Tomorrow, I will be in PARIS!
The next day, I will be in DUBLIN!
I can't believe this is my life. I am the luckiest.
26 October 2008
Le Champion & La Pizza
I had talked to KB on Skype for five seconds online before the whole family came in to say "bonjour," and then The Host Dad said, "OK we're going on a bike ride with Jenn." I thought that was really funny because I wasn't sure if he thought I was wasting a beautiful day by being inside (which I was) or if he wanted some relief from the three little coquins who had been terrorizing him all day.
When I went outside, The Host Dad lent me his bike, and T and I went around the neighborhood just once before T started getting tired of it. He decided to start doing half-circles because he didn't like riding up the big hills. This was fine except that he would just suddenly decide to stop or turn around without giving me any warnings. In my eloquent French, I tried to explain to him that it's useful to say, "I'm stopping" or "I'm turning" instead of just swerving violently in the direction and hoping that I would magically stop. But alas, this did not interest him and I just had to pay very careful attention to his wild weaving and speed.
After a few half-circles, we made a stop at the neighbor's yard. He had been hanging the laundry on the line earlier, the first time we had seen him, when T yelled, "Salut, Jean-Paul!" and he waved like a cute old French man hanging out wet clothes would. When we arrived at his house this time, he was crouched down near the sidewalk, pulling weeds. T hopped off his bike and started walking on the half-wall surrounding the yard, miming a tight-rope walker or an intoxication test. All the while, T was singing, "Le lion est mort ce soir" and rapidly talking, while Jean-Paul just watched him bemusedly, holding his garden shears like an offering and looking like he was considering putting T to work.
This all seemed very possible, and amusing, but also awkward. I've never been formally introduced to any of the neighbors, and I felt shy and didn't want to just introduce myself. So we just kind of stood there, me anxioiusly waiting for T to get back on his bike, and Jean-Paul just amused by T, seemingly in absolutely no hurry at all.
When T got back on his bike, he instantly switched back to RaceCar Mode (because we were playing "Cars" and he was "Lightning" and I was "Sally") and zoomed off ahead of me. There were only probably 10 yards to the manhole cover that we count as the finish line, but T was really picking up speed. As we crossed over, he cheered and shouted, "Je suis le champion!" whipping his head to the left to see who had seen him.
Unfortunately, as he looked left, he swerved his handlebars right and veered off smack into a seafoam green Peugot parked across the street. BANG!
That sucker took the full impact of T's momentum, and the wheel got jammed under the back bumper near the muffler. T stopped immediately and fell straight over sideways, like a cartoon, wearing a very surprised expression on his face.
And it was solely sheer luck that stopped me from running over him after his collision -- he did not warn me of his sudden change in direction, as I had so kindly requested earlier.
In that same instant, Jean-Paul stopped gardening, The Host Dad came running, and I started laughing. The Host Dad was saying "Il faut que tu regardes ou tu va, T! C'est dangereux!" and inspecting the sizeable crack on the bumper. He asked me if T had done the damage, and luckily he hadn't (he's only 6). I swear I thought, "Oh God, I will have no place to live now. The neighbors have seen my negligence, and The Host Dad has not only witnessed his youngest son's near-death accident, but has seen my very grown-up reaction to all of it." But after the moment passed, he just picked up T's bike and said, "Regardes ou tu vas, T."
The rest of the afternoon passed without much excitement, until we all went out to dinner at 9:30 yesterday night. We went to this really nice restaurant called La Pizza which served, bien sur, pizza. The kids were exhausted by the time we even got there, and as the evening progressed it was like the Katie-on-Dramamine episode all over again (minus the actually falling in the food). E was slouching down in her chair (very remnant of PegLegPeggy's high school French class and That One Day with Steve and his detention - a story for later) and Tt was suspiciously regarding his creme caramel that truly resembled an oblong sponge with brown sauce on it, when The Host Dad brought up The Great Bicycle Crash of the day.
I seriously just started cracking up. I tried to recount the story but I was laughing too hard; I just couldn't explain it. The Host Dad told it, and everyone started laughing (thank God - this was the first The Host Mom had heard of it). T started crying! He kept saying, "Arretez de me moquer!" and The Host Mom was explaining that we weren't mocking him, it was just funny and that he should have a sense of humor. I don't know if I was really tired, or what, but it was one of those things that I kept thinking about and everything I thought of it, I started laughing all over again. I laughed basically the whole way home comme j'etais folle. It was a great evening.
When I went outside, The Host Dad lent me his bike, and T and I went around the neighborhood just once before T started getting tired of it. He decided to start doing half-circles because he didn't like riding up the big hills. This was fine except that he would just suddenly decide to stop or turn around without giving me any warnings. In my eloquent French, I tried to explain to him that it's useful to say, "I'm stopping" or "I'm turning" instead of just swerving violently in the direction and hoping that I would magically stop. But alas, this did not interest him and I just had to pay very careful attention to his wild weaving and speed.
After a few half-circles, we made a stop at the neighbor's yard. He had been hanging the laundry on the line earlier, the first time we had seen him, when T yelled, "Salut, Jean-Paul!" and he waved like a cute old French man hanging out wet clothes would. When we arrived at his house this time, he was crouched down near the sidewalk, pulling weeds. T hopped off his bike and started walking on the half-wall surrounding the yard, miming a tight-rope walker or an intoxication test. All the while, T was singing, "Le lion est mort ce soir" and rapidly talking, while Jean-Paul just watched him bemusedly, holding his garden shears like an offering and looking like he was considering putting T to work.
This all seemed very possible, and amusing, but also awkward. I've never been formally introduced to any of the neighbors, and I felt shy and didn't want to just introduce myself. So we just kind of stood there, me anxioiusly waiting for T to get back on his bike, and Jean-Paul just amused by T, seemingly in absolutely no hurry at all.
When T got back on his bike, he instantly switched back to RaceCar Mode (because we were playing "Cars" and he was "Lightning" and I was "Sally") and zoomed off ahead of me. There were only probably 10 yards to the manhole cover that we count as the finish line, but T was really picking up speed. As we crossed over, he cheered and shouted, "Je suis le champion!" whipping his head to the left to see who had seen him.
Unfortunately, as he looked left, he swerved his handlebars right and veered off smack into a seafoam green Peugot parked across the street. BANG!
That sucker took the full impact of T's momentum, and the wheel got jammed under the back bumper near the muffler. T stopped immediately and fell straight over sideways, like a cartoon, wearing a very surprised expression on his face.
And it was solely sheer luck that stopped me from running over him after his collision -- he did not warn me of his sudden change in direction, as I had so kindly requested earlier.
