Hello from Switzerland

[kodokan]

Well, aren't these forums brilliant! I'd heard of Mumsnet before, but didn't realise the full range of subjects you chat about - thought it would be all nappies and weaning, and I'm well past those stages.

Not sure of the forum etiquette here, but hope it's ok to just do a little note to say hi and introduce myself; I expect it's here and the Bilingual boards I'll be hanging about in most frequently.

We're an English family who moved to French-speaking Switzerland just over two years ago. I have a boy of 10 and girl of 6; both are in the local schooling system, so it's been fascinating reading everyone else's experiences of non-English language schooling, bilingualism, etc.

Hubby's the working one; as is often the case we followed his job over here. I haven't worked at all for 10 years - far too busy moving areas every 2-3 years to shunt his career forward, although this is the first overseas move.

Looking forward to getting involved in some of the relevant discussions, finding out more about you all, and perhaps even meeting up with the odd Swiss dweller.

Thanks a lot.

kodokan

[kreecherlivesupstairs]

Hello kokodan, if I could do links, I would, sadly I am such a technoknob I can't. There is a special Swiss area on these boards that, with luck, our tsarina will put a link up to.
I live in Central Switzerland with dh and dd who goes to international school. We are leaving in about 12 weeks to move to Belgium. that will be our fourth move in 9 years .

[MmeLindt]

Hello Kodokan, welcome to MN.

I am Scottish and am also in the French speaking part of Switzerland.

here is the MN Switzerland page although it is not working properly yet. We hope to be able to put details of our meet ups on there.

And here is the Meet up thread. Pop on there and say hello.

We meet every couple of weeks and you are welcome to come along and say hello.

[MmeLindt]

I have an (almost) 8yo girl and a 5yo boy, also in local schools. I am the MN poster girl for local schools, so I am glad that you are here to give me some support. Are you happy with the school?

[kodokan]

Oh yes, I'm a huge local school fan. Mine's been fabulous. DS started in 2nd grade when we moved over in April 08 and is now coming to the end of 4th grade, and DD is just finishing her second year of enfantine.

I was all prepared for not-very-well-hidden sighs about what a bother it was, having these totally non-French speaking children in the class, but it was the total opposite. My son's first teacher contacted me by email before we even left the UK to introduce herself, and arranged to meet me and DS in the classroom during the Easter holidays!! so he could meet her, get his bearings and not feel so bewildered on Day One. Both his teachers have had enough English to initially communicate with him - his current teacher is absolutely fluent, which brought its own problems when she decided to translate everything for him and he got into the habit of sitting back and waiting for 'his turn' once she's explained something to the others. Fixed that now, though.

DD's teachers are also terrific, and have clearly enjoyed the professional challenge of having a non-French speaker in their class. (There are quite a lot of FSL speakers in the school, but they've usually at least done playgroup before joining.)

Both kids have had extra French provided by the school, and are now aaaaalmost fluent. My idea of fluent is pretty strict, as my French is quite good so I can hear their small errors of 'translate from English word order', or notice that they don't have a vocab word and have to workaround or describe what they mean.

The other kids have been so kind to them too, including them in games from the first day. I think some of them are under parental orders to hang around the English kids, to see if the language is 'catching'.

Over the two years, I've stopped comparing the Swiss to the UK system and become quite mellow about (a) DD not being able to read properly at age 6, (b) DS not doing one single piece of creative writing in 2 years, (c) no regular parent performances for Christmas, Easter, Harvest Festival, Trafalgar Day, end of term this, that and the other, (d) no assemblies, (e) 5 yr olds going to sleepover camp.

They're very happy, have lots of friends, do tons of gym and amazing handicrafts, walk (scooter) to school alone and DS can pick out a subject group not agreeing with the verb in the 3rd person singular at 50 paces.

[MmeLindt]

That is very interesting, and reassuring. I must forward your post to a friend of mine with DC in local schools.

There is a lot of pressure from the friends and family back home, I find. 'Oooooh, she is not reading yet?'

DD will be 8yo next week and despite not starting to learn to read until 6yo is actually doing really well.

Which side of the lake are you on? I am on the Corsier/Vesenaz side.

[kodokan]

I'm doing my best to take an 'ommmm...' Zen approach to the reading (whilst sneaking in some phonics on the side). I've seen lots of kids here go into 1st grade and suddenly be reading fluently by Christmas.

It reminds of me of teaching DS to tie shoelaces. For some reason I had it in my head that he should learn before starting school, so wasted many weeks attempting to teach a 4.5 yr old - with Velcro shoes! - how to tie bows. We decided to give it up as a bad job; I remembered when he was 8 or 9 that I hadn't done this yet. Job done in about 1.5 minutes. Teaching stuff to older kids is much, much quicker and easier.

I'm further up the lakeside, between Morges and Lausanne, diagonally across from you waves.

[kodokan]

Oops, accidentally learnt how to put a word in bold. It was supposed to be a written action!

[MmeLindt]

I know what you mean re shoes. It is actually quite normal for 8 and 9 year olds not to be able to tie knots, cause there are hardly any shoes on sale with laces.

back across the lake.

Some of the other MNetters are nearer to you.