50 Years Ago today - the moon landing

Moon landing and walk - Remembering 50 years ago today - July 20 / July 21, 1969. It is interesting to see and read the remembrances that are appearing on television and on social media. It is hard to believe that happened 50 years ago. My parents watched on television, but I wasn't home. I wasn't even in the same province. 

I wrote this 10 years ago.

The moon landing was at 0256 GMT July 21 -4 = making it 10:56 July 20 in Ontario and Quebec.

I was in Trois-Pistoles Quebec, a small community on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River attending French Summer School of the University of Western Ontario. I was living with the Côté family for six weeks during that summer (July 3 - August 13, 1969). It was my second summer to attend the summer school. 

I was attending classes studying third year university French 381 - Grammar, composition, oral practice (although I had only finished grade thirteen in June). Now that it is another story in itself.

So back to the moon landing. (Retournons à l'alunissage)

I didn't watch the historic event chez la famille Côté. I spent the night at the apartment of one of my fellow school mates who was staying with either her aunt or grandmother. I wonder if I have any notes on the subject or old letters, as sadly I do not have many photos and none of them are labelled and there are no annotations in the photo album.

Although, there was school the next day, we stayed up late to watch it. It was exciting to watch and I am sure we held our breath until they were safely landed. How thrilling to watch as Buzz Aldrian and Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. We would hear the words of the astronaut, Neil Armstrong "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

What I don't remember was it translated? What station did we watch? It was most likely a French language station of Radio-Canada. After being there for over two weeks, I wouldn't think anything of watching this special moment in French, as all we spoke for the summer was French unless we were translating into English as part of our courses or once in while an English song sung for practice of the French Canadians learning English.

I wonder now what the older generations thought at the time about the moon walk? Had they ever imagined that during their lifetime that someone would travel to the moon and walk on its surface? I wasn't home to see my parents' reaction. They did take photos of the television set. My grandparents were gone by then.

Where were you when this historic moment happened? Perhaps you will blog about it or leave a comment here.

© 2019 Janet Iles

My bag is packed and I am ready to go - Smile for the Camera

 My bag is packed and I am ready to go. Where am I? I am at Union Station in  Toronto. Where am I going?

I am off for an adventure. I am travelling by train, first to Montreal via the Rapido and then I will transfer to a train for my overnight trip to Trois-Pistoles, Quebec.

During the summers of 1968 and 1969, I travelled  by train to Trois-Pistoles to spend six weeks studying French. Are you wondering if I was only travelling with only one suitcase? No, I had a trunk that I shipped with my clothes and books. I had been on a train once before when I went with my siblings from Owen Sound to Toronto to visit my great aunt and uncle for a couple of days.

When I went in 1968, I was leaving the familiarity of home and friends to travel by train to a place unknown to me. Would I make my connection okay in Montreal? What would it be like to speak only French for six weeks? What kind of home would I be in? Would I make any friends? What course would I take? How would I do?  Lots of questions as I headed out on my adventure.

When I returned in 1969, I travelled again by train but this time, I was excited to see who would be there and what teachers would be returning.

I wonder what our ancestors were thinking as they left their homeland to cross the ocean to new places and new adventures.

Did you notice that in the photo that I am a wearing a skirt suit? In the sixties a young lady would not think of travelling in casual attire.

© 2009 Janet Iles

La Messe Québecoise

La Messe Québecoise - I remember

Two weeks ago at church, we sang one of our hymns in both English and French: I'll Praise Eternal God (Je louerai l'Éternel) The French words and music were by Claude Fraysse and translated and arranged in 2002 by John L. Bell. A very simple hymn of praise, but for me very meaningful in both languages.

This got me to thinking. During the summers of 1968, 1969 and 1983, I attended the University of Western Ontario's French summer school at Trois Pistoles Québec. During six weeks, we were fully immersed in the life and culture of this small community as we took university level courses. Because of the extra work I did to prepare, I was able after grade 12 to take the third year general language course. Although I am not Catholic, as part of the immersion, I attended Sunday morning mass during each of the summers I was at Trois-Pistoles. What I don't remember is singing hymns during the services. Perhaps, it is because we were accustomed to speaking only French that it didn't stand out as anything different.

In 1983, I took a leave of absence from the library along with my vacation so that I could take another course, this time in Commercial French. I needed more courses to complete my Diplôme de français pratique and to fulfill the residency requirement. We had classes in the morning and electives in the afternoons. I chose to be part of the choir again that summer. The highlight of the summer was when we sang at Église Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, the Messe Québecoise by Pierick Houdy. It was fun and challenging to learn all the pieces. It was fast paced with the singers accompanied by organ, fiddle and spoons. The musicians were all students at the summer school.

Moon landing and walk - Remembering 4...

Moon landing and walk - Remembering 40 years ago today - July 20 / July 21, 1969

The moon landing was at 0256 GMT July 21 -4 = making it 10:56 July 20 in Ontario and Quebec.

I was in Trois-Pistoles Quebec, a small community on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River attending French Summer School of the University of Western Ontario. I was living with the Côté family for six weeks during that summer (July 3 - August 13, 1969). I was attending classes studying third year university French 381 - Grammar, composition, oral practice (although I had only finished grade thirteen in June). Now that it is another story in itself.

So back to the moon landing. (Retournons à l'alunissage)

I didn't watch the historic event chez la famille Côté. I spent the night at the apartment of one of my fellow school mates who was staying with either her aunt or grandmother. I wonder if I have any notes on the subject or old letters, as sadly I do not have many photos and none of them are labelled and there are no annotations in the photo album.

Although, there was school the next day, we stayed up late to watch it. It was exciting to watch and I am sure we held our breath until they were safely landed. How thrilling to watch as Buzz Aldrian and Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. We would hear the words of the astronaut, Neil Armstrong "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

What I don't remember was it translated? What station did we watch? It was most likely a French language station of Radio-Canada. After being there for over two weeks, I wouldn't think anything of watching this special moment in French, as all we spoke for the summer was French unless we were translating into English as part of our courses or once in while an English song sung for practice of the French Canadians learning English.

I wonder now what the older generations thought at the time about the moon walk? Had they ever imagined that during their lifetime that someone would travel to the moon and walk on its surface? I wasn't home to see my parents' reaction. They did take photos of the television set. My grandparents were gone by then.

Where were you when this historic moment happened? Perhaps you will blog about it or leave a comment here.