Jess gets here in less than 24 hours! Well, that's assuming his flight from Chicago isn't held up by the storms.
After much deliberation I have decided on a Christmas dinner for us: chicken parmigiana (which was a HUGE hit among the group in Le Mans) and salad. For dessert, I just picked up some "petite gateaux" (little cakes) from Pascal Coffet, touted as the "champion du monde" of chocolate. My only issue is that I don't have an oven (typically required for chicken parmagiana) but I think I can make it work nonetheless. I was surprised Jess agreed to it, as he is not usually a fan of breaded, fried, pasta-y dishes, but he said he wanted someone hearty so voila.
My apartment is clean, a real top-to-bottom job. Sweeping, scrubbing of the bathroom, the fridge, dusting... I've gotten a head start on packing for our trip. Tonight will be all about me: making myself as perfect as possible for my nearly perfect future hubby. Not that I'm not already just drop-dead gorgeous but for instance, my skin seems to think it is 15 and is breaking out as such. I blame the cold-- the same thing happened the last time I was in France.
I wasn't expecting anything to be open today but au contraire, there were mobs on the street! A line out the door at the boulangerie across the street (so much for my plan to get a baguette-- maybe later today). Luckily, Pascal Coffet wasn't crowded at all (amazingly).
I admit, I am bored, bored BORED since the other assistants left. But with less than 24 hours to go... I think I'll manage :)
Monday, December 24, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
Take Your Paperwork & Shove It!
So back in October, after my visite medicale for my carte de sejour, I promptly took my certificate from the dr saying I was weird American plague-free to the prefecture. The final step towards my carte de sejour. This was almost 2 months ago, and the prefecture told me the CDS would be ready "avant Noel." Well today is the last day they are open "avant Noel" (since I'm gonna go out on a limb & assume they aren't open on Xmas Eve). So I dragged myself out into the cold and walked the one block down there. Luckily there isn't much of a wait since they had just re-opened after lunch. And of course, I get to the counter, inquire about my card, and the lady says it isn't ready yet, probably be ready in FEBRUARY, but make sure I come back on the 3rd or 4th of January to renew my recepisse. Grrrr...
To add to that frustrated joy, I got a letter from CAF saying my application has been refused because (big surprise) I don't have my carte de sejour yet! Just like I told the lady the last time I went in, I had ALL the paperwork except my carte de sejour. So, no CDS means no CAF means no money (yet). Oh well, worst case scenario (which sadly seems kinda common among assistants) is I will get my CDS right before my contract is up, which means I will get a big fat check from CAF right before I head home. Blech...
To add to that frustrated joy, I got a letter from CAF saying my application has been refused because (big surprise) I don't have my carte de sejour yet! Just like I told the lady the last time I went in, I had ALL the paperwork except my carte de sejour. So, no CDS means no CAF means no money (yet). Oh well, worst case scenario (which sadly seems kinda common among assistants) is I will get my CDS right before my contract is up, which means I will get a big fat check from CAF right before I head home. Blech...
Sunday, December 16, 2007
A Faire...
OK, I am horribly procrastinating on getting my lesson plan done for this week. So in the guise of seeming like I'm being productive, I'll update the blog that maybe one or two other people on earth may possibly read.
LES CHOSES A FAIRE
1. Finish lesson plan (all I really have to do is get the lyrics to "12 Days of Christmas" and black out a few words).
2. Clean. The disadvantage to living in a room smaller than most walk-in closets is that it gets dirty in 2 seconds. However, the advantage is that it only takes about 5 seconds to clean it. But I'm talking a thourough, roto-rooter cleaning: scrubbing the shower, sweeping every unnoticeable corner, hell I may even defrost my frigo if time/motivation permits (I haven't been able to open the lil freezer door since I left for Toussaints; good thing I never use it!).
3. I have been SUCH a slacker on this, but I need to get a signature from the doctor I put as my "medecin traitant" (primary doctor). His hours are whack and whenever his office IS open, I am usually in class. Argh.
4. Start banging down the door of the prefecture. They told me in October (when I turned in my medical visit form, the final step before getting my carte de sejour) that my CDS would arrive "avant Noel." Well, it is almost Noel, and no carte yet. Rumor has it they will send me something in the mail telling me it is ready, but this IS France after all, and a general rule to getting stuff done is being very pro-active. Again, the prefecture is tricky b/c the booth for the CDS is only open weekday mornings & Friday afternoons, so I am usually in class, but this coming Friday, I am all over it like fromage on a baguette.
5. Assuming I have my carte de sejour in hand any time in the near future, I will have to go to the CAF office again and give them a copy, cross my fingers that my mature age of 26 will not hinder my financial assistance award TOO much (can't complain though, even if they gave me 20E a month I would be ecstatic), and watch my bank account balance like a hawk until it arrives.
6. Figure out what all I can bear to part with and send back to the U.S. with Jess. Even though it's only December, I figure anything I can send back now = less stuff for me to haul back in May. The few gifts I have purchased, some clothes (silly me, when I arrived in Sept I thought it might actually still be WARM in France. Then I realized it is NEVER warm in France, haha!), just some random odds & ends.
7. Jess and I have to trek into the mairie's (mayor's) office while he is here and find out what we have to do to be legally married here. According to French law, for a valid marriage, one of the parties must have lived in France for 40 consecutive days before the wedding (says nothing about being an actual legal citizen though). Well.. yeah, that's me. I've got phone bills, electric bills, bank statements, etc to prove it. Other things that I have found we will need: translated birth certificates (although I translated my own for my CDS and, although it did help the lady out, it was not required), a medical visit (umm... I have my lung X-ray, will that count? PLEASE PLEASE don't stab my finger for a blood sugar test again!), a certificate of celibacy (no, this is not something saying you are a virgin; it is something stating that neither of us is currently married and basically are free & able to get married to each other), and who knows what else. Retina scan, first born child, a kidney donation... Bah. Luckily Jess has a lawyer friend who can help us with paperwork.
8. Pack for our upcoming Eurotrip. Long coat, check. Hat, check. Warm gloves, check. Thermals, check. Fleece-y boots, check. Does anything else really matter beyond that??