In that same instant, Jean-Paul stopped gardening, The Host Dad came running, and I started laughing. The Host Dad was saying "Il faut que tu regardes ou tu va, T! C'est dangereux!" and inspecting the sizeable crack on the bumper. He asked me if T had done the damage, and luckily he hadn't (he's only 6). I swear I thought, "Oh God, I will have no place to live now. The neighbors have seen my negligence, and The Host Dad has not only witnessed his youngest son's near-death accident, but has seen my very grown-up reaction to all of it." But after the moment passed, he just picked up T's bike and said, "Regardes ou tu vas, T."
The rest of the afternoon passed without much excitement, until we all went out to dinner at 9:30 yesterday night. We went to this really nice restaurant called La Pizza which served, bien sur, pizza. The kids were exhausted by the time we even got there, and as the evening progressed it was like the Katie-on-Dramamine episode all over again (minus the actually falling in the food). E was slouching down in her chair (very remnant of PegLegPeggy's high school French class and That One Day with Steve and his detention - a story for later) and Tt was suspiciously regarding his creme caramel that truly resembled an oblong sponge with brown sauce on it, when The Host Dad brought up The Great Bicycle Crash of the day.
I seriously just started cracking up. I tried to recount the story but I was laughing too hard; I just couldn't explain it. The Host Dad told it, and everyone started laughing (thank God - this was the first The Host Mom had heard of it). T started crying! He kept saying, "Arretez de me moquer!" and The Host Mom was explaining that we weren't mocking him, it was just funny and that he should have a sense of humor. I don't know if I was really tired, or what, but it was one of those things that I kept thinking about and everything I thought of it, I started laughing all over again. I laughed basically the whole way home comme j'etais folle. It was a great evening.
24 October 2008
Oh!
Hooray! Today marks my one-month anniversary of being in France!
I actually woke up at almost the exact time that my plane landed here (6h20) in accidental celibration. Haha apparently I party even when I sleep :)
I actually woke up at almost the exact time that my plane landed here (6h20) in accidental celibration. Haha apparently I party even when I sleep :)
What I Learned in Texas
1. It is humid even in January. Ugh.
2. There are no cacti in Dallas. Only rich people, big buildings, and a cool art musuem.
3. I had a lot of growing up to do.
I met Julie who, like her stepson, was such an outrageous personality that it was more like a week in a movie than a week in a life. I watched her and listened as she monologued so eloquently and poignantly, retelling her history and his, as she and Texas reacted, des chiens et chats as the French would say. And in the beginning, she said in an unending stream of language, Iwanttoknowyou!Whoareyou?Whatinterestsyou?Whatareyourpassionsinlife? and without half a breath I came up with only one answer: Texas.
It was one of those words that trips across your tongue and spills out your mouth, and as it falls, you regret it - you try to retract it, but it's heavy and suspended and all you can do is stare at it in its jagged and ugly honesty. And the silence afterward is perhaps even more significant than that one word alone, because it tells you like an X-ray or a blood test, the absolute truth. Something is incredibly wrong.
It's almost four years later, now, but I think about that day often.
I wish that I could see her again, if only to show how much I have grown since then. In a deluge of phonemes and punctuation I would say that I love language and writing, French culture and wine, discussing religion and reading, snow, fall and Halloween, meeting people and sending letters, dancing in the rain, chocolate cake, and Lucky Charms, family, adventures, teaching.
It's funny to remember how seriously I felt everything, how sure I was that the world existed in rigid dichotemy, that everything was forever or never, like a train that never stops, flying past chances and never coming back; yet, in all of that thinking, I never once considered if I had a true identity, if I knew what I really wanted out of life, and I spent time with people so complex and immense that I always fell away in their shadows, found myself swept up in the drama and difficulty of bad choices and never learning.
I love to think back on things like that and remember how impossible everything felt then, so final and sad. But what gratitude I have now, for all that I experienced and that maybe because of Julie, maybe because of Texas, I came to want to make my own happiness. To make my own life, be my own best self & do things for myself. Maybe it's because of them that I found the courage to take my own adventure, and now I am here. So much wiser and yet so much more naive; so anxious to take what the world has to give, to learn and grow, and give back all of the luck and love that I have had the fortune to receive.
Haha and Mom and Dad said that going to Texas was a bad decision... :)
2. There are no cacti in Dallas. Only rich people, big buildings, and a cool art musuem.
3. I had a lot of growing up to do.
I met Julie who, like her stepson, was such an outrageous personality that it was more like a week in a movie than a week in a life. I watched her and listened as she monologued so eloquently and poignantly, retelling her history and his, as she and Texas reacted, des chiens et chats as the French would say. And in the beginning, she said in an unending stream of language, Iwanttoknowyou!Whoareyou?Whatinterestsyou?Whatareyourpassionsinlife? and without half a breath I came up with only one answer: Texas.
It was one of those words that trips across your tongue and spills out your mouth, and as it falls, you regret it - you try to retract it, but it's heavy and suspended and all you can do is stare at it in its jagged and ugly honesty. And the silence afterward is perhaps even more significant than that one word alone, because it tells you like an X-ray or a blood test, the absolute truth. Something is incredibly wrong.
It's almost four years later, now, but I think about that day often.
I wish that I could see her again, if only to show how much I have grown since then. In a deluge of phonemes and punctuation I would say that I love language and writing, French culture and wine, discussing religion and reading, snow, fall and Halloween, meeting people and sending letters, dancing in the rain, chocolate cake, and Lucky Charms, family, adventures, teaching.
It's funny to remember how seriously I felt everything, how sure I was that the world existed in rigid dichotemy, that everything was forever or never, like a train that never stops, flying past chances and never coming back; yet, in all of that thinking, I never once considered if I had a true identity, if I knew what I really wanted out of life, and I spent time with people so complex and immense that I always fell away in their shadows, found myself swept up in the drama and difficulty of bad choices and never learning.
I love to think back on things like that and remember how impossible everything felt then, so final and sad. But what gratitude I have now, for all that I experienced and that maybe because of Julie, maybe because of Texas, I came to want to make my own happiness. To make my own life, be my own best self & do things for myself. Maybe it's because of them that I found the courage to take my own adventure, and now I am here. So much wiser and yet so much more naive; so anxious to take what the world has to give, to learn and grow, and give back all of the luck and love that I have had the fortune to receive.
Haha and Mom and Dad said that going to Texas was a bad decision... :)
22 October 2008
Zero Hour & the Toussaint
The clocks begin at zero here. There is a giant leap from 23h59 all the way back to zero, and last night I spent that moment standing on a white paint stripe in the middle of a perfectly empty street, under the watchful eye of the cathedrale and La Vierge, all lit up in their lemon & lime glory.
We talked about religion walking home from the bar, and I finally thought to ask about the fake flowers and the week off school. For La Toussaint, people go with their families to visit the tombs of loved ones, to remember them and pay their respects.
