Formation Civique
translated… basically civic training – a course to help you understand life in France: how does the democracy work, why is the flag red, white & blue, what about separation of church and state, how does the medical system work etc. etc.
It is a course for people trying to immigrate permanently to France, or get into the social system for help finding work, or trying to get citizenship – or apparently if you’re the wife of a PhD student from Canada here temporarily.
It did allow the kids and I to spend a day downtown, doing what we do best: ride the tram, visit museums, eat … lather, rinse, repeat.
Matea has been pretty excited for a Marc Chagal exhibition that is now at the art museum, so we went there. Plus there is a new temporary exhibit at another museum on pre-historic cave drawings from the Alpes. (honestly – where do these kids get their nerdly aptitude from? Certainly not from their father who will still be in school when he’s 40)
We did get to meet up with Susan for lunch in a park downtown – so that was nice.
As to the question “why in the world is Susan in this course” not one single person can anser that. We just keep getting official looking documents from various branches of administration of the Republic notifying her that she needs to be there, and if not her Carte de Sejour will not be renewed (as ours will expire already in December…see here for more on that)