Oh and if there are any other assistants reading this, we'll be in Paris for NYE and I would love to meet some of you (we'll probably have a couple other Remois assistants, as we volunteered the 2 extra seats in our rental car to anyone who wanted to road trip with us over the vacances). So anyone in Paris, send me a message in a bouteille or something (emails or comments work well too).
9. Our Troyen Assistant Xmas Dinner on Wednesday... so I'm in charge of the stuffing again (turned out decently enough last time, I was pleased with myself). I am planning to put the can of pumpkin sludge from my future mom-in-law to use and make pumpkin pie, but so far the search for "sweetened condensed milk" (lait sucre concentre) has proved unsuccessful. Mere assures me it exists, but I'm starting to wonder if any of France's plentiful other dairy products could be substituted instead.
10. Xmas Dinner on Xmas Day... my future husband will be here, jet-lagged, and probably freezing. I can hear him already, "Wow, you weren't exaggerating, it IS freezing here!" He sounded surprised when he looked at the weather forecast for Paris and saw a high of like, 40. I'm not lying when I say it is freezing here; according to the lil temperature thingie on my computer it is exactly 0C right now. But anyway.... how to make a decent Xmas dinner with A) 2 burners & a microwave, B) very few pots & pans and C) my culinary skills (or lack thereof). Ideas so far: steamed/boiled lobster tails (if I can find tails, and they are not too expensive), a big charcuterie platter, coq au vin, or something with fish (not salmon-- boy doesn't like salmon). By the end of this assistantship I could probably write a book a la MacGyver, "How to Make a Decent Meal with Only XYZ"
Ugh. OK. I suppose I will get to my lesson plan. Or maybe I will just make something to eat. One thing I have not neglected is food, a fact which became horribly evident to me yesterday when Mere insisted we go to the pharmacy with a scale and weigh ourselves. Yeah, definitely put on some kilos-- about 3-4 since I was last weighed at my medical visit for the CDS. I justify it by telling myself that extra weight will keep me warm and hence cut down on my electric bill. Hey, it made sense to me...
LES CHOSES A FAIRE
1. Finish lesson plan (all I really have to do is get the lyrics to "12 Days of Christmas" and black out a few words).
2. Clean. The disadvantage to living in a room smaller than most walk-in closets is that it gets dirty in 2 seconds. However, the advantage is that it only takes about 5 seconds to clean it. But I'm talking a thourough, roto-rooter cleaning: scrubbing the shower, sweeping every unnoticeable corner, hell I may even defrost my frigo if time/motivation permits (I haven't been able to open the lil freezer door since I left for Toussaints; good thing I never use it!).
3. I have been SUCH a slacker on this, but I need to get a signature from the doctor I put as my "medecin traitant" (primary doctor). His hours are whack and whenever his office IS open, I am usually in class. Argh.
4. Start banging down the door of the prefecture. They told me in October (when I turned in my medical visit form, the final step before getting my carte de sejour) that my CDS would arrive "avant Noel." Well, it is almost Noel, and no carte yet. Rumor has it they will send me something in the mail telling me it is ready, but this IS France after all, and a general rule to getting stuff done is being very pro-active. Again, the prefecture is tricky b/c the booth for the CDS is only open weekday mornings & Friday afternoons, so I am usually in class, but this coming Friday, I am all over it like fromage on a baguette.
5. Assuming I have my carte de sejour in hand any time in the near future, I will have to go to the CAF office again and give them a copy, cross my fingers that my mature age of 26 will not hinder my financial assistance award TOO much (can't complain though, even if they gave me 20E a month I would be ecstatic), and watch my bank account balance like a hawk until it arrives.
6. Figure out what all I can bear to part with and send back to the U.S. with Jess. Even though it's only December, I figure anything I can send back now = less stuff for me to haul back in May. The few gifts I have purchased, some clothes (silly me, when I arrived in Sept I thought it might actually still be WARM in France. Then I realized it is NEVER warm in France, haha!), just some random odds & ends.
7. Jess and I have to trek into the mairie's (mayor's) office while he is here and find out what we have to do to be legally married here. According to French law, for a valid marriage, one of the parties must have lived in France for 40 consecutive days before the wedding (says nothing about being an actual legal citizen though). Well.. yeah, that's me. I've got phone bills, electric bills, bank statements, etc to prove it. Other things that I have found we will need: translated birth certificates (although I translated my own for my CDS and, although it did help the lady out, it was not required), a medical visit (umm... I have my lung X-ray, will that count? PLEASE PLEASE don't stab my finger for a blood sugar test again!), a certificate of celibacy (no, this is not something saying you are a virgin; it is something stating that neither of us is currently married and basically are free & able to get married to each other), and who knows what else. Retina scan, first born child, a kidney donation... Bah. Luckily Jess has a lawyer friend who can help us with paperwork.
8. Pack for our upcoming Eurotrip. Long coat, check. Hat, check. Warm gloves, check. Thermals, check. Fleece-y boots, check. Does anything else really matter beyond that??
Oh and if there are any other assistants reading this, we'll be in Paris for NYE and I would love to meet some of you (we'll probably have a couple other Remois assistants, as we volunteered the 2 extra seats in our rental car to anyone who wanted to road trip with us over the vacances). So anyone in Paris, send me a message in a bouteille or something (emails or comments work well too).
9. Our Troyen Assistant Xmas Dinner on Wednesday... so I'm in charge of the stuffing again (turned out decently enough last time, I was pleased with myself). I am planning to put the can of pumpkin sludge from my future mom-in-law to use and make pumpkin pie, but so far the search for "sweetened condensed milk" (lait sucre concentre) has proved unsuccessful. Mere assures me it exists, but I'm starting to wonder if any of France's plentiful other dairy products could be substituted instead.
