Happy Belated Thanksgiving. My Thansgiving story includes the usual turkey and stuffing...as well as three forms of French media and a French guy named Antoine.
Here´s how it all started: the grève. There was a lot of striking going on in France (comme d´habitude), you probably read about it in the paper. It was extremely annoying because it was difficult to go anywhere. Anyway, the night the strike began, I was almost stuck in Metz. I thought it was set to start the following day. There was, however, one bus to take me back to Pont-a-Mousson. No one seemed to know where the bus stop was so I wandered around with other stranded SNCF customers looking for a way home. I heard someone ask, ``Does the bus stop at Pont-a-Mousson?´´ and I was like, ``I hope so! I have to go there as well.´´Enter, Antoine.
Antoine is a 21-year-old guy studying history who is extremely French (in the worst way). But anyway, it turns out he lives right across from me. Thinking it couldn´t hurt to have another French friend in town, I invited him to meet me and the other 4 assistants at the pub that Friday night. He met us there and Laura and I made the (mistake?) of telling him about our Thanksgiving plans and how I had ordered a turkey from the butcher. This was in between his history lectures on the 2nd World War and a few partriotic tirades. By the end of the night we were all just like, if I hear la deuxième guerre mondiale one more time, I might scream. I like a good history lesson as much as the next guy, but 2 hours nonstop in French is a bit much for me during a Friday night out. Anyway, he is really really nice, but in small doses. We got a good laugh out of situation. Little did we know, there were many laughs to come.
The next day, Antoine sent me a message that he found all of the food for our Thanksgiving dinner. I was confused. Why was he looking for food? Two of the other assistants randomly met up with him at the cafe and he explained that he talked to the town board of shopkeepers and they decided they would like to sponsor our dinner out of the goodness of the season or something. Huh? Where´s the catch?
This was great news though, because Laura and I were stressing a bit about the whole turkey situation, never having cooked one before, let alone in France, where the Celcius/metric differences are bound to make any culinary venture ten times more difficult. Also, I was having trouble ascertaining he exact size of the turkey and whether it would fit in my tiny oven. When we called the butcher, he just repeated over and over, ``it´s not a chicken! it´s not a chicken!´´ Thank you for that helpful information.
Anyway, Antoine took us to meet with the head of the association, Jean-Luc. He is a really nice jolly guy and he really just wanted to give us a turkey and get a little good publicity for his association. Awesome.
The next day, Antoine called again and said something about an interview and the newspaper. Later that day, Laura, Chris (the British assistant) and I were interviewed for the newspaper and the radio. I have no idea what I said. When it was over, we were like, I can´t believe we just gave a radio interview in French. And Chris was wondering why he was even there, he was like, ``why am I giving interviews about Thanksgiving, I´m not even American!´´
Okay, so when Thanksgiving Day finally arrived, Laura and I went with Antoine to pick up the turkey. They had cooked it and everything, all we had to do was reheat it! They had invited a TV news crew as well to get us all smiling with the turkey and ask a few questions. I was nervous. Giving a TV interview in French is even more nerveracking than a radio one! Laura and I kept glancing at each other trying not to laugh. The whole thing just seemed so ridiculous! But really nice. We also got a copy of the newspaper, which had the article as well as our picture. The title of the article was ``Une dinde internationale´´ or, An International Turkey. Ha.
So, we returned to the apartment with a cooked turkey, many bottles of champagne and wine, as well as spinach and boiled potatoes (don´t ask, somewhere along the way we got our wires crossed on traditional turkey day foods). Laura made a pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce the night before (which was actually really good, despite the fact that they weren´t actually cranberries). She also made stuffing. I made a spinach casserole and bought some appetizers. And we made mashed potatoes as well (as Chris is an expert) so we pretty much had everything except pumpkin pie! The meal was a little heavy on spinach, haha, but it was delicious.
Antoine couldn´t come until later because he had to work. Two minutes after taking off his coat, he took out a volume of French poetry and began dramatically reading Prevert poems to the group.
I thought I would be really homesick on Thanksgiving, and while nothing beats Thankgiving at Aunt Kathy´s, the absurdity of my Thanksgiving took my mind off it completely! Next year, I will probably miss sharing Thanksgiving with a Spanish girl, a German girl, a British guy and the regional press. When we sit down to cut the turkey, I will think, wait, where are the reporters?
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Back from Bohemia
Well, I wasn't traveling in only Bohemia, but it makes a good title.
I had a great vacation. This is going to be a long post. Here we go...
Laura and I started our vacation in Vienna. We took a night train from Strasbourg. It was very Harry Potter
with separated compartments. You could even close the curtain. Unfortunately, there was no snack cart with Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean.
We didn't want to pay the extra cost for the sleeper car so we tried to make do sleeping in the regular train. It was fine for a while because you can pull the seats out and it was just the two of us in a 6 person car. A couple of hours into the trip, however, a German girl wanted her exact seat so we had to push some of the seats back in. In the end it wasn't too bad. This photo was taken in the morning before we got to Vienna.
Vienna was really cool. We went to the Hofburg Palace and Sissi Museum. Apparently, everyone is obsessed with Princess Elisabeth and there is a strange museum in the Palace dedicated to her. There is also 8 million plates and dishes and forks that were the Hapsburgs, but overall the museum is really interesting.
We also got to see the Vienna Boys' Choir at one of the chapels. It was amazing and one of my favorite parts of the trip. It was free too for standing room. They sang as a part of the Sunday morning church service in a Hofburg chapel and then performed a song in front at the end.
We also went to the Freud Museum in the building he lived in and had his office. That was cool except there was no couch because that's at the Freud museum in London. His doorplate is shown in the photo.
We went to a wonderful but cheesy Mozart orchestra concert in period dress. There were two elderly ladies in front of us just loving the concert.
It was good, but they were so into it, it was hilarious. They had moved to the front row by the last song. The concert venue was the Wiener Musikverein, home of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. It is considered one of the top venues for acoustics in the world.
We also went to a Viennese coffee house and tried apple strudel.
I also made sure to try the Wiener Schnitzel. It turns out I had no idea what that was. It tasted like a big, flat chicken nugget.
Our hostel in Vienn
a was nice. It was trying to be all modern and posh. (see photo). We had our own bathroom and room that we shared with two other girls. These girls were on an insane backpacking trip. They were going all over Europe, Australia and Asia! We met other people like that too-an Australian girl was doing Europe, USA, and South America in a year. How exhausting!
Budapest was beautiful. I am so glad we decided to go there, though at first it was a bit stressful. We couldn't find the hostel! We went up and down the street, but it was nowhere to be found. Finally, we noticed our reservation listed a ring code. A ring code? This seemed odd. We eventually found the address and there was no sign except a teeny tiny listing next to the doorbell for the building. Strange. Also, the door was co
mpletely covered in graffiti. Anyway, we buzzed in and had to go up several flights of stairs to the hostel. The entrance and stairwell was covered in graffiti as well. Luckily, the hostel was fine once you got inside. I mean, it was a traditional hostel with many beds in one room and one bathroom for the entire place, but it was only $11 a night. Budapest was really cheap in general.
Budapest was interesting because the part we were staying in seemed less touristy. I think we didn't see Budapest's best side when we first arrived and so we were amazed when we saw the beautiful part. It was also really walkable. We took the subway at first, but we hated it so we star
ted walking everywhere. The subway in Budapest is scary. It is dark and very deep in the ground and it looks like the subway cars should be in a museum. They are that old. Also, the tickets were confusing. You have to pay for transfers. Also, Budapest like all the cities we visited goes by this honor system. There is no turnstial barring entry, you just have to have a ticket in
case of random checks. In Budapest, the subway workers stand at the top of the escalator in their scary uniforms leering down at you. Walking was better.
