Pictures!

I thought it high time that I take and upload some pictures of my little French life!

These are two of the three schools I teach at: Diderot and Michelet

I walk by this house on the way to one of my schools and I just love it!

My street- Pierre Semard. If you look hard enough you can probably see piles of dog whatever all along the sidewalk. Ew.

The back patio. I've not been in that little room yet but I think it's where MC aka Marie-Claude hangs the laundry to dry?

The back yard

Street view from my window

The front "yard" and the Green Monster {the green gate}. MC keeps this gate locked at all times and it has recently decided not to let the key in from the street side so one must stick one's arm through the bars to unlock it from the other side. Awesome.

This is on my door.

Try not to be jealous of this couch/love seat. Or of the yellow velour and brown and paisley corduroy pillows. Also, there isn't a window behind that window covering. Apparently it is to hold letters and photos. No, I did not put it there.

This bookshelf is where I keep some of my food, my toiletries and other random things.

My desk!

The window, my favorite part of my room.

Isn't it charming?

Classy.

I really love my little room. It's just mine and it's perfect for me! I'll add more pictures later of the rest of the house. Here's a little preview:

In other news, today I was hired by a teacher at Champignol to tutor her daughter once a week for an hour. It pays well and all I'll be doing is speaking with her. It shouldn't be too hard, plus a little extra money is always nice!

Also I've been to my second "Training" Day which would be better named as "Take an hour to get here, sit for three hours in a hot and stuffy room while watching two grown French women make a teddy bear 'touch his nose, toes etc' then leave feeling less prepared than before" Day. At least I got paid?

A la prochaine!

Week Two

I'm finally in my classes!!! I started observing on Monday and today was my second day. The French don't have school on Wednesdays so I don't have class again until Thursday.

I feel really good about that.

I've only observed a few different classes in 3 different schools so I don't have too much to say yet. I want to sit in on a few more classes and actually start working with the students before I form a real opinion on the French school system but so far I feel like French students and teachers are more or less the same as American students. Although, the teachers do a lot more yelling/screaming at their students which I was not expecting. Overall I think I was coming here expecting some stark contrast in the French way of life and especially the way they do their schooling but so far it's not been too far of a stretch. But, like I said, it will take a while longer before I get a real feel of things.

My little French life continues to be more than wonderful. I'm not doing much different than my normal life back in Provo but I'm trying to enjoy every moment. France is a lovely country and I love the people. From all of my interaction thus far {yes I know it's only been two weeks, but still} I've yet to run into someone cold or mean. I've been helped in the metro, on the street at my school and in my own house. They may not smile at you on the street, but when they see a need they jump to help. The stereotype of the stuck up, cold French nation is so passé.

I'm just glad I get to see this for myself.

Until next time!

-M

Bonjour, Paris

Well I finally have the internet at my house so I can now update my blog. How lucky!

In the past two weeks I moved to France and I’ve been getting settled into my room in my little French house. It’s very small, a little kitschy and has another tenant by the name of Mischka that wakes me up every morning at 7 when he meows at his owner’s door but it’s nice and it already feels like home. Since I’ve not yet started teaching I’ve been spending my days running little errands and seeing my town and surrounding neighborhoods. I’ve opened a bank account and I’ve purchased my Navigo card (my transport card for the metro, bus and train). I’ve been to the supermarket, an open air market, a large neighborhood yard sale (aka complete junk sale. Seriously I was shocked at what people were selling!), around Saint-Maur and even to a mall. Saint-Maur is a beautiful area and I’m very happy that I’ve been placed here because some of the cities near by are not nearly as nice as where I live.

I’ve had to adjust a little with things here in France but it is much better than I thought it would be. Most of the time it feels like I’m in America but I just can’t speak the language. I’m learning how to use public transportation which has been hard. Mainly because I’m somewhat of a germaphobe and to have to touch bars and doors and such that a million other people touch EVERY DAY drives me a little bit crazy. Thank goodness for Purell. I’ve also learned that one’s eyes must always be watching the sidewalk in order to avoid stepping in piles of what some little french puppy left behind. The French let their dogs go ANYWHERE. It’s gross and I don’t appreciate getting off the train and rolling my luggage through three piles of dog mess in about five minutes. Unawesome.