We talked about the forgotten graves, or the ones too far to visit, suddenly noticeable by the lack of violet or yellow silk flowers.
What about those ones? It's so sad to think they are unvisited.
-Oui, c'est dommage.
"It's more than dommage... c'est tellement deprimant."
I like that we talk about these things, and we don't even know each other's last names.
We talked about religion walking home from the bar, and I finally thought to ask about the fake flowers and the week off school. For La Toussaint, people go with their families to visit the tombs of loved ones, to remember them and pay their respects.
We talked about the forgotten graves, or the ones too far to visit, suddenly noticeable by the lack of violet or yellow silk flowers.
What about those ones? It's so sad to think they are unvisited.
-Oui, c'est dommage.
"It's more than dommage... c'est tellement deprimant."
I like that we talk about these things, and we don't even know each other's last names.
21 October 2008
The Dog Who Walked Me Home, The Irish Bar, The French Breakfast & The Art of Forgiveness
1. The Dog Who Walked Me Home
It was so weird yesterday, I was walking back from the St Germain library and this dog started walking in front of me. He literally led me back to the lotissement, and when I got to my street, he turned back and went back home. Just like that.
2. The Irish Bar
Last night was my first mardi soir soiree with the others. By a weird coincidence (or a really small town, more likely) JC brought his friend F that I had actually already kind of met a few weeks ago at a school. It was awesome awesome awesome to spend time speaking French with native speakers our own age. Every once in a while, I just felt this sense of awe at the fact that we could talk about all of these things, and it wasn't with one word of English. It makes everything else that's usually hard seem less so. It's so nice.
I stayed with KC and it was funny because I thought of all my home friends and how maybe all girls do this -- even though we were so tired and it was so late, we stayed up talking for almost another hour. And then I couldn't sleep at all, because I never can when it's not my own place, and I got up and watched "What I Like About You" in French and read her Family Fun Halloween magazine. (Which made me feel so nesty, and all I wanted to do was make Halloween cupcakes and carve a pumpkin while watching cool Halloween movies while it rained in a very French way).
3. The French Breakfast
I found my favorite place in this town. For 2,75 Euros I got the best cup of hot chocolate I've ever had, plus a flakey, buttery perfectly sculpted croissant. My god. The French know a lot about what matters in life. :)
4. The Art of Forgiveness
I don't know if it's the cold rain or the endless green, or the long walks in the fallen leaves or the smell of the pollen and pine of the hedges that remind me of the house in Durham. Maybe the feel of French words on my tonuge, the small hands of young friends, the sacred idea of the Toussaint or the tangible distance between the worlds that I know, but I have this feeling just now that forgiveness is perhaps the most profound art a person can perfect.
It is, I guess, sort of a religious concept or maybe I just think that now because there is Catholicism here like there are leaves. But its is profoundly hard to believe that maybe even the most unlikely forgiveness can be gifted, that even the worst possible parts of a person can be accepted, and that even the most desperate endings can be transformed into new beginnings. I don't know if forgiveness has anything to do with God unless God is the best and purest seed of humanity lodged inside the soul... but I think that the realization that people are able and WILLING to forgive is so overwhelming that one has only the language of religion to explain the profound lightness and goodness that exists in the world in stark and beautiful contrast to its opposition.
It was so weird yesterday, I was walking back from the St Germain library and this dog started walking in front of me. He literally led me back to the lotissement, and when I got to my street, he turned back and went back home. Just like that.
2. The Irish Bar
Last night was my first mardi soir soiree with the others. By a weird coincidence (or a really small town, more likely) JC brought his friend F that I had actually already kind of met a few weeks ago at a school. It was awesome awesome awesome to spend time speaking French with native speakers our own age. Every once in a while, I just felt this sense of awe at the fact that we could talk about all of these things, and it wasn't with one word of English. It makes everything else that's usually hard seem less so. It's so nice.
I stayed with KC and it was funny because I thought of all my home friends and how maybe all girls do this -- even though we were so tired and it was so late, we stayed up talking for almost another hour. And then I couldn't sleep at all, because I never can when it's not my own place, and I got up and watched "What I Like About You" in French and read her Family Fun Halloween magazine. (Which made me feel so nesty, and all I wanted to do was make Halloween cupcakes and carve a pumpkin while watching cool Halloween movies while it rained in a very French way).
3. The French Breakfast
I found my favorite place in this town. For 2,75 Euros I got the best cup of hot chocolate I've ever had, plus a flakey, buttery perfectly sculpted croissant. My god. The French know a lot about what matters in life. :)
4. The Art of Forgiveness
I don't know if it's the cold rain or the endless green, or the long walks in the fallen leaves or the smell of the pollen and pine of the hedges that remind me of the house in Durham. Maybe the feel of French words on my tonuge, the small hands of young friends, the sacred idea of the Toussaint or the tangible distance between the worlds that I know, but I have this feeling just now that forgiveness is perhaps the most profound art a person can perfect.
It is, I guess, sort of a religious concept or maybe I just think that now because there is Catholicism here like there are leaves. But its is profoundly hard to believe that maybe even the most unlikely forgiveness can be gifted, that even the worst possible parts of a person can be accepted, and that even the most desperate endings can be transformed into new beginnings. I don't know if forgiveness has anything to do with God unless God is the best and purest seed of humanity lodged inside the soul... but I think that the realization that people are able and WILLING to forgive is so overwhelming that one has only the language of religion to explain the profound lightness and goodness that exists in the world in stark and beautiful contrast to its opposition.
20 October 2008
Vraiment l'enfer
Oh mon dieu, today I had the worst babysitting experience ever. It's not that interesting of a story, though.
The interesting part is what I learned after The Host Mom came home. It is amazing and so true what they always said in education classes; you never know what a kid is thinking, what a kid is going through (or has been through).
I also learned that I hate quiche, that despite the fact that French textbooks try and convince you that American lemonade is available in France as "citron pressee," if you order that, you will receive a very disgusting beverage slightly resembling Lemonade, and that finding a job teaching French in Michigan is going to require so much more than just posting a resume on Greatschooljobs.com.
Oh, I also learned that all but one of my English classes today were not actually happening, but I didn't find this out until I got to the school and one teacher flippantly said, "Oh sorry, I didn't have your e-mail..."
It was alright, though. I just went to a museum instead. It was free, but really freaky. I honestly think it's haunted. But maybe it was just the fact that no one was in there, it was freezing inside because it was all just stone floors, and the religious artwork of yore is scary! This museum worker said to me, "You aren't staying very long -- did this museum bore you?" but I was too embarrassed to explain that I was actually just scared, so I mumbled, "Beh, non! Au revoir!" and ran outside like any self-respecting foreigner would.