10. Xmas Dinner on Xmas Day... my future husband will be here, jet-lagged, and probably freezing. I can hear him already, "Wow, you weren't exaggerating, it IS freezing here!" He sounded surprised when he looked at the weather forecast for Paris and saw a high of like, 40. I'm not lying when I say it is freezing here; according to the lil temperature thingie on my computer it is exactly 0C right now. But anyway.... how to make a decent Xmas dinner with A) 2 burners & a microwave, B) very few pots & pans and C) my culinary skills (or lack thereof). Ideas so far: steamed/boiled lobster tails (if I can find tails, and they are not too expensive), a big charcuterie platter, coq au vin, or something with fish (not salmon-- boy doesn't like salmon). By the end of this assistantship I could probably write a book a la MacGyver, "How to Make a Decent Meal with Only XYZ"
Ugh. OK. I suppose I will get to my lesson plan. Or maybe I will just make something to eat. One thing I have not neglected is food, a fact which became horribly evident to me yesterday when Mere insisted we go to the pharmacy with a scale and weigh ourselves. Yeah, definitely put on some kilos-- about 3-4 since I was last weighed at my medical visit for the CDS. I justify it by telling myself that extra weight will keep me warm and hence cut down on my electric bill. Hey, it made sense to me...
Friday, December 14, 2007
Why My Shoulder is Dislocated
One of my terminale girls MSN'd me this evening to say she got a 10/10 on her "Exam Blanc." Not sure what that is, she said something about the bac (a pre-bac exam maybe?). Anyway, she said her prof asked her if it was because of me. Granted she is a very smart, motivated girl-- speaking to me on MSN in English outside of class, for instance. But, wow, if I was even a small reason why she did so well...
That made me feel so good about myself, I patted my own back. Hence, the dislocated shoulder. :)
That made me feel so good about myself, I patted my own back. Hence, the dislocated shoulder. :)
Spirit of the Season
I so prefer Christmas in Troyes than in the U.S. Maybe it's because of the overplaying of Christmas songs on every radio station. Maybe it's the massive traffic jams and lack of parking the entire month before. Maybe it's the stress of family issues: "So and so says s/he isn't coming unless X Y and Z demands are met." "Uh-oh, this relative is having the Crisis of the Year." "Token drunken drama queen of Christmas 200__ is..."
But alas in France... no radio in my apartment to blast obnoxious carols. No car, hence no issues with traffic and parking. And being 7,000 miles away from my family will drastically reduce any unneccessary stress (bless their hearts-- I will miss them tons on the actual day).
What does Troyes have? An ice skating rink newly set up in Place de Ville. Freezing temperatures (but no snow... yet. Fingers crossed!). Today I was walking down the main street and heard loud music-- NOT Christmas music, or maybe it was but because it was in French I couldn't tell. Then I realized there are speakers set up all around centre ville playing music. And new little stands are popping up everywhere: first the roasted chestnuts & churro stand, and the latest addition... a stand with the usual crepes, gauffres and VIN CHAUD! Only 2 euro, and a lot warmer (and yummier) than gloves. I had to have one, and much to my surprised delight the vendor spoke English and seemed more than happy to practice it on me.
I walked down the street, vin chaud warming my hands, music playing overhead, not even noticing the 2 degree weather. Just taking it all in is such a treat. I wish everyone could see this. I cannot wait til Jess is here to share this all with me.
But alas in France... no radio in my apartment to blast obnoxious carols. No car, hence no issues with traffic and parking. And being 7,000 miles away from my family will drastically reduce any unneccessary stress (bless their hearts-- I will miss them tons on the actual day).
What does Troyes have? An ice skating rink newly set up in Place de Ville. Freezing temperatures (but no snow... yet. Fingers crossed!). Today I was walking down the main street and heard loud music-- NOT Christmas music, or maybe it was but because it was in French I couldn't tell. Then I realized there are speakers set up all around centre ville playing music. And new little stands are popping up everywhere: first the roasted chestnuts & churro stand, and the latest addition... a stand with the usual crepes, gauffres and VIN CHAUD! Only 2 euro, and a lot warmer (and yummier) than gloves. I had to have one, and much to my surprised delight the vendor spoke English and seemed more than happy to practice it on me.
I walked down the street, vin chaud warming my hands, music playing overhead, not even noticing the 2 degree weather. Just taking it all in is such a treat. I wish everyone could see this. I cannot wait til Jess is here to share this all with me.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Dream a Lil Dream
I don't usually remember my dreams, but I woke up in the middle of the night thinking, "Wow, I just had a random dream!" But there was only one aspect of it I remember. I was making smoothies. And even though I'm not the hugest smoothie fan (and in this freezing weather, they could not sound less appealing), it sounded soooo yummy and I wanted one soooo bad. I'm sure, technically, I could go buy a blender, fruit, yogurt, etc, and make myself a smoothie, but the homemade ones are never as good as the concoctions from Jamba Juice (and they always turn out some weird gray-ish color too). Plus I'm not going to spend however many Euro that I really don't have on a blender to satisfy my smoothie fix which I am sure will pass by like, this evening.
But still.... France, you consider yourselves culinary wonders. You've given way to McDonald's, Burger King, KFC and (from what I've heard anyway) Starbucks. Can Jamba Juice please be next on your list of American corporate additions???
But still.... France, you consider yourselves culinary wonders. You've given way to McDonald's, Burger King, KFC and (from what I've heard anyway) Starbucks. Can Jamba Juice please be next on your list of American corporate additions???
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Best Future Mom-In-Law EVER!
When I studied in Le Mans, I lived for the care packages my mom sent me. Granted she only sent one or two, but man did I love them. There could've been rocks inside for all I cared, just that someone took the time & effort to put together a package and send overseas just to brighten my day was awesome. And I always knew when to expect one, as Mom would email me every day asking, "Is it there yet?? Is it there yet??" But that's what moms are for, right?
So imagine my surprise when yesterday, there is a note in my mailbox at the lycee saying I had a package at the loge. Weird, I thought, since I wasn't expecting anything. The secretary went in the back and produced a decent-sized box covered with Christmas-y red & gold print. "Aww, un cadeau de Noel!" she said. My expression of simultaneous shock & delight must have been obvious. I looked all over it trying to figure out who the mystery sender was and found a packing slip. It was from Jess' mom! I fully intended to save it & open it on Christmas, but the packing slip gave away the contents: a shirt, tissues, brownie mix & pumpkin pie mix.
