But in France, it's known as McDoh.
I went to Caen today with two of my students. They invited me for a shopping trip just to be sure I wasn't too bored during the vacation. Please note this is my second bus trip in France. This time around, I learned that the bus goes directly to the train station in Caen, which is important because I have to take the train to Paris. I like this itinerary more than the other options I've been given that take me through other cities.
Our first stop as soon as we got off the bus was McDonald's, and it wasn't my idea. The girls asked me if I was okay with eating there. Since I had already eaten lunch before leaving campus, I told them to pick whatever they wanted. So McDoh it was. I only got fries and a drink, but they both got meals, and the total came to 16 euro, which is $20.73. The large fries alone costs 2.40 euro or $3.10.
The day was pretty uneventful. I fell in love with two pairs of boots that I just could not afford this time around. Hopefully they'll still be there in 3 weeks, though its doubtful... I ended up buying some body butter from Sephora because I'm looking for ways to heal the damage to my skin caused by the ridiculously hard water here, and some trashy novel in French to improve my reading skills.
Tomorrow I'm off to spend several days with Corinne's family. Talk to you soon.
Bises,
Mlle. Alicia
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
It's cold!
People keep asking how the weather is here. It's cold, often rainy.
I've just added a new widget to the blog that automatically updates weather information and provides a three-day forecast. You'll find it on the right hand side of the screen just under my welcome message.
Bises,
Mlle. Alicia
I've just added a new widget to the blog that automatically updates weather information and provides a three-day forecast. You'll find it on the right hand side of the screen just under my welcome message.
Bises,
Mlle. Alicia
Mes premières vacances: Part Un
"My first vacation: Part One," for those in need of a translation.
It's Tuesday night and I just got back from spending 2 days with Vanessa and her family. Her daughters are so sweet, definitely two of my favorite people out here. Remember how I said there are cows everywhere? In most of the pictures I've taken recently, you can't clearly make them out, so here's a closeup:
Those cows live directly across the street from Vanessa. If you've ever been to Fresno, the idea of such proximity to cows is repulsive. But here, I never get the idea that I'm near cows because I never smell them.
This morning, Vanessa introduced me to Vire. It's very similar to Fler, though a little larger and a little bit farther away. I did a little shopping....but I only bought things that I needed, like a new pair of pants to replace the ones that I somehow got paint on one day last week as the workers finished up the entryway in the flat.
The best parts of the day came in the afternoon. First, Vanessa made tacos for lunch which made me very happy. Then we went to Le Mémorial de Caen, which is so incredible.
I'm not sure where to begin describing this place. The front of the building alone makes it look interesting to me. This statue is a tribute to nonviolence. It's simple, ye
t powerful, and sits just outside the main entrance, to the right of the flags pictured above.
We only had enough to time to see one exhibition, but it was worth it. It chronicles the failed peace in the world from the end of World War I until the end of World War II, with an emphasis on France of course.
You begin the tour on the entrance level and spiral down 2 floors. At the beginning, the walls are painted white and smooth to symbolize peace, but become increasingly darker in color and change texture as that peace is threatened and destroyed. The exhibit follows an historical timeline and includes video presentations at various points.
There is a special section of the exhibit that is dedicated to victims of the Nazi concentration and extermination camps. It includes a pathway lit by orange candles and beautiful drawings created by a woman who was killed in one of the camps.
I really want to go back to the museum to see the rest of the exhibits, especially the one dedicated to September 11, and the website indicates that there are always new temporary exhibits and programs available.
Just thought I'd insert this as an addendum to "Lessons in Culture Shock." Vanessa has a lot of these in her kitchen and this is the display in the gift shop of the museum. Before I explain exactly what this is, I think I should explain a little bit of French culture first.
Breakfast in France is nothing like what we do in the United States. It's usually light, maybe a pastry, with coffee or milk. What is very typical of the French breakfast is drinking something hot from a bowl, something like the ones on the third shelf in the picture. Often, this drink is hot chocolate.
Banania is a popular brand of chocolate, similar to Nesquik. The original labeling for the brand was not this jovial African, but during World War I, with the popularity of the Senegalese infantrymen, he somehow became the poster boy for the brand, along with a slogan in pidgin French. Much like Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben, it's considered racist and reiterates negative stereotypes of Africans. The happy African is no longer the face of Banania, but the products decorated like this are novelty items. I like things like this with a story. I wonder what's the background on that little umbrella holder in the restaurant...
À plus tard,
Mlle. Alicia
It's Tuesday night and I just got back from spending 2 days with Vanessa and her family. Her daughters are so sweet, definitely two of my favorite people out here. Remember how I said there are cows everywhere? In most of the pictures I've taken recently, you can't clearly make them out, so here's a closeup:
Those cows live directly across the street from Vanessa. If you've ever been to Fresno, the idea of such proximity to cows is repulsive. But here, I never get the idea that I'm near cows because I never smell them.This morning, Vanessa introduced me to Vire. It's very similar to Fler, though a little larger and a little bit farther away. I did a little shopping....but I only bought things that I needed, like a new pair of pants to replace the ones that I somehow got paint on one day last week as the workers finished up the entryway in the flat.
The best parts of the day came in the afternoon. First, Vanessa made tacos for lunch which made me very happy. Then we went to Le Mémorial de Caen, which is so incredible.
I'm not sure where to begin describing this place. The front of the building alone makes it look interesting to me. This statue is a tribute to nonviolence. It's simple, ye
t powerful, and sits just outside the main entrance, to the right of the flags pictured above.We only had enough to time to see one exhibition, but it was worth it. It chronicles the failed peace in the world from the end of World War I until the end of World War II, with an emphasis on France of course.
You begin the tour on the entrance level and spiral down 2 floors. At the beginning, the walls are painted white and smooth to symbolize peace, but become increasingly darker in color and change texture as that peace is threatened and destroyed. The exhibit follows an historical timeline and includes video presentations at various points.
There is a special section of the exhibit that is dedicated to victims of the Nazi concentration and extermination camps. It includes a pathway lit by orange candles and beautiful drawings created by a woman who was killed in one of the camps.
I really want to go back to the museum to see the rest of the exhibits, especially the one dedicated to September 11, and the website indicates that there are always new temporary exhibits and programs available.
Just thought I'd insert this as an addendum to "Lessons in Culture Shock." Vanessa has a lot of these in her kitchen and this is the display in the gift shop of the museum. Before I explain exactly what this is, I think I should explain a little bit of French culture first.Breakfast in France is nothing like what we do in the United States. It's usually light, maybe a pastry, with coffee or milk. What is very typical of the French breakfast is drinking something hot from a bowl, something like the ones on the third shelf in the picture. Often, this drink is hot chocolate.
Banania is a popular brand of chocolate, similar to Nesquik. The original labeling for the brand was not this jovial African, but during World War I, with the popularity of the Senegalese infantrymen, he somehow became the poster boy for the brand, along with a slogan in pidgin French. Much like Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben, it's considered racist and reiterates negative stereotypes of Africans. The happy African is no longer the face of Banania, but the products decorated like this are novelty items. I like things like this with a story. I wonder what's the background on that little umbrella holder in the restaurant...
À plus tard,
Mlle. Alicia
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Did you miss me?
It has amazingly been over a week since the last time I posted. Surely you must have missed me. If you're pressed for time, don't read this right now; it's pretty long.
On Saturday I went to Julie's house, which provided me my first encounter with public transportation in Condé. Had it not been for le stage, I would have gone home with Julie after school on Friday, but we returned to Condé so late that this just was not an option. On Thursday afternoon, Julie told me what bus line to take and at what times. I'm no stranger to public transportation. Some of you may remember my refusal to get a driver's license and the many bus passes I purchased from San Diego City College while I was in high school. But the Bus Vert had me worried.