Haha every day is a new adventure. I honestly never know what awaits... :)
The interesting part is what I learned after The Host Mom came home. It is amazing and so true what they always said in education classes; you never know what a kid is thinking, what a kid is going through (or has been through).
I also learned that I hate quiche, that despite the fact that French textbooks try and convince you that American lemonade is available in France as "citron pressee," if you order that, you will receive a very disgusting beverage slightly resembling Lemonade, and that finding a job teaching French in Michigan is going to require so much more than just posting a resume on Greatschooljobs.com.
Oh, I also learned that all but one of my English classes today were not actually happening, but I didn't find this out until I got to the school and one teacher flippantly said, "Oh sorry, I didn't have your e-mail..."
It was alright, though. I just went to a museum instead. It was free, but really freaky. I honestly think it's haunted. But maybe it was just the fact that no one was in there, it was freezing inside because it was all just stone floors, and the religious artwork of yore is scary! This museum worker said to me, "You aren't staying very long -- did this museum bore you?" but I was too embarrassed to explain that I was actually just scared, so I mumbled, "Beh, non! Au revoir!" and ran outside like any self-respecting foreigner would.
Haha every day is a new adventure. I honestly never know what awaits... :)
19 October 2008
Oh la vache!
This weekend was absolutely beautiful! I really hope the weather stays nice a little longer... I got a little taste of the cold/rainy/cloudy Autumn weather a few weeks ago, and I don't like it at all. Especially since I just discovered a perfect hour-long walking route. And the "hills" are going to do fabulous things for my legs :) Haha THAT is definitely one French attribute I would love to have...
Of course, as I was walking, I took a bunch more pictures of the cows. They are such stars -- when I took pictures of them, they all stared right at me and even followed me as I walked along the road. Haha I was almost afraid that they were going to come through the fence... but the big scary guard dog on the other side of the road was more intimidating than the cows, and I figured death by cow was better than death by The Savage Dog attack. And, at least, I would get to pet a cow during my last minutes on earth haha.
One very impressive thing about The Savage Dog is that it traversed a great distance, crossed the street after (I kid you not) looking BOTH ways, and then it kindly greeted a nice-looking sheep dog.
Dogs and kids are both like small humans here. It's incroyable.
18 October 2008
Vicky Christina Barcelona; the safety net
I will ruin the ending of "Vicky Christina Barcelona" if you read this post. So if you don't want to know what happens, don't read this.
Basically, these two girls who are complete opposites go on a trip together & end up having these life experiences that make them question what they really want out of life (and love). At the end of the film, I was confused on exactly what happened. So I just did a little Internet research (it's sad how people will tell you the endings to movies) and it literally said, "they end where they began" as an explanation. It explains everything, but I thought that was such an interesting way for the movie to go... The characters experience these things that you would think change them, and make them want something different out of life, but at the end they make their lives exactly as they were before.
It made me wonder how much people really change in life. For the average person, do "life-changing experiences" really re-direct the course of the future? Or is it just a perception, a new lens through which a person can view the world? A new framework upon which a person will construct his/her interpretations of reality? I don't know.
Becuase the film made me think that the person would definitely change her life, and she didn't. She met this person who made her see that what she thought she wanted wasn't all that she could have -- and, consequently, wasn't all that she really wanted. In the end, she stayed with her original person and followed her life plan exactly as she had mapped it out. Instead of pursuing what REALLY made her happy, and truly made her feel alive, she decided to spend a life with someone who made her sort of happy, in a life that she was content with.
In a way, I think it was a mistake for her... she made a decision based on fear of the unknown, fear of hurting someone, fear of taking chances, and although she thought it was the greater good (I guess) I don't think it really was. I think it was unfair to herself, and unfair to that person. Who wants to be the safety net? Who wants to know that they were chosen not because they were that je ne sais quoi, but because they were reliable? Because they fit the plan?
I don't know... maybe it's the fairytales talking, but I think it's a life half-lived.
It's a good movie, though. I hope someone has seen it so we can talk about this!
Basically, these two girls who are complete opposites go on a trip together & end up having these life experiences that make them question what they really want out of life (and love). At the end of the film, I was confused on exactly what happened. So I just did a little Internet research (it's sad how people will tell you the endings to movies) and it literally said, "they end where they began" as an explanation. It explains everything, but I thought that was such an interesting way for the movie to go... The characters experience these things that you would think change them, and make them want something different out of life, but at the end they make their lives exactly as they were before.
It made me wonder how much people really change in life. For the average person, do "life-changing experiences" really re-direct the course of the future? Or is it just a perception, a new lens through which a person can view the world? A new framework upon which a person will construct his/her interpretations of reality? I don't know.
Becuase the film made me think that the person would definitely change her life, and she didn't. She met this person who made her see that what she thought she wanted wasn't all that she could have -- and, consequently, wasn't all that she really wanted. In the end, she stayed with her original person and followed her life plan exactly as she had mapped it out. Instead of pursuing what REALLY made her happy, and truly made her feel alive, she decided to spend a life with someone who made her sort of happy, in a life that she was content with.
In a way, I think it was a mistake for her... she made a decision based on fear of the unknown, fear of hurting someone, fear of taking chances, and although she thought it was the greater good (I guess) I don't think it really was. I think it was unfair to herself, and unfair to that person. Who wants to be the safety net? Who wants to know that they were chosen not because they were that je ne sais quoi, but because they were reliable? Because they fit the plan?
I don't know... maybe it's the fairytales talking, but I think it's a life half-lived.
It's a good movie, though. I hope someone has seen it so we can talk about this!
Maison a Vendre, etc.
The madness of selling a house has officially begun. The first visitors came by on Wednesday and since the elementary kids never have school on Wednesday, T and E were here. E told the prospective buyers that there were huge dogs that lived around here and it was dangerous to walk around. The Host Mom was less than impressed, and she named E la sorciere du maison.
More people came through today so everyone woke up early and tried to clean. That's always interesting with three kids in the house -- I literally cannot comprehend how anyone can do ANYTHING with three kids.
It's interesting to learn about the process of selling a house here in France. My understanding is that people don't really have "open houses" like they do in the US... the Host Family has hired an agency to help sell the house but the agents do individual visits as people are interested. Plus, they don't put signs out front, so you basically only know if a house is for sale because you see an ad in the paper, or you somehow just know...? I guess I have seen a few signs in the windows of houses, but never in the yard. I don't know.
Aside from house-selling, Tt went on a date today (if 10 year olds can go on dates). I also discovered that E's "do-do" (stuffed animal thing) smells like stinking, festering, rotting garbage. UGH. This I learned because she was sitting next to me on the couch with that disgusting thing in her mouth & I could just smell the waves of stink coming off of it. In some ways, it's a miracle kids survive all of the germs that they ingest. (It's a miracle I'm surviving... I wash my hands 100 times a day).