So basically in Budapest we walked around a lot. It was great, but at this point our feet really hurt and we had to bandage them for the rest of the trip. But we saw lots of great things--the Chain Bridge, Buda Castle, Parliament on the Pest side of the Danube. The view from Fisherman's Bastion was amazing. We also tried Hungarian food at a very local-feeling restaurant. We ate our fill of goulash and potatoes.
The weather was really cloudy the whole time we were in Budapest, but it was so beautiful at night. My photos doesn't really do it justice so here are some I found online:
Next, Laura and I took another night train to Prague. The Hungarian train wasn't quite as nice, but we were able to stretch out in our own compartments. These scary men in intense uniforms kept waking us up to check our passports as we passed from Hungary through Slovakia and into the Czech Republic.
We arrived in Prague pretty early in the morning, which was a beautiful time to see the city
despite our fatigue. Our hotel in Prague was really nice too, which was great after the Budapest hostel.
Prague was really beautiful just like everybody says. We also lucked out with really good weather. Prague is strange though because it didn't seem as much like a city as the other places we visited, it seemed smaller and less urban. Also, it seemed like EVERYBODY was a tourist. I thought maybe visiting offseason would work to our a
dvantage, but it was packed. Some of my favorite sites were the Old Town Square with the Town Hall Tower and Astronomical Clock. The med
ieval astronomical clock is really cool. I don't completely understand it, but one of the clock circles shows where the moon is and there is a third smaller circle with zodiac signs.
Other cool sites include the Tyn church, the castle with the St. Vitus Cathedrial and the Ch
urch of St. Nicholas, Charles Bridge (dating back to the 1400's!), and the Franz Kafka museum. Laura and I tried hot wine and grog (because they were on all the menus and we were curious) and also ate more goulash and dumplings. I've had my fill of dumplings for quite a while. We also 
tried garlic soup, which is quite strong. Luckily we had gum. The restaurant was really cool though, it was mostly lit by candle so you could see how dark it would have been!
On Saturday morning we took a bus to Berlin. I slept for a lot of it so the 5 hour trip didn't seem too bad. In Berlin, we stayed with my friend Maren. She was an exchange student at Clarkston High during my junior year and it was great to see her again and to see Berlin with a Berliner. Laura had friends in Berlin too--Americans studying for the year. It was nice to be in the company of friends and let them guide us a bit. It was the perfect and least stressful way to end the trip.
I had a great time staying with Maren and meeting her family and friends. Maren's home is really cool--it is a multi-level apartment that stretches over a street. Maren's family was really nice, they cooked me a delicious dinner and Maren gave me lots of German chocolate and gummy bears to try. It was really comforting to meet up with someone in Europe who knows where Clarkston is and who loves Michigan!
Berlin fascinated me. The history is so interesting and there is so much to see. I got to see a lot by car at night, which was really cool. Also, on Sunday Maren, Laura, Laura's frien Alec and I walked around the city and saw many th
ings like Potzdamer Platz, the site of Hitler's bunker, the Holocaust memorial, the Brandeburg Gate, Gendarmenmarkt square and more. Alec is a history major so it was like we had
our own private tour guide!
I also saw the East Side Gallery with the longest stretch of the remaining wall. On Monday, while everyone was in school Laura and I went to the Jewish Museum and the Checkpoint Charlie museum.
Laura and I saw a lot--it was exhausting but definitely worth it. It was a great trip, but now I am looking forward to getting back to a routine in France. I start teaching again tomorrow and begin taking French classes next week. I have a feeling November is going to fly by and it will be Christmastime before I know it. I am looking forward to that--it was weird to go on a big trip like this and take a plane home and return to France not Michigan! But I was really excited to return to France where I can communicate in the country's language!
I know I always say this, but sorry for the long post. This one wasn't for the faint of heart. I think it was more for me, so I can remember everything!
I had a great vacation. This is going to be a long post. Here we go...
Laura and I started our vacation in Vienna. We took a night train from Strasbourg. It was very Harry Potter
with separated compartments. You could even close the curtain. Unfortunately, there was no snack cart with Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean.We didn't want to pay the extra cost for the sleeper car so we tried to make do sleeping in the regular train. It was fine for a while because you can pull the seats out and it was just the two of us in a 6 person car. A couple of hours into the trip, however, a German girl wanted her exact seat so we had to push some of the seats back in. In the end it wasn't too bad. This photo was taken in the morning before we got to Vienna.
Vienna was really cool. We went to the Hofburg Palace and Sissi Museum. Apparently, everyone is obsessed with Princess Elisabeth and there is a strange museum in the Palace dedicated to her. There is also 8 million plates and dishes and forks that were the Hapsburgs, but overall the museum is really interesting.
We also got to see the Vienna Boys' Choir at one of the chapels. It was amazing and one of my favorite parts of the trip. It was free too for standing room. They sang as a part of the Sunday morning church service in a Hofburg chapel and then performed a song in front at the end.
We also went to the Freud Museum in the building he lived in and had his office. That was cool except there was no couch because that's at the Freud museum in London. His doorplate is shown in the photo.We went to a wonderful but cheesy Mozart orchestra concert in period dress. There were two elderly ladies in front of us just loving the concert.
It was good, but they were so into it, it was hilarious. They had moved to the front row by the last song. The concert venue was the Wiener Musikverein, home of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. It is considered one of the top venues for acoustics in the world.We also went to a Viennese coffee house and tried apple strudel.
I also made sure to try the Wiener Schnitzel. It turns out I had no idea what that was. It tasted like a big, flat chicken nugget.Our hostel in Vienn
a was nice. It was trying to be all modern and posh. (see photo). We had our own bathroom and room that we shared with two other girls. These girls were on an insane backpacking trip. They were going all over Europe, Australia and Asia! We met other people like that too-an Australian girl was doing Europe, USA, and South America in a year. How exhausting!Budapest was beautiful. I am so glad we decided to go there, though at first it was a bit stressful. We couldn't find the hostel! We went up and down the street, but it was nowhere to be found. Finally, we noticed our reservation listed a ring code. A ring code? This seemed odd. We eventually found the address and there was no sign except a teeny tiny listing next to the doorbell for the building. Strange. Also, the door was co
mpletely covered in graffiti. Anyway, we buzzed in and had to go up several flights of stairs to the hostel. The entrance and stairwell was covered in graffiti as well. Luckily, the hostel was fine once you got inside. I mean, it was a traditional hostel with many beds in one room and one bathroom for the entire place, but it was only $11 a night. Budapest was really cheap in general.Budapest was interesting because the part we were staying in seemed less touristy. I think we didn't see Budapest's best side when we first arrived and so we were amazed when we saw the beautiful part. It was also really walkable. We took the subway at first, but we hated it so we star
ted walking everywhere. The subway in Budapest is scary. It is dark and very deep in the ground and it looks like the subway cars should be in a museum. They are that old. Also, the tickets were confusing. You have to pay for transfers. Also, Budapest like all the cities we visited goes by this honor system. There is no turnstial barring entry, you just have to have a ticket in
case of random checks. In Budapest, the subway workers stand at the top of the escalator in their scary uniforms leering down at you. Walking was better.So basically in Budapest we walked around a lot. It was great, but at this point our feet really hurt and we had to bandage them for the rest of the trip. But we saw lots of great things--the Chain Bridge, Buda Castle, Parliament on the Pest side of the Danube. The view from Fisherman's Bastion was amazing. We also tried Hungarian food at a very local-feeling restaurant. We ate our fill of goulash and potatoes.