I tore it open the second I got it home. The shirt, a long-sleeved black one with Christmas trees and an ice-skaing penguin, is honestly a bit cheesy but still so cute (I adore penguins, Jacque knows that). A pack of travel-sized tissues with penguins was next, which will come in handy since I think I have been sick ever since I landed in France. Brownie mix, wrapped in a penguin bag, and a big ol' can of pumpkin goo... if I can, I want to make the brownies to bring to the salle de profs next week, and make the pumpkin pie for our little assistants Xmas dinner next week. Of course, this means I have to find an oven to use, since all I have are 2 burners and a microwave.
Seriously, I damn near cried, I was so touched. I immediately went out and bought a Christmas/thank you card to send her. I just love it when people go out of their way to brighten someone's day, and it's all the better when that day is mine :)
So imagine my surprise when yesterday, there is a note in my mailbox at the lycee saying I had a package at the loge. Weird, I thought, since I wasn't expecting anything. The secretary went in the back and produced a decent-sized box covered with Christmas-y red & gold print. "Aww, un cadeau de Noel!" she said. My expression of simultaneous shock & delight must have been obvious. I looked all over it trying to figure out who the mystery sender was and found a packing slip. It was from Jess' mom! I fully intended to save it & open it on Christmas, but the packing slip gave away the contents: a shirt, tissues, brownie mix & pumpkin pie mix.
I tore it open the second I got it home. The shirt, a long-sleeved black one with Christmas trees and an ice-skaing penguin, is honestly a bit cheesy but still so cute (I adore penguins, Jacque knows that). A pack of travel-sized tissues with penguins was next, which will come in handy since I think I have been sick ever since I landed in France. Brownie mix, wrapped in a penguin bag, and a big ol' can of pumpkin goo... if I can, I want to make the brownies to bring to the salle de profs next week, and make the pumpkin pie for our little assistants Xmas dinner next week. Of course, this means I have to find an oven to use, since all I have are 2 burners and a microwave.
Seriously, I damn near cried, I was so touched. I immediately went out and bought a Christmas/thank you card to send her. I just love it when people go out of their way to brighten someone's day, and it's all the better when that day is mine :)
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Oh, Wine, How I Love Thee
Had some of the other assistants over for wine & "Apples to Apples" last night, and ended up becoming quite drunk all of a sudden. Maybe because I hadn't eaten much yesterday. Maybe because I was a bit emotional to start with. Who knows. But it got a bit out of control fast.
France is great with its wine-- you can get decent stuff for a decent price. It's wonderful and horrible at the same time. It's cheaper than any other beverage at restaurants. They may well have signs up saying, "DRINK WINE!!!" The wino that I am, though, I love it.
Although emotions and wine do not mix. It makes me homesick. It makes me pick fights. It makes me a bit stupid overall. Maybe I'm just a bit stupid overall to begin with. But if I am going to continue my love affair with the glorified grape juice, I need to get my act under control.
France is great with its wine-- you can get decent stuff for a decent price. It's wonderful and horrible at the same time. It's cheaper than any other beverage at restaurants. They may well have signs up saying, "DRINK WINE!!!" The wino that I am, though, I love it.
Although emotions and wine do not mix. It makes me homesick. It makes me pick fights. It makes me a bit stupid overall. Maybe I'm just a bit stupid overall to begin with. But if I am going to continue my love affair with the glorified grape juice, I need to get my act under control.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Grammy Nominations
I don't usually care about this kind of thing, but I noticed MSN's headline that the Grammy Noms are out.
Kanye, Winehouse Lead Grammy Nominees
Kanye West is leading with 8. Good for him. Can't say I'm overly familiar with his stuff (especially recent) but after that stupid rivalry with 50 Cent (who bothers me in many, many ways), I am glad Kanye got it. Some people have beef with him-- I enjoy his music.
The one I don't get is Amy Winehouse. First of all, "Rehab" is a shit song that is horribly overplayed, obnoxious, and bores little holes into one's brain in which the song manifests itself and repeats until it drives you nuts enough to take up a drug habit and, well, end up in rehab. But seriously... can ANYONE name another song by her? And she has SIX noms? That's it, I'm gonna start wearing my hair in an enormous unbrushed circa-1950's beehive, wear 7 pounds of makeup and take my marital & drug problems public and score myself some Grammy noms.
Other thoughts: I have a strong dislike of Beyonce as well. I remember the first time I heard a Destiny's Child song and thought, "THIS band will be gone tomorrow, thank GOD." Well I was technically right-- the band is gone. Beyonce, however, is here to stay. Again, I don't see the talent.
I'll give Rihanna props. Although "Umbrella" has that same "bores holes and lives in your brain" issue that "Rehab" does, it's OK. At least I could name another Rihanna song.
JT: OK, I love JT, I admit it. But I don't think his latest album is Grammy material. Nonetheless, if JT wins Record of the Year, I will be happy.
I would love to see Vince Gill win the Album of the Year award. I love Vince Gill, and have for years. I bet most people (including/especially anyone reading this) couldn't name a song by him, which is, among other reasons, why he probably won't win.
Overall opinion of the 2007 Grammy Awards? A disappointing pile of stuff I see all over the sidewalks in Troyes every day of my life.
*These statements only reflect the views of Princess and are not stated as verified and true facst (but they f--ing should be!)
Kanye, Winehouse Lead Grammy Nominees
Kanye West is leading with 8. Good for him. Can't say I'm overly familiar with his stuff (especially recent) but after that stupid rivalry with 50 Cent (who bothers me in many, many ways), I am glad Kanye got it. Some people have beef with him-- I enjoy his music.
The one I don't get is Amy Winehouse. First of all, "Rehab" is a shit song that is horribly overplayed, obnoxious, and bores little holes into one's brain in which the song manifests itself and repeats until it drives you nuts enough to take up a drug habit and, well, end up in rehab. But seriously... can ANYONE name another song by her? And she has SIX noms? That's it, I'm gonna start wearing my hair in an enormous unbrushed circa-1950's beehive, wear 7 pounds of makeup and take my marital & drug problems public and score myself some Grammy noms.
Other thoughts: I have a strong dislike of Beyonce as well. I remember the first time I heard a Destiny's Child song and thought, "THIS band will be gone tomorrow, thank GOD." Well I was technically right-- the band is gone. Beyonce, however, is here to stay. Again, I don't see the talent.