And while Tt was on a date and E was allowing unknown microbes to dance across her tongue, I was having an impossible time trying to get T to take a nap. Of course, just then The Host Dad came in the room. I was instantly exposed as a completely clueless babysitter. Haha but he dealt with Tt and didn't tell me to go find a new place to live... so I guess I've still got the job.
I also still have a teaching job. I survived my first whole week, and it actually went surprisingly well. Seeing as how I have absolutely no clue what the kids have already done, I don't have "planning time" with my teachers, and there is no set curriculum for the different grad levels, it has been truly interesting trying to just jump in and start. One of the teachers who has already worked alot with her kids before my arrival suggested yesterday that she prepare the lessons and I just "assist." It's fine by me, because she clearly likes teaching English, she speaks pretty well, and she has planned out quite a bit of stuff already... I'm not really sure why I'm in her class at all, to be honest. All of the rest of the teachers are more than happy to just let me do everything while they grade papers in the back of the class haha. In that regard, I guess one thing is true across the board: teachers always have one more thing to do. :)
More people came through today so everyone woke up early and tried to clean. That's always interesting with three kids in the house -- I literally cannot comprehend how anyone can do ANYTHING with three kids.
It's interesting to learn about the process of selling a house here in France. My understanding is that people don't really have "open houses" like they do in the US... the Host Family has hired an agency to help sell the house but the agents do individual visits as people are interested. Plus, they don't put signs out front, so you basically only know if a house is for sale because you see an ad in the paper, or you somehow just know...? I guess I have seen a few signs in the windows of houses, but never in the yard. I don't know.
Aside from house-selling, Tt went on a date today (if 10 year olds can go on dates). I also discovered that E's "do-do" (stuffed animal thing) smells like stinking, festering, rotting garbage. UGH. This I learned because she was sitting next to me on the couch with that disgusting thing in her mouth & I could just smell the waves of stink coming off of it. In some ways, it's a miracle kids survive all of the germs that they ingest. (It's a miracle I'm surviving... I wash my hands 100 times a day).
And while Tt was on a date and E was allowing unknown microbes to dance across her tongue, I was having an impossible time trying to get T to take a nap. Of course, just then The Host Dad came in the room. I was instantly exposed as a completely clueless babysitter. Haha but he dealt with Tt and didn't tell me to go find a new place to live... so I guess I've still got the job.
I also still have a teaching job. I survived my first whole week, and it actually went surprisingly well. Seeing as how I have absolutely no clue what the kids have already done, I don't have "planning time" with my teachers, and there is no set curriculum for the different grad levels, it has been truly interesting trying to just jump in and start. One of the teachers who has already worked alot with her kids before my arrival suggested yesterday that she prepare the lessons and I just "assist." It's fine by me, because she clearly likes teaching English, she speaks pretty well, and she has planned out quite a bit of stuff already... I'm not really sure why I'm in her class at all, to be honest. All of the rest of the teachers are more than happy to just let me do everything while they grade papers in the back of the class haha. In that regard, I guess one thing is true across the board: teachers always have one more thing to do. :)
16 October 2008
C'est IN-FER-NAL!
Haha welcome to my new favorite French phrase. Also, "C'est l'enfer!" comes in a close second.
14 October 2008
American Man, Ireland, The Great Bike Ride
Tonight I met an AMERICAN man.
Haha don't worry -- he was old, and gave a seminar on the French and American education systems that was kind of biased and stereotypical. But it was interesting, AND I felt sooooooo French because:
1) I got bisous from Madame C's friends (!!! Ahhh SO FRENCH!!) and
2) When I talked in French to le monsieur after his speech, I said I was American and he was like, "Oh I didn't realize! You speak very well!" Everyone says that, because what else are they going to say? You speak like a child? Hahaha but flattery will get you everywhere, friends. Especially when it concerns my French skills. I take all of the compliments I can get. :)
NOTE: I do see great irony in the fact that I was SO happy to meet another American, but equally happy that I felt French. I don't want to try and dissect that.
Anyways, now my ego is all puffed up, plus I felt sooo special because MC kept saying, "This is J! She is an English assistant here from America!" and everyone was like, "Wow that's so wonderful." Hooray for really nice French people! :)
Also, I am going to IRELAND, my friends! Yes, indeed. I bought a ticket online today, and in two weeks, I will be on my way to my third European country ever! The land o' Guinness and history! Potatoes and a wonderfully symbolic flag (green =Catholic, white=peace between the two, Protestant = orange). So basically I don't know what we'll do, but I'm really really excited!!
Today, I also tried to be tres sportive and go to the library on The Host Dad's bike. Ha! Well, apparently I am not as savy as I thought, because I definitely ended up walking up the giant hill after huffing and puffing for long enough for it to be embarrassing. And after all that, I got to the library and it was closed!! Hahaha if nothing else, this trip is helping me develop a very good sense of humor about life. :)
Haha don't worry -- he was old, and gave a seminar on the French and American education systems that was kind of biased and stereotypical. But it was interesting, AND I felt sooooooo French because:
1) I got bisous from Madame C's friends (!!! Ahhh SO FRENCH!!) and
2) When I talked in French to le monsieur after his speech, I said I was American and he was like, "Oh I didn't realize! You speak very well!" Everyone says that, because what else are they going to say? You speak like a child? Hahaha but flattery will get you everywhere, friends. Especially when it concerns my French skills. I take all of the compliments I can get. :)
NOTE: I do see great irony in the fact that I was SO happy to meet another American, but equally happy that I felt French. I don't want to try and dissect that.
Anyways, now my ego is all puffed up, plus I felt sooo special because MC kept saying, "This is J! She is an English assistant here from America!" and everyone was like, "Wow that's so wonderful." Hooray for really nice French people! :)
Also, I am going to IRELAND, my friends! Yes, indeed. I bought a ticket online today, and in two weeks, I will be on my way to my third European country ever! The land o' Guinness and history! Potatoes and a wonderfully symbolic flag (green =Catholic, white=peace between the two, Protestant = orange). So basically I don't know what we'll do, but I'm really really excited!!
Today, I also tried to be tres sportive and go to the library on The Host Dad's bike. Ha! Well, apparently I am not as savy as I thought, because I definitely ended up walking up the giant hill after huffing and puffing for long enough for it to be embarrassing. And after all that, I got to the library and it was closed!! Hahaha if nothing else, this trip is helping me develop a very good sense of humor about life. :)
13 October 2008
Clueless with Little Kids
I have no idea how elementary school teachers do it EVERY SINGLE DAY. Oh my gosh -- I only teach for a miniscule amount of time every day, and when I come home, I'm exhausted!
