I started "working" this monday. If you can call what I did work. Well, actually Monday was a bit of a let down for me and the school I was meant to visit. I'm going to blame the bus even if it was probably my fault. I have no practice relying on a public transportation system. I can just get in my car at home and drive 10 minutes to wherever I need to be. It's not quite the same here. My schools are the farthest from Douai so I have to take a train and then a bus.
On Monday, I didn't have to be at school until 1:30 (go ahead, it's okay to be jealous), but I left about 2 hours early just to ensure that I would make the train and then of course the bus. I found the train fairly easily and made it to Somain an hour early to wait for the bus. I could probably walk to Erre, but I have absolutely no sense of direction or the skills necessary to read a map...this is why I always rely on the buddy system. I waited patiently for the bus, and I waited, and I waited, and eventually 3 hours passed. I was 3 hours late for my first day! Seriously, this is my life right now? It was mortifying. Not only was I late, but I have already met the teacher I would be working with. Remember Gilles and his adorable children? Yep, this was a member of the wonderful and generous family I decided not to live with and now I wasn't showing up for work. Not the best first impression.
I finally decided to take the train back to Douai and email Gilles about my public transportation mishap, but he beat me to it. He called and offered to take me to work every morning instead of taking the train and risking missing the bus. He's been too too nice to the crazy American girl who can't even read a bus schedule (it's really hard to understand, but I've mastered it by now).
I just have to find the humor in the whole situation. Sure I missed my first day, but I can't do anything but apologize and, after the initial shock, it really was a hilarious day.
A Bientôt
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