Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Les Élèves

Today I went to one of the schools for the first time. I work at two and this one happens to be in the country. The town is tiny and feuled only by a sugar beet factory nearby which employs over half the village in various ways. The school was also tiny and the kids were adorable. When she introduced me, she said this is Leah the American assistant. They couldn't believe I was american. They kept asking me if I was really from america and if I came in an airplane. They were around 11 and 12. But I'm really going to be working with 13 and 14 year olds. But they were soooo cute. And they had a hard time understanding my accent because their English teacher is french and they learn british english. So if I asked "Do you have any brothers or sisters?" They didn't understand I had to ask "Have you got any brothers or sisters?" And I asked what their favorite food was and they had no idea what I was saying. Haha. But I think with the older ones it will be better. The teacher that I was sitting in on was a little bit weird about my speaking American english and she said that I still had to teach them british english so I don't confuse them.... but I'm still going to say pants instead of trousers and I refuse to spell color and favorite with a u. So there.

Can't wait to go to the second school which is more "urban" if you know what I mean. Good luck to me!

Love Leah

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Fatiguée

Wow, French people stay up really late.

This past weekend has been really interesting. As I don't really know anyone, I just kind of follow people I meet around for awhile and hang out with them. Through my roommate, I met some girls who are studying at the University. They only speak English, which is kind of weird, but they had one french friend. I ended up hanging out with this french girl and her french friends when the English speakers went home early. I followed them around for awhile and we drank in front of the cathedral, which is much bigger and more beautiful than I would have expected from such a small city. On another night I went out with Arnault. My good friend Paul in Austin is Arnault's cousin. Its a very small world. Anyway we went to a club and went dancing. It was fun.
This week was the festivale de la Loire. The Loire is the river that runs through the city. So by the water there are booths with food and crèpes and beer and wine. Its awesome. And last night I saw the most beautiful fireworks. C'était vraiment sympa. This city is very charming and quaint. There are a millions little streets to get lost on, a million shops, and a gazillion brasseries. I live on top of one in fact.

Today is Sunday and nothing is open. So I went to have lunch with Arnault and his parents which was delicious. They have a beautiful house with a beautiful garden. This is Arnault! We ate some sort of stew I think it was duck or turkey or something like that. It was really good and of course bread and cheese.
It's pretty right? So I think I'm going to take a nap... I start working on Tuesday so I really should take advantage of these nothing days. I will teach at two schools, one is apparently in the country, a forgotten city as Arnault's dad said. And the other is in the ghetto. Awesome. Well I'll post soon.

Bon courage!
Leah

Friday, September 25, 2009

YAY! I'm here

Ok so I've been trying to update this for many days... we are stealing our internet and its a little bit shaky. Anyway my trip was fine although I really wish someone was videotaping me dragging my two 50 pound suitcases through the Paris metro and up and down stairs... people were laughing at me and some actually stopped to help (and people say Parisians are rude). There were a couple funny things on my way though like, when we landed in London we couldn't get off the plane because we had to wait for the police to escort someone off. Terrorist? Maybe.. but I think it was just a black man and his baby.... weird. Also I kept running into people in Heathrow because I instinctively want to walk to the right of people and they want to go left, go figure. There were lots of transfers and metro riding, I even hoboed it onto the Tram in Orléans because I didn't have a ticket. Finally I got to my apartment and found my keys which Amanda (my roommate) had left with the barmaid next door. I walked up the one flight of stairs and tried to open my door... and couldn't. Thats right folks, my keys worked I was just too weak to push the door open. Here are some photos from that.



My giant French keys

I'll post some pictures of my house and room later because I have a huge room and nothing in it but an air mattress. Which is quite comfortable... thanks doll.

I love ya'll and miss ya
Leah

Monday, September 21, 2009

Tomorrow, Tomorrow, I love ya.....

Welcome to my blog. Here I will post pictures and stories and lots of other goodies so people can live vicariously through me as I live for one year in France. For those of you that don't know, I am 23 years old and as a recent graduate of the University of Texas, have taken a job abroad teaching English to French middle school students. I'll be gone for a school year and right now I'm attempting to pack... but just how does one pack for a 10 month trip? Suppose I'll have to figure it out and hope I bring everything I think I need.

10 things I think I will miss:

Barbecue sauce
Thanksgiving
Target
Free public bathrooms
An oven/stove
Ice
Cereal
Pasteurized milk
My people
My cell phone

Random list I know but we'll see what stays on it and what gets replaced. Well I should get back to packing and taking care of last minute things. Hope you follow me through my "harrowing journey" to France.

Love Leah