemble an oriental building. It's actually a really pretty building but needs some serious TLC to sort it out. Time to finish off the paperwork, this time going to the CAF (the benefits office) because they had emailed me back in January, asking me to tell them how much I'd earned last year, so that the kids could get their "orphan's allowance" from there too. My declaration went through fine, but when I had to put in Sophie's (as she'd turned 18), the computer told me I'd already sent through the declaration. I emailed them and finally got a reply, telling me to go back online and fill in the form - the same thing happened, so I went to the office. Normally, there are huge queues but there were only two people in front of me - the one bonus of the coronavirus, I suppose ! I literally had one box to tick on the piece of paper, to say that Sophie had no income - pfff ! All done again, until next year !


Thursday - Well, the weather's still pretty cold and windy this week, but the trees agree with me - spring IS on the way, as these buds bursting into new leaves show. Yay !


Friday - After Macron's speech on TV last night, I headed into school to find out what happens next. The buses have now stopped using the front doors and the front area of the bus is cordoned off with tape, to protect the drivers and provide a one-metre distance with the nearest passengers. At school, they informed us that the pupils are the risky element, because kids can pass on the virus without ever developing symptoms themselves, so this is why schools have been closed. We can still see their parents and pupils who can't be looked after (if the parents work as nurses/doctors or, as is the case in our school, if they come from the local children's homes) will be kept at school as a temporary measure. All of next week's after school meetings for the end-of-term - one per class, where we discuss results, progress (or lack of) and where the final year students want to go next year and whether that fits in with their results - will still go ahead and the parents are still invited to take part.


Saturday - We decided to go for our usual Saturday lunch at McDonald's, combined with a little shopping trip, maybe for the last time, depending on how things develop. Pierre used some of his pocket money on a crane machine, which made us laugh because he kept missing - luckily it's a "prize every time" one so he just kept going until he finally won one ! There were hardly any customers in town compared to usual. Afterwards I headed to Lidl for the weekly shop, determined not to buy any more than usual. There was no toilet roll, rice, pasta, pains au chocolat, flour or soap but everything else seemed to be there in its usual quantities. I bought a bit extra, compared to usual, as me and the kids are all at home all week, but I'm not giving in to the crazy panic buying. I'm actually looking forward to using up whatever is in the cupboards and having a good clearout !

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18 comments:

  1. My girls are hoping for the schools and colleges to close here but they seem to forget they will be given work to do at home via the internet. Good luck. I hope it all goes well.
    Oh gosh! 2 years. Sending love and hugs. x

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    1. Fingers crossed - I'm off to try to figure out the internet schooling now !

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  2. It was very kind of you to attend the funeral of your pupils' parents. Our schools are still open, which is a great worry. Hope the Internet teaching goes well. Our supermarkets are also missing a lot of items. I haven't done any crazy stockpiling, but did spend more money than usual in the last few days, buying extras.

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    1. It's crazy ! I don't want to stockpile but then part of me thinks, if everyone else is doing it, grab it while you can ! :/

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  3. personally do not see the point in closing the schools as parents will still allow kids out to play, taken them shopping etc etc anyway.
    Novel Idea on the buses, but our buses have one way in one way out and you pay the driver when you board.
    How lovely to show support for the pupils and attend the funeral.
    Hugs to you for the sad anniversary.
    Yes the trees are well and truly out, hay fever doing my head in.

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    1. Schools are closed to stop big groups of kids who are likely to spread the virus (without any symptoms apparently) amongst themselves then on to the adults - that's what they're telling us anyway. They can still go out to play in small groups, that's not a risk. We're doing lessons by internet - should be interesting ! lol. I've just uploaded today's work - it seems do-able short-term anyway. The buses are free in Dunkirk since last year, so that makes it easier.

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  4. I do think it was good to go along for the funeral - I bet they appreciated it. Must have been hard though because of your anniversary. Not sure how it will all work if schools close here, but I think it has to happen.

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    1. Taking things day by day at the moment - today, I uploaded some work, but the kids were having trouble getting online to see it. Apparently the site kept crashing !

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  5. I feel for you and think we'll be on the other end of learning from home soon too. Glad you got the tick on your paperwork for another year #366

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    1. I'm glad I sorted the paperwork last week - all offices are shut now so I'd have been stuck ! :-/

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  6. That must have been hard going to the funeral especially given the date but so good too you were able to support the pupils who lost their dad. Hope you have managed to sort out the school work now that schools have closed - we will be in the same boat next week. Everything feels like it has changed very quickly, doesn't it? #project366

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    1. It's funny, it seems like weeks ago that I went to the funeral, yet it was only on last week's post. It's like being in another world now - very strange !

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  7. Yeah, current experience of the pandemic is tough. So sorry to hear about your loss; so lovely of the teachers and pupils to come. Cute Pierre. Stay stafe; I hope you have most of the stuff u need

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    1. We're doing OK - I managed to get toilet roll at last. That's the main thing, right ?! lol

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  8. What a bitter/sweet thing you did for your pupils going to their father's funeral. How's the home schooling/online lessons going? I'll find out on Tuesday whether I can fly home or not. Hope you manage to get some down time also during this lock down

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    1. It's funny, reading back over last week's post, it seems like a different world ! It was totally manic sorting out the online lessons for my classes, but I think it's sorted out now - just needs more adding for next week. Pierre's doing fine with his work, and Juliette too. :)

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  9. The UK is now shut down, shame they didn't do it earlier! The situation in the shops is scary and we are unable to buy online. #project366

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    1. Hopefully things will settle down. Several things were unavailable here for a few days and I thought panic buying would go mad, but it's all calmed down now. My daughter, sister and parents are in the UK so I'm following news of what's going on :-/

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