For some reason I wrote notes on this week backwards, and I think it was because I didn't start making notes until that Saturday...from the looks of it, it wasn't an especially eventful week. In fact, I'm pretty sure I have zero pictures for you. Sorry! This is where I find out (not really) if you're a true fan or just came for the pictures. If you are reading on, I'll try to make this is quick and painless as possible!
So needless to say, waking up Monday morning for work was pretty difficult. I was still really tired from the weekend, and just about the last thing I wanted to do was go hang out with a bunch of eight year olds. How do you teachers do it all week and all year?! Thankfully my Mondays are actually the better days. Kindof. I have my preschool class first thing, and there's not a lot I can do for them so I sing for them like once or twice and then just act as an assistant teacher. One of the kids is crazy. Mathis. I have an automatic prejudice against all other children named Mathis now...anyway.
Tuesday I worked like usual, and I don't think anything exciting happened...
On Wednesday I worked with Thomas again, annnd I'm pretty sure that's all that happened...
Thursday, however, was more eventful. I had been in contact with a mom of some of my students, and she wanted me to come babysit the kids after school on Thursdays for a couple hours while she worked at her flower boutique. So that Thursday, after school (obvi) I met the dad outside the school. The guy is super nice. He flies airplanes, hang gliders, and is a snowmobile guide.
Anyway, he drove us just down the hill to their beautiful house that looks over a canyon. We walked in and he showed me around the house, including opening about every drawer and cabinet in the kitchen telling me I could eat or make anything whenever I wanted. I had a glass of apple juice and a really good butter cookie with a strawberry spread, and then they all drove me back up to the hill where I grabbed my bike and headed back home.
That evening I had volleyball practice, which wasn't the best I've had since I got here, but I guess that happens sometimes. I had a better night when I skyped my family until like 4 in the morning. Since I have nothing to do on Fridays I can stay up as late as I want without consequence, so I was happy to chat with them because it had been a while since we had last talked.
On Friday I went and visited Ashley in Annonay for a little while before she headed off to Valence, which is when I went back home to go with Isabelle and Anouk to another pétanque party at the same place we had the first one.
It was just as fun as the last time, except there was no cake at the end. Not that it matters, the cake is a lie.
I'd love to come home my own set of pétanque balls, but there would be no where to play and no one to play against haha, so I guess I'll just leave that hobby here. We didn't get home too late, probably midnightish, and then I was off to sleep.
Saturday was a lot more fun! I slept in and skipped breakfast to go meet Alex for lunch, after which I had major heartburn. Word of advice : don't eat pasta and a pound of ham and a raspberry tarte for breakfast. A couple hours later, after Alex had gotten off work, Thibaut drove us three down to Annonay where we bought some Tum-like pills that immediately cured me of my heartburn. It was like magic!
We ate paninis at a pizza/sandwich restaurant next door to the theater in Annonay where we were waiting to see Guillemette perform in a big dance performance. It was a charity event to raise money for research to help the sick and afflicted. The cool the thing is that events like these were taking place simultaneously around France for the same cause, like the kids at one of the schools I work at holding a bake sale. It's called Téléthon, and it's a huge event they hold every year!
They had a TV program going all day, showing different events going around the country, people who were going to be helped with the money, and an active count of how much money was being donated. You could go online and make a donation there, or you could call in and go from there. It's a really great idea, and this year they raised over 86 million euros!
Well anyway, after dinner we still had some time to wait, so we bought our tickets in the theater to avoid the inevitable huge line that would come later and went to the mall to get some dessert. First, however, Alex let me drive his car around the parking lot. Have I mention that EVERY car here is a stick shift? Good thing McKenzi trained me over the summer, so when I got behind the wheel I made it around the whole lot without stalling even once! I was so proud, and I think Mac B would've been as well.
We picked up a tub of chocolate mousse and a box of cat tongues to munch on in the theater. Oh, sorry, did that weird you out? Didn't know cat tongues were a French delicacy did you?! Well, it's...not true. Sorry to be misleading, 'langue de chat' is just an oval shaped butter cookie that they often eat with coffee and chocolate mousse :)
I would say we had about 50 cookies and about two pounds of chocolate mousse that we devoured within the next 3 hours. It was somewhat disturbing, especially considering I'm pretty sure I ate most of it...here's the weird thing. I haven't gained or lost a pound since I got here. Ok it's not so weird that I haven't lost any weight, but I figured I would've picked up a little something extra from what I've been eating. I guess I just have a Grade A metabolism, and I'm trying to make use of it while I can!
We finally sat down center stage a couple rows back in probably the most perfect seats, and then it started! There were maybe...10 dances, starting with a little boy who danced to a Michael Jackson medley in an MJ getup, he was really good! Then there was a group of 3 or 4 year olds, and the next several dances continued like that, increasing in age every dance until Guillemette's group finally came out!
All the dances were really impressive. Except for the 3 year olds, mostly it was just them holding hands and running around a Christmas tree. It could've been better organized. Haha totally kidding, but really...
Anyway, after our friend danced there was a couple of guys who did some break dancing, and THAT was super impressive. There was a magician after them. He was...subpar, at best. Porr guy. Finally, after three hours we left and went to St. Victor to watch Paul (in French), after which we finally went to bed, at about 3:30.
In the morning Thibaut had bought us all fresh croissants and other goodies from the bakery, and after we had all eaten our fill we headed back to Annonay, where I think I got some more sleep and spent a peaceful day in my room doing something that I don't remember and didn't write down...
Another week down. It's definitely starting to feel more and more like home here. I know because the weeks are starting to blur together, and I'm starting to develop a routine! I know quite a few people pretty well, and I know almost all my student's names. Ok not really, but I do know practically every face.
It's currently December 16th, which means I have two weeks to catch up on, which I should do soon because in three days I'm leaving for Paris and in a week I leave for Bordeaux to spend Christmas with Tiste!
I'll save an explanation for later. Bye!
Sometimes when I read your blog I get the feeling that you live your life less 'day to day,' and more 'food to food.' :D
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