16.28 - Bilingual Homework, Dutch Jerseys and a Tea Set at Dawn
FRANCE AS IT HAPPENS—a mother relearns competence in two languages, a Dutch royal colour traces back to Provence, and a photographer finds clarity at 6am.
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Bonjour mes ami(e)s !
It’s wonderful to have you back here with me today. Bienvenue !
In this newsletter, you’ll find these wonderful fresh articles taking you to France beyond the cliché.
Don’t miss the PAID subscriber edition of le Bulletin in your inbox: “16.26.a - The Shelf That Talks Back - It’s not too late to upgrade & read it←
À bientôt !
Warmly,
Judy - 18.7.2026
1. MyFrenchLife™ Magazine new articles
“There are many talented contributors to MyFrenchLife Magazine and I thank all of you for sharing your experiences with us in such an engaging manner.
You take us right across France & deep into many worm-holes. We delight in discovering
and learning more about France beyond the cliché”
Merci
Judy
Our list of valued Contributors →
A reminder that ‘The Writers Room’ now resides here →
a) Twenty is for God
by Elizabeth Joubert
When my French husband and I moved from California to France with our three-month-old, it was specifically so our family could be bilingual. Back then, I thought raising our kids as native speakers of two languages would be awesome for them, and while it would mean I’d be less equipped to help with their French homework, I’d otherwise be a pretty competent parent.”
What I would learn is that language is broader than I realized. Math has its own language, as does handwriting.”
Meaning: my competence was tested early…” wrote Elizabeth Joubert.
b) The Dutch Wear Orange, Thanks to the French
by Keith Van Sickle
You’ve probably seen them, those Dutch sports fans wearing orange. The color is so vivid that the fans stand out everywhere, from the Olympic Games to soccer’s World Cup.”
It’s understandable that they dress as they do. After all, the royal House of Orange has ruled the Netherlands for centuries.”
But did you know this is thanks to a town in southern France?”
c) Dans la Nuit
by Laura L. Barkat
The creative life asks of me to try (essayer).”
It is 6 a.m., and I have been trying to sleep since 4 a.m.”
But that is not the kind of trying I am talking about.”
I am talking about the kind of trying that might mean looking at things in a different light. Like the way I took these photos of a Japanese tea set at night…” writes Laura L. Barkat.
2. Merci mille fois
“Thank you for subscribing to ‘le Bulletin’, the newsletter of MyFrenchLife™ Magazine.”
Judy MacMahon
Merci mille fois d’être ici, mes ami(e)s. Thanks for being here.
Three writers, three completely different rooms this week. Elizabeth Joubert learned that competent parenting doesn’t survive contact with French homework and unfamiliar handwriting. Keith Van Sickle is chasing a splash of Dutch orange back to a small town in the south of France. And Laura L. Barkat, awake at an hour most of us resent, finding something true in a photograph of a tea set in the dark.
If this is where you usually stop, I understand entirely. But there’s a €4 billion French perfume story waiting for you over in le Bulletin, edition 16.28.a, if you’re curious how a bottle of French scent gets valued like that.
À bientôt,
Judy
judy@myfrenchlife.org
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