The weather was really cloudy the whole time we were in Budapest, but it was so beautiful at night. My photos doesn't really do it justice so here are some I found online:
Next, Laura and I took another night train to Prague. The Hungarian train wasn't quite as nice, but we were able to stretch out in our own compartments. These scary men in intense uniforms kept waking us up to check our passports as we passed from Hungary through Slovakia and into the Czech Republic.
We arrived in Prague pretty early in the morning, which was a beautiful time to see the city
despite our fatigue. Our hotel in Prague was really nice too, which was great after the Budapest hostel.Prague was really beautiful just like everybody says. We also lucked out with really good weather. Prague is strange though because it didn't seem as much like a city as the other places we visited, it seemed smaller and less urban. Also, it seemed like EVERYBODY was a tourist. I thought maybe visiting offseason would work to our a
dvantage, but it was packed. Some of my favorite sites were the Old Town Square with the Town Hall Tower and Astronomical Clock. The med
ieval astronomical clock is really cool. I don't completely understand it, but one of the clock circles shows where the moon is and there is a third smaller circle with zodiac signs.Other cool sites include the Tyn church, the castle with the St. Vitus Cathedrial and the Ch
urch of St. Nicholas, Charles Bridge (dating back to the 1400's!), and the Franz Kafka museum. Laura and I tried hot wine and grog (because they were on all the menus and we were curious) and also ate more goulash and dumplings. I've had my fill of dumplings for quite a while. We also 
tried garlic soup, which is quite strong. Luckily we had gum. The restaurant was really cool though, it was mostly lit by candle so you could see how dark it would have been!On Saturday morning we took a bus to Berlin. I slept for a lot of it so the 5 hour trip didn't seem too bad. In Berlin, we stayed with my friend Maren. She was an exchange student at Clarkston High during my junior year and it was great to see her again and to see Berlin with a Berliner. Laura had friends in Berlin too--Americans studying for the year. It was nice to be in the company of friends and let them guide us a bit. It was the perfect and least stressful way to end the trip.
I had a great time staying with Maren and meeting her family and friends. Maren's home is really cool--it is a multi-level apartment that stretches over a street. Maren's family was really nice, they cooked me a delicious dinner and Maren gave me lots of German chocolate and gummy bears to try. It was really comforting to meet up with someone in Europe who knows where Clarkston is and who loves Michigan!
Berlin fascinated me. The history is so interesting and there is so much to see. I got to see a lot by car at night, which was really cool. Also, on Sunday Maren, Laura, Laura's frien Alec and I walked around the city and saw many th
ings like Potzdamer Platz, the site of Hitler's bunker, the Holocaust memorial, the Brandeburg Gate, Gendarmenmarkt square and more. Alec is a history major so it was like we had
our own private tour guide!I also saw the East Side Gallery with the longest stretch of the remaining wall. On Monday, while everyone was in school Laura and I went to the Jewish Museum and the Checkpoint Charlie museum.
Laura and I saw a lot--it was exhausting but definitely worth it. It was a great trip, but now I am looking forward to getting back to a routine in France. I start teaching again tomorrow and begin taking French classes next week. I have a feeling November is going to fly by and it will be Christmastime before I know it. I am looking forward to that--it was weird to go on a big trip like this and take a plane home and return to France not Michigan! But I was really excited to return to France where I can communicate in the country's language!
I know I always say this, but sorry for the long post. This one wasn't for the faint of heart. I think it was more for me, so I can remember everything!
Friday, October 26, 2007
Vacation already?
Today is my last day of work before la Toussaint vacation. Tonight, I leave for Vienna and I am going to spend 10 days backpacking around Vienna, Budapest, Prague and Berlin. I am very excited! In Berlin, I am staying with my friend Maren, the former CHS German exchange student. It should be fun!
Work has been going well; I really like teaching. My schedule is sometimes frustrating though because I have Week A and Week B, and sometimes I go to a class every week other times I only see students once a month. I haven't even met some of the students yet. I am helping out with 19 different classes--I doubt I will ever learn all of the student's names! Also, my schedule changed and no one told me and then the teachers were like, where were you? Also, my schedule only indicates an empty room I can use with the students not the room the actual teacher uses. The problem is, not all of the teachers want me to take the students by myself so sometimes I go to the wrong room because it is different on my schedule and then I just wander around the school until I find the right room.
The students are really nice for the most part. Some are really enthusiastic about learning English. The other day the students had to write an article about me for their teacher and they were hilarious! Part of the assignment was to describe me physically. One student said "She has one protruding green eye." Just one? Protruding? :) Also, a few said I have a "long face." The students were referencing a photo of me that was taken in Chicago on the Michigan Ave. bridge. One girl said, "She is so tall. We can't see buildings." Also, "She is an almond-shape eyed girl." "She is so well put together." "He likes to play cheese in America." I have to admit that last one is odd because even if the student meant "chess," I never said that.
Things are going well despite the minor annoyances. It is nice that I live right on campus and can go home to eat or sit around during breaks. I don't eat in the cafeteria everyday because it is a four course meal! That is a lot for me to eat at lunchtime, I want to go take a nap afterwards! Also, in the teacher's lunch room there is wine and cheese platters. I doubt the teachers in the US have wine at lunch!
They have already put Christmas decorations up in town and the weather is very cold! Winter is almost here. Luckily, the heat in my appartment works now! I now appreciate the usefulness of a radiator as a makeshift dryer for laundry.
This past week, I went to Nancy a couple of times. I went once to sign up for French classes that start after vacation. I also went with Laura because we got free tickets to go to an art museum and a history museum. I also found out about a pass I can buy that allows me to get into museums free and get reduced prices on theater, concert, dance, and movie tickets. Last Tuesday, I went to Nancy for my medical visits (required to obtain my carte de sejour). They told me I need glasses!
Some photos of Nancy:
The park:
Fountain in Place Stanislas:
Okay, that's all for now. When I return from my trip I will update again!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Getting Going
Sorry, I haven't updated this blog recently. Sabs St. Peter has demanded an update :) So Sabs, here it is.
Things have been going well in Pont-a-Mousson. I have been hanging out with the other four Pont-a-Mousson assistants as well as a few from Metz. A few Sundays ago, we had an assistant dinner with the other American assistant, the English assistant, the German assistant, and my roommate (the Spanish assistant). Ana and I had it chez nous (at our appartment) and we made tacos. Katharina, the German assistant had never had them before and she wasn't sure whether you use your hands or not. Overall, it was a big success--there was lots of food, wine and French speaking. The five of us have also gone out to the local bars--Jack's and another, Pub Thiers. At Pub Thiers we met a French woman who perhaps drank too much that night. She was very nice and she kept yelling "Yeah baby!" in English.
This past weekend, I spent a night in Metz and then went to Paris with the Metz assistant, Andromeda. Metz was fun--we had an assistant party. The weekend before I also went to Metz with Ana and Laura to go to Ikea! I have been to Metz a lot, but I really like it. Here is a picture of the cathedral, which is the 3rd largest in France. It has beautiful stained glass windows by Chagall that glow at night.
