Monday, September 7, 2020
Why 'la rentrée' means so much more in French than a new school year?
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| Pic by French 'N' You |
If you're in France at the moment you won't be able to dodge hearing about la rentrée, but while it's often translated as merely the start of a new school year in fact its cultural significance goes much deeper.
If you spend much time in French cities in August you may have noticed that they are pretty empty - many of the smaller independent shops will be closed and if you're emailing anyone about a work-related or official matter don't be surprised to get an auto-reply informing you that they are out of the office until September.
If you're a politics fan you will notice that the French parliament is not sitting and there isn't much in the way of official business is done. This year has been slightly different because of the health crisis, but in his press conference on Thursday, Prime Minister Jean Castex thought it worth mentioning that "as the virus, the French government has not been on holiday".
He might not have been on holiday, but President Emmanuel Macron did spend several weeks at Brégançon, the Riviera property that the French state provides so that presidents can take summer holidays by the sea.
And because the long August holiday is such an embedded tradition in French life, the return in September is a big deal.
Here are some of the things that la rentrée means and why it defies an easy translation into English;
Schools restart
La rentrée scolaire is when schools begin again for the new academic year. There is a tradition that this can only happen so September, so this year as September 1st falls on a Tuesday, the schools will restart on Tuesday rather than the Monday, which might seem more logical but is still in August.
A side-effect of la rentrée scolaire is the appearance in shops of huge collections of stationery as stressed-out parents head out to buy the dozens of items on the official lists that schools send out, all of which are deemed essential to educational life.
https://twitter.com/McPBen/status/1298543139985281024?s=20
Return to work
Of course, key workers continue to work throughout the summer but many offices close completely for some or all of August as it's not at all uncommon to receive out-of-office replies simply telling you that the person will be back in September and will deal with your query then.
Many smaller independent businesses including boulangeries, florists, pharmacies, clothes shops, and bars also close for some or all of August as their staff and owners enjoy a break.
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If you work in an office, the first few days after la rentrée is often a time for chatting to colleagues, hearing other people's holiday stories, and generally easing yourself back into work gently so it's not too much of a shock to the system.
Return to parliament
The French parliament takes a break over the summer and resumes sessions in September and ministers too generally take a few weeks off.
This summer has been slightly different because of the ongoing health crisis, and there have been two meetings of the Defence Committee - one chaired remotely by Macron from his holiday home.
Generally, September sees governments prepare to present new legislation or reforms, and the French press generally run lists of what the government will be focusing on in la rentrée (this year it's a fairly short list - they will be mostly concentrating on COVID and the upcoming economic crash, which in fairness is enough to keep anyone occupied).
New books are published
There is also a phenomenon known as la rentrée litteraire, which is when hundreds of new books are published in the busiest part of the literary year
This is partly related to people coming back to work but is also linked to the fact that many of France's major literary prizes - including the Prix Goncourt, the Prix Renaudot, and the Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française - are held in October and November. Publishers, therefore, release books that they believe have a chance at a prize in late August or September in the hope that they will be fresh in the judges' minds.
Summer activities end
Is the French Language the Future?
French is one of the fastest-growing languages in the world at the moment. Some people think it could become the most spoken language on the planet by 2050.
French is a fast-growing language
On a recent trip to Africa, French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to make French the most spoken language in Africa and possibly the world. At the moment, around 75 million people speak French as a first language, but there are reports that by 2050, as many as 750 million people will speak the lingo.
Why are more people speaking French?
French is spoken in many countries in Africa, which currently have some of the largest rates of population growth, and it’s this that makes French one of the fastest-growing languages in the world. If the projections in one report are right, then it will overtake Mandarin Chinese and English as the most spoken language.
French is still a very prominent language today
While few people would argue that French is a beautiful language, there are some that don’t think it’s a useful language to learn; a recent attack on learning French in New York Schools entitled, ‘Let’s Stop Pretending that French is an Important Language‘ went viral. However, it is one of the United Nations’ official languages (as well as NATO, the Olympics, and Eurovision). It is also seen as one of the main literary languages and one that is present on all continents. It’s still a hugely influential language in the world.
Macron’s plans might be more political than cultural
The population projections outlined in the scenario where French becomes the number one spoken language are highly improbable. It assumes that all people in countries where French is the official language will all speak French, which is highly unlikely, and the world’s most spoken second language is likely to remain English. That said, it doesn’t hurt the French President’s image to tout France and its language as up-and-coming, particularly in its role in Europe and on the world stage. Even if it’s only a perception.
FRENCH FIREFIGHTING VEHICLE
French firefighters, aka pompiers, are nationally recognized civil servants tasked with medical and firefighting operations in France. They need specialized vehicles which vary in function and size to achieve that mission. A while back I did an article on prehospital care and ambulances in France. Today, we’re going to take that a bit further and focus on a few of the most common French Firefighting vehicles.
VSAV
Le VSAV or Véhicule de Secours et d’Assistance aux Victimes (Victim rescue and assistance vehicle) is one of the common French firefighting vehicles you’ll see. This is because over 80% of a French firefighter’s duties involves responding to medical emergencies or car accidents.
