The past few days here have been kind of miserable: the weather getting continually colder matched with drizzling rain which sometimes grew into torrential downpours. As I chose this region as my top region to assist in because I had heard that they have 300 days of sunshine a year, I was not happy when there was two days of horrible weather in a row. Maybe I am just getting spoiled living in this climate, as I know Michiganders reading this from home are merely scoffing at my description of this "awful" weather.
But the past two days have been miserable also because I have been feeling just that: miserable. I mentioned in my last post that I had a sore throat. After drinking copious amounts of tea Monday, I went to bed early so I could be well rested for my 5:30am wake-up. Waking up in the pitch black, I checked the time: it was 12:30am. And I was wide awake, with an incredibly sore throat along with a cough. So needless to say, I didn't sleep and got up at 5:30am to begin my day feeling the most awfully sick I have felt in a long while. I suffered through the second training day in Avignon almost falling asleep on myself, with a throat so sore I could barely speak. I did enjoy being able to catch up with the other secondary assistants, hearing about their experiences in and outside of the classroom. I just wish I had felt better during the day, and when I finally got home, I collapsed into bed and slept the whole night.
Instantly when I woke up Wednesday morning, I felt loads better. Amazing what a little sleep can do, right? I taught two classes in the morning, and though my voice felt strained, I was so happy that my students understood my plea at the beginning of class to listen and be quiet as I had no voice. That afternoon, I did some much needed laundry and lesson planning, as I wouldn't have any time this weekend to do any of it as I am traveling again. I also took a walk through town to go to Pizz'Burger and use some Wifi as well as see my favorite friendly French woman. When I came in though, she looked a little disappointed when I just asked for a drink. I explained I had already eaten and she nodded understandingly and asked for 1.50 euros. I thought it was 1 euro, so I was just wrestling up some change to give to her (digging to the very bottom dregs of my 2 and 5 centime coins) when she waved her hand and said ce n'est pas grave. I now like her even more.
Today, I woke up with a sneeze and was a little colder than normal. Opening my blinds while I was looking at my phone, I could see something weird on the window out of the corner of my eye. Turning my head to get a full view, I sat straight up in my bed and audibly yelled "HELL NO!"** It was snowing! As I heard that snow happens maybe once or twice a year in Provence if it ever occurs, I was expecting it to be a little later in the winter season. Either way, after the initial shock, it kind of got me excited - it was like a little piece of home and got me in a much needed Christmas-y mood.
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| You would have yelled too. |
And that is not the only thing that is looking like Christmas around here. As I was walking through town yesterday, all the store fronts are starting to add bright lights and festive decorations, some even complete with elaborate window murals of holiday scenes. It is all leading up to this Friday night, fête des lumières, when they unveil the massive christmas lights display that I have been seeing them set up for the past month. I really wish I was going to be here for this reveal, but I know that it will be on for the next month, and I can enjoy it every night of this Christmas season.
As this is a school that is in the middle of nowhere, snow meant not a lot of students coming to school, as many buses didn't run this morning. This allowed my normally hectic Thursday to be nice and calm, as there were less students to talk over. In general though, my Thursday classes are behaving a lot better lately, so it is enjoyable to teach them. Today, I taught my first Thanksgiving lesson and the students were SO interested, asking so many questions and making comments. I can't wait to continue to tell students about this holiday all next week, bringing a little piece of home to their culture here.
As I mentioned earlier, I won't be here for the Christmas lights celebration because I will be traveling. To where this time? I am going to Burgos, Spain to visit Katie (and Andrea and Yaya) and see this amazing city! I really wanted to visit Spain while I was here, especially with someone who speaks the language and really knows the area, and as Katie has spent the last 4 months studying in Burgos, she is going to show me the best of the city. I cannot be more lucky than to have seen one of my best friends here in Europe, not only once in France but twice, on back-to-back weekends. Plus, it is cool because we have in essence done a type of cultural exchange: I showed her Paris and the French culture, and she is going to show me Burgos and the Spanish culture. As I have never been to Spain before, I don't know exactly what to expect but I am so excited to visit a new country. So starting very early with a 5:30am wake up, vamos a España!***
*Translation: TOO COLD.
**I am not joking or exaggerating this at all - Amy even came out of her room on the other side of the apartment just to see what I was yelling about.
***Katie (or other Spanish speaking friends): did I totally butcher that? Hope not!
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