My first concern was that I would get on the wrong bus. My second concern was about missing my stop. The latter was amplified when I asked 3 different people about the stop and they all said they had no idea where it was. I do know how to read and I saw it on the timetable, but those schedules are a little confusing and the fact that no one seemed to know where I was going didn't do anything to calm my nerves. Fortunately, the bus driver at least knew what stop it was and gladly took my money to pay for the fare. I had an hour to be on the bus, which meant I could have taken a nap, but then I would have run the risk of missing my stop. Instead, I settled in with my i-Pod (thanks, Daddy) and enjoyed the ride.
Here's what you should know about the bus. It is not your ordinary public bus like the ones we're used to in the U.S. This is a tour bus, with the comfortable, upholstered seats and the cargo hold underneath for people to leave their large items. The ride itself was rather pleasant. I was able to see all of the fields and the cows and the trees and the sky...
And as you pass by these large fields with miles of nothing else in sight, there is a bus stop. It's in the middle of nowhere, usually covered, I'm assuming as a protection from unfavorable weather conditions. Mommy and I were shocked when we saw them, mostly because we never saw buses, and certainly never saw people walking down any of these roads. But I'm here to say that people actually do use these seemingly random bus stops.
Bus stops in France, much like the streets, are difficult to identify if you're not sure exactly where you're going. 45 minutes into the trip, I realized that I really had no clue where I was and I was never able to see the names of the stops. On high alert for the duration, I did manage press the "STOP" button which illuminated the "ARRETE DEMANDE" sign just in time to get off at the right stop. Julie was waiting for me and took me 90-second drive to her house.
At Julie's house, I met her husband and two sons. The oldest will be 3 years old in December and the baby is 6 months. We had lunch, which was great (steak and cauliflower au gratin), then we went shopping. I was shopping for necessities. Remember how cold it gets here, and now we're getting into ski season so all the sporting goods stores are having sales. We went to this place similar to Big 5, and located right next to Carrefour (French Wal-Mart). I got some long-sleeved t-shirts, tights, thermal items and fleeces to ensure my comfort during the winter months.
Next we went to downtown Caen. There's a store that sells fresh pasta, as in you can watch them make it from scratch fresh. Julie picked some up for dinner. We stopped in a book store to get some Disney reading for her older son and we went to Sephora. In all of the walking, I saw a Pizza Hut and a Subway.
Then it was back to Julie's house. I got to meet one of her step-sisters who is a couple years older than I and wants to get me in touch with of friend of hers from Ecuador knows a lot of foreign students in the area. And then I met Karine, who is 2 weeks away from having her first child. Karine is an English teacher here at Lycée Charles Tellier but she's been out on maternity leave since my arrival. She'll be back in January, at which time, Joceline will be transferred to another location. Karine and her husband joined us for dinner. It was nice to finally meet Karine since I've heard so much about her. I now have a face to put with the name.
Sunday is market day in Caen. Il y a tous que vous voulez au marché (There is everything you want at the market). You can buy any and everything at the market. From clothes to music to posters to live shellfish to fresh produce to meat to furniture to things I won't mention on this family-friendly blog...It's all there. Market days vary from town to town, but they always feature small producers and fresh products. It's like the Gardena Swap Meet had a baby with a farmer. Apparently Converse shoes are really popular right now.
I got to take pictures of some of the beautiful architecture in Caen. In the midst of some really great old sites, there was this horrible modern building that is, of course, the courthouse. I passed on taking a picture of it, but if anyone really wants to see the monstrosity, I'll be sure to snap it the next time I'm there. This is city hall, which was originally a church built by William the Conquerer.
After the excursion to Caen, we went back to the house and had lunch. And napped. Then Julie's father and step-mother came over and we all went to a park. Julie's dad lives in a village that is home to my newest favorite pastry.
It is so delicious. Something like a long croissant with so much butter it comes through the package and it's slightly sweet. Oh it just melts in your mouth...But I still love my choquettes.
Monday arrived and along came the work. Andrea spent the night because the German students had a trip to Caen scheduled for today. She and I had this big plan to walk to one of the local bars and hang out last night, but it started raining cats and dogs. So we ended up in the teachers' lounge online until nearly 11:00 and went to bed. The plan was to try again Tuesday night, but I got sick so that was a no go.
The week was pretty uneventful given the terrible cold I came down with, so there's not much to report. And here we are at yet another weekend, which I occupied with grocery shopping, laundry and finally unpacking my suitcases. I also got to know Mme Demazy better. From this point forward, she is Marie-Andre.
It's vacation! Friday was the last day of school until November 6. We're celebrating Toussaints (All Saints). Tomorrow morning, Vanessa is picking me up and taking me to spend two days with her family. Then on Wednesday I'm going back to La Manche to spend the rest of the week and weekend with Corinne's family. I told you those pictures would come soon.
That's all I have for now. Aren't you glad? I promise not to make these extended gaps between posts routine. I would hate for you to stop checking up on me because I'm regularly derelict in my duty.
Bises,
Mlle. Alicia
On Saturday I went to Julie's house, which provided me my first encounter with public transportation in Condé. Had it not been for le stage, I would have gone home with Julie after school on Friday, but we returned to Condé so late that this just was not an option. On Thursday afternoon, Julie told me what bus line to take and at what times. I'm no stranger to public transportation. Some of you may remember my refusal to get a driver's license and the many bus passes I purchased from San Diego City College while I was in high school. But the Bus Vert had me worried.
My first concern was that I would get on the wrong bus. My second concern was about missing my stop. The latter was amplified when I asked 3 different people about the stop and they all said they had no idea where it was. I do know how to read and I saw it on the timetable, but those schedules are a little confusing and the fact that no one seemed to know where I was going didn't do anything to calm my nerves. Fortunately, the bus driver at least knew what stop it was and gladly took my money to pay for the fare. I had an hour to be on the bus, which meant I could have taken a nap, but then I would have run the risk of missing my stop. Instead, I settled in with my i-Pod (thanks, Daddy) and enjoyed the ride.
Here's what you should know about the bus. It is not your ordinary public bus like the ones we're used to in the U.S. This is a tour bus, with the comfortable, upholstered seats and the cargo hold underneath for people to leave their large items. The ride itself was rather pleasant. I was able to see all of the fields and the cows and the trees and the sky...
And as you pass by these large fields with miles of nothing else in sight, there is a bus stop. It's in the middle of nowhere, usually covered, I'm assuming as a protection from unfavorable weather conditions. Mommy and I were shocked when we saw them, mostly because we never saw buses, and certainly never saw people walking down any of these roads. But I'm here to say that people actually do use these seemingly random bus stops.
Bus stops in France, much like the streets, are difficult to identify if you're not sure exactly where you're going. 45 minutes into the trip, I realized that I really had no clue where I was and I was never able to see the names of the stops. On high alert for the duration, I did manage press the "STOP" button which illuminated the "ARRETE DEMANDE" sign just in time to get off at the right stop. Julie was waiting for me and took me 90-second drive to her house.
At Julie's house, I met her husband and two sons. The oldest will be 3 years old in December and the baby is 6 months. We had lunch, which was great (steak and cauliflower au gratin), then we went shopping. I was shopping for necessities. Remember how cold it gets here, and now we're getting into ski season so all the sporting goods stores are having sales. We went to this place similar to Big 5, and located right next to Carrefour (French Wal-Mart). I got some long-sleeved t-shirts, tights, thermal items and fleeces to ensure my comfort during the winter months.
