Another Driver in our Midst

Photo by Julie Harris, 2007.

A big round of applause goes out to Sophie today. She took the written part of her driving test at 7.20 this morning and sailed right through! She went to class for months (it's a big deal in France - thus New Caledonia, with driving schools and big fees and seriousness all around) and today, all's well that ends well. She now only has to do five more hours with the driving school and then she'll be driving with us. She only has to do 3 000 km of accompanied driving before she goes for the driver's license itself at 18.

Speaking of Sophie Superstar (as she was called in her younger years), she's back from Europe and headed right into high school (lycée). The French only have three years of high school, unlike the four in the United States. She's doing great guns. She's had to specialise (as they all do in France at this age) and so will be doing more intense math and science - she wants to do a science specialisation instead of a literature one, for example. So far, so good. To balance things out, she is taking art as an option, along with German. We've already been to an art gallery (which I did not realise Nouméa even had) and her English teacher has asked her to help the other students in her class. Busy Sophie!

We're taking her out this evening to celebrate today's great win - and perhaps tomorrow she'll celebrate with friends. Bravo!