While Andromeda and I were in Paris, it was the rugby semi-finals England vs. France, which was pretty exciting (though France ended up losing). Andromeda and I watched the game in a very crowded bar behind the tallest New Zealanders and Englishmen I have ever seen. We also picknicked by the Eiffel Tower, went to the museum of the Middle ages, walked around the Jardin de Tuileries, and went to this expat fair (that had a cooking demonstration and a wine tasting!) We also went to Sacre-Coeur and walked around the Louvre lobby. I also took advantage of being in the city to buy school supplies. I couldn't find any in my small town and I needed notebooks and folders for teaching! On the train, on the way home from Paris, I sat by a family with a French father and an American mother. It was really interesting to overhear their conversations with their young son. The mother spoke to the child exclusively in English and the father spoke exclusively in French so the son would become bilingual. They were really nice and they gave me tips for things to do around Metz.
Paris Jardin des Tuileries and below that, Sacre-Coeur:
As for the job... This was my first week actually teaching. The past two weeks have been all introductions. The kids asked me questions like, "Do you know famous people?" "What do you eat in America?," "Which animals are you crazy? (she meant "crazy about") " "Do you love spiders?" "Do cheerleaders exist?," etc. Some of the classes had to take notes on the basic information, because they have to write a newspaper article about me, complete with my photo. Haha. The students have to describe me physically in the article and they have this sheet with physical descriptions. So they stared creepily trying to decide how they would describe me. I heard one student say, "She is not fat, she is normal." That's relieving.
Another student made a mistake copying down my date of birth. He said I was born May 25, 1885. It is interesting to notice the other kinds of mistakes the kids make because it is just the opposite of the mistakes I made (and still make) learning French. They always invert the question order, like "Have you any brotherz or seesterz?" instead of "Do you have..." (Edit: Apparently that is the British way, but they make other word order mistakes like Why come you to France?")
So, there was two weeks of the same song and dance and now I am actually teaching. This has been a little stressful because the teachers gave me little to no help or instruction on what I should do. Some teachers stay in the room and have something planned and they just want me to throw my "authentic" two cents in now and then. Others just leave the room and say, "do as you please." Others want me to teach specific things. So far I have planned lessons on the American school system (particularly American high schools), Ellis Island, Christopher Columbus and Columbus Day, jobs and professions, American Press/Media, and believe it or not Australian Aborigines. The last topic is not really my area of expertise, but the teacher requested it. For Thursday, another teacher wants me to plan a Ray Bradbury lesson. Alrighty.
So far I have taught the Columbus Day, the jobs/professions and the School system. I have a couple more worksheets prepared to teach on high school in subsequent classes. I plan to milk this subject as long as I can, because the students really get into it. They watch a lot of American movies so I tell them all the ways American school is different from French school. The girls are especially interested in learning about Prom and Homecoming. I passed out photocopies of yearbook pages and my scrapbook. That went over well.
I have been really busy doing all of this planning as well as preparing for the upcoming vacation. I am going to Prague, Budapest, Vienna, and Berlin with Laura, the other American assistant from Massachusetts. I am really excited!
Okay, I will update again soon!
Things have been going well in Pont-a-Mousson. I have been hanging out with the other four Pont-a-Mousson assistants as well as a few from Metz. A few Sundays ago, we had an assistant dinner with the other American assistant, the English assistant, the German assistant, and my roommate (the Spanish assistant). Ana and I had it chez nous (at our appartment) and we made tacos. Katharina, the German assistant had never had them before and she wasn't sure whether you use your hands or not. Overall, it was a big success--there was lots of food, wine and French speaking. The five of us have also gone out to the local bars--Jack's and another, Pub Thiers. At Pub Thiers we met a French woman who perhaps drank too much that night. She was very nice and she kept yelling "Yeah baby!" in English.
This past weekend, I spent a night in Metz and then went to Paris with the Metz assistant, Andromeda. Metz was fun--we had an assistant party. The weekend before I also went to Metz with Ana and Laura to go to Ikea! I have been to Metz a lot, but I really like it. Here is a picture of the cathedral, which is the 3rd largest in France. It has beautiful stained glass windows by Chagall that glow at night.
While Andromeda and I were in Paris, it was the rugby semi-finals England vs. France, which was pretty exciting (though France ended up losing). Andromeda and I watched the game in a very crowded bar behind the tallest New Zealanders and Englishmen I have ever seen. We also picknicked by the Eiffel Tower, went to the museum of the Middle ages, walked around the Jardin de Tuileries, and went to this expat fair (that had a cooking demonstration and a wine tasting!) We also went to Sacre-Coeur and walked around the Louvre lobby. I also took advantage of being in the city to buy school supplies. I couldn't find any in my small town and I needed notebooks and folders for teaching! On the train, on the way home from Paris, I sat by a family with a French father and an American mother. It was really interesting to overhear their conversations with their young son. The mother spoke to the child exclusively in English and the father spoke exclusively in French so the son would become bilingual. They were really nice and they gave me tips for things to do around Metz.
Paris Jardin des Tuileries and below that, Sacre-Coeur:
As for the job... This was my first week actually teaching. The past two weeks have been all introductions. The kids asked me questions like, "Do you know famous people?" "What do you eat in America?," "Which animals are you crazy? (she meant "crazy about") " "Do you love spiders?" "Do cheerleaders exist?," etc. Some of the classes had to take notes on the basic information, because they have to write a newspaper article about me, complete with my photo. Haha. The students have to describe me physically in the article and they have this sheet with physical descriptions. So they stared creepily trying to decide how they would describe me. I heard one student say, "She is not fat, she is normal." That's relieving.
Another student made a mistake copying down my date of birth. He said I was born May 25, 1885. It is interesting to notice the other kinds of mistakes the kids make because it is just the opposite of the mistakes I made (and still make) learning French. They always invert the question order, like "Have you any brotherz or seesterz?" instead of "Do you have..." (Edit: Apparently that is the British way, but they make other word order mistakes like Why come you to France?")
So, there was two weeks of the same song and dance and now I am actually teaching. This has been a little stressful because the teachers gave me little to no help or instruction on what I should do. Some teachers stay in the room and have something planned and they just want me to throw my "authentic" two cents in now and then. Others just leave the room and say, "do as you please." Others want me to teach specific things. So far I have planned lessons on the American school system (particularly American high schools), Ellis Island, Christopher Columbus and Columbus Day, jobs and professions, American Press/Media, and believe it or not Australian Aborigines. The last topic is not really my area of expertise, but the teacher requested it. For Thursday, another teacher wants me to plan a Ray Bradbury lesson. Alrighty.
So far I have taught the Columbus Day, the jobs/professions and the School system. I have a couple more worksheets prepared to teach on high school in subsequent classes. I plan to milk this subject as long as I can, because the students really get into it. They watch a lot of American movies so I tell them all the ways American school is different from French school. The girls are especially interested in learning about Prom and Homecoming. I passed out photocopies of yearbook pages and my scrapbook. That went over well.
I have been really busy doing all of this planning as well as preparing for the upcoming vacation. I am going to Prague, Budapest, Vienna, and Berlin with Laura, the other American assistant from Massachusetts. I am really excited!
Okay, I will update again soon!
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Rusty French
Yesterday, I decided to do my laundry in the shower. You see, the only laundromat is expensive and far from my apartment. It all seemed to be going well until I forgot about it soaking. Some of my clothes are now a nice rusty orange. Ca n'est pas grave. It's no big deal. I've learned to say that a lot.
