It's been awhile, but that's do to the fantastic two week break which came just in time after three grueling weeks of work. I spent my vacation time in Italy with another assistant, Julie, and let's just say we came back in need of a serious vacation. Before I get to that, here's a bit of an update on the few days I've been back in France.
The strike is over!!! Well, for now anyway. The peace will not last for long I'm afraid, but at the moment, I'm grateful the French would rather not deprive their fellow man for too long.
I think I may finally have a concrete schedule. I at least know which classes I am teaching at one of my schools and I have the freedom to make my own lesson plans. We have only learned how to say the date and they can only say that particular date (It's Thursday, November 4th) but I think next class I'll move onto a more difficult task, introducing the days of the week and the months, and it will be difficult.
Fellow Louisianians, it is cold in the North of France. The weather channel may report a crisp 40 degrees, but it is a piercing and drenching 40 degrees...no wait, it just dropped another 10 degrees. How is that 70 degree weather treating you over there in the South? Not fair. My Southern upbringing has in no way taught me to anticipate the cold, thus I have learned the hard way that windy does not mean light breeze and scarves are not just a cute accessory. Too bad I had to learn this lesson waiting twenty minutes for the bus and walking thirty minutes home from the train station.
After two weeks in Italy, Douai has lost some of its excitement, but I was glad to be back in a familiar place hearing a familiar , yet still foreign to my ears, language.