Trying to keep the attention of kids aged 6-11 years old in a language they don't understand is very interesting... this is definitely going to be a challenging year for me, because right now I don't feel very successful at the end of the day. I don't feel like the kids are really interested, listening and/or learning. Plus, I feel like some of the teachers are judging me (but it's probably just me). I don't know how people can do this assistantship if they've never had ed classes before. I feel like I have no clue what I'm doing, and at least I've had classes on classroom management, teaching strategies, etc. and I've taught a foreign language. Yikes!
But alas! I am sure I will learn A TON this year & eventually this will become a little easier (I hope!)
Trying to keep the attention of kids aged 6-11 years old in a language they don't understand is very interesting... this is definitely going to be a challenging year for me, because right now I don't feel very successful at the end of the day. I don't feel like the kids are really interested, listening and/or learning. Plus, I feel like some of the teachers are judging me (but it's probably just me). I don't know how people can do this assistantship if they've never had ed classes before. I feel like I have no clue what I'm doing, and at least I've had classes on classroom management, teaching strategies, etc. and I've taught a foreign language. Yikes!
But alas! I am sure I will learn A TON this year & eventually this will become a little easier (I hope!)
12 October 2008
10 October 2008
A Good Friday
Today was so wonderful! It was a BEAUTIFUL fall day, and fall in France is vraiment incroyable. The midday sun cast a lemon-drop hue on all of the trees in the park, th leaves slowly transforming into magnificent shades of red-orange and dandelion gold. I walked through this afternoon, loving the crunch of leaves under my feet, the rows of strong, historic trees all running the length of the gravel path, wooden benches scattered throughout. It is the best place in this whole city, that park, always crowded with classes and families, adolescents dragging on cigarettes and watching their home-made clouds dissipate, kissing so despereately as if this, yes -- this, will be the very last kiss. And the strangers all look so reflective, so artistic sitting or walking alone in the late afternoon. The elderly men with their perfect caps and sense of history play Petonk every day in the same spot and I wonder when I walk by what could ever be more perfect than that.
School today made me feel very happy. I taught almost everything in English, repeating France and Michigan many times over, pointing on the big map to the ocean in between and saying, Yes my family is still there, as the kids all gasped, as they seem to do, contemplating the impossible distance.
I came home and took pictures of the cows, then played tennis with the kids in the driveway. I feel completely content today.
School today made me feel very happy. I taught almost everything in English, repeating France and Michigan many times over, pointing on the big map to the ocean in between and saying, Yes my family is still there, as the kids all gasped, as they seem to do, contemplating the impossible distance.
I came home and took pictures of the cows, then played tennis with the kids in the driveway. I feel completely content today.
09 October 2008
"T'es la prof d'anglais, oui?" OUI.
So. I almost didn't post that yesterday, knowing FOR SURE that it was just a bad day. But I felt like it was a true part of the abroad experience, and I would feel like a liar if I always pretended that everything was easy and great.
Happily, today was much better. I still missed buses, but I'm getting more used to waiting. The bus comes literally once an hour, during certain parts of the day. So if I miss it by five minutes, there is a whole almost-hour of wait time. And in normal people's lives, an hour is worth at least $10 of your time (haha hopefully more). In my life now, an hour is anything. I never have to rush because I seriously do not even work the 12 hours a week I'm supposed to (go figure -- the French government pays me, yet it's SO disorganized that none of the schools here really knew which teachers were going to have English Assistants with them, or when, for how long, etc., so my schools aren't even getting le maximum out of moi). So I'm trying to learn not to hurry all the time. Plus, this European time is KILLING ME when I get upset about buses never being on time, or my host family randomly leaving 2 hours earlier than they said, etc. I have no choice, really. It's deal with it or have a heart attack over it.
I bought a French birthday present today. It's T's 6th birthday tomorrow! Aparently, it's not the French way to do much for birthdays, but I don't care -- I bought him a French version of "Battleship" and it's kind of a selfish present because 1.) I love Battleship! and 2.) it is something that we can do to keep him busy/happy/calm. I think The Host Mom is making a cake-like substance to take into school, but let me tell you, the "cakes" I have seen here are weird coattail cousins of CAKES. They have no idea what magic Betty Crocker and a few eggs can make. But they do have patisseries that make me literally want to cry when I smell the chocolate and look through the window at all of those beautifully-crafted, artfully-displayed nuggets of pure happiness. So I guess it all evens out... :)
On a totally unrelated note, I finally started teaching today! I didn't really teach much; I showed them a bunch of pictures of my house, family, friends, cats, etc. and let them ask me questions. I'm amazed by the different levels of experience that the students have had with English... at this moment, I'm kind of scared of the "CP" level kids because they literally learned their first English word today, from me. And they're so young that I lost their attention after 30 seconds. But it will definitely be challenging, and I'm sure, rewarding (as long as I succeed in teaching them something). I already love one of the classes and all of the teachers are great. I'm looking forward to visiting the other school tomorrow, and meeting the rest of my students.
Oh, also. I have already run out of Nyquil, so if anyone is looking to send me something, I would be the happiest person ever to see those glistening green caplets sitting in my mailbox. And I also didn't bring crappy flip-flops to wear for showers/swimming. HA! I was at the pool today, when we dropped TT off for his swimming class, and literally there is a sign near the men's locker room that says, "No Bermudas or Shorts Allowed." The Speedo is the way to go, aparently. And everyone is required to wear a swim cap, une bonnet de bain. It was truly a cultural experience. I'm sure I was gawking. Hahaha I am laughing for real, just thinking about it.
Happily, today was much better. I still missed buses, but I'm getting more used to waiting. The bus comes literally once an hour, during certain parts of the day. So if I miss it by five minutes, there is a whole almost-hour of wait time. And in normal people's lives, an hour is worth at least $10 of your time (haha hopefully more). In my life now, an hour is anything. I never have to rush because I seriously do not even work the 12 hours a week I'm supposed to (go figure -- the French government pays me, yet it's SO disorganized that none of the schools here really knew which teachers were going to have English Assistants with them, or when, for how long, etc., so my schools aren't even getting le maximum out of moi). So I'm trying to learn not to hurry all the time. Plus, this European time is KILLING ME when I get upset about buses never being on time, or my host family randomly leaving 2 hours earlier than they said, etc. I have no choice, really. It's deal with it or have a heart attack over it.