Yesterday, the Internet started working! Having internet in my apartment is wonderful. My telephone with unlimited calls to the US should be working soon as well.
Today, I had an orientation in Nancy with other local English assistants. It was helpful though a bit confusing. The answer to every question here is "it depends." I have to admit, though, it was relaxing to speak in English today. I felt like me again. I met lots of other assistants and hopefully some of us will meet in Nancy soon.
The more I talk to other assistants the more I like my town and school. It is only a 15-20 min. train ride to the two major towns, I have cheap, provided housing, and really nice teachers that invite me over for dinner. Not everyone can say the same. A lot of people are a lot farther away and without frequent train or bus service. And many people are alone. It is great that there are 4 other assistants in Pont-a-Mousson. And Saturday, we are going to have a big assistant dinner in my apartment. Things are going well.
Now, I just have to learn this language.
Yesterday, the Internet started working! Having internet in my apartment is wonderful. My telephone with unlimited calls to the US should be working soon as well.
Today, I had an orientation in Nancy with other local English assistants. It was helpful though a bit confusing. The answer to every question here is "it depends." I have to admit, though, it was relaxing to speak in English today. I felt like me again. I met lots of other assistants and hopefully some of us will meet in Nancy soon.
The more I talk to other assistants the more I like my town and school. It is only a 15-20 min. train ride to the two major towns, I have cheap, provided housing, and really nice teachers that invite me over for dinner. Not everyone can say the same. A lot of people are a lot farther away and without frequent train or bus service. And many people are alone. It is great that there are 4 other assistants in Pont-a-Mousson. And Saturday, we are going to have a big assistant dinner in my apartment. Things are going well.
Now, I just have to learn this language.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
I don't have a title
Last weekend was the best yet. I got a roommate--she is Spanish and her name is Ana. We speak French together because she doesn't speak English and I don't speak Spanish. Also, I don't speak French well so communication can be difficult. Despite that, it is better having a roommate and it is good for my French. Maybe I will start speaking French with a Spanish accent. Hope not.
Anyway, she stayed at a hotel this weekend because her mom was in town so I really didn't get to know her until Sunday night. But we have really clicked. We commiserate about our sad, empty apartment and are planning a trip to a nearby Ikea to buy some things to make it a happier place to live. We say our appartment is "un peu triste," a little sad. We also share our hatred of Monsieur Thomas, aka "the gray man" because he won't give us an extra bed to use as a couch. But Ana and I are doing roommate things as we struggle to communicate--we watched a DVD on my laptop in English with Spanish subtitles and made spaghetti and salad to eat together.
I also met some other American assistants this weekend. I went to Metz and stayed with an assistant who lives there. I met some really nice people and we went out to a bar. I also met some German assistants in Metz. Metz is really nice, it is a very German French town. If that makes sense. I really like it. There are a lot of streets that are only for pedestrians, and fountains, parks, the river, the cathedral. It only took like 15 minutes to get to Metz by train so I plan to go a lot. And to Nancy also. When I left on Saturday afternoon for Metz, I got on the wrong train! But LUCKILY I was the first person whose ticket was checked so they stopped the train for me! The man thought I was a German tourist and he took down my name. And then he was like "Ohhhh an American." Yep, that's me. But I made it home the next day sans probleme.
I also met the German assistant at the school. Her name is Katerina and I think she might speak English better than I do. She also speaks French the best and is the bravest so she handles most of the talking situations when all of the assistants are together.
Yesterday, after Ana and I made dinner we met up with Katerina and the other American assistant in town, Laura and that was fun. We went to Jack's Bar. That is what it is called, in English and everything. I never really know how to pronounce English words en francais.
Tomorrow, Laura and I have our orientation for the assistant's job in Nancy so that should be fun. Meet other Anglophones and such. Also, I techinally started yesterday, but so far I have only been to two classes and only for 15 minutes each. The students asked me questions like "Where do you come from?" and "Do you smoke?" "What is your name?," and "Can you shop all night long in America?" in their cute French accents. They have never heard an American accent so it is difficult for them to understand my English. They didn't understand the word "literature" even though it is the same in French! I didn't have anything to do today, but I am excited to get going with more classes.
Anyway, she stayed at a hotel this weekend because her mom was in town so I really didn't get to know her until Sunday night. But we have really clicked. We commiserate about our sad, empty apartment and are planning a trip to a nearby Ikea to buy some things to make it a happier place to live. We say our appartment is "un peu triste," a little sad. We also share our hatred of Monsieur Thomas, aka "the gray man" because he won't give us an extra bed to use as a couch. But Ana and I are doing roommate things as we struggle to communicate--we watched a DVD on my laptop in English with Spanish subtitles and made spaghetti and salad to eat together.
I also met some other American assistants this weekend. I went to Metz and stayed with an assistant who lives there. I met some really nice people and we went out to a bar. I also met some German assistants in Metz. Metz is really nice, it is a very German French town. If that makes sense. I really like it. There are a lot of streets that are only for pedestrians, and fountains, parks, the river, the cathedral. It only took like 15 minutes to get to Metz by train so I plan to go a lot. And to Nancy also. When I left on Saturday afternoon for Metz, I got on the wrong train! But LUCKILY I was the first person whose ticket was checked so they stopped the train for me! The man thought I was a German tourist and he took down my name. And then he was like "Ohhhh an American." Yep, that's me. But I made it home the next day sans probleme.
I also met the German assistant at the school. Her name is Katerina and I think she might speak English better than I do. She also speaks French the best and is the bravest so she handles most of the talking situations when all of the assistants are together.
Yesterday, after Ana and I made dinner we met up with Katerina and the other American assistant in town, Laura and that was fun. We went to Jack's Bar. That is what it is called, in English and everything. I never really know how to pronounce English words en francais.
Tomorrow, Laura and I have our orientation for the assistant's job in Nancy so that should be fun. Meet other Anglophones and such. Also, I techinally started yesterday, but so far I have only been to two classes and only for 15 minutes each. The students asked me questions like "Where do you come from?" and "Do you smoke?" "What is your name?," and "Can you shop all night long in America?" in their cute French accents. They have never heard an American accent so it is difficult for them to understand my English. They didn't understand the word "literature" even though it is the same in French! I didn't have anything to do today, but I am excited to get going with more classes.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Photos!
Some pictures of my apartment and Pont-a-Mousson
This is the main room of my apartment. Pink walls!
This is the main courtyard of my school. The rest isn't pretty and old like this. Well, the rest is old, but not pretty.
The Moselle!
Place Duroc.
The church by my school. Sorry it is sideways.
This is the view out my bedroom window.
This is the main room of my apartment. Pink walls!
This is the main courtyard of my school. The rest isn't pretty and old like this. Well, the rest is old, but not pretty.
The Moselle!
Place Duroc.
The church by my school. Sorry it is sideways.
This is the view out my bedroom window.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
J'ai mal du pays
I have been a little homesick lately... I know I just got here and it will get better. It has already gotten better. The last couple of days I haven't really had anything to do or anyone to talk to. But today, I went over to another English teacher's house for lunch and then to yet another lady's house for dinner. As Angelique said, I'm so lucky everyone invites me over! The second lady, whose house I went to, (Mme Jardin, though she said to call her Francoises or however you spell it-- je sais pas) is very very nice. She has a 23-year-old daughter, Julie, who is also very nice and who gave me a French magazine and a picture of the Eiffel tower. Mme Jardin made me quiche lorainne, yum. I watched Saved by the Bell and Bridget Jone's Diary in French.