I'll give Rihanna props. Although "Umbrella" has that same "bores holes and lives in your brain" issue that "Rehab" does, it's OK. At least I could name another Rihanna song.
JT: OK, I love JT, I admit it. But I don't think his latest album is Grammy material. Nonetheless, if JT wins Record of the Year, I will be happy.
I would love to see Vince Gill win the Album of the Year award. I love Vince Gill, and have for years. I bet most people (including/especially anyone reading this) couldn't name a song by him, which is, among other reasons, why he probably won't win.
Overall opinion of the 2007 Grammy Awards? A disappointing pile of stuff I see all over the sidewalks in Troyes every day of my life.
*These statements only reflect the views of Princess and are not stated as verified and true facst (but they f--ing should be!)
Cuisine Americaine
When I first got to Troyes, one of the profs at my lycee told me about a former student who really enjoys practicing his English. The former assistant would meet with him for coffee occassionally, and he was hoping I would as well. A French student motivated to speak English?! I know how rare those are so of course I said yes.
Thibaut is a very nice guy. We met a few weeks ago for a drink and chatted for a couple of hours. His English is very good! Turns out we like a lot of the same music (Jimi Hendrix, CCR, etc) and we share the same favorite movie (Forrest Gump). Excellent.
So earlier this week Thibaut texted me asking if I'd like to meet for lunch this week. Met up with him this afternoon and he took me to a (Americans, prepare to be semi-jealous)..... Tex-Mex restaurant! Right here in Troyes. And I thought I hit the jackpot finding cheddar cheese at our marche.
Granted, French Tex-Mex is far from the real thing. It certainly is not the type of Mexican food we Californians know & love (mmm, California burritos). My dinky "burrito poulet"definitely required a knife & fork, and was about as spicy as fruit salad. Yes I know my standards for spicy as above & beyond that of a normal person (Thibaut looked shocked when I told him I could probably down a bottle of Tabasco & not be affected), but honestly, France... comment dit-on "habanero" en francais?! I remembered the lack of spice from my time in Le Mans. But still, even the attempt was awesome. And dig this, they served CALIFORNIA wine. I'm sure it was some crap like Gallo but still, just seeing CA wine on a French menu is a first for me. They also had Budweiser on the menu, along with a few Mexican beers. I'll likely return if/when I need a dose of stuff from home.
I find it funny that, reading back the previous paragraph, I said, "dig." We went back to Thibaut's place after lunch for some coffee, he played a bit of Jimi Hendrix on his guitar, and as we were walking back to centre ville he asked me, "What does Jimi mean when he says, 'dig'?" No, Jimi was not digging up holes. He was asking his listeners if they liked it, if they thought it was cool. For instance, "I dig Jimi Hendrix."
And I dig Mexican food, even if it's been Frenchified.
Thibaut is a very nice guy. We met a few weeks ago for a drink and chatted for a couple of hours. His English is very good! Turns out we like a lot of the same music (Jimi Hendrix, CCR, etc) and we share the same favorite movie (Forrest Gump). Excellent.
So earlier this week Thibaut texted me asking if I'd like to meet for lunch this week. Met up with him this afternoon and he took me to a (Americans, prepare to be semi-jealous)..... Tex-Mex restaurant! Right here in Troyes. And I thought I hit the jackpot finding cheddar cheese at our marche.
Granted, French Tex-Mex is far from the real thing. It certainly is not the type of Mexican food we Californians know & love (mmm, California burritos). My dinky "burrito poulet"definitely required a knife & fork, and was about as spicy as fruit salad. Yes I know my standards for spicy as above & beyond that of a normal person (Thibaut looked shocked when I told him I could probably down a bottle of Tabasco & not be affected), but honestly, France... comment dit-on "habanero" en francais?! I remembered the lack of spice from my time in Le Mans. But still, even the attempt was awesome. And dig this, they served CALIFORNIA wine. I'm sure it was some crap like Gallo but still, just seeing CA wine on a French menu is a first for me. They also had Budweiser on the menu, along with a few Mexican beers. I'll likely return if/when I need a dose of stuff from home.
I find it funny that, reading back the previous paragraph, I said, "dig." We went back to Thibaut's place after lunch for some coffee, he played a bit of Jimi Hendrix on his guitar, and as we were walking back to centre ville he asked me, "What does Jimi mean when he says, 'dig'?" No, Jimi was not digging up holes. He was asking his listeners if they liked it, if they thought it was cool. For instance, "I dig Jimi Hendrix."
And I dig Mexican food, even if it's been Frenchified.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
MSN
In my very first lesson, I had handed out a little "About Me" page, with my name, where I'm from, my family, interests, etc. I included my email address at the bottom, in case the students ever had any questions or needed to reach me.
A couple of girls came up after class yesterday and said they had tried emailing me but it didn't work (I don't know if that means the email did not send, or if it ended up in my Spam folder & I never saw it, or whatever). Then one girl asked if I had MSN. Well yes, I do, I replied. They both lit up and asked for my info. One of them messaged me last night, the other messaged me just now. At first I thought maybe there was a problem or something, but they really do just want to chat!
So for the moment I think it's cute. I hope I don't come to regret it!
A couple of girls came up after class yesterday and said they had tried emailing me but it didn't work (I don't know if that means the email did not send, or if it ended up in my Spam folder & I never saw it, or whatever). Then one girl asked if I had MSN. Well yes, I do, I replied. They both lit up and asked for my info. One of them messaged me last night, the other messaged me just now. At first I thought maybe there was a problem or something, but they really do just want to chat!
So for the moment I think it's cute. I hope I don't come to regret it!
There IS Such Thing As Too Much Fun
Mondays are the death of me. While I definitely cannot complain about my job schedule (3 days/12 hours a week), Mondays are brutal because I come from a three-day weekend into 5 straight hours of class. Those 12 hours don't count the time spent making lesson plans, brainstorming ways to the attention of the students (who, for the most part, do NOT want to learn) and maybe, just maybe, teach them some English. In general, the teachers tell me to do whatever I want with them. Some might throw out suggestions: "In class we're currently studying ____," or, "Can you teach them about___ in the United States?" I oftentimes find it convenient to re-use one lesson on a few different classes. This is not because I'm too lazy/unmotivated to think of new lessons for each class; for instance, if I had a plan the students hated, I would make a new one. If a teacher gives me a request, I try to make a lesson plan for his/her class around that instead. Basically, give me some guidance and let me soar. I thought I was doing OK.