There are two notable versions of the VSAV. The VSAV tôlé is the standard van-based ambulance. While the VSAV cube is a box ambulance similar to U.S. ambulances with additional cabin room.
All of the ambulances have at least one lateral door in addition to the large rear-exit doors.
There are three or four French firefighters assigned to every ambulance. The ambulances are capable of carrying up to six people: three in front, two in the rear and a patient on the stretcher. The high capacity means a SAMU / SMUR physician can be transported along with the patient if needed.
The VSAV has ample storage space to carry a first aid bag, respiratory and ventilation equipment, bandages / dressings / drapes, a cardiac defibrillator, portable oxygen, blood pressure equipment, a pulse oximeter, a glucometer, and road-side gear for the team.
Saturday, September 5, 2020
Covid-19 update: Majority of France now ‘red’ zones
Health authorities on Friday reported 8,975 new confirmed cases, almost 1,500 higher than the previous daily peak of 7,578 on March 31, when France was in one of Europe’s strictest coronavirus lockdowns.
France must stay vigilant as more people will be hospitalized in intensive care units in the next two weeks, reflecting a flare-up in Covid-19 infections in recent days, health minister Olivier Veran said on Saturday.
Veran however ruled out the need for a new nationwide lockdown, telling BFM television that France had other means to fight the virus, including testing.
“I cannot envision a general lockdown. The lockdown was a lid on an overflowing cooking pot,” he said.
Health authorities on Friday reported 8,975 new confirmed cases, almost 1,500 higher than the previous daily peak of 7,578 on March 31, when France was in one of Europe’s strictest coronavirus lockdowns.
The death toll in France stood at 30,686 people as of Friday.
Click here for complete coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic
As the rise in infections has mainly affected young people, who are less likely to develop complications, there has so far been less strain on French hospitals, which were almost overwhelmed at the end of March.
But after falling steadily for months after an April 14 peak of 32,292, the number of people hospitalized was up by 28 on Friday to 4,671, rising for the sixth day in a row.
“We are not all on the same epidemic wave as last spring. We are on a slower trend but one that must alert us,” Veran said.
“This week, 55 patients on average were hospitalized in intensive care units (ICU) each day, this means we are on an average of 1,500-2,000 people hospitalized in ICU units per month in our country. This is not neutral and we must be extremely vigilant,” he added.
Current hospitalization numbers reflected infections contracted two weeks ago, Veran said.
“So it is obvious that in the next 15 days there will be an increase, it will not be massive but there will nevertheless be an increase in the number of severe cases and in the number of people hospitalized and in ICU units”
The top 8 street food dishes of Paris and where to find them
1. Baguette sandwich at Chez Aline
2. Arepasat Bululu Arepa
3. Pastrami sandwich at Frenchie to Go
4. Grilled Cheese at Mabel
5. Crêpes at L’avant comptoir
6. Kebab at Grillé
7. Fish and Chips at the Sunken Chip
8. Burgers at Le Camion qui Fume
Saturday, August 29, 2020
Bilingual Education System
There are a lot of benefits to being bilingual, but here are some of the specific reasons that make a good case for teaching French to your kid.
~ Children’s minds are more receptive to learning a new language so it will be easier for them to learn French while they’re still young.
~ It’s a perfect chance to bond with your child. Whether you already know how to speak French or you’re planning to learn together with your kid, the time spent learning together is a priceless bonding activity.
~ It will build their emotional intelligence. Studies show that bilingual children have more empathy and higher EQ!
~ Bilingual kids could relate more to a wider group of people. Being able to communicate with a larger group of people will help broaden their relationships and experiences.
~ A second language boosts a child’s self-confidence. No explanation needed there!
~ It broadens opportunities for your child, gives him a competitive advantage in school, and sets him/her up for career success. Now, who doesn’t want that?
~ It increases your child’s cognitive abilities.
Check out some Terrible & Amazing Facts about France!
“Why do we have to do French?”
French is a global language
In today’s world, speaking one foreign language is not enough. Students who speak several languages will increase their chances of finding a job, whether at home or abroad. Learning another language enriches the mind and opens up new horizons, both personal and professional. More than 220 million people speak French on all the five continents. French is a major language of international communication. It is the second most widely learned language after English and the sixth most widely spoken language in the world. French is also the second most widely taught language after English and is taught on every continent. The OIF, an international organization of French-speaking countries, is made up of 77 member states and governments. France also operates the biggest international network of cultural institutes, which run a French-language course for close on a million learners. The ability to speak both French and English is an advantage for finding a job with the many multinational companies using French as their working language, in a wide range of sectors (retailing, automotive, luxury goods, aeronautics, etc.). France, as the world’s fifth-biggest economy, attracts entrepreneurs, researchers, and the cream of foreign students.
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| French Enhances Your Career (Part-1) |
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| French Enhances Your Career (Part-2) |
Speaking French makes a major contribution to preserving linguistic diversity in the world and avoiding the exclusive domination of a single language in today’s globalized world.
Click here to see, the benefits of learning the French Language!
How to start learning French from the beginning? The answer is right here!