Next we went to downtown Caen. There's a store that sells fresh pasta, as in you can watch them make it from scratch fresh. Julie picked some up for dinner. We stopped in a book store to get some Disney reading for her older son and we went to Sephora. In all of the walking, I saw a Pizza Hut and a Subway.Then it was back to Julie's house. I got to meet one of her step-sisters who is a couple years older than I and wants to get me in touch with of friend of hers from Ecuador knows a lot of foreign students in the area. And then I met Karine, who is 2 weeks away from having her first child. Karine is an English teacher here at Lycée Charles Tellier but she's been out on maternity leave since my arrival. She'll be back in January, at which time, Joceline will be transferred to another location. Karine and her husband joined us for dinner. It was nice to finally meet Karine since I've heard so much about her. I now have a face to put with the name.
This is what Mommy and I slept through on Sunday in Caen:
Sunday is market day in Caen. Il y a tous que vous voulez au marché (There is everything you want at the market). You can buy any and everything at the market. From clothes to music to posters to live shellfish to fresh produce to meat to furniture to things I won't mention on this family-friendly blog...It's all there. Market days vary from town to town, but they always feature small producers and fresh products. It's like the Gardena Swap Meet had a baby with a farmer. Apparently Converse shoes are really popular right now.
I got to take pictures of some of the beautiful architecture in Caen. In the midst of some really great old sites, there was this horrible modern building that is, of course, the courthouse. I passed on taking a picture of it, but if anyone really wants to see the monstrosity, I'll be sure to snap it the next time I'm there. This is city hall, which was originally a church built by William the Conquerer.
After the excursion to Caen, we went back to the house and had lunch. And napped. Then Julie's father and step-mother came over and we all went to a park. Julie's dad lives in a village that is home to my newest favorite pastry.
It is so delicious. Something like a long croissant with so much butter it comes through the package and it's slightly sweet. Oh it just melts in your mouth...But I still love my choquettes.Monday arrived and along came the work. Andrea spent the night because the German students had a trip to Caen scheduled for today. She and I had this big plan to walk to one of the local bars and hang out last night, but it started raining cats and dogs. So we ended up in the teachers' lounge online until nearly 11:00 and went to bed. The plan was to try again Tuesday night, but I got sick so that was a no go.
The week was pretty uneventful given the terrible cold I came down with, so there's not much to report. And here we are at yet another weekend, which I occupied with grocery shopping, laundry and finally unpacking my suitcases. I also got to know Mme Demazy better. From this point forward, she is Marie-Andre.
It's vacation! Friday was the last day of school until November 6. We're celebrating Toussaints (All Saints). Tomorrow morning, Vanessa is picking me up and taking me to spend two days with her family. Then on Wednesday I'm going back to La Manche to spend the rest of the week and weekend with Corinne's family. I told you those pictures would come soon.
That's all I have for now. Aren't you glad? I promise not to make these extended gaps between posts routine. I would hate for you to stop checking up on me because I'm regularly derelict in my duty.
Bises,
Mlle. Alicia
Friday, October 17, 2008
And now I've made some friends!
English-speaking ones at that.
Today was my official orientation, also known as le stage. Vanessa and I drove to Argentan at 8:00 this morning to be on time for the 9:00 start. We were about 10 minutes late, but nothing had started so it didn't matter. Our meeting was for all of the English teaching assistants in l'académie de Caen. The French school system is divided into académies, similar to our districts in the U.S., but there are fewer of them. In the whole country there are 30 académies.
In l'académie de Caen, there are 14 English teaching assistants. I am the only one from California, though one East Coast native just graduated from Carey's alma mater, Occidental. He mentioned to someone that he went to college in California. When I asked him where, he said "just a small college that I'm sure you've never heard of..."
There is also a young man who doesn't speak a word of French working at one of the schools. Apparently an American male dropped out at the last minute and people were looking for someone to replace him. This young man from England was in the area with his girlfriend's family and jumped at the opportunity.
The first part of today's meeting reminded me of some of the ridiculous business meetings I've attended for various organization. All but one of teachers took it as an opportunity to complain about the organization of the school system and the assistantship program. Then there were all of the assistants who have had serious problems since arriving. I'm just thankful that my rent is currently free (though that may change), I haven't had to move nor will I be moving, and I don't work with 12 different teachers.
Anyway, we received this lengthy list of rules of things that we are and are not allowed to do, some of which Vanessa and I have already broken. Apparently I was only supposed to observe until attending this meeting and I'm never supposed to work with more than 12 students by myself. Oops... We also went through a debate exercise and discussed activities that we can do with the classes. We should be receiving a large e-mail soon with all of the documents and discussion topics from today. Hard copies in organized folders would have been nice, but the French don't really do things the way we do.
I have a new favorite pastry. I need to doublecheck the spelling, but its choquettes. They're these little airpuffed things with sugar on top and they are delicious. I've been told they're also made with cream or chocolate filling, but the airy ones are just fine by me. Someone brought them into the teachers' lounge a couple days ago. The bad looked familiar, like the ones from what I've already decided is my favorite patisserie, but I wasn't sure. Well, I went there today and there they were! I bought 12 since they're cheap. But they're little, I swear they are. And Vanessa had some...well, 1.
À bientôt,
Mlle. Alicia
Today was my official orientation, also known as le stage. Vanessa and I drove to Argentan at 8:00 this morning to be on time for the 9:00 start. We were about 10 minutes late, but nothing had started so it didn't matter. Our meeting was for all of the English teaching assistants in l'académie de Caen. The French school system is divided into académies, similar to our districts in the U.S., but there are fewer of them. In the whole country there are 30 académies.
In l'académie de Caen, there are 14 English teaching assistants. I am the only one from California, though one East Coast native just graduated from Carey's alma mater, Occidental. He mentioned to someone that he went to college in California. When I asked him where, he said "just a small college that I'm sure you've never heard of..."
There is also a young man who doesn't speak a word of French working at one of the schools. Apparently an American male dropped out at the last minute and people were looking for someone to replace him. This young man from England was in the area with his girlfriend's family and jumped at the opportunity.
The first part of today's meeting reminded me of some of the ridiculous business meetings I've attended for various organization. All but one of teachers took it as an opportunity to complain about the organization of the school system and the assistantship program. Then there were all of the assistants who have had serious problems since arriving. I'm just thankful that my rent is currently free (though that may change), I haven't had to move nor will I be moving, and I don't work with 12 different teachers.
Anyway, we received this lengthy list of rules of things that we are and are not allowed to do, some of which Vanessa and I have already broken. Apparently I was only supposed to observe until attending this meeting and I'm never supposed to work with more than 12 students by myself. Oops... We also went through a debate exercise and discussed activities that we can do with the classes. We should be receiving a large e-mail soon with all of the documents and discussion topics from today. Hard copies in organized folders would have been nice, but the French don't really do things the way we do.
I have a new favorite pastry. I need to doublecheck the spelling, but its choquettes. They're these little airpuffed things with sugar on top and they are delicious. I've been told they're also made with cream or chocolate filling, but the airy ones are just fine by me. Someone brought them into the teachers' lounge a couple days ago. The bad looked familiar, like the ones from what I've already decided is my favorite patisserie, but I wasn't sure. Well, I went there today and there they were! I bought 12 since they're cheap. But they're little, I swear they are. And Vanessa had some...well, 1.
À bientôt,
Mlle. Alicia
Thursday, October 16, 2008
I FORGOT SOMETHING!
I just wanted to publicly wish my baby brother a happy 18th birthday.
Joyeux Anniversaire Mon Petit Frère!
Je t'aime.
Joyeux Anniversaire Mon Petit Frère!
Je t'aime.
I questioned my intelligence...
...because of a crossword puzzle Vanessa gave to the students. It was a vocabulary exercise, finding the opposite of the clues. I'll give them all to you now.