I have two groups of 2-3 students each from the same professor. Aside from these classes being my wretched early-morning group (again, really have no room for complaints: 9AM twice a week is NOT THAT BAD but still), their English just... sucks. Either that or they have a chronic case of cat's-got-the-tongue. The Thursday group (2 girls) is far worse than the Tuesday group (2 girls, 1 guy), both in terms of language skills and partcipating in class. Imagine how painfully slow a class goes by when your activity goes to shit because the students just... sit there.
So back to Mondays being wretched enough. Yesterday I had a note in my box from this particular professor-- all in very sloppily written French, so A) I could barely read it and B) I probably wouldn't understand it all even if I could read it. Then I saw another prof, Matthieu (whose BTS class is probably my fave, he flat-out told me to take them to a cafe and chat b/c it's a CONVERSATION class), and he helped decipher it. Basically, the students (specifically, the two girls from Thursday's class) had complained about me to their prof, and she was demanding to know what I was teaching them, that they have to prepare for the Bac & I've been wasting their time. OK fine, I understand that French kids could care less about Thanksgiving- I had tried desperately to make a fun lesson to teach it, including an activity, and the other classes loved it. These two sat there, and I borderline panicked once I realized I had gone through EVERYTHING (having counted on more-- nay, ANY-- participation on their part) with 15 minutes left to spare. Yes, I did some good ol' pulled-this-outta-my-ass chit-chat. Maybe they didn't like my approach of playing a game the day back from Toussaint's instead of just jumping into a more difficult lesson. Never mind the fact that I ask every one of my classes at every single meeting, "If there is anything specific you want to study, need to study, whatever, TELL ME!" Perhaps they would've had a more challenging lesson if their English (all two words I've ever heard them speak) did not suck. So yes, I was frustrated, annoyed and... confused.
Matthieu explained it. "When a lesson is fun-- a song, a video-- some students do not see it as real work." He related a time when he had used songs to teach, and even the parents got on his case about it. Basically, some students really just want to be given an assignment and lectured at. Yet one more major difference between French & American education. When I was in high school, read-and-lecture classes were miserable. The active ones-- playing games, class-led discussions, THOSE were fun. I could not name a single person who would've opted for taking notes over listening to music. Ha, I can now though. Besides, I don't think I'm doing them any favors by giving them a text to read, some review Q's, and just have them regurgitate the answers. I guess I'm coming to the realization that some students (and teachers) could care less about learning English. They care about the Baccalaurete. Once they take the Bac, they'll drop it like a French dog drops shit on the sidewalks. Why learn conversational (AKA useful) language when the Bac asks you for text analysis? It saddens me. I feel like my purpose for even being here has been defeated.
So fine. Matthieu saved my ass by lending me a copy of a Bac prep book with lots of mind-numbingly boring texts with redundant review questions after each one. I copied a few of them and ran one by this morning's class. They seemed OK with it-- had a good enough grasp of the language and Q's, but not to the point where I worried it was below their level. And I asked them about 5 times, "Is this text OK?? Not too difficult? Not too easy? Not too boring?" But again, they weren't the ones protesting against my fun lessons. Now, the silent pains in my ass on Thursday... if "real" work won't get them speaking, I'll likely consider telling their prof I don't want to see them. Nah, I can't do that unfortunately. But I could take Matthieu's suggestion of, "Just throw 5 or 6 texts at them at a time and demand full comparisons of each." That'll learn 'em.
I have two groups of 2-3 students each from the same professor. Aside from these classes being my wretched early-morning group (again, really have no room for complaints: 9AM twice a week is NOT THAT BAD but still), their English just... sucks. Either that or they have a chronic case of cat's-got-the-tongue. The Thursday group (2 girls) is far worse than the Tuesday group (2 girls, 1 guy), both in terms of language skills and partcipating in class. Imagine how painfully slow a class goes by when your activity goes to shit because the students just... sit there.
So back to Mondays being wretched enough. Yesterday I had a note in my box from this particular professor-- all in very sloppily written French, so A) I could barely read it and B) I probably wouldn't understand it all even if I could read it. Then I saw another prof, Matthieu (whose BTS class is probably my fave, he flat-out told me to take them to a cafe and chat b/c it's a CONVERSATION class), and he helped decipher it. Basically, the students (specifically, the two girls from Thursday's class) had complained about me to their prof, and she was demanding to know what I was teaching them, that they have to prepare for the Bac & I've been wasting their time. OK fine, I understand that French kids could care less about Thanksgiving- I had tried desperately to make a fun lesson to teach it, including an activity, and the other classes loved it. These two sat there, and I borderline panicked once I realized I had gone through EVERYTHING (having counted on more-- nay, ANY-- participation on their part) with 15 minutes left to spare. Yes, I did some good ol' pulled-this-outta-my-ass chit-chat. Maybe they didn't like my approach of playing a game the day back from Toussaint's instead of just jumping into a more difficult lesson. Never mind the fact that I ask every one of my classes at every single meeting, "If there is anything specific you want to study, need to study, whatever, TELL ME!" Perhaps they would've had a more challenging lesson if their English (all two words I've ever heard them speak) did not suck. So yes, I was frustrated, annoyed and... confused.
Matthieu explained it. "When a lesson is fun-- a song, a video-- some students do not see it as real work." He related a time when he had used songs to teach, and even the parents got on his case about it. Basically, some students really just want to be given an assignment and lectured at. Yet one more major difference between French & American education. When I was in high school, read-and-lecture classes were miserable. The active ones-- playing games, class-led discussions, THOSE were fun. I could not name a single person who would've opted for taking notes over listening to music. Ha, I can now though. Besides, I don't think I'm doing them any favors by giving them a text to read, some review Q's, and just have them regurgitate the answers. I guess I'm coming to the realization that some students (and teachers) could care less about learning English. They care about the Baccalaurete. Once they take the Bac, they'll drop it like a French dog drops shit on the sidewalks. Why learn conversational (AKA useful) language when the Bac asks you for text analysis? It saddens me. I feel like my purpose for even being here has been defeated.
