Singing in the Rain

From this gloomy, lazy Saturday afternoon in Apt, I am happy to be cuddled warm in a blanket, reading David Sedaris' book Me Talk Pretty One Day. This might sound like completely different weather than my last post, where the abundant sunshine was shining in my eyes constantly. The entire week since, it has rained. One day, it even got cold enough that a couple snowflakes were blowing around outside. All I can say about this: thanks Polar Vortex!

Literally, one day after laying out in the sunshine.

Although the rain did make this week quite gloomy, I was still in high spirits after such a relaxing weekend. Monday, after teaching my business English classes, as my boss Alain was driving me home, he promised me that from now on, each week he is going to try to teach me at least one new French word or phrase. I appreciate this, as I find it hard here to get the opportunity to learn a lot of new words with teaching English all the time. He tends to teach me a lot of phrases that are commonly used in conversation, not formal French but more like slang. A couple of this week's words? De sous, meaning money (though I never had heard of this word to describe it) and le nec plus ultra, meaning the best thing.

In honor of my good mood and rain, my love for Gene Kelly continues...

Along with the less than fantastic weather, sickness riddled my work-week. With all the students bringing kleenex with them to class, it was hard to get them motivated to speak a lot of English. After discussing pedagogy with my teachers, I learned a few new techniques that help with the lack of motivation, like the difference between creators and imitators. It proved helpful in later lessons during the week! That is, the lessons that did not get cancelled - on Thursday, my normal 6 lessons turned into 2 as all others had been cancelled due to teachers being sick.

Friday brought a busy day teaching. Actually it was the busiest day of this past week teaching-wise! Even though I do not teach at the lycée on Fridays, I taught 3 hours of private lessons. It was my third week working with a boy from the collège, and I think that we are really starting to make some progress. He really tries to use as much English as possible, rather than before he would spout off in French if he didn't know what to say. Also, he was brave enough to voluntarily show me his last quiz score, which was less than stellar. As he handed it to me, he said "yeah, this is a sad contrôle*". I said that it is fine to make mistakes, we just have to learn from it and try harder next time. I took notes of what we could work on for next week, and he left feeling accomplished.

My other lesson yesterday was with a girl that is one of my students at the lycée. It was our first lesson together, and we spoke constantly for two hours in English. I am extremely impressed at how well she speaks English, telling me how she went to an international school in Holland where they spoke English in every class. It was quite enjoyable to just sit and talk to a young person in English and for us to understand each other so well. I have found that for every 5 students that are uninterested in English here, there is one that is so incredibly passionate and curious about the language that the other unmotivated, impolite students seem to not bother me as much. I am so blessed that I have gotten the opportunity to teach in a classroom setting here in France but also to have had such a variety of private lesson clients. From middle age Business associates talking about technology to a thirteen year-old boy having difficulty being able to introduce himself, I have really broadened my abilities in teaching for different levels and with different goals in mind.**

Although this past week has been great, I did feel quite a bit homesick. I think this was due to a combination of my birthday being so soon*** and the gross weather, neither of which improved my mood. I know that I will have an amazing birthday here in France, but there is nothing like having your family and friends around to celebrate another year of life. Even though my birthday is on Wednesday, we are going to celebrate on Saturday by climbing the Mont Sainte-Victoire, just outside of Aix-en-Provence. It was something I really wanted to do when I studied in Aix but never got around to it. Now, in honor of 24, and weather providing, I am finally going to climb that mountain and I can't be more excited about it. Until then, a relaxing weekend and week will be just what I need to welcome another year in my life. And maybe a little bit of the Pinot Noir I just bought too.

*Translation: test
**Not to mention, it is REALLY nice to have some extra money around here. Makes saving up for my April-May travels that much easier!
***Countdown to 24: 4 days. Oh god, I feel the wrinkles setting in now!

On améliore... peu à peu

The past two days since my return from Spain, I have been quite busy. Not only that, but I feel as if I have made some great strides in making this little place more like home.

Immediately when I returned yesterday, I taught two afternoon classes. In fact, I was a little late to the first class, but it didnt matter: when I walked in the teacher looked surprised to see me. She totally forgot I was coming. Maybe it was going to be fine that I had missed a class that morning? I soon found out it wasn't: my next teacher told me that I have to go and fill out official paperwork regarding my absence. I must have made my customary "oh crap" face because he quickly said, "oh no, you're not in trouble - it is just all administrative and they need to have documentation. The most that will happen is that you will get docked pay." I'll believe it when I see it.*

After classes yesterday, I had a rendez-vous with man named Alain who wants someone to come in and give modern English lessons for him and his colleagues at his business. We had set a time for him to come pick me up, and I knew he drove a white car, but after searching for half an hour he finally pulls up. I got in and we began to introduce ourselves a bit in French. When I explained that I am American and am from Michigan, his response was "Tu es americaine?! Mais tu parles bien!"** This is about the third or fourth time I have gotten this back-handed compliment this week - happy that they think I speak well, sad for their expectations of Americans' knowledge and capability of speaking French.

