You don't want me to come in tomorrow, you say? Oh, ok then, if you insist...

Welcome to the world of an assistant - come the end of term, no-one wants you! The kids are tired, the teachers are tired, I'm tired, and all people can think about is 5pm tomorrow evening when they don't have to see each other again for at least 2 weeks.

This week I had no school in La Rochelle because I did double-hours last week, I was taken home from Courcon at 1pm today instead of 5pm, and got a text from my responsable in Surgeres saying that I needn't bother going in tomorrow - WIN!

Saying that, my suitcase is packed, i've raided iPlayer for all good shows and my house is currently having severe and frequent power cuts due to my French dad messing around with the electrics. I've read all the books I have here and I'm not even going near my Special Study until after the holidays.

So... I'm tempted to recap this term... but I think I've blogged most of what has happened. It's definitely been interesting. Horrible in parts but people and places have redeemed the crappiness that ocurred in the first month or so. I've had some awesome experiences and already feel like it's going to be difficult to tear myself away from my little house and my little French family. But i've got the next 4 months to worry about that :)

I'm off home on Saturday; I'm hoping and praying that the journey to Bordeaux airport will be hassle-free and that the snow doesn't hinder our journey - also getting worried about BA strikes... gahhhhh... but i'm trying to be positive and get in the Christmas spirit, even though all I want to do is go home right now! I'm loking forward to getting home to my family and my boyfriend (after a term if 7 weeks it gets DIFFICULT!), 'real' food (although I'm positive my French family would disagree with that!), my bed, my cat and the fact that it's CHRISTMAS :D

It's also amusing, in a small way, that there are a lot less 'Merry Christmas' signs and a lot more 'Happy Holidays'... and the French refuse to acknowledge America's influence... as one of my classes always reminds me "C'est un état LAIQUE!!!" :D

Bref, Joyeux Noel a tous!!! Joyeuses fetes and all that jazz :)

It's been a while!

I've neglected this blog for far too long!!!!!

Work has been quite steady, not boring as such but the kids are already starting to get antsy and definitely ready for the end of term.
I went to Paris for Lindsay and Fran's birthday celebration - my first time in Paris - I couldn't believe the price of things! There was a problem with my hostel room so i ended up staying at Jack's (and Jamie's, but he wasn't there!) for the night. I spent the afternoon watching the rugby with some other Bath students who were in Paris, Gina, Emma and Rebecca, then met the girls later on for a celebration in Bastille! It however tipped it down and it took us nearly 30 minutes to find a taxi!
The only downside to the weekend was the infrequency of Sunday transport - our metro back to Montparnasse usefully stopped a long way from the station, so instead of clambering onto the bus with the other 200 disappointed passangers, we got a taxi... which took FOREVER. I made my train however, unlike the people who chose to get the bus (ha!), but it was delayed at Niort, meaning I'd missed the last bus back to Angoulins... then I endured an hour's wait for the last train... then a 15 minute walk in the rain to my house... I was definitely ready for bed, and not ready for work at 7am the next morning!

Work that week was ok, lessons I'd planned went fine etc... I'm still slightly resentful that my Friday school gave me a class of year 10s to myself during the last period, 16.30-17.30 = NIGHTMARE. But I plan around their excitement and they've learnt that Rebecca DOES shout and get annoyed!

Last weekend, Caroline and I were invited to Francegiving, a big Thanksgiving house party and dinner for all the Frenchies and Americans (and 3 token 'others - me, a German and a New Zealander!) that the host, Marcus, knows. It was so nice to see what a traditional (ish) Thanksgiving would be like - I ate SO much food! We drank lots of good wine, demolished more food and watched the France vs New Zealand rugby match... I forgot how riled I get about rugby when I'm around people who are also passionate about it! We got a taxi home in the early hours and slept off our food hangover the next day :)




This past week has been fruitful in places - I recieved 2 CAF payments, meaning I get half of my rent reimbursed every week - BRILLIANT! :D
Monday, I went to La Rochelle and stocked up on teabags from the big supermarket, and bought some new jumpers so that I can face the 'fierce' winter! Hardly fierce compared to the UK, as we're on the coast, but bless my 'parents' for caring.
I've been working on my special study, worked Thursday, and got sent home from work on Friday due to feeling like death warmed up.
After a good night's sleep, Saturday passed nicely. Caroline and I seemed to have finally worked past all cultural/family differences that we had with our 'parents and this weekend has been very restorative; we did things we used to do when we'd just moved in, such as going to the market and going to buy bread - simple things but so nice. Yesterday, I went to see a Christmas-time gospel choir with one of my teachers, Isabelle, and her daughter. She then took me back to her house and we ate raclette and watched Miss France with her 3 daughters... the commentary consisted of "Elle est moche... elle est moche.... elle est pas belle du tout... encore moche..."

We had a big Sunday lunch with the 'parents' and the 'grandparents' and have spent the day eating Jaffa Cakes and drinking tea :)
I've got 4 full days of teaching this week (which means I've got a 5 day weekend again later on in the week!) but it shouldn't be too bad :)

Also, just to end with a nice anecdote... On Thursday I looked at the register and there was a girl called Megan's. Yes, Megan's, with an apostrophe. I asked Isabelle why she was called that, and she told me:
"Oh, I asked that on her first day here - I asked her why someone had spelt her name wrong... in fact it turned out that her parents named her after where they met - Megan's Nightclub..."
Only en France!!!!!