So fine. Matthieu saved my ass by lending me a copy of a Bac prep book with lots of mind-numbingly boring texts with redundant review questions after each one. I copied a few of them and ran one by this morning's class. They seemed OK with it-- had a good enough grasp of the language and Q's, but not to the point where I worried it was below their level. And I asked them about 5 times, "Is this text OK?? Not too difficult? Not too easy? Not too boring?" But again, they weren't the ones protesting against my fun lessons. Now, the silent pains in my ass on Thursday... if "real" work won't get them speaking, I'll likely consider telling their prof I don't want to see them. Nah, I can't do that unfortunately. But I could take Matthieu's suggestion of, "Just throw 5 or 6 texts at them at a time and demand full comparisons of each." That'll learn 'em.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Life's Little Inventions
There are many inventions I appreciate mucho in life: cars, phones, internet, cheap French wine, etc. But being over here definitely makes me appreciate certain seemingly random inventions even more. For instance:
Mashed potatoes: I don't know what it is about them, but they are borderline heroic. So inexpensive (a kilo of potatoes costs less than a euro at the marche), so simple, yet so very wonderful. Warm, filling, comforting. Carby. American. Makes me think of home. Yum.
Webcam: I've never been a webcammer-- mostly just because I've never had one. But with this spiffy new laptop from Jess, that has changed. And I can talk to him AND see him, for free. Added bonus: when Corbu struts by in the background and meows-- yup, I can see and hear all that too. Sometimes it makes me homesick, wishing I were there, but more often than not it just brings a smile to my face.
Fuzzy socks: I don't know what that material is called. You know the stuff-- unbelievably soft, used for baby toys and bathrobes. Brad and Jana got me a pair during a weekend away so my tootsies wouldn't freeze in France. Boy do I love them-- I wear them damn near every night when I go to bed.
Flickr: Now you can all see my pictures, all the time. Even better, now I can back my pictures up to a website just in case something should happen and my laptop, camera and iPod video all decide to kick the bucket. Whenever I upload new photos, I inevitably go through old ones (either mine or my friends') and reminisce.
Cheddar Cheese: While studying in Le Mans, we found cheddar once. One time, in 6 months. As someone who is very picky about cheese (and cheddar being one of the kinds I actually do like), this was not a good thing. So imagine my utter delight when I walked past a fromagerie inside Les Halles and saw a big neon orange block. "Une tranche, s'il vous plait!" I couldn't say it fast enough. It's almost gone now. Maybe I should've gone for the whole kilo...
Febreeze: Before I left the states I bought a travel-size spray bottle and filled it with some of our Febreeze. "What do you need that for?" the fiance inquired. The question is, what DON'T you need Febreeze for?! Indeed, it has saved me many a time so far. All those nights spent in smoke-filled bars? Febreeze my smelly coat and the evidence is gone (save for my hangover). Expensive loads of laundry? Drastically reduced, just spray on some Febreeze! And who needs deodorant when you've got magic in a bottle (OK, I'm kidding, I still use real deodorant).
Every single day that I am here, I come to appreciate some random object, concept, technology, etc, more than ever. This list is not all-inclusive-- not by a long shot. I'm sure I've left out all sorts of things; for instance, blogs. Yes, blogs are great. Know what else is great? Sleep. Bonne nuit a tous.
Mashed potatoes: I don't know what it is about them, but they are borderline heroic. So inexpensive (a kilo of potatoes costs less than a euro at the marche), so simple, yet so very wonderful. Warm, filling, comforting. Carby. American. Makes me think of home. Yum.
Webcam: I've never been a webcammer-- mostly just because I've never had one. But with this spiffy new laptop from Jess, that has changed. And I can talk to him AND see him, for free. Added bonus: when Corbu struts by in the background and meows-- yup, I can see and hear all that too. Sometimes it makes me homesick, wishing I were there, but more often than not it just brings a smile to my face.
Fuzzy socks: I don't know what that material is called. You know the stuff-- unbelievably soft, used for baby toys and bathrobes. Brad and Jana got me a pair during a weekend away so my tootsies wouldn't freeze in France. Boy do I love them-- I wear them damn near every night when I go to bed.
Flickr: Now you can all see my pictures, all the time. Even better, now I can back my pictures up to a website just in case something should happen and my laptop, camera and iPod video all decide to kick the bucket. Whenever I upload new photos, I inevitably go through old ones (either mine or my friends') and reminisce.
Cheddar Cheese: While studying in Le Mans, we found cheddar once. One time, in 6 months. As someone who is very picky about cheese (and cheddar being one of the kinds I actually do like), this was not a good thing. So imagine my utter delight when I walked past a fromagerie inside Les Halles and saw a big neon orange block. "Une tranche, s'il vous plait!" I couldn't say it fast enough. It's almost gone now. Maybe I should've gone for the whole kilo...
Febreeze: Before I left the states I bought a travel-size spray bottle and filled it with some of our Febreeze. "What do you need that for?" the fiance inquired. The question is, what DON'T you need Febreeze for?! Indeed, it has saved me many a time so far. All those nights spent in smoke-filled bars? Febreeze my smelly coat and the evidence is gone (save for my hangover). Expensive loads of laundry? Drastically reduced, just spray on some Febreeze! And who needs deodorant when you've got magic in a bottle (OK, I'm kidding, I still use real deodorant).
Every single day that I am here, I come to appreciate some random object, concept, technology, etc, more than ever. This list is not all-inclusive-- not by a long shot. I'm sure I've left out all sorts of things; for instance, blogs. Yes, blogs are great. Know what else is great? Sleep. Bonne nuit a tous.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Glad To Know It's Not Just Me!
Came across this article on MSN today:
Top countries that can handle their liquor
Europe is home to all but one of the top 15 hardest-drinking nations
By Robert Malone and Tom Van Riper
Forbes updated 2:37 p.m. ET Nov. 30, 2007
Europe: Home of much natural beauty, old traditions and booze. Lots and lots of booze.
Yes, all but one of the World's 15 Heaviest-Drinking Countries are in Europe, a continent where cultural traditions — and tax policies on alcohol — die hard.