Thank God for Wine & Cheese Wednesdays! Nothing spectacular to report. We had cheese, drank red wine. Lunch was really good. I had some type of unidentified fish that was seasoned really well, carrots and fries. Andrea stayed for lunch and Nela was with her. Nela is the Spanish assistant at the school in Flers with Andrea and they're roommates. I've been friends with Nela on Facebook for a couple weeks now but that was the first time we'd met in person.
That's all for now, but I'll be back soon.
Bon baiser,
Mlle. Alicia
- enthusiastic-bored
- calm-rough
- satiated-hungry
- happy-miserable
- dry-wet
- empty-crowded
- comfortable-uncomfortable
- fit-seasick
- warm-cold
- rich-poor
- sunny-stormy
- King sized bed-bunk
- relaxed-worried
Thank God for Wine & Cheese Wednesdays! Nothing spectacular to report. We had cheese, drank red wine. Lunch was really good. I had some type of unidentified fish that was seasoned really well, carrots and fries. Andrea stayed for lunch and Nela was with her. Nela is the Spanish assistant at the school in Flers with Andrea and they're roommates. I've been friends with Nela on Facebook for a couple weeks now but that was the first time we'd met in person.
That's all for now, but I'll be back soon.
Bon baiser,
Mlle. Alicia
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
And then I was left on my own...
...with students.
On Monday, Vanessa decided to divide her classes into two groups. For half of the class, one group did oral exercises in one room with me while the other had some sort of lecture in another room with her. Then we switched.
Getting the students to engage in the younger classes was a little difficult, though I wasn't surprised. However, when I got the seniors, I wanted to scream. Somehow the boys and girls ended up in separate groups and I had the boys first. They were actually very attentive and participated well, except for one who would not talk at all. Then I got the girls. Only one of them willingly participated, such that I had to tell her she wasn't allowed to anymore, but the others were mute. Frustrating doesn't even begin to describe it...
Tuesday was an exercise in guidance, which can be difficult. I had a group of students in the computer lab working in pairs on a writing assignment. I task was to tell them that something was wrong when I see it, but not specifically say what the problem was because they had to fix it on their own. Even the Joceline said she finds this difficult.
Here are my two pieces of advice (thank you, Dr. Norgaisse):
Can't wait for lunch tomorrow!
Tout à l'heure,
Mlle. Alicia
On Monday, Vanessa decided to divide her classes into two groups. For half of the class, one group did oral exercises in one room with me while the other had some sort of lecture in another room with her. Then we switched.
Getting the students to engage in the younger classes was a little difficult, though I wasn't surprised. However, when I got the seniors, I wanted to scream. Somehow the boys and girls ended up in separate groups and I had the boys first. They were actually very attentive and participated well, except for one who would not talk at all. Then I got the girls. Only one of them willingly participated, such that I had to tell her she wasn't allowed to anymore, but the others were mute. Frustrating doesn't even begin to describe it...
Tuesday was an exercise in guidance, which can be difficult. I had a group of students in the computer lab working in pairs on a writing assignment. I task was to tell them that something was wrong when I see it, but not specifically say what the problem was because they had to fix it on their own. Even the Joceline said she finds this difficult.
Here are my two pieces of advice (thank you, Dr. Norgaisse):
- Use short, simple sentences.
- Read your writing aloud and correct what you hear.
Can't wait for lunch tomorrow!
Tout à l'heure,
Mlle. Alicia
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Peut-être il y a quelque chose à faire le dimanche...
Today was such a beautiful day in Condé-sur-Noireau. I didn't have anything planned so I got up when it suited me. I didn't even check the time. I ate some cereal, watched a movie and eventually got dressed. Around 1:00 in the afternoon, I decided to take a walk.
These are the flowers just outside of the flat:
The fields with cows just across the way...(better cow pics to follow)
Look at the leaves! We don't have a lot of changing colors like this in Southern California.
This is the local sport complex. There's a pool, the soccer field, and a small skate park on the right.
I was walking along, minding my own business when I heard my name being shouted over a megaphone. Turns out some of my students who were at the skate park spotted me on the street and were calling me over. I hung out for about 10 minutes, but when a dozen 15-year-olds all pulled out cigarettes, I chose to make my exit. For all who don't know, smoking is illegal under the age of 15, and alcohol under 18, but no one enforces these laws, not even in retail locations.
Behind that line of trees in the last picture is a nice little park. I don't know if it's always as peaceful as it was today, but I spent 2 hours there this afternoon. There's a river and a couple bridges that cross it, a nice swing set/jungle gym area for kids, and a sizable lake with lots of trees and ducks. I regretted not bringing a book.
When I left the park, I walked around a little more. I found a Catholic elementary/middle school and saw that the patisserie closest to the school had just closed for the day. I thought it would have closed earlier.
I eventually made my way back to the school to have a bite to eat and watch a movie. Mme Demazy stopped by to give me some of the quiche she had made for lunch and a jar of homemade apple jam that is soooooooooo good, a lot like apple sauce but better. I'm going to ask her to show me how to make it so that I'll have something interesting to share with you folks back home. That would make a good Christmas gift, huh?
The most interesting thing I did today happened right here on my computer. I was on Facebook talking to my friend Hilary who is currently doing a program similar to mine in Madrid (If you're interested in her blog, let me know and I'll give you the link). She told me to download Skype, which is like instant messaging for voice. I can have free conversations using the mic on my computer with anyone who has a Skype account. Using this same service, I can get international calling at great rates, and get a phone number that dials directly to my computer. I have 2 numbers, one for San Diego and one for LA, that reach my computer and it comes with voicemail. Pretty cool, right? I talked to Mommy and Alex for a while today. If you want the numbers, just let me know.
Bises,
Mlle. Alicia
These are the flowers just outside of the flat:
The fields with cows just across the way...(better cow pics to follow)
Look at the leaves! We don't have a lot of changing colors like this in Southern California.
This is the local sport complex. There's a pool, the soccer field, and a small skate park on the right.
I was walking along, minding my own business when I heard my name being shouted over a megaphone. Turns out some of my students who were at the skate park spotted me on the street and were calling me over. I hung out for about 10 minutes, but when a dozen 15-year-olds all pulled out cigarettes, I chose to make my exit. For all who don't know, smoking is illegal under the age of 15, and alcohol under 18, but no one enforces these laws, not even in retail locations.Behind that line of trees in the last picture is a nice little park. I don't know if it's always as peaceful as it was today, but I spent 2 hours there this afternoon. There's a river and a couple bridges that cross it, a nice swing set/jungle gym area for kids, and a sizable lake with lots of trees and ducks. I regretted not bringing a book.
When I left the park, I walked around a little more. I found a Catholic elementary/middle school and saw that the patisserie closest to the school had just closed for the day. I thought it would have closed earlier.
I eventually made my way back to the school to have a bite to eat and watch a movie. Mme Demazy stopped by to give me some of the quiche she had made for lunch and a jar of homemade apple jam that is soooooooooo good, a lot like apple sauce but better. I'm going to ask her to show me how to make it so that I'll have something interesting to share with you folks back home. That would make a good Christmas gift, huh?
The most interesting thing I did today happened right here on my computer. I was on Facebook talking to my friend Hilary who is currently doing a program similar to mine in Madrid (If you're interested in her blog, let me know and I'll give you the link). She told me to download Skype, which is like instant messaging for voice. I can have free conversations using the mic on my computer with anyone who has a Skype account. Using this same service, I can get international calling at great rates, and get a phone number that dials directly to my computer. I have 2 numbers, one for San Diego and one for LA, that reach my computer and it comes with voicemail. Pretty cool, right? I talked to Mommy and Alex for a while today. If you want the numbers, just let me know.
Bises,
Mlle. Alicia
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Answers to recently posed questions...
Bonjour mes amis!