I bought a French birthday present today. It's T's 6th birthday tomorrow! Aparently, it's not the French way to do much for birthdays, but I don't care -- I bought him a French version of "Battleship" and it's kind of a selfish present because 1.) I love Battleship! and 2.) it is something that we can do to keep him busy/happy/calm. I think The Host Mom is making a cake-like substance to take into school, but let me tell you, the "cakes" I have seen here are weird coattail cousins of CAKES. They have no idea what magic Betty Crocker and a few eggs can make. But they do have patisseries that make me literally want to cry when I smell the chocolate and look through the window at all of those beautifully-crafted, artfully-displayed nuggets of pure happiness. So I guess it all evens out... :)
On a totally unrelated note, I finally started teaching today! I didn't really teach much; I showed them a bunch of pictures of my house, family, friends, cats, etc. and let them ask me questions. I'm amazed by the different levels of experience that the students have had with English... at this moment, I'm kind of scared of the "CP" level kids because they literally learned their first English word today, from me. And they're so young that I lost their attention after 30 seconds. But it will definitely be challenging, and I'm sure, rewarding (as long as I succeed in teaching them something). I already love one of the classes and all of the teachers are great. I'm looking forward to visiting the other school tomorrow, and meeting the rest of my students.
Oh, also. I have already run out of Nyquil, so if anyone is looking to send me something, I would be the happiest person ever to see those glistening green caplets sitting in my mailbox. And I also didn't bring crappy flip-flops to wear for showers/swimming. HA! I was at the pool today, when we dropped TT off for his swimming class, and literally there is a sign near the men's locker room that says, "No Bermudas or Shorts Allowed." The Speedo is the way to go, aparently. And everyone is required to wear a swim cap, une bonnet de bain. It was truly a cultural experience. I'm sure I was gawking. Hahaha I am laughing for real, just thinking about it.
08 October 2008
Le Plan Perdu
There's no easy way to say it, but I prefer to say it in French: "J'ai vraiment mal au pays."
Today it rained and I was alone. I walked on a stone bridge across the scalloping Loire and thought my life could be a movie, but I didn't have my iPod so I couldn't even pretend.
What I did today that I have never done before:
Took bus N*3 to one of my schools.
Went to the library in town and bought a library card.
Went shopping at the French supermarket (Auchamps).
Walked 35 minutes back to the house (which I will never do again).
What I didn't like about today:
Being soaking wet.
Missing busses/feeling clueless.
Being alone.
So I will just say it, even though it should not be said: I wish I could go home today.
Today it rained and I was alone. I walked on a stone bridge across the scalloping Loire and thought my life could be a movie, but I didn't have my iPod so I couldn't even pretend.
What I did today that I have never done before:
Took bus N*3 to one of my schools.
Went to the library in town and bought a library card.
Went shopping at the French supermarket (Auchamps).
Walked 35 minutes back to the house (which I will never do again).
What I didn't like about today:
Being soaking wet.
Missing busses/feeling clueless.
Being alone.
So I will just say it, even though it should not be said: I wish I could go home today.
06 October 2008
Top, Ethiopia, and a House for Sale
Haha oh the funny confusion never ends when one is learning a second language. After dinner tonight, T went in search of something and was pretending to run a race so he said to me, "Dit 'top!'" and I was so confused because the French do say "STOP" and I was like, "Why would I say stop?" The Host Mom laughed and she was like, "Non... top... ca veut dire avance!" So I learned something new. Among other things.
1. One of those things is there is yet another assistant d'anglais in town! She seems cool but she always speaks English, which I don't like. I'm here to learn French!
2. Another thing is that Ts is from Ethiopia! I knew he was adopted (there are only so many possibilities for recessive traits, and the gene pool seemed very unlikely to me) but I didn't know where he came from. He showed me a bunch of pictures from when he was there, and when he first came here. It was so cute! His mom is so awesome about dealing with the "colour" issue -- I think he will grow up being very proud of who he is, and knowing that he is "tres tres tres beau!"
3. I found out that the family is going to put the house up for sale. I thought this would be a very bad thing, but I talked to The Host Mom and she explained it to me like this: the French economy is suffering, like all other economies connected with the US. The housing market is similar to that of the US right now, in that right now houses are worth quite a bit more than they will be in six months. Although the family wants to move to another city closer to where L works, they don't want to move until after the end of the school year BUT they said it makes no sense for them to wait to sell the house if they will end up losing money.
If it ends up selling quickly, it will take at least 3 months for the final sale to go through. If that happens, they will get an appartment in the center of town and everyone will live there until they buy another house in a year or two. So the good news is if it sells, I will no longer have to worry about how to get to Le Puy on the weekend. The bad news is when they put the house up on the market, it will ALWAYS have to be clean. And moving is such a PAIN!
But who knows what will happen. Moi, je n'ai aucune idee.
1. One of those things is there is yet another assistant d'anglais in town! She seems cool but she always speaks English, which I don't like. I'm here to learn French!
2. Another thing is that Ts is from Ethiopia! I knew he was adopted (there are only so many possibilities for recessive traits, and the gene pool seemed very unlikely to me) but I didn't know where he came from. He showed me a bunch of pictures from when he was there, and when he first came here. It was so cute! His mom is so awesome about dealing with the "colour" issue -- I think he will grow up being very proud of who he is, and knowing that he is "tres tres tres beau!"
3. I found out that the family is going to put the house up for sale. I thought this would be a very bad thing, but I talked to The Host Mom and she explained it to me like this: the French economy is suffering, like all other economies connected with the US. The housing market is similar to that of the US right now, in that right now houses are worth quite a bit more than they will be in six months. Although the family wants to move to another city closer to where L works, they don't want to move until after the end of the school year BUT they said it makes no sense for them to wait to sell the house if they will end up losing money.
If it ends up selling quickly, it will take at least 3 months for the final sale to go through. If that happens, they will get an appartment in the center of town and everyone will live there until they buy another house in a year or two. So the good news is if it sells, I will no longer have to worry about how to get to Le Puy on the weekend. The bad news is when they put the house up on the market, it will ALWAYS have to be clean. And moving is such a PAIN!
But who knows what will happen. Moi, je n'ai aucune idee.
04 October 2008
"Samedi rose, on reponse"
It's official -- I am sick in France. But thankfully I brought a ton of cold medecine with me. Plus, it's the weekend so I can rest. Hopefully, I can get better by Monday, when I have to go visit my schools.
On the upside of things, I met a celebrity last night! Well, kind of. I didn't meet him, but he wrote my name on a poster haha. (see above photos)
Back in January, I was doing some cultural research on the TV5.fr website and came across this French band called Ours that I really liked. I bought the CD for myself, but justified it by saying I could use it for my French classes (which I did). Weirdly enough, my host family had bought tickets to the Ours concert last night, not even knowing the band.
The concert was in a town called Monistrol sur Loire, about 35 minutes from here by car. The concert went late (almost 12:00), and I was amazed, once again, how the children are just treated like small adults.... they were expected to behave throughout the whole thing, even though they were exhausted and the concert wasn't aimed at little kids. It makes me wonder if this is a French parenting philosophy, or if it is just this family's way. I was thinking that from a parent's perspective, it's easier to keep doing what you like if you expect your kids to act like adults (aka, I'm not sure most parents I know would take a 5 year old to a concert -- they would either pay a babysitter, or just not go at all, and most likely would go with the second option). The amazing thing is, for the most part, the kids handled it okay.