I already have an enemy. The lady who lives below me hates me because she says I make too much noise by walking around at night and talking on my phone. EXCUSE ME for getting a drink of water when I can't sleep and for calling my family. The English teachers say not to worry, that she is just an old spinster and that they hate her. She knocked on my door yesterday and said I was being too loud. Later the same day, she gave me some lecture about my key, that I was going to break the key, but I didn't understand and when I asked her to repeat she only spoke faster. She is mean. I am using the key they told me to use, I don't know.
Tomorrow I get a roommate! Either a Spanish or a German girl, whoever arrives first I guess. Also, a British guy is going to be living in the building, he is an assistant at another school, but they don't have housing. Another American assistant is coming to a school nearby soon. Yay, friends. Also one of the assistants in Metz contacted me about possibly getting together this weekend. So things are looking up.
I checked into the internet situation and apparently I can get unlimited international calls, internet, and cable (if it works with the old TV in my appartment) for 50 euros/month. Hopefully the roommate will help with that. Anyway, it is worth it, my cell phone is costing a small fortune and the pay phones are too far, or inaccessible after 9 pm. There is one right in the courtyard adacent to my apartment, but I am not allowed there after 9 pm or on weekends and there is an alarm.
I finally bought a bottle of French wine for a euro and I have been living the good life, no job, nothing to do, but it does get boring and lonely sometimes. I look forward to having a schedule and routine.
I am also getting used to French keyboards! Except I hate that the a key is the top left corner. Oh well, I finally found the apostrophe key, so that's a plus!
Okay, well I should get to bed. I am spending the night at the Jardins and we have to get up at 6 or some horrendous hour. I've gotten used to sleeping until 10 every day!
I already have an enemy. The lady who lives below me hates me because she says I make too much noise by walking around at night and talking on my phone. EXCUSE ME for getting a drink of water when I can't sleep and for calling my family. The English teachers say not to worry, that she is just an old spinster and that they hate her. She knocked on my door yesterday and said I was being too loud. Later the same day, she gave me some lecture about my key, that I was going to break the key, but I didn't understand and when I asked her to repeat she only spoke faster. She is mean. I am using the key they told me to use, I don't know.
Tomorrow I get a roommate! Either a Spanish or a German girl, whoever arrives first I guess. Also, a British guy is going to be living in the building, he is an assistant at another school, but they don't have housing. Another American assistant is coming to a school nearby soon. Yay, friends. Also one of the assistants in Metz contacted me about possibly getting together this weekend. So things are looking up.
I checked into the internet situation and apparently I can get unlimited international calls, internet, and cable (if it works with the old TV in my appartment) for 50 euros/month. Hopefully the roommate will help with that. Anyway, it is worth it, my cell phone is costing a small fortune and the pay phones are too far, or inaccessible after 9 pm. There is one right in the courtyard adacent to my apartment, but I am not allowed there after 9 pm or on weekends and there is an alarm.
I finally bought a bottle of French wine for a euro and I have been living the good life, no job, nothing to do, but it does get boring and lonely sometimes. I look forward to having a schedule and routine.
I am also getting used to French keyboards! Except I hate that the a key is the top left corner. Oh well, I finally found the apostrophe key, so that's a plus!
Okay, well I should get to bed. I am spending the night at the Jardins and we have to get up at 6 or some horrendous hour. I've gotten used to sleeping until 10 every day!
Monday, September 24, 2007
Franglais Fun
I have been speaking lots and lots of Franglais and I think I am getting better at understanding. I still only understand a fraction of the French all around me every day.
Yesterday, I went to Metz with a family of one of the English teachers at my school. All of the teachers have been making me ratatouille for lunch because of the movie. Haha, it is a good thing I like it.
Yesterday was fun, it was nice to be a round a family with young children. We walked around Metz, which is a lovely town. We went to the Cathedral and to the park. I put together a dragon toy for the young daughter of the teacher, Juliette. She is 4 I think. She liked me after that and held my hand.
I will feel a lot better when I get more things settled like getting a bank account and setting up my internet and phone in my apartment. I am also looking forward for the other American assistant in my town to move in.
Yesterday, I went to Metz with a family of one of the English teachers at my school. All of the teachers have been making me ratatouille for lunch because of the movie. Haha, it is a good thing I like it.
Yesterday was fun, it was nice to be a round a family with young children. We walked around Metz, which is a lovely town. We went to the Cathedral and to the park. I put together a dragon toy for the young daughter of the teacher, Juliette. She is 4 I think. She liked me after that and held my hand.
I will feel a lot better when I get more things settled like getting a bank account and setting up my internet and phone in my apartment. I am also looking forward for the other American assistant in my town to move in.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
la belle France
Bonjour mes amis! Unfortunately, I am at a McDonalds (they call it McDo pronounced MacDoe here), because it is the only place I know of that has free wi-fi. But anyway, here is the update:
Thursday was a loooooooong day. Friday night my plane left at 9:30 from Detroit. It worked out really well because my dad was flying in from Las Vegas so were able to eat dinner in the Northwest terminal before I flew out. I was also able to wait in his fancy-schmancy members-only club. I stocked up on the free juice.
The flight wasn't bad, but I couldn't sleep so I just watched movies--Waitress and Away from Her. The second one is really sad and I do not recommend watching it after you have just said goodbye to your parents for 3 months. Oops, bad idea.
When my plane arrived I had 2 choices--I could either pay 60+ euros for a cab, or I could try to navigate public transportation with one big suitcase, a luggage-sized backpack, a computer bag, and a small carry-on. What can I say? 7 months is a long time. Anyway, I condensed down to 3 bags and decided to save myself some money. I got some euros and made my way to the RER station. This is a subway-like train that takes you into Paris. (The Paris airport is actually around 30 minutes outside of Paris.) So, I struggled my way over to the first of many escalators and stairs. After I went up the escalator, I immediately had to go down another. Then I waited in line to buy my ticket. Then I had to get all my luggage through the turnstile. Fun. Then there was a staircase. Luckily, a nice British man helped me carry my big suitcase down. The RER ride was around 20 minutes. I arrived at the Gare du Nord and the plan was to walk to the Gare de L'est. They aren't very far apart, but somehow I went the wrong direction. I asked two people, "Ou est le Gare de l'Est?" and finally made my way. Then there was another set of stairs. I just sort of waited at the top feeling defeated for a couple of minutes. A group of giggling French girls came up talking in very rapid French and one helped me carry the big 50-lb suitcase down.
At the station, I walked around aimlessly for a little while, found the information desk, and then the ticket line. I had to pick up my ticket and my a youth card (for rail discounts). Since I had no idea how long this day of travelling was going to take, I was 3 hours early for my train! I asked if there was an earlier train and there was one that left in 20 minutes. So, with the rail card and the new ticket in hand, I went back to the information counter to see which platform my train left from. Platform 27--I hurried to the other end of the station and remembered that I had to validate my ticket. I went off searching for this little yellow machine thatpunches the date on the ticket. You can be fined if you don't do this before boarding the train.