He drove me to his business, which is located in Gargas, the nearest small village to Apt. He is a very nice man and spoke whatever English he could to describe to me his work, but really most of our conversations hinged on the French. He is actually not bad at speaking English, his accent can be a little confusing at times but he would really like to improve his capabilities with the language so he can communicate better with clients. The company is one in the medical field, making products for orthopedic doctors and chiropractors. I was shown the office and met my future students, two engineers and a receptionist, who happens to be the owner's wife. AND he has an adorable dog that will be at the office whenever I come! We discussed my terms and came to an agreement: I will work with 2 at a time for 2 hours a week, Monday afternoons from 3-5pm. I will take the bus there and walk to the business, but they offered to give me a ride back into Apt when I am done! The only part of the conversation where I did not know what to say was when we discussed my price, and that wasn't because I didn't know how to say it in French - it was because I didn't know what I should charge. They left it up to me to come up with my fee.*** The atmosphere of the business is small and family-like, I think I really am going to enjoy teaching these adults! Alain drove me back into Apt and we continued to talk about our lives, him in English and me in French. He did admit to me that he thought I had improved since the first time we talked on the phone, he had been worried that I didn't know much French after that rusty conversation. At least he was honest! After talking a bit in the parking lot, we thanked each other and said "a lundi!" I can't wait to get started with this experience.

Today, I awoke to big, chunky snowflakes falling outside my window. Although I still don't have a proper winter coat after this weekend, I welcomed this change of season for the first time.**** As I walked to my classes all bundled up , I couldn't help my little kid instinct to try and catch the falling flakes with my tongue. Then I heard a loud bout of laughter - there is a class that evidently occurs on the bottom floor of my apartment building. Good to know.

Teaching at the high school has been getting better lately. I think that it helps that the students are starting to get to know me, and therefore will listen and respect me. Also, they have been loving hearing about Thanksgiving, as it is such a different holiday than anything they have here. One of my students yesterday even stayed after class to tell me about this music festival that him and few of the other students are playing at in Rousillion (another nearby village). Although all the other students couldn't help but say "oooo il essaye de sortir avec l'assistante!"*****, I did appreciate this effort to try and let me know something that they are involved with, and to let me know what young people do around this small town!

This afternoon has been full of errands: editing and uploading pictures, grocery shopping, laundry, lesson planning, etc. But I decided to take a break and decided to cross something off my bucket list for this year: see a movie in French sans subtitles. It really wasn't that hard to do - Catching Fire (or in French L'embrasement) came out in France today and as I was sad I missed the U.S. premiere, I had to go see it on the day it came out in France. This also marked another important step in my life both in and outside France: I went and saw a movie by myself. For years, I have had a fear of going to movies by myself, but today I finally mustered up the courage to just do it. And I had a lot of fun too! It was a great movie, and although I didn't understand every word being said, I know the story so it was extremely easy to follow. It is good that I am getting to the point with my French that I feel like I don't have to try so hard to understand, on améliore... peu à peu..

These posters are EVERYWHERE here. Still quite popular over here!

After the movie, I came out in the dark to Apt. As Amy is gone in Germany for the weekend, this is the first time I had to walk back through town at night by myself. Although this made me slightly worried beforehand, walking out to see so many people walking around town, with the Christmas lights twinkling above head, I decided to take a leisurely walk back through town and enjoy a little bit of this Christmas spirit. It was the first time I have gotten a chance to walk through town in all its holiday glory, and I have to say that this quaint town sure has a flair for the lights. (though nothing can beat Dad's lights back home) With Thanksgiving tomorrow, I have been feeling extremely in the Christmas spirit lately, and although I have no feast planned for tomorrow night, this might be the little bit of holiday cheer to get me through being away from home on my favorite holiday.

Place de la Bouquerie

*I went to go and fill out this paperwork today but the secretary was not there - she doesn't work Wednesdays. Oh well!
**Translation: You are American?! But you speak so well!
***After discussing it with the other teachers here at the school about what I should do, I am pretty excited to have the opportunity to make some extra cash here!
****Plus, it might have helped that I checked my bank account and saw we got paid. New winter coat for me!
*****Translation: Ooooo he is trying to go out with the assistant!!

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Writing this while curled up in my blanket, with sweatshirt on and hot honey water in a mug by my side, I can officially say that it is getting COLD here in Provence. And when I say cold, I mean TROP FROID*. It doesn't help that our windows don't completely shut, letting the frigid draft in through the cracks which overcomes the heating we have tenfold.

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.

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!