The inspiration for the Jeux Olympiques resources

This weekend as family got together for a birthday, we found ourselves watching the Olympics and it helped us talk and connect.

In the Opening Ceremonies, did you catch Céline Dion sing Edith Piaf’s Hymne à l’Amour from the Tour Eiffel or Lady Gaga perform Mon Truc en Plumes au bord de la Seine?

It generated conversation around sports we might not typically pay much attention to other than every 4 years. And we became aware of how rusty we were identifying different countries by their flags or 3-letter codes. Much like language, it takes some practice – but then it comes back and feels familiar.

We found ourselves swept up in the excitement and energy of all of these people congregating – the athletes, performers, audiences. We all have a common ground and there is a sense of awe when we come together and put aside differences!

Personally, it was especially meaningful because my 5-year-old and I had just gotten back from France and she recognized many of the sites around Paris. She is now asking daily to watch the J.O. (jeux olympiques) and so it draws out the effects of the travel experience.

And it brought back memories of watching the Olympics in years past, too, and so served as a way to reconnect with old friends – whether in my own mind or actively getting in touch with them.

As a linguist, French teacher, and parent, I had long been inspired to create resources to be used in the home and the classroom along with ideas of how to use them to help us all connect around language, culture, travel and identity.

 I’m excited (and nervous) to share this first set of materials with families and educators and anyone else. While these are in French, the long-term plan is to have other languages represented as well, as that is what Multilingual Mums is all about. It will build the connections we need to support us on our journeys.

The Olympics was the inspiration I needed to get THIS out into the world now.

This is HOW I think and make sense of what is in my multilingual mind and world.

This is WHAT I use with my children and students.

This is WHY I create materials and build community.

This is WHERE I create my spaces, both in my home/classroom and in my communities.

This is WHO I am – and sometimes I have to remind myself of that because I forget.

This is WHEN I am ready to really share and connect with others.

This is one of the directions I am taking Multilingual Mums.

But it’s NOT about me. It’s about US together.

What is the inspiration YOU NEED NOW?

How will you begin? Or begin again?

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A bientôt,