Today is Saturday, October 11, 2008 and it is currently 9:40 pm in France. This is my first weekend in the flat alone and it is every bit as dull as I had been warned. Fortunately, I'm feeling a little under the weather today, so the downtime is welcome. As I'm sure you can guess, there's not much to report on my end. But of course, there is always something.
I went grocery shopping today. Vanessa picked me up around 10 am and drove me to Flers. She had her two daughters with her. Because I don't have a freezer, I have to go grocery shopping more frequently than I'd like, but there are worse things in life.
I don't know if I mentioned this before, but there is a Black woman who lives in the flat below mine. Her name is Mme Demazy. She's originally from Martinique and has only lived here for a year. She is the school's financial secretary and she works a lot, meaning late into the night and on the weekends. She's actually in her office right now. She seems pretty nice, but a little standoffish.
Since that's all there currently is to report about my life, I thought I'd go through the comments I've received thus far and answer some of the recently posed questions. Most of them are from Mommy, but the rest of you may find the information interesting. So here we go...
So that's all for now. Tomorrow is going to be yet another uneventful day with rien à faire le dimanche....
Bises,
Mlle. Alicia
Today is Saturday, October 11, 2008 and it is currently 9:40 pm in France. This is my first weekend in the flat alone and it is every bit as dull as I had been warned. Fortunately, I'm feeling a little under the weather today, so the downtime is welcome. As I'm sure you can guess, there's not much to report on my end. But of course, there is always something.
I went grocery shopping today. Vanessa picked me up around 10 am and drove me to Flers. She had her two daughters with her. Because I don't have a freezer, I have to go grocery shopping more frequently than I'd like, but there are worse things in life.
I don't know if I mentioned this before, but there is a Black woman who lives in the flat below mine. Her name is Mme Demazy. She's originally from Martinique and has only lived here for a year. She is the school's financial secretary and she works a lot, meaning late into the night and on the weekends. She's actually in her office right now. She seems pretty nice, but a little standoffish.
Since that's all there currently is to report about my life, I thought I'd go through the comments I've received thus far and answer some of the recently posed questions. Most of them are from Mommy, but the rest of you may find the information interesting. So here we go...
- Will you be in the same place Papa was during the war?
- Does Corinne’s family speak English?
- Have you had dinner with the students?
- Am I looking into options for getting my hair done?
- Do the French actually understand the English they hear on the radio?
So that's all for now. Tomorrow is going to be yet another uneventful day with rien à faire le dimanche....
Bises,
Mlle. Alicia
Friday, October 10, 2008
Je dois boire du vin, manger du fromage et jouer aux cartes...
Wine + Cheese + Cards = Wednesday
Every Wednesday, there is a group of teachers who go to lunch together in the cafeteria. They bring wine and cheese along with them. Afterward, they play cards in the teachers' lounge. I have just been indoctrinated. Well, almost. I went to lunch because I was invited and I'm trying to be sociable. I had not planned at all to drink, though I had considered trying out some of the cheeses. I love cheese, but truth be told, I'm about as American as we come when it comes to my favorites, and the only French cheese I really like is Camembert. I'm not a wine fan. It makes me sleepy and I'm staying away from alcohol because it impedes my ability to speak French. Julien, one of the teachers, said the three things I must do in France are drink wine, eat cheese and play cards, so I let the peer pressure get to me...
I didn't show out. I tasted a little bit of everything and they applauded me for being polite. I got to know the assistant headmaster in all of this. I hadn't previously interacted with her because she's always in her office, never in the teachers' lounge, and I got to know a few other teachers better. It was pretty fun.
You probably really want to know if I've been working though, huh? Like I said, I have a schedule. It's a little crazy though. I have 5 hours on Monday, 2 in the morning and 3 in the afternoon; 1 hour late Tuesday afternoon; 4 hours Wednesday morning (remember Wednesdays are minimum days so school is out at noon); 1 hour Thursday morning; and 1 hour Friday morning. I also have the ability to swap and trade hours within reason and as the teachers need me. So long as I work 12 hours per week, I have quite a bit of freedom.
Wednesday, two of the classes that I worked with were in the computer lab. The teacher's work station allows you to view each of the students' activities. I can pull up what they're working on, send them messages, give them files, they can send me their work, and I can remotely shut their stations down. I've been told this kind of equipment is really common, so why have I never seen it before?
It has been surprisingly warm lately, with temperatures reaching the high 60s. I haven't been using the heater too much, and today I actually opened the windows. I have even been in class without a fleece or a jacket on. It's been terribly foggy every morning, but by afternoon, the sun is shining beautifully. It doesn't get dark til nearly 8:00 at night, so I'll probably take a walk into town this evening. Tomorrow, Vanessa is going to take me to Flers so I can buy groceries and such. Next weekend I'm going to stay with Julie and her family. She said she'll take me to Caen to do a little shopping and see some of the city.
By the way, students keep asking me if I am for Obama. Or they'll ask how I feel about the economic crisis. They don't really have much to say on the topics themselves, but everyone loves Obama... The French Yahoo front page had an article about race as factor in the upcoming election. I haven't read it yet, but as soon as I do, I'll be sure to let you know what it says.
Bises,
Mlle. Alicia
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
I got to do something!
So today was eventful and yet not all at once. I didn't really have anything to do until 4:00 this afternoon, but I had set my alarm last night with the intention of visiting classes today. Unfortunately, I forgot to set it before falling asleep last night and when I work up in the wee hours of the morning and did it, I apparently set it for evening instead of morning because it was almost 10:00 when I woke up again. And those Occupationesqe blackout blinds don't help the situation...Anyway, I just wanted to give a quick update on things here in France.
Today I went to one of Joceline's classes where I actually got to do something. There were about 15 students in the class. We started with them asking me questions about where I'm from, why I'm in France now, what my interests are, etc. to help them with their speaking proficiency and correctly phrasing questions. All of the students are Obama supporters, though people keep telling me that these kids are not at all interested in politics. They love that I'm really into to Jennifer Hudson (by the way, I love her new album) and the Black boy, Olivier (add him to our count), was really interested in my love of MJB (Mary J. Blige, if you don't know) and wanted me to tell him all my favorite MJB songs. Then there was Quentin, who asked me to sing something. They all wanted to put in requests, so we agreed that maybe it could be added to next week's class session. (On a related note, I've been asked to join a band here, but more on that at another time.) And Olivier wanted to know if I knew my African roots. I should have asked him if he knows his, though he probably does...
Then we did an exercise involving letter writing. They were given 4 sample letters and asked to identify them as formal, less formal, informal or friendly. Then they had to identify the sender, receiver and other aspects of the letters. All of this was placed in a chart and then we asked the students to come write their work on the board.
After all of the answers were up, I went over the answers with the students. They could not understand why I asked them why they chose certain responses. I explained that it was only to help them think and that they weren't necessarily incorrect, but there was a better one. All in all, it was a pretty cool experience and now I've started a competition amongst the classes. Actually, the students started it, but each class section is out to prove that it is the best of all the ones that I work with (yes, I am teaching English, but please spare me the lecture on ending this sentence with a preposition).
À bientôt,
Mlle. Alicia
Today I went to one of Joceline's classes where I actually got to do something. There were about 15 students in the class. We started with them asking me questions about where I'm from, why I'm in France now, what my interests are, etc. to help them with their speaking proficiency and correctly phrasing questions. All of the students are Obama supporters, though people keep telling me that these kids are not at all interested in politics. They love that I'm really into to Jennifer Hudson (by the way, I love her new album) and the Black boy, Olivier (add him to our count), was really interested in my love of MJB (Mary J. Blige, if you don't know) and wanted me to tell him all my favorite MJB songs. Then there was Quentin, who asked me to sing something. They all wanted to put in requests, so we agreed that maybe it could be added to next week's class session. (On a related note, I've been asked to join a band here, but more on that at another time.) And Olivier wanted to know if I knew my African roots. I should have asked him if he knows his, though he probably does...
