So glad I decided to teach slang

My students walked out of class today at 6pm on a friday speaking English. I don't care if all I heard was, "Hey guys." "What's up?" "Not much" and "Have a good weekend." They left school - in the dark at an hour they usually resent being there -  laughing and speaking English

Are you a high school student?

Yesterday, as I was leaving school, a woman outside the school gates gave me a flyer for a salon d'étudiants.  I looked at it, handed it back, and politely informed her that I am not actually a student.  She looked so incredibly mortified to have mistaken someone on staff for a high school student - her expression and hurried apology were really quite humorous. I just tried to hide my laughter (unsuccessfully) and hoped none of my students saw. Although I supposed they don't need anyone to tell them I look young - I'm sure they've noticed.

Interview

Apparently I am getting interviewed for the school paper this week. I didn't even know they had a school paper.  Commence freaking out about being interviewed in French and then my words being printed for all of the school to read.  Oh well. At least they can't print my accent/pronunciation.

Off to café des langues again! I love monday nights; even when I feel too tired to go, it's always worth it. And then skyping with M, my awesome, awesome cousin! It should be a good night, and then sleeeeep!

Oops! I have a blog?

So here's the thing... i'm doing even worse at blogging this year then I did last year! What a feat! Sorry everyone! (So badly I haven't even told people I have a blog, so I think everyone is about three people...)

Thanks K for reminding me I'm supposed to be writing in this thing.

France is a bit like a roller coaster, but a really awesome roller coaster!  Especially in the beginning when everything was still so new, I was overwhelmed all the time!  Such highs, but also definitely some lows where everything seemed so overwhelming and I wondered who I thought I was that I could move to another country for seven plus months and teach English and speak a foreign language.

But I am just ending my first (10 day) vacation and, although I am not fully done with the overwhelmed bit, I am super happy here.  I am making friends, including spending a lot of time surrounded by German speakers (I am going to try to learn some German - but right now the only thing I can actually say is kanst du beatboxen - which means can you beatbox?; clearly I have a lot to learn).

Break was wonderful! I went to lyon for two day trips!  Went café hopping.  Went to Grenoble for another day trip - and took the tram up to the top of a mountain and got my first real view of the Alps!  Hung out with a German assistant, her family and a Swiss German assistant in the Parc de Pilats for a day (a natural park near here!) where we went for a hike, drank some café, had a picnic and walked around an old monastery!  But see the whole "I should learn German thing"?  As much as it's funny to have the four of them speak German for a while, and then I interject at the end with a big grin and nods and "ja ja ja ja!," I would rather use this as an excuse to pick up a bit of German.  Although they were also awesome about speaking French and English with me - super nice of them :)

It was nice to relax, get to know people, explore the area and see some beautiful and interesting man made and natural things around here.  I had planned to get ahead on lesson planning as well but... oops!  C'est la vie.