I kept hoping the concert would end, not because I didn't like it, but because I kept thinking, "It's 4 hours past their bedtime!" When it did finally get over at 11:30ish, we waited almost another 20 minutes for Ours and the opening act to come out to the lobby.
In my state of red-nosed sickness, and elementary French, I wasn't about to go up and talk to them. So, instead, I watched as E, T and Ts got their tickets and posters signed. As a really nice surprise, T asked Ours to sign a poster for me! (It's kinda weird that the guy calls himself Ours because 1. that's the name of a city near here, and 2. OURSE is "bear" in French, but I guess he is the son of some really famous French guy, and maybe he wants to separate himself? I don't know).
On the upside of things, I met a celebrity last night! Well, kind of. I didn't meet him, but he wrote my name on a poster haha. (see above photos)
Back in January, I was doing some cultural research on the TV5.fr website and came across this French band called Ours that I really liked. I bought the CD for myself, but justified it by saying I could use it for my French classes (which I did). Weirdly enough, my host family had bought tickets to the Ours concert last night, not even knowing the band.
The concert was in a town called Monistrol sur Loire, about 35 minutes from here by car. The concert went late (almost 12:00), and I was amazed, once again, how the children are just treated like small adults.... they were expected to behave throughout the whole thing, even though they were exhausted and the concert wasn't aimed at little kids. It makes me wonder if this is a French parenting philosophy, or if it is just this family's way. I was thinking that from a parent's perspective, it's easier to keep doing what you like if you expect your kids to act like adults (aka, I'm not sure most parents I know would take a 5 year old to a concert -- they would either pay a babysitter, or just not go at all, and most likely would go with the second option). The amazing thing is, for the most part, the kids handled it okay.
I kept hoping the concert would end, not because I didn't like it, but because I kept thinking, "It's 4 hours past their bedtime!" When it did finally get over at 11:30ish, we waited almost another 20 minutes for Ours and the opening act to come out to the lobby.
In my state of red-nosed sickness, and elementary French, I wasn't about to go up and talk to them. So, instead, I watched as E, T and Ts got their tickets and posters signed. As a really nice surprise, T asked Ours to sign a poster for me! (It's kinda weird that the guy calls himself Ours because 1. that's the name of a city near here, and 2. OURSE is "bear" in French, but I guess he is the son of some really famous French guy, and maybe he wants to separate himself? I don't know).
Today is stay-in-bed-all-day day. Isabelle just knocked on my door a few minutes ago and was like, "Are you okay? Do you need anything?" It was really nice! :)
Oh yeah. On a side note-- yesterday, I finally did laundry. And OUI, I used a clothes line to dry everything!! Haha c'est magnifique!! Tres, tres French!
02 October 2008
"Brown Bear, Brown Bear"
I taught my first English lesson in France today!! :)
We went to one of the schools where I will be teaching and during G's English class, he asked me to take over!! He seemed really self-conscious about his English, and very glad that I wanted to teach SOOOOO MUCH!! I read "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" and then asked them questions about the color and the animal. They were also learning to say, "I don't know," which, I thought, was pretty impressive for 8 year olds!
It was funny to listen to the teacher speak English because his accent is SO strong -- but of course, I realized that I must have the most ridiculous accent when I try to speak French :) Haha that's what this year abroad is for! Hopefully, I will be a MUCH better French teacher next year than I would have been this year!
I really liked the school and was able to meet a bunch of the teachers today. They are all so kind and helpful, and they all seem happy that I will be with them this year. I love seeing all of their routines, and learning about how younger children learn. The kids are so cute & so loving! I'm not used to such open enthusiasm -- it's "like, so not cool" in high school to be excited but the elementary school kids don't care yet.
It is definitely fair to say that this year is going to be GREAT as long as I am teaching. I am SO HAPPY when I'm in the classroom! :) All my worries went away today. And I am getting way more comfortable with hearing and speaking French, it's not so exhausting for me to think in French and try to understand everyone. I feel happy to realize that I have this amazing experience ahead of me, and yet, in the end, I can still go home and be with the people I love, having already accomplished one of my life goals! (And hopefully one day soon I'll get to come back with my own students on a French trip!)
I can't believe how soon les vacances de la toussaint are coming up! (October/Nov. vacation). I really want to try and go to Ireland so I'm going to start researching this weekend to see if I can convince J or someone to go with me. All of the Assistants are really cool and no one has plans yet to travel, so I bet I'll be able to convince someone to go with me.
Tomorrow, we are going to the prefecture (a govt office) to apply for our cartes de sejour (like a greencard) and then in the afternoon I will be able to go visit the other school where I will be teaching. Maybe I'll get to teach again!! :)
Thanks for all of the e-mails.
Bonsoir et a toute a l'heure!
We went to one of the schools where I will be teaching and during G's English class, he asked me to take over!! He seemed really self-conscious about his English, and very glad that I wanted to teach SOOOOO MUCH!! I read "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" and then asked them questions about the color and the animal. They were also learning to say, "I don't know," which, I thought, was pretty impressive for 8 year olds!
It was funny to listen to the teacher speak English because his accent is SO strong -- but of course, I realized that I must have the most ridiculous accent when I try to speak French :) Haha that's what this year abroad is for! Hopefully, I will be a MUCH better French teacher next year than I would have been this year!
I really liked the school and was able to meet a bunch of the teachers today. They are all so kind and helpful, and they all seem happy that I will be with them this year. I love seeing all of their routines, and learning about how younger children learn. The kids are so cute & so loving! I'm not used to such open enthusiasm -- it's "like, so not cool" in high school to be excited but the elementary school kids don't care yet.
It is definitely fair to say that this year is going to be GREAT as long as I am teaching. I am SO HAPPY when I'm in the classroom! :) All my worries went away today. And I am getting way more comfortable with hearing and speaking French, it's not so exhausting for me to think in French and try to understand everyone. I feel happy to realize that I have this amazing experience ahead of me, and yet, in the end, I can still go home and be with the people I love, having already accomplished one of my life goals! (And hopefully one day soon I'll get to come back with my own students on a French trip!)
I can't believe how soon les vacances de la toussaint are coming up! (October/Nov. vacation). I really want to try and go to Ireland so I'm going to start researching this weekend to see if I can convince J or someone to go with me. All of the Assistants are really cool and no one has plans yet to travel, so I bet I'll be able to convince someone to go with me.
Tomorrow, we are going to the prefecture (a govt office) to apply for our cartes de sejour (like a greencard) and then in the afternoon I will be able to go visit the other school where I will be teaching. Maybe I'll get to teach again!! :)
Thanks for all of the e-mails.
Bonsoir et a toute a l'heure!
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