Then we did an exercise involving letter writing. They were given 4 sample letters and asked to identify them as formal, less formal, informal or friendly. Then they had to identify the sender, receiver and other aspects of the letters. All of this was placed in a chart and then we asked the students to come write their work on the board.
After all of the answers were up, I went over the answers with the students. They could not understand why I asked them why they chose certain responses. I explained that it was only to help them think and that they weren't necessarily incorrect, but there was a better one. All in all, it was a pretty cool experience and now I've started a competition amongst the classes. Actually, the students started it, but each class section is out to prove that it is the best of all the ones that I work with (yes, I am teaching English, but please spare me the lecture on ending this sentence with a preposition).
À bientôt,
Mlle. Alicia
Monday, October 6, 2008
Rien à faire le dimanche: Part Deux
For all in need of a translation, the title is "Nothing to do on Sundays: Part 2." Too bad they don't have Lifetime out here...I got up at 10:00 Sunday morning and got dressed just to find that everyone else was still in bed so I went back to bed too.
My first weekend here without Mommy was pretty cool. On Friday after classes, I went home with Corine. We had dinner and then she and her husband Jacques went to Caen for their dance class. I watched 4 episodes of NCIS in French while they were gone. That show is really popular here and there are only 5 channels of free television available. When Corine and Jacques returned from Caen, we loaded up the car and made the 90-minute drive to Corine's mother's house in La Rondhaye.
I rolled out of bed around 11:00 Saturday morning, got dressed and went downstairs to have a bowl of cereal. Corine only buys chocolate cereal, which makes me very happy. After my breakfast, Corine and I went grocery shopping. Jacques was off fixing up a house that they plan to put on the market soon and Corine's mom Linette was out with friends.
After we got the groceries put away, Corine took me next door to her sister's house. Christine, a.k.a. Kiki, is married to Bénoît and they have 3 children. The oldest son is a 15-year-old army buff who gave me a bunch of pamphlets and a book to read about World War II and historical sites in the area. Reading material in hand, Corine took me for a drive.
First we went to the beach. There are 5 D-Day beaches in Normandy (Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah). The American military landed on Utah and Omaha Beaches. We went to Utah. There are a lot of memorials and statutes there and the beach is pretty. Utah Beach is located in the Manche department. Condé-sur-Noireau is in Calvados. In the picture to the left, I'm standing on Utah Beach looking at Calvados on the horizon.
Next we went to Le Musée de la liberté retrouvée (the Museum of Liberty Regained) in the town of Quinéville, about 10 minutes from Utah Beach. On the way to the museum, we stopped along the route to eat sandwiches. I ate mine inside the car as it was too cold out there for me, while Corine got out to get some air.
Anyway, the museum was "pas mal," as Corine kept describing it, or not bad. It's a small private facility dedicated to life in France under the German Occupation and the time period immediately following the end of the war. I thought it was pretty interesting. The museum sits on what was once a Nazi bunker with a great view of the beach. Corine was trying not to be photographed, but she got caught...
NOTE: I have more pictures that I'm organizing into a slide show to share with everyone when I get home in December, so don't worry about the limited shots provided in the blog.
After the museum, Corine took me to the town of St. Mère-Église. During the invasion of
Normandy, as many of you already know, the U.S. dropped a lot of paratroopers into the region. One of these men got stuck on the church in St. Mère-Église and just hung there for many hours. He didn't die there though. Anyway, there is a paratrooping mannequin now attached to the side of the church.
The other title I was going to give this post was "I'm eating my way through France..." My mother's comment about bakeries and their proximity to the school deterred me, but if I keep hanging out with Corine, that's exactly what's going to happen.
I don't remember if I told you how good dinner was when Mommy and I ate there last week, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, and Friday night was good too. However, Saturday was amazing. Corine and Linette made blanquette de veau (veal in a cream sauce), with potatoes, fresh veggies and a tarte aux pommes (apple tart) for dessert. One of Jacques brothers, plus his wife and 3 kids, joined us for dinner.
Much like the American South, Sunday only has one real meal and it usually occurs between noon and 4:00 pm. We went to Kiki's house and ate with her family plus a friend. Kiki made French fries, which you know made me very happy. She cooks in her fireplace. I mean she seriously has one of those iron pots hanging from the chimney over the open flames. We had coq (rooster, not chicken...). And then there was dessert. Kiki had gotten an assortment of things from a bakery that they love but are now boycotting. Since I wouldn't be able to have those things again, I ate plenty. Then there's the chocolate cake that Kiki made with three different chocolates and mousse. It was wonderful.
What was even better than all the good food itself, was the gathering of family. While I had a great time, both of those meals made me really homesick. Anyway, I'll apologize in advance for the lack of pictures of these people, the food and the farmland, but they already said I can come back anytime I want since I'll be around until spring, so I'll get pictures on the next trip. Kiki has a golden retriever that will give birth in the spring and Bénoît makes honey on their land. I want to see the puppies and the bees.
So now it's Monday. Today I met the philosophy teacher whose class I'll be "taking" on Tuesday mornings. I figure I can beef up my French skills by sitting in on real French classes. The flaw in the design is the students aren't supposed to know that I speak French. Anyway, I spent most of the morning burning CDs, for academic purposes of course. Joceline gave me a set of English teaching CDs and asked me to copy them because there is only one set currently being shared by 3 instructors. She saw me playing around on iTunes and figured I must know how to do this...
Then I spent the last 3 periods of the day in Vanessa's classes. I'm still not doing anything, but I'm here. I'm really impressed by the students' commands of the English language. They can carry full conversations. When I was 16, I definitely couldn't speak to anyone in French.
By the way, we can add 3 to the list of Black students I've seen. 2 of the boys have their hair braided. I wonder where they get it done...
Bon baiser,
Mlle. Alicia
My first weekend here without Mommy was pretty cool. On Friday after classes, I went home with Corine. We had dinner and then she and her husband Jacques went to Caen for their dance class. I watched 4 episodes of NCIS in French while they were gone. That show is really popular here and there are only 5 channels of free television available. When Corine and Jacques returned from Caen, we loaded up the car and made the 90-minute drive to Corine's mother's house in La Rondhaye.
I rolled out of bed around 11:00 Saturday morning, got dressed and went downstairs to have a bowl of cereal. Corine only buys chocolate cereal, which makes me very happy. After my breakfast, Corine and I went grocery shopping. Jacques was off fixing up a house that they plan to put on the market soon and Corine's mom Linette was out with friends.
After we got the groceries put away, Corine took me next door to her sister's house. Christine, a.k.a. Kiki, is married to Bénoît and they have 3 children. The oldest son is a 15-year-old army buff who gave me a bunch of pamphlets and a book to read about World War II and historical sites in the area. Reading material in hand, Corine took me for a drive.
First we went to the beach. There are 5 D-Day beaches in Normandy (Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah). The American military landed on Utah and Omaha Beaches. We went to Utah. There are a lot of memorials and statutes there and the beach is pretty. Utah Beach is located in the Manche department. Condé-sur-Noireau is in Calvados. In the picture to the left, I'm standing on Utah Beach looking at Calvados on the horizon.Next we went to Le Musée de la liberté retrouvée (the Museum of Liberty Regained) in the town of Quinéville, about 10 minutes from Utah Beach. On the way to the museum, we stopped along the route to eat sandwiches. I ate mine inside the car as it was too cold out there for me, while Corine got out to get some air.