Making my way down the platform, I had NO idea which car I was in. I was seat 98. So I asked someone who appeared to be in uniform and he just said in the front of the train. I made a reandom guess and lugged by suitcase into the train. There was nowhere to put it on the luggage racks and there was no way it was going to fit down the tiny aisles of the train. I stood there for a little while wondering if I should take my luggage back down and ask someone again. I decided just to shove my suitcase by this seat and hope for the best. I entered the car and my seat was the first on the left! What a lucky guess. I shoved my other bags beneath my seat and collapsed into the seat. The TGV train just started running to my region last June so it is brand new. It only took an hour and 15 minutes where before it took 3 hours. So soon enough we were in Nancy, where I was supposed to meet one of the English assistants. The only problem was, I had taken an earlier train so she wouldn't be there for 3 hours. I tried to call, but didn't get anybody. So, I waited. Finally I saw someone with a sign that said "Lyndsay."
Angelique, the teacher who picked me up is 26 and very nice. She lives in Nancy with her husband Remy. They live in a small, but cute apartment. Nancy is a bigger city 20 miles from my town. I think I will be going there a lot--it is a really cool place. Angelique drives a tiny Pegeout like everybody here. We shoved my suitcase in the trunk and left it there. I was very relieved to be done with my long day of travelling. We had to go into her parking garage. It has the steepest, darkest, skinniest entrance ramp I have ever seen. When you get to the bottom, there are no lights, until you flip the switch yourself.
After parking, I brought my backpack and computer upstairs to the apartment. We went in the oldest smalles elevator. It had 2 doors that you pulled close. It is broken so it would only take us up to the 4th floor and then we walked down the stairs to the 2nd floor.
Angelique's apartment is very cute. All of the appliances are so small and skinny! They are redoing the bathroom so once once Remy got home from work, we went in search of a shower. We went to their friend's apartment who wasn't there. I was so tired and on this surreal trip with strangers in a strange city in search of a shower. Then they took me on a driving tour of the city and showed me the famous plaza. It is beautiful! I can't wait to go back and explore it some more!
When we got back to the apartment, they made me spaghetti. I was really quiet through all of this because I felt guilty speaking English (even though they are both fluent) and I was too tired and rusty with my French to even put together basic sentences. I slept really well that night. And they invited me back if I ever wanted to spend the weekend in Nancy.
Friday morning, Angelique had to be at school at 8 so I went with her. School starts at 8, but Angelique didn't have class until 9. She showed me the teacher lounges and introduced me to some of the other teachers. I met up with Annabel, a very nice teacher who is in her late thirties (I think?) and has 2 kids who are 8 and 12 (I think). She helped me move in to my apartment.
My apartment is in the internat (boarding house) of the school. Other students live there though I am not really sure where because there is an alarm after a certain time and on the weekends maybe (I'm not sure) so I have been using my back door so as not to set it off. The building is looked after by "the gray man." This is how the English teachers described him to me, that he always wears gray trousers, gray jacket, gray hat, and that when he talks it is gray around him. He definitely doesn't get the nice award, but he basically just told me to be quiet, not to take late showers and not to set off the alarm. Oh he also stressed locking and closing every door when I enter and leave.
My apartment is pretty big. There is a room right when you enter with a TV and a desk big enough for a CEO. This desk is unnecessary as each bedroom has one also. The main room is large with plenty of windows, a chair, a bench, and kitchen table with 4 chairs. The kitchen is right off the dining room. There is a small fridge and an oven with a stove. There is also a microwave. There are dishes and cleaning supplies, so that's good.
The bathroom has aged nautical wallpaper with the French terms for East and West. The toilet has one of those flushers that has a long wooden pole that you pull down from above. After I flush the toilet, it flushes repeatedly for about an hour. I am told I have to ask the gray man about this.
Apparently, I will be getting a roommate next week-- a girl from Spain, who will be the Spanish language assistant. Since, I got here first, I chose the room. I picked the one toward the back of the apartment because it has yellow walllpaper and gets more sun so it is brighter and cheerier. The other room has a fringe lamp though so it was a toss-up. :)
After I moved in, Annabel and I went to the bank. We spent an hour there and were completely unsuccessful in opening a bank account. Apparently, they needed all of these documents I don't have. Then we went to the police to start the process of getting my care de sejour, which allows to live and work in France. The one lady who knew anything about it wasn't in. Oh well. We made an appointment at a different bank for next Thursday and hopefully we will go back to the police afterwards. As Annabel said, it was a good introduction to French bureaucracy.
After that debacle, I took a long nap. When I woke up I explored and bought a sandwich at the grocery store called Le sandwich parisien. :) It was a ham sandwich of sorts.
Today, Saturday, I went over to Annabel's house for lunch. She lives in a really old house outside of Pont-a-Mousson. It dates to the Renaissance! The bathroom used to be a stable and the master bedroom used be for storing grains and things. She made me a great French lunch with a delicious Alsatian dessert. I watched a French cartoon with her young daughter. Then we went grocery shopping and we walked around Pont-a-Mousson. I got a library card. And that is everything so far! Sorry it was a long post! Miss you all!
Thursday was a loooooooong day. Friday night my plane left at 9:30 from Detroit. It worked out really well because my dad was flying in from Las Vegas so were able to eat dinner in the Northwest terminal before I flew out. I was also able to wait in his fancy-schmancy members-only club. I stocked up on the free juice.
The flight wasn't bad, but I couldn't sleep so I just watched movies--Waitress and Away from Her. The second one is really sad and I do not recommend watching it after you have just said goodbye to your parents for 3 months. Oops, bad idea.
When my plane arrived I had 2 choices--I could either pay 60+ euros for a cab, or I could try to navigate public transportation with one big suitcase, a luggage-sized backpack, a computer bag, and a small carry-on. What can I say? 7 months is a long time. Anyway, I condensed down to 3 bags and decided to save myself some money. I got some euros and made my way to the RER station. This is a subway-like train that takes you into Paris. (The Paris airport is actually around 30 minutes outside of Paris.) So, I struggled my way over to the first of many escalators and stairs. After I went up the escalator, I immediately had to go down another. Then I waited in line to buy my ticket. Then I had to get all my luggage through the turnstile. Fun. Then there was a staircase. Luckily, a nice British man helped me carry my big suitcase down. The RER ride was around 20 minutes. I arrived at the Gare du Nord and the plan was to walk to the Gare de L'est. They aren't very far apart, but somehow I went the wrong direction. I asked two people, "Ou est le Gare de l'Est?" and finally made my way. Then there was another set of stairs. I just sort of waited at the top feeling defeated for a couple of minutes. A group of giggling French girls came up talking in very rapid French and one helped me carry the big 50-lb suitcase down.
At the station, I walked around aimlessly for a little while, found the information desk, and then the ticket line. I had to pick up my ticket and my a youth card (for rail discounts). Since I had no idea how long this day of travelling was going to take, I was 3 hours early for my train! I asked if there was an earlier train and there was one that left in 20 minutes. So, with the rail card and the new ticket in hand, I went back to the information counter to see which platform my train left from. Platform 27--I hurried to the other end of the station and remembered that I had to validate my ticket. I went off searching for this little yellow machine thatpunches the date on the ticket. You can be fined if you don't do this before boarding the train.
Making my way down the platform, I had NO idea which car I was in. I was seat 98. So I asked someone who appeared to be in uniform and he just said in the front of the train. I made a reandom guess and lugged by suitcase into the train. There was nowhere to put it on the luggage racks and there was no way it was going to fit down the tiny aisles of the train. I stood there for a little while wondering if I should take my luggage back down and ask someone again. I decided just to shove my suitcase by this seat and hope for the best. I entered the car and my seat was the first on the left! What a lucky guess. I shoved my other bags beneath my seat and collapsed into the seat. The TGV train just started running to my region last June so it is brand new. It only took an hour and 15 minutes where before it took 3 hours. So soon enough we were in Nancy, where I was supposed to meet one of the English assistants. The only problem was, I had taken an earlier train so she wouldn't be there for 3 hours. I tried to call, but didn't get anybody. So, I waited. Finally I saw someone with a sign that said "Lyndsay."
