I interview Vivi about her after thoughts of going to school in Switzerland (Luc’s actual school!).
- Before you started school in
Switzerland, do you remember what you thought or felt about going to school
there?
That’s a hard question. I was scared to not make any new friends. Cuz they would all laugh about my accent.
And how did it work out? It worked out fine actually, I made a lot of new friends. - What
was your first impressions of Swiss school?
I don’t know. That’s a hard question again. This was a lot more different then I thought it was going to be. In what way? Some things that I didn’t know what they meant in French, I’m like, Ok I think that’s what she’s saying, but I don’t know… Is she saying that or is she saying that? Cuz I don’t know which one. I was a little bit confused. It was more at the beginning. - How
did you feel in the beginning?
Scared. Was there anything that helped you not be scared? Getting used to it, going every day. What helped you? Somebody explained to me everything. A friend. Avril. Merci Avril. Would you say you were outside your comfort zone? Yes at the beginning. But then it became the new normal. It was kinda like school in Canada but in French and in a different country – when I was done. Did anybody laugh at your accent? I think a couple did but then they got used to it. I forget. - What
was the most fun thing?
Going to the train to go to the pool, the gym, I love the train and that’s it. - What
was the thing you liked to do the most in school?
Everything that I just said. Ummm… ACM -> where you do crafts, stuff for other people too, when it was Halloween, we made little baskets with skulls on them, I filled it up with candy and give it to someone. Did you like singing? When did I sing? Yeah, I like singing… but I didn’t need to do it in front of the whole class. - What
was the thing you liked to do the least?
Math, and we all had different things to do everyday – so every week we had to change so once I was sweeping and once I was mopping and once I was cleaning tables and I don’t like doing that. Do you do that in Canada? No…. uh a little bit – I forget. What about dictee? No, cuz I only got for 5 months I only got 2 times right. - What
is something that is your favorite memory?
My birthday cuz they all did a parade and said Canada! Canada! Canada! And some people’s birthday and also the train to go to the pool and the pool and the gym and yeah.
What was it like staying for lunch some days at school?
The first day was really scary because I didn’t get what was happening. My best friend explained what was happening, she went there last year and she helped me and so that helped a lot. What happens there? You get picked up when you get out of your class, then he collects all the people, and you go to a different room near the gym, you wash your hands, you go to a table that you want, he says “anybody that wants to serve your table?” and you have to put your hand up and you all have to agree. Your table all has to agree what person. And then all of the people who want to collect the food, and then they go in line to collect the food, and the adults put the food on the plate and then you serve it to your table. What kinds of foods did you eat? Burgers. Once we ate taco, and we ate a whole bunch of other foods [like vegetables, and soup, and fruit] and we always have fruit for desert in Switzerland. When you’re done you brush your teeth and you have your name on a tooth brush and you have a special place to put your goblet and tooth brush on a shelf. They gave us the toothbrush but you have to get it. - Did
you learn new games you can teach your friends ?
Yeah, I forget what they are called but I learned card games, outside games, inside games – there’s a lot of games. - What
was your teacher like?
Her name is Madame Amandine and she was really nice. She really, oh man I forget, [you told me that she was really nice to, and that she really helped you feel a part of the class and explained things to you as you were new to the class, and with cursive writing, everyone was a year ahead and she really helped you with that but you also told me she was strict and no nonsense.] Yes all of that but only a little bit strict. - What are some of the differences
between Swiss school and Canadian school?
They don’t speak French that much in Canada. Usually the kids just talk in English at recess. But it was really different because sometimes I said words in English, and they copied it but really with a French accent. - What difference would you bring back to
Canada if you could?
I don’t know. What was some of the things that you really liked in Switzerland and wish you had in Canada. Swimming and eating [the canteen, a hot lunch every day], ACM [crafts], sometimes you go in a bus and you go to a place, so I was group “boat”, let’s say, and sometimes I need to go over to another school. I made a pouch for pencil crayons and stuff like that and I made it all by hand and I choose my own colours and my own buttons for the eyes and different stuff like that. And also sometimes I go to a different school and sometimes the one go to a different school. We made a basket for Halloween. It was really cool ACM. So you didn’t do that in Canada? No. You have different tools? Yeah, a cursive pen – ink pen. When you do crafts in Canada, what’s the difference? I don’t know. I forget. - Which school do you like better?
I like both. 😀 - Are you better at speaking and reading
in French now?
Yeah! Yeah. - Would you go back again?
That’s a hard question because I miss Canada right now, but if I lived in Switzerland, yeah. - If you had a friend that was in Canada
and going to Swiss school and that was a bit worried what would you tell them?
The first time I went there it was a little scary, but once I got used to it it was really fun!
Thanks so much Vivi! Super appreciate you answering all my questions. Your welcome!