Anyway, the museum was "pas mal," as Corine kept describing it, or not bad. It's a small private facility dedicated to life in France under the German Occupation and the time period immediately following the end of the war. I thought it was pretty interesting. The museum sits on what was once a Nazi bunker with a great view of the beach. Corine was trying not to be photographed, but she got caught...
NOTE: I have more pictures that I'm organizing into a slide show to share with everyone when I get home in December, so don't worry about the limited shots provided in the blog.
After the museum, Corine took me to the town of St. Mère-Église. During the invasion of
Normandy, as many of you already know, the U.S. dropped a lot of paratroopers into the region. One of these men got stuck on the church in St. Mère-Église and just hung there for many hours. He didn't die there though. Anyway, there is a paratrooping mannequin now attached to the side of the church.The other title I was going to give this post was "I'm eating my way through France..." My mother's comment about bakeries and their proximity to the school deterred me, but if I keep hanging out with Corine, that's exactly what's going to happen.
I don't remember if I told you how good dinner was when Mommy and I ate there last week, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, and Friday night was good too. However, Saturday was amazing. Corine and Linette made blanquette de veau (veal in a cream sauce), with potatoes, fresh veggies and a tarte aux pommes (apple tart) for dessert. One of Jacques brothers, plus his wife and 3 kids, joined us for dinner.
Much like the American South, Sunday only has one real meal and it usually occurs between noon and 4:00 pm. We went to Kiki's house and ate with her family plus a friend. Kiki made French fries, which you know made me very happy. She cooks in her fireplace. I mean she seriously has one of those iron pots hanging from the chimney over the open flames. We had coq (rooster, not chicken...). And then there was dessert. Kiki had gotten an assortment of things from a bakery that they love but are now boycotting. Since I wouldn't be able to have those things again, I ate plenty. Then there's the chocolate cake that Kiki made with three different chocolates and mousse. It was wonderful.
What was even better than all the good food itself, was the gathering of family. While I had a great time, both of those meals made me really homesick. Anyway, I'll apologize in advance for the lack of pictures of these people, the food and the farmland, but they already said I can come back anytime I want since I'll be around until spring, so I'll get pictures on the next trip. Kiki has a golden retriever that will give birth in the spring and Bénoît makes honey on their land. I want to see the puppies and the bees.
So now it's Monday. Today I met the philosophy teacher whose class I'll be "taking" on Tuesday mornings. I figure I can beef up my French skills by sitting in on real French classes. The flaw in the design is the students aren't supposed to know that I speak French. Anyway, I spent most of the morning burning CDs, for academic purposes of course. Joceline gave me a set of English teaching CDs and asked me to copy them because there is only one set currently being shared by 3 instructors. She saw me playing around on iTunes and figured I must know how to do this...
Then I spent the last 3 periods of the day in Vanessa's classes. I'm still not doing anything, but I'm here. I'm really impressed by the students' commands of the English language. They can carry full conversations. When I was 16, I definitely couldn't speak to anyone in French.
By the way, we can add 3 to the list of Black students I've seen. 2 of the boys have their hair braided. I wonder where they get it done...
Bon baiser,
Mlle. Alicia
Thursday, October 2, 2008
I'm famous!
I've been here for exactly 7 days and I'm already in the paper. I know, you're all wondering what crime I could have possibly committed already. Maybe she left some uncouth graffiti on the side of a church, maybe she stole some bread from the local boulangerie, perhaps she went cow-tipping in all the many fields surrounding this town...
No, I got interviewed! I knew it was coming because the principal told me last week but I forgot. So today when I came to the teacher's lounge, I was surprised when a confused faculty member told me that a reporter was looking for me. Nicole Vallé (left) from the newspaper Ouest France wanted to talk to me about where I'm from, what brought me to France, how I discovered this particular opportunity, where I'm living while in France, etc... When it prints, I'll be sure to send copies home.
This was the initial setup for the welcome gathering. It was quite nice. Monsieur Duval, the principal, made a nice little speech and told us not to hesitate to ask for anything that we need and he hopes we find a welcoming environment here and he has no doubt that we will fit in well. Then we posed for some pictures for the newspaper and mingled, which offered me an opportunity to get to know Andrea.
If you're trilingual, you speak 3 languages. If you're bilingual, you speak 2 languages. If you're monolingual, you're...AMERICAN.
Meet Andrea (right). She is 22 years old and in her last year of university studies. She's the German assistant, teaching half of her hours here in Condé, and the other half in Flers, about 20 minutes away. She speaks German, her native language, French and English. The fatal flaw of the American education system is the lack of emphasis it places on foreign language education. In other countries, language studies are compulsory. In the U.S., you're lucky if you take Spanish. Anyway, I didn't get to speak with Andrea for very long, but we did exchange contact information and we're going to hang out after work on Monday and Wednesday because those are the days that our schedules are essentially identical.
Since I had all five of them in the same location for the first time since my arrival, I took a picture. This is the English faculty here at Lycée Charles Tellier.
All of my scheduled hours are with Vanessa, Julie and Joceline in the general high school, but I will also put in some time with Dominic and Corine in the vocational school. Today, Julie showed me what I will be working on with her and Joceline starting next week. It involves some acting and creativity on my part...
After watching for 4 consecutive days, I have concluded that French news is terribly depressing. Why? Because it's American news. The government, the economy, the upcoming election...It's all there. From my conversations with people, this is all French President Nicolas Sarkozy's fault because he is a liar who blames all French problems on the United States. I'm sure this claim warrants further investigation on my part, but that's what I got from three different people.
I'm staying with Corine's family somewhere in the French countryside this weekend. I'll have to get back to you on the name and all that. Anyway, it's about an hour and a half from Condé-sur-Noireau. On the drive, we were listening to the radio and there was some French rap song playing. Next thing I know, Foxy Brown is rapping on the track. The extent of the American influence over here...
That's all for now. I'll have details about my weekend and photos up as soon as possible.
Tout à l'heure,
Mlle. Alicia
No, I got interviewed! I knew it was coming because the principal told me last week but I forgot. So today when I came to the teacher's lounge, I was surprised when a confused faculty member told me that a reporter was looking for me. Nicole Vallé (left) from the newspaper Ouest France wanted to talk to me about where I'm from, what brought me to France, how I discovered this particular opportunity, where I'm living while in France, etc... When it prints, I'll be sure to send copies home.
This was the initial setup for the welcome gathering. It was quite nice. Monsieur Duval, the principal, made a nice little speech and told us not to hesitate to ask for anything that we need and he hopes we find a welcoming environment here and he has no doubt that we will fit in well. Then we posed for some pictures for the newspaper and mingled, which offered me an opportunity to get to know Andrea.If you're trilingual, you speak 3 languages. If you're bilingual, you speak 2 languages. If you're monolingual, you're...AMERICAN.
Meet Andrea (right). She is 22 years old and in her last year of university studies. She's the German assistant, teaching half of her hours here in Condé, and the other half in Flers, about 20 minutes away. She speaks German, her native language, French and English. The fatal flaw of the American education system is the lack of emphasis it places on foreign language education. In other countries, language studies are compulsory. In the U.S., you're lucky if you take Spanish. Anyway, I didn't get to speak with Andrea for very long, but we did exchange contact information and we're going to hang out after work on Monday and Wednesday because those are the days that our schedules are essentially identical.
Since I had all five of them in the same location for the first time since my arrival, I took a picture. This is the English faculty here at Lycée Charles Tellier.
Julie, Vanessa, Joceline, Dominic and Corine
All of my scheduled hours are with Vanessa, Julie and Joceline in the general high school, but I will also put in some time with Dominic and Corine in the vocational school. Today, Julie showed me what I will be working on with her and Joceline starting next week. It involves some acting and creativity on my part...After watching for 4 consecutive days, I have concluded that French news is terribly depressing. Why? Because it's American news. The government, the economy, the upcoming election...It's all there. From my conversations with people, this is all French President Nicolas Sarkozy's fault because he is a liar who blames all French problems on the United States. I'm sure this claim warrants further investigation on my part, but that's what I got from three different people.
