Thick as Thieves

I have SO much to blog about but for now I just wanted to let you know that I have the most amazing best friend in the world and you should be jealous of me.

She sent me a care package full of Halloween tricks and treats because she knows it is my favorite holiday.

She sent me a card, mummy bubble tape, Reece's peanut butter pumpkins, a little candle that you can turn on, and a candy corn candle, glow sticks, Frankenstein pez and a sugar cookie that was consumed upon opening.

This bat was inside and is now hanging from my light fixture.

She also sent me this package. I had mentioned to her that I was wanting to read something good and she send me Peter Pan {probably that day}.

She's one of the most thoughtful and caring people that I'm lucky to know. I love her so so much and I just wanted you all to know!

I miss these people,

so much.

Isn't it though?

Baby, It's Cold Outside

The weather has been quite blustery and dreary the past two days and I've not felt very well so I've pretty much stayed in bed. Plus I want to feel well enough for Bruges so I'm just taking it easy. During this downtime I've been thinking a lot about home and what I miss. I absolutely adore France, but I still have my days. Anyway I made a list.

Things I'm excited to come home for:

1. My family, obviously

2. My best

3. The mountains

4. Running errands with my Moim

5. Provo, Salt Lake, Springville, Heber, Park City

6. My cousins. I miss them so much!

7. Not having to use public transportation

8. My own bed

9. Tank and Strider

10. My cellular. I still imagine that my phone is vibrating in my purse.

11. Grey's marathons with my best

12. Redbox. I know this is silly but I miss just renting a movie for a dollar.

13. Days Market

14. BYU. Oh how I miss school.

15. Target

16. Canyon drives

17. Hikes up the canyon

18. My bike Clinton

19. Living in a place where people can understand when I speak

20. My aunt Becky's house

21. Being in the same time zone as everyone I love

22. Seeing the temple

23. Knowing that when I pay $10 for something, it's really $10, not 15 euros

24. Motorcycle rides

25. People knowing that Mormons aren't Amish

26. Saying goodbye to Mischka forever. The 7 am wakeup calls are getting pretty old!

27. Using normal plugs, not converters

After making that list I decided there were a lot of things that I just love about right now.:

1. I couldn't live in a more wonderful place. Saint-Maur is lovely!

2. BAGUETTES. I could go on and on about how amazing they are. I wish I had one right now.

3. Chocolate Bread.

4. I'm 30 minutes away from Paris!!

5. All of the places I'm going to see in the next 8 months

6. Emails from my family and friends

7. Skype!!!!!!!!!!!!!

8. Marie-Claude. She's fantastic

9. I'm living one of my dreams!!

10. I get to walk everywhere {sometimes I don't love this}

11. My future travel plans with my best to Italy

12. Having my family come out to see me. Fingers crossed

13. All of my time to myself

14. My favorite walk along the Marne

15. My French is improving. I think

16. Correspondance through letters

17. Receiving packages

18. Working in elementary schools

19. Cafes

20. Seeing tourists and hearing native English

21. Knowing how to use the metro and RER

22. Students that tell me I'm beautiful and that they like my hair

23. Harry Potter marathons when it's blustery like today!

24. French bakeries

25. Open air markets

26. Learning how to cook meals for myself

27. Having a French bank card that says "Mlle Madison Bramwell." {Mlle=Mademoiselle}

28. Real crepes

I could go on and on with both lists but I'll spare you. I miss home with all of my heart, but France is simply amazing. I'm happy to be here, I just need to remember that when I'm a tiny bit sad.

-M

This is what I think

These are some things that I've noticed in the past month or so. They are what I've taken from my experience so far and may not be widely agreed upon, but it's just what I've noticed!

1. French students are expected to reach a certain level of perfection and individuality doesn't seem to be encouraged. If the student doesn't copy exactly what the teacher wrote on the board, she rips the page out and makes them write it again. Also, they have to underline a lot of things and when they do this, they must use a ruler. Period. One day I was siting in classroom where the teacher read a "knock knock, who's there" story. Afterward, the students were to act it out, knocking on the door and reading their parts. Some of the students knocked 3 times-not two, and the teacher yelled, "NO!!! It's ONE knock, NOT three! Ughhh." So completely exasperated and put out. Because it's really important to make sure the students act out this story perfectly. Right?

Yikes.

2. From my point of view, because students have this pressure put on them they want to prove that they really are perfect. They tend to raise their hand when they have no idea what the answer is, just to look like they know. It's often that after calling on a student that is half sitting half standing, raising their arm into the air as high as they can calling "Maîtresse! Maîtress!" {teacher} they sit there looking bashful at you. Because they don't know the answer. But they wanted to look like they did? Yeah, I don't get it either.

