Jacob in Quebec

Jacob went to Quebec a couple of weeks ago with other French students for the CHUH middle schools. About 31 kids went on the trip. They stayed up there for 5 days, visiting Montreal and Quebec City. This trip gave the kids a chance to practice using their French language skills and be embedded in another culture. I am really glad that Jacob was able to go. He is very interested in international relations and languages.

The trip started with an early morning meeting at the middle school. Jacob and I were the first ones at the school at around 5:45AM. We took Jesse with us. She likes to go in the car to pick Jacob up from track practice. I tried to get a picture of Jacob, but he kept closing his eyes with the flash. Also, several of the photos came out blurry. It turns out that the camera was set for close-up shots. Jacob met his roomates, a couple of boys from one of the other middle schools, then they got on the bus and left. We didn't hear from them again until they returned. Well, Joseph heard from Jacob. On the return trip, one the chaperones (Joseph's social studies teacher) used her cell phone to call Joseph at school and had Jacob speak to him at school.

I missed the full report because I had to work the evening Rebecca talked Jacob into telling the family of his adventures. Rebecca says that the kids listened to Jacob for over hour tell his stories. I'm sorry I missed it. Jacob reported that the host family he stayed with was really cool, and he enjoyed playing with the little siblings in that family. Considering the sibling conflicts we have at home, it's nice to know that Jacob is pleasant when with others. Sometimes I think we are less "good" at home just to relieve the stress of being more "good" at work, school, church and other public places.

Jacob also says that he was an influence on his peers, setting such trends as purchasing hats for souvenirs (Jacob brought home a camoflauge fedora and a coonskin hat) and trying new foods, such as a fried potato and gravy dish that sounded a lot like chili cheese fries. He also had a traditional Canadien breakfast of lard and meat and real maple syrup. Mmmmm.

I am not exactly sure of all the places Jacob visited, but his pictures are of monster trucks (set up at a rest stop), unusual signs (hare crossing), cathedrals and icons (monkey paintings?), armour (swords, helmets, cool stuff), roller coasters, sculptures, and no people. Despite spending a day in a French school, hanging out with friends for a week, going to a circus training site, and riding on a bus for many, many hours, it seems that no one actually lives in Quebec. They're just like the photos I took at his age on my school trips.