I'm staying with Corine's family somewhere in the French countryside this weekend. I'll have to get back to you on the name and all that. Anyway, it's about an hour and a half from Condé-sur-Noireau. On the drive, we were listening to the radio and there was some French rap song playing. Next thing I know, Foxy Brown is rapping on the track. The extent of the American influence over here...
That's all for now. I'll have details about my weekend and photos up as soon as possible.
Tout à l'heure,
Mlle. Alicia
Celebrate Good Times
The teachers here are so nice. This is what the lunch hour looked like today in the teachers’ lounge:
Bises,
Vanessa says they love to find reasons to celebrate good things (and drink a little but not too much because they have to work…), so lunch will be like this again tomorrow. Today was for a teacher’s birthday; tomorrow will be for me and Andrea, the German teaching assistant. I still haven’t met her but she does in fact exist. Andrea has a flat in Flers, near the other school on her assignment. I think that I like not having to worry about commuting and remember twice as many names…
I accomplished the following three important things today:
- I got my work schedule and I really like it because my hours aren’t spaced out throughout the day and I have Fridays off.
- I opened a bank account. This is important because you can’t get access to that paycheck without it. I am the newest customer of Crédit du Nord. Having this account also means I can request a pay advance after completed item 3 on this list…
- I signed all of my employment paperwork. This means I am now officially an employee of the French government, working at Lycée Charles Tellier.
When I came back to the flat this evening, I was surprised to find I had been kicked out of my room. This is not really the proper way to say it but that’s almost what happened. All of my belongings were removed and I’m temporarily living in the smaller room next to mine while they finish painting and wallpapering my room. Given the work I’ve observed since my arrival, they’ll be in there until next Monday.
This was a pretty short post, probably because I posted yesterday as well. But fear not, I will post again very soon.
Bises,
Mlle. Alicia
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Jet Lag...
Does anyone have any advice for how to adjust to a new time zone? For whatever reason, my body is not liking this nine-hour difference. Any and all suggestions are welcome.
Bonne nuit,
Mlle. Alicia
Bonne nuit,
Mlle. Alicia
Lessons in Culture (Shock)
What is this???
This little man greeted Mommy and me at the restaurant Tuesday night. It really kinda threw me. At least his lips aren't that super bright red color. He doesn't look very happy though.
Did you know that the French all love Barack Obama? Too bad they aren't allowed to vote. I've been told that my presence might be quite a shock for some of the students in this school. The teachers were concerned when they found out I was from California. Why would anyone from California want to be out here in middle-of-nowhere France? Oh, but she is Afro-American and therefore not your typical Californian so she will be fine. For the most part, Blacks are hard to find out here. Of the approximately 600 students in the school, maybe 10 of them are Black, making them less than 2% of the student population. I've only seen three of them so far. Mommy says she saw three but I think she saw the same ones as I...
Have you ever been in a European salle de bain (bathroom)? I ask because it is quite a different experience from those that we have at home. I have a shower with a bathtub. There is no shower curtain and the French don't take baths. And somehow this is normal. You cannot take baths because the French are very big on conserving water at all times. But even if you're lucky enough to have a shower with a curtain or a partition, it does not encompass the entire shower. What I'm trying to get at is the fact that I make very big messes when I shower...I have requested a shower curtain.
In France, no one ever discusses money. Suzy (that is the correct spelling of her name) asked me if I would be opening a bank account and whether or not I had a salary for my position. She prefaced all of this with a statement along the lines of "Sorry for being so inquisitive but..." I learned from this conversation that money is the one thing no one can ever really discuss without being considered rude here. I explained to Suzy that in the United States, while it would be rude to outrightly ask how much someone makes or how they do this, that and a third with what they have would be quite offensive, there are ways to politely and tactfully gather the information you wish to know. Here, it is not possible (lol). You know how someone will say, "No disrespect, but..." and then say something terribly disrespectful as if it is now alright because they forewarned you? Well, the French have a phrase similar to it. They essentially apologize before asking the question that they know is rude to ask according to their cultural standards.
Last night was my first night in the flat. Mommy went back to Caen and stayed in the hotel by herself because she had to catch a train to Paris at 5:15 am so she can make her flight back to the good ol' U. S. of A. I was so pleased to find out that the heat works in there and I have my own personal thermostat for my room. Well, it's not really a thermostat like I'm used to at home, but it works to manage the temperature in my room. I actually got hot during the night, which is a really good sign. It is very cold out here, and now rainy, and I've previously commented on my temperature preferences so I'm quite pleased. Now all I need is a rug in my room because the floor is still very cold.
Today, I attended 4 English classes from 8:00 am until noon. Wednesdays are minimum class days for the students so they are always done at 12:00. All of the classes were taught by Vanessa (left), who I promised I would tell you more about. Well, I don't know much about her personally except that she has daughters and she teaches English at this school. I can tell you a little about what she is currently teaching though.The two subjects that are currently the focus of Vanessa's classes are emigration and slavery. One class read a Newsweek article from 2001 about an illegal Mexican immigrant while another class read an excerpt from Queen by Alex Haley. What I found most interesting about the latter were the subsequent exercises. The students were given a quotation of "Negro dialect" and asked to translate it to proper English.
Next up, the students will be learning about Jim Crow and segregation in the United States. Any of you who wish to create first-hand accounts to share with the students are welcome to put them in comments and/or e-mail them to me. In January, in observance of the Martin Luther King holiday, the students will present an exhibition on what they have learned.
In conversation with Vanessa, I learned the following two things:
- Racism is much more prevalent in the small towns and villages of France because they lack the diversity of larger cities (not shocking), and Condé-sur-Noireau is no exception. Vanessa uses these subjects to challenge the students' thinking processes and broaden their horizons.
- There is a Black man named McNair who lives in Caen and teaches baseball. That alone is not particularly interesting. What is interesting is that in the 70s, he hijacked an airplane, supposedly for the Black Panthers. The French government refused to extradite him back to the U.S. where they feared he wouldn't receive a fair trial, so he was tried and sentenced here to 5 years in prison. I need to remember to get his first name and Google to confirm this information. At any rate, Vanessa wants to invite him to speak to her students in the morning and then play ball with them for the afternoon, hopefully one day in February as part of Black History Month.
The students in the senior class were much more talkative and interested in talking to me than the other students. One of the boys asked a lot of questions and one of the girls, whose course of study places on emphasis on English language, lives on campus as a boarder and wants me to eat with her and her friends everyday. I don't think I'll be eating with the students everyday, but sometimes it will be nice I think. Her name is Olivia, by the way. I also met three of the student supervisors. They are all currently university students and roughly my age. I wonder if there are any women filling these positions because so far, I've only met men.
French teenagers are not much different from their American counterparts. They seem to have their cliques and they hold their side conversations in class. Some seem interested in their coursework, others appear bored and focused on other things. There are a few girls who look like they try really hard to get dressed for school in the morning with their skirts and their heels and their makeup, but overall, most of the kids don't seem that interested in fashion.
A word about fashion: Scarves are the hot accessory, so don't be surprised if you get one for Christmas. They're worn with sweaters, their worn with short sleeves. They're worn when its freezing, they're worn just to be worn.
Alright folks, I'm off to the library. Maybe I'll be back to post more later tonight. Don't forget to leave your comments.
À bientôt,
Mlle. Alicia
P.S. I forgot to comment on how easy it is to get French fried potatoes here. I've had them with almost every meal and I have yet to set foot in a fast food restaurant...I think things are going to be just fine here.
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