The French are very helpful when they see a need. The moment I landed I had people help me with my luggage, show me where my hostel was and help me on the metro. The ladies at the school have taken me under their wings. One even helped me find somewhere to live! Marie-Claude, the lady I’m living with, has shown me Saint-Maur and shown me how to go grocery shopping and answers any questions I might have. Even her daughters have come to my aide. Catherine fixed my internet!!

I’m very grateful for everyone that has helped me so far here in France and especially at home. I had some homesickness at first but I’ve decided (with the help from my parents) that I’m here for such a short amount of time that I need to do and see all that I can. I’m living in France! How cool is that. I'm very happy to be here and I can’t wait to start teaching!

A Bientot!

M

PS this is my cute French house!

I'm here!

So I'm finally in Paris.

It's my third day here and I am still trying to find somewhere to live which is proving to be incredibly stressful and makes me so anxious. I know I'll find something but it doesn't help when I hear from a girl I'm sharing my room with that she has been looking for 2 weeks and still hasn't found anything yet.

Awesome.

I'm heading to my school today to meet with my contact and she should hopefully have some answers for me like where I can live.

Fingers crossed!

I miss my family and friends so much. I didn't think I'd miss them as much as I do. I've luckily been able to talk to some people from home which has helped me feel much better but somehow makes me miss them even more.

I'm happy I'm here but I'll be even happier when I am not sharing a hostel room with 9 other girls who roll joints in the bed next to me and wake up at 6 am and noisly get ready without regard for the other 9 people asleep.

Until then I'm listening to Harry Potter 7 (thanks to Jordan) to help me calm down a little bit.

A la prochaine!

THREE THREE THREE THREE THREE THREE

So I'm leaving America in t-minus 3 days. How wonderful is that? I must say that I'm finally getting truly excited. I don't really have anything else to worry about except getting to France and finding someplace to live.

Seriously though.

I'm kind of freaking out.

My room is almost all packed up {so entirely depressing} and I've gotten the majority of my shopping complete. Now I just need to get on the plane and head to France!

I'm ready!!!

Dix jours

Ten.

Ten ten ten!!

So I've started this post about twenty different times about twenty different things. I don't know if you've seen You've Got Mail but I've been like Tom Hanks when he is emailing Meg Ryan aka ShopGirl about why he didn't show up to meet her. He types and then erases and types something else. {PS that is probably one of the best movies ever made. "I wanted it to be you, I wanted it to be you so badly." "Don't cry shopgirl." And then "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" swells and you wish Tom Hanks would walk through your door with Brinkley and take you in his arms. Oh it's so utterly romantic!}

Anyway, this is what I've done for the past fifteen minutes.

Type, erase and retype.

I don't really know what to say but I want to at least document what I'm thinking and doing because 1. It's a requirement for one of my classes and 2. I'm a terrible journal writer so maybe this can be some lame replacement for documenting this experience.

I'm excited and I'm ready to be there but at the same time I'm a little worried and anxious about finding somewhere to live {I'M HOMELESS!} and speaking French and then I have a freakout after I think about all of this stuff but then I feel completely calm.

Ron Weasley: One person couldn't feel all of that, they'd explode.

I may just do that very thing Ron.

Mainly I think I'll be happy when the next three weeks are over. Hopefully I'll have somewhere to live at that point and I won't be homeless anymore. That'd be nice.

In the meantime I've been reading Harry Potter, eating gallons and gallons of chocolate and listening to Dashboard to stay calm.

PS I was reading HP 7 and completely lost it when Harry asks Sirius if dying hurts. Sirius replies,

"Dying? Not at all. Quicker and easier than falling asleep."

I. Love. Him. Whatever that he isn't real. He's my favorite.

RIP Sirius Black aka Padfoot aka Snuffles

Eighteen Days...

I can't quite wrap my head around the fact that I am leaving in eighteen days.

Ahh.

I want to update a little on what is going on with everything before I leave.

I made it to San Francisco for my visa appointment {my brother and I drove in my Smart Car. Jealous?} and received it 10 days later!
I am just about finished with getting my course contracts set up. One more! One more!
I still haven't found a place to stay... Whatever. I'm busy.
It is my last day of work and this is what my boss got for me!



Isn't that so kind of her? She's just wonderful. She got me another one as well but I didn't feel like posting it. Use your imagination.

Anyway, things are winding down {or is it up?} and I am getting more nervous/anxious/excited/etc. about heading to France everyday.

I'm ready to be there already!