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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.