So, if this is the "arse-end of the earth"...

... Then I'd HATE to be in a really rough area of France!

I picked up my bank card today! I'm officially French now - I pay my Sécu, I recieve the CAF (well, i've sent my papers off), I have a bank account and I sneer at people who don't like coffee...
The abundance of vests and bum bags at school today really did amuse me, and I'm still getting used to being called "Madame" by pupils...

The worst bit of today:
In the canteen at lunchtime, I stacked my glass on another glass instead of putting it in the free space in the crate (I know, shock horror). The staff member then started shouting at the top of her voice, calling me "petite fille" in a derogatory way and "stupide" amongst other things, all because they thought I was a pupil, i.e. 15 years old. Then for a few hours later, a few teachers thought it'd be hilarious to tease me about it. Brilliant.

The best bit of today:
I ended up helping with a learning difficulties class this afternoon, helping them with their grammar. I read out part of the article we were working on and they sat there and gawped at me, not out of not understanding, but out of admiration - at the end, one boy piped up and said "Miss, one day I want to speak English as well as you"... This is what makes teaching worthwhile!

xx