I am finally back from Sweden and back to the Blogosphere (at least for now) after 10 wonderful days with our students who were extremely well-behaved. They were polite, punctual, interested, appreciative and curious. What more could we dream of?
They also took the time to express their gratefulness: some of them thanked us profusely before leaving the coach and one sent me an email via Facebook.
Our colleagues in Sweden were extremely helpful and welcoming. In fact they were both new to the exchange as one former colleague is now retired and the other one no longer wished to take part because of the work involved. Obviously there was apprehension on both sides as a minimum of common understanding and goals is necessary for such an exchange to go smoothly but it worked out really well.
One teacher is a woman from Argentina whose family comes from Spain and Italy who is married to another Argentinian of both French and German descent. She teaches both French and Spanish when she is not raising her five children. We were welcomed to their homes on a couple of occasions and were most happy to share their daughter’s cakes after a cold and wet outing at the weekend.
The other teacher is a divorced mother of two who teaches French, Swedish and Swedish for foreigners. She enjoys reading and going to the movie, which means she and I had long conversations on favorite books and films, as well as school politics, teaching and religion.
Both women are very different but complementary and we shared lovely moments with them with or without the students.
It is now time to catch up with work and High Holiday preparations. I still have not decided whether I want to bake a honey or an apple cake but salmon will definitely be on the menu.
Shabbat Shalom!
Apple or honey cake – of course, I am planning to do both. Baked an apple cake yesterday. Just need to decide on a recipe for the honey cake (will do that on Wednesday). Hm, maybe we’ll do salmon on Friday.
So nice to hear about the teachers. And the lovely students.
Shabbat Shalom.
I think I have settled on the apple cake.
We were lucky everything went so well.
Shavua tov!
My daughter found this honey cake recipe online and shared it with me 2 years ago, and it’s really splendidly good:
http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/09/majestic-and-moist-honey-cake/
Shana Tova!
Thank you for the link. It looks very nice.
Welcome back! You were missed here in the Blogosphere, and I hope you decide to stick around.
Shavua tov!
Thank you Mrs.S. It is nice to feel missed. I still have doubts about the future of this blog but am not ready to quit completely either.
Shavua tov!
Sounds nice. I’m not planning on baking. I used to bake an apple cake using applesauce.
I have a recipe for a cake with applesauce too and I like how moist it makes the cake. Because of the trip to Sweden and the catching up I now have to do, I need quick recipes.
Oh yum! Salmon! This three days of Yom Tov/Shabbat is a bit daunting, eh? I’d go with the apple cake, since I don’t really like honey cake. Or make apple pie. Or apple crumble. Mmmm….
This three days of Yom Tov/Shabbat is a bit daunting, eh?
Very daunting, you mean.
That is exactly what I meant
Shana tova!
I am glad all is well. Salmon is on my menu, also.
Shana Tova!
Welcome back? Is ther any reason in particular that your school trip goes to Sweden?
My kitchen is not yet completed and I can’t find my baking utensils. I have not yet come up with my menu and it’s scaring me. What kind of salmon are you making? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
We got a letter asking us if our school was interested in having this exchange about 12 years ago. And it is still going on.
Here is an easy and nice recipe for RH:
http://ilanadavita.wordpress.com/2010/09/12/poached-salmon/
I will be making another one but I need to try it and translate the recipe before posting it.
Shana Tova, Ilana-Davita!
Thank you Ruth Deborah. Shanah Tovah to you too!