Angelique, the teacher who picked me up is 26 and very nice. She lives in Nancy with her husband Remy. They live in a small, but cute apartment. Nancy is a bigger city 20 miles from my town. I think I will be going there a lot--it is a really cool place. Angelique drives a tiny Pegeout like everybody here. We shoved my suitcase in the trunk and left it there. I was very relieved to be done with my long day of travelling. We had to go into her parking garage. It has the steepest, darkest, skinniest entrance ramp I have ever seen. When you get to the bottom, there are no lights, until you flip the switch yourself.
After parking, I brought my backpack and computer upstairs to the apartment. We went in the oldest smalles elevator. It had 2 doors that you pulled close. It is broken so it would only take us up to the 4th floor and then we walked down the stairs to the 2nd floor.
Angelique's apartment is very cute. All of the appliances are so small and skinny! They are redoing the bathroom so once once Remy got home from work, we went in search of a shower. We went to their friend's apartment who wasn't there. I was so tired and on this surreal trip with strangers in a strange city in search of a shower. Then they took me on a driving tour of the city and showed me the famous plaza. It is beautiful! I can't wait to go back and explore it some more!
When we got back to the apartment, they made me spaghetti. I was really quiet through all of this because I felt guilty speaking English (even though they are both fluent) and I was too tired and rusty with my French to even put together basic sentences. I slept really well that night. And they invited me back if I ever wanted to spend the weekend in Nancy.
Friday morning, Angelique had to be at school at 8 so I went with her. School starts at 8, but Angelique didn't have class until 9. She showed me the teacher lounges and introduced me to some of the other teachers. I met up with Annabel, a very nice teacher who is in her late thirties (I think?) and has 2 kids who are 8 and 12 (I think). She helped me move in to my apartment.
My apartment is in the internat (boarding house) of the school. Other students live there though I am not really sure where because there is an alarm after a certain time and on the weekends maybe (I'm not sure) so I have been using my back door so as not to set it off. The building is looked after by "the gray man." This is how the English teachers described him to me, that he always wears gray trousers, gray jacket, gray hat, and that when he talks it is gray around him. He definitely doesn't get the nice award, but he basically just told me to be quiet, not to take late showers and not to set off the alarm. Oh he also stressed locking and closing every door when I enter and leave.
My apartment is pretty big. There is a room right when you enter with a TV and a desk big enough for a CEO. This desk is unnecessary as each bedroom has one also. The main room is large with plenty of windows, a chair, a bench, and kitchen table with 4 chairs. The kitchen is right off the dining room. There is a small fridge and an oven with a stove. There is also a microwave. There are dishes and cleaning supplies, so that's good.
The bathroom has aged nautical wallpaper with the French terms for East and West. The toilet has one of those flushers that has a long wooden pole that you pull down from above. After I flush the toilet, it flushes repeatedly for about an hour. I am told I have to ask the gray man about this.
Apparently, I will be getting a roommate next week-- a girl from Spain, who will be the Spanish language assistant. Since, I got here first, I chose the room. I picked the one toward the back of the apartment because it has yellow walllpaper and gets more sun so it is brighter and cheerier. The other room has a fringe lamp though so it was a toss-up. :)
After I moved in, Annabel and I went to the bank. We spent an hour there and were completely unsuccessful in opening a bank account. Apparently, they needed all of these documents I don't have. Then we went to the police to start the process of getting my care de sejour, which allows to live and work in France. The one lady who knew anything about it wasn't in. Oh well. We made an appointment at a different bank for next Thursday and hopefully we will go back to the police afterwards. As Annabel said, it was a good introduction to French bureaucracy.
After that debacle, I took a long nap. When I woke up I explored and bought a sandwich at the grocery store called Le sandwich parisien. :) It was a ham sandwich of sorts.
Today, Saturday, I went over to Annabel's house for lunch. She lives in a really old house outside of Pont-a-Mousson. It dates to the Renaissance! The bathroom used to be a stable and the master bedroom used be for storing grains and things. She made me a great French lunch with a delicious Alsatian dessert. I watched a French cartoon with her young daughter. Then we went grocery shopping and we walked around Pont-a-Mousson. I got a library card. And that is everything so far! Sorry it was a long post! Miss you all!
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
It's really here
I leave tomorrow for la France! I have been packing and repacking and planning and preparing for months. It's been almost a year since I began the application process for this program--I can't believe it is actually time to go!
I spent the past weekend in Chicago. I'm going to miss that place. Mike and I went to this little German bar that had a German band playing for Oktoberfest and we drank German beer. It was as if I was already in Europe. :) Mike also participated in their German parade by playing an instrument called "the crazy stick." It was basically a stick with every percussive option possible.
Anyway, I am anxious to get through the first stressful travel day and get settled in Pont-a-Mousson!
I spent the past weekend in Chicago. I'm going to miss that place. Mike and I went to this little German bar that had a German band playing for Oktoberfest and we drank German beer. It was as if I was already in Europe. :) Mike also participated in their German parade by playing an instrument called "the crazy stick." It was basically a stick with every percussive option possible.
Anyway, I am anxious to get through the first stressful travel day and get settled in Pont-a-Mousson!
Thursday, August 16, 2007
The Final Countdown
I'm a blogger. Ew.
But I'll spare you the self-loathing, pseudo-artistic poetry and I won't tell you my current mood. I am keeping this blog so my family and friends know what I am up to in France.
Once upon a time, Michael D. Claus also authored a blog from Colorado and he introduced it with a lovely bit of verse. I will also NOT torture you with the following:
The Darkness casts a shadow over the mountain peak
My heart is swollen, for a true love I seek
The pen, nay the mountain, is my only means to speak
Oh my God, I'm so depressed.--By Mike Claus
Well, here's the current update: right now, I am in Chicago. The last day of my internship was Tuesday and Wednesday I got my visa from the Consulate. Tomorrow, I am leaving for Michigan and I will spend the next month visiting friends in Michigan and hanging out at home. I leave September 19.
The countdown is on. I am reading guidebooks (a favorite pastime of mine), freaking out about teaching French 18-year-olds and brushing up on all things French.
Wish me luck and bon voyage.
But I'll spare you the self-loathing, pseudo-artistic poetry and I won't tell you my current mood. I am keeping this blog so my family and friends know what I am up to in France.
Once upon a time, Michael D. Claus also authored a blog from Colorado and he introduced it with a lovely bit of verse. I will also NOT torture you with the following:
The Darkness casts a shadow over the mountain peak
My heart is swollen, for a true love I seek
The pen, nay the mountain, is my only means to speak
Oh my God, I'm so depressed.--By Mike Claus
Well, here's the current update: right now, I am in Chicago. The last day of my internship was Tuesday and Wednesday I got my visa from the Consulate. Tomorrow, I am leaving for Michigan and I will spend the next month visiting friends in Michigan and hanging out at home. I leave September 19.
The countdown is on. I am reading guidebooks (a favorite pastime of mine), freaking out about teaching French 18-year-olds and brushing up on all things French.
Wish me luck and bon voyage.