3. Food and eating habits are important to the French. At each of my schools I've been asked if I'm eating enough and having good meals. I now expect MC to comment on what or how I eat at least once a day. Whether it be that I'm not eating enough vegetables, or I'm eating at an odd hour {so what if I eat breakfast at 11:00 sometimes. I like to sleep in!}. Sometimes it really bothers me, but I have to remember that it is just their culture. Food plays an important role in the everyday French life.

4. The French don't clean up after their dogs. Okay, I know I've talked about this before, but seriously? It's so gross.

5. I need to stop zoning out all of the time. Sometimes I'm so sick of constantly translating the French I hear so I just tune it out. Bad idea. I've done this in class multiple times when the teacher has obviously been talking to me but I'm in my own little world. I don't notice what is going on until I realize the teacher and all of the students are turned, looking at me, waiting for a response. I'm sure it's quite reassuring of my mental capacity when the answer I give is "Uhhhhh... What?"

6. Teachers think that SCREAMING {literally} at their students is a proper way to get their attention and help them learn a concept. I don't know about you but when I'm yelled at, generally I start to cry, which has happened a few times with the students.

It's interesting to sit in these classrooms and see the stark contrasts between American and French schools. I know the teachers want the best for their students and that they love them, but I'm just grateful I went to school in America. I'm learning a lot about teaching methods. Some of them I'll use, some I'll choose to leave in France.

I hope this post hasn't seemed like I'm bashing the entire French education system. I truly love the teachers I work with {most of them} and I adore my students. France is a wonderful place to be and I'm already sad thinking about leaving in 8 months. They just do things a little differently here, and I can appreciate that. It is definitely a learning experience and I'm grateful for it!

-M

30 DAYS!!

I can't believe is my 30th day in France! It's going by so quickly!

I'm going to Bruges next week instead of London, where I'm going in February. I am such the procrastinator and I started planning far too late. I'm very very excited to visit Belgium, I've only heard good things about it. Mainly I am looking forward to eating a Belgium waffle and some Belgium CHOCOLATE!!!! My life may be complete after this trip.

I'm also going to try to make it to Disneyland next week. It is decorated for Halloween so I can think of no better time to go.

Yesterday I went into Paris to meet up with my friend Emily. We had a French class together over a year ago and we just happen to be in France at the same time. How lovely! We started at the Louvre, walked by Notre Dame, the Pantheon and went to Luxembourg gardens. It was a crisp day, but supremely beautiful. Sometimes I will have moments where I look up in the sky and see the Eiffel Tower and think, "Is this for real? Am I living here?!" I'm such a lucky girl! Anyway here are some pictures of our little tour through Paris!

This is real!! Oh my gosh!

View from the Pantheon. Can you see the Eiffel Tower?

The Pantheon

I can't help but laugh when I look at these pictures. It's a little unreal how beautiful it is. I mean really.

Paris, je t'aime.

Happy Birthday to ME!

Did you know that food is expensive? Really, really expensive. Sometimes I look at my plate and think "Whelp. That was about 5 euros. Awesome."

Moving on, I think I'm heading to London for Toussaint. How marvelous right? I plan on seeing many Harry Potter sights, trying to find Diagon Alley and possibly dueling someone. I just need to get my hands on a wand! Okay, I know there is more in England to see than HP stuff, but siriusly (as in Sirius Black) is there really? I'll let you know what I find.

I was invited to go to a prison next week that held the king of France. I don't know what prison, or which king but Mme. Raffard (whom I love!) said it is beautiful. I'm so there!

I was also invited to go ice skating with one of my classes on January 6th. I am a terrible ice skater, but I'm open to trying it out!

I have noticed that people are such freakers about making the metro/train/bus. I get it, everyone is in a hurry. But I'd rather not risk life and quite possibly limb so I can catch the train instead of waiting 5 minutes for the next one. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people get stuck in the doors as the train is about to leave. Hello. It's not worth it.

In other news, Halloween is in less than 2 weeks!!! Who is excited?! I am! Exclamation points!!

Also, here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure:

MC made this for my birthday dinner. I'm not quite positive what it was, but it was delish.

My birthday pie!

MC gave me these little birds for my birthday. They have since been named Fred and George Weasley {from Harry Potter}

I know this looks a little creepy, maybe because it is. But this is Marie-Claude gardening in her fur vest and I couldn't help snapping a photo of it! She's adorable!

This isn't an awesome picture, but it was such a beautiful sunset I just had to share it!