Our top 15 listing comes from a 2006 survey by the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development, which tracks per capita alcohol consumption around the globe. Rankings are based on the number of liters of pure alcohol consumed per person per year, from beer, wine and spirits combined (the three have progressively higher percentages of alcohol content).
Luxembourg, where residents pound down 15.5 liters of alcohol in a year, on average, ranks first. Close behind are France (14.2 liters), Ireland (also 14.2 liters, a lot more of it from beer), Hungary (12 liters) and the Czech Republic (11.8 liters).
A 2006 study by the Weinberg Group, a consulting firm that reported findings of several published health officials on alcohol use in Europe, showed that Europe generally has greater tolerance and acceptance for drinking than the rest of the world does, with alcohol used more in social settings and at family meals.
"A number of social, political and cultural factors have been reported to influence drinking behavior," the report concluded. Among them: traditions that have young and old imbibing around the dinner table and at social events, and varying levels of alcohol taxes in different countries.
Luxembourg taxes beer at just .02 euros per pint, lower than any European country other than Cyprus and Latvia. It has no excise tax on wine. The European Union is generally very friendly to the continent's vintners, supporting minuscule taxes in order to support consumer purchases. According to reports, the E.U. deemed illegal a recent attempt by Sweden to impose a higher tax, asserting levies on wine cannot exceed those on beer, lest they hurt the domestic wine businesses while, in this case, benefiting Sweden's brewers.
But taxes are apparently just a small piece of the picture. When Denmark turned to higher alcohol taxes a decade ago, the result was only a limited drop in demand. The country still ranks seventh in per capita alcohol consumption worldwide, at 11.5 liters per year.
Meanwhile, a survey in the publication Alcohol Research & Health shows that 94 percent of 15-year-olds in the Czech Republic identify themselves as drinkers, with almost half saying they've drank beer at least three times over the past month. Drinking figures are similar elsewhere in Europe — 96 percent in Denmark, 89 percent in Ireland and 91 percent in the U.K.
The Czechs, who after all invented Pilsner, lead the world in annual beer consumption with over 150 liters per person. That's about twice the U.S. rate. A potential reason for the extra drinking on the east side of the Atlantic: No country making the list has a legal drinking age over 18; with some as low as 16 for beer. The minimum legal age in the U.S. is 21.
Not all surveys on drinking frequency over the years necessarily match each other's findings. A 2004 study commissioned by the World Health Organization, for example, had countries like Russia and Switzerland sneaking past some on the OECD list, like Belgium and Australia. But the results were mostly similar.
Worldwide, the W.H.O. asserts that some 2 billion people use alcohol at one time or another, with approximately 76 million deemed to have a problem. Its 2002 World Health Report blamed liquor for 1.8 million deaths, including about 200,000 in the European Union, along with 20% to 30% of all liver disease, auto accidents and epilepsy seizures.
© 2007 Forbes.comURL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22043142/
Top countries that can handle their liquor
Europe is home to all but one of the top 15 hardest-drinking nations
By Robert Malone and Tom Van Riper
Forbes updated 2:37 p.m. ET Nov. 30, 2007
Europe: Home of much natural beauty, old traditions and booze. Lots and lots of booze.
Yes, all but one of the World's 15 Heaviest-Drinking Countries are in Europe, a continent where cultural traditions — and tax policies on alcohol — die hard.
Our top 15 listing comes from a 2006 survey by the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development, which tracks per capita alcohol consumption around the globe. Rankings are based on the number of liters of pure alcohol consumed per person per year, from beer, wine and spirits combined (the three have progressively higher percentages of alcohol content).
Luxembourg, where residents pound down 15.5 liters of alcohol in a year, on average, ranks first. Close behind are France (14.2 liters), Ireland (also 14.2 liters, a lot more of it from beer), Hungary (12 liters) and the Czech Republic (11.8 liters).
A 2006 study by the Weinberg Group, a consulting firm that reported findings of several published health officials on alcohol use in Europe, showed that Europe generally has greater tolerance and acceptance for drinking than the rest of the world does, with alcohol used more in social settings and at family meals.
"A number of social, political and cultural factors have been reported to influence drinking behavior," the report concluded. Among them: traditions that have young and old imbibing around the dinner table and at social events, and varying levels of alcohol taxes in different countries.
Luxembourg taxes beer at just .02 euros per pint, lower than any European country other than Cyprus and Latvia. It has no excise tax on wine. The European Union is generally very friendly to the continent's vintners, supporting minuscule taxes in order to support consumer purchases. According to reports, the E.U. deemed illegal a recent attempt by Sweden to impose a higher tax, asserting levies on wine cannot exceed those on beer, lest they hurt the domestic wine businesses while, in this case, benefiting Sweden's brewers.
But taxes are apparently just a small piece of the picture. When Denmark turned to higher alcohol taxes a decade ago, the result was only a limited drop in demand. The country still ranks seventh in per capita alcohol consumption worldwide, at 11.5 liters per year.
Meanwhile, a survey in the publication Alcohol Research & Health shows that 94 percent of 15-year-olds in the Czech Republic identify themselves as drinkers, with almost half saying they've drank beer at least three times over the past month. Drinking figures are similar elsewhere in Europe — 96 percent in Denmark, 89 percent in Ireland and 91 percent in the U.K.
The Czechs, who after all invented Pilsner, lead the world in annual beer consumption with over 150 liters per person. That's about twice the U.S. rate. A potential reason for the extra drinking on the east side of the Atlantic: No country making the list has a legal drinking age over 18; with some as low as 16 for beer. The minimum legal age in the U.S. is 21.
Not all surveys on drinking frequency over the years necessarily match each other's findings. A 2004 study commissioned by the World Health Organization, for example, had countries like Russia and Switzerland sneaking past some on the OECD list, like Belgium and Australia. But the results were mostly similar.
Worldwide, the W.H.O. asserts that some 2 billion people use alcohol at one time or another, with approximately 76 million deemed to have a problem. Its 2002 World Health Report blamed liquor for 1.8 million deaths, including about 200,000 in the European Union, along with 20% to 30% of all liver disease, auto accidents and epilepsy seizures.
© 2007 Forbes.comURL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22043142/
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
