Almost holidays!!!

Well, I figured I better blog now before I head out on Friday. I had a great weekend! Friday afternoon I went to Florence's (the same one I went to dinner with the night before) place for a quick tea before she had to be back at school. She dropped me off in town and I headed to the grocery store. First off, for those who dont really know, French people stare a lot. Sometimes to the point where you feel awkward. While I was in the store I noticed some guy and he was looking at me. I looked at him and smiled while I was walking through the aisle. He was in line at the till. He kept staring so I headed off to another aisle away from the tills. I was looking at some stuff when this guy comes up to me and says "can I ask your name?". So sure, I reply "Erine(with a french accent)" Then he says something about be having really nice eyes. I asked him his name then stuck my hand out to shake his. Oh, look at that north american come out in me. That is something that is not really french. I felt like a bit of a tool after that. And then, I didnt know what to say so I say "Im Canadian and Im the assistant at the highschool". Then he apologizes, I have no idea why and then tells me a bit about him. All in all very funny yet awkward. Oh I forgot to mention I told him about my big debut in the paper. haha, I am such a loser. Oh well, off he went and I finished my shopping and headed to the till. He was just finishing checking out and he was with some chick. I had a smile on my face becuase I was giggling to myself about what happened. He smiled at me and it was pretty funny.
That night I did not do too much. I just chilled here. I was sitting on the internet around 7 getting ready to head out cook some dinner watch some tv etc. Guillaume, the teacher I mentioned way back in the day that kind of creeped me out a bit came into the computer room and then another teacher. We all chatted and it was nice. They left and a little bit later Guillaume came back to ask if I wanted to do something with him that night. NO THANKS! Sorry, that sounds really mean, but Im not interested. He ended up sitting here chatting with me for like 2 hours which was fine except he kept asking me to do something. Then he makes some comment on how he is attracted to me etc. I found out he is 31 years old. Nice guy, but something about him just, i dont know, seems off to me i guess.
Saturday I headed off to the big grand old city of Chateauroux! Hahah, for those of you that dont know this city its not that great of one. Anyway, it is great when you have friends there. We all headed over to Nadine, Karen and Emanuela's place for our Christmas Festivities!! It was a great night. The wine was flowing and the snacks were plentiful. There were 16 of us there and each person bought a gift under 5€. Everyone had to sing a song to get their gift. It was a lot of fun. Great night!
So far this week, I have not done much. Yesterday in the restuarant "pedagogique" (students make the food - like part of their schooling), which we the teachers go to every monday instead of the cafeteria, we had our "Christmas" lunch. Oh the typical French Christmas meal starts with fois-gras (however that may be spelt). Well, I took the big step and tried it. No thanks, I'll pass on that one next time. Other than that it was a great meal. Tonight in the canteen we had our Christmas dinner there which was good and we even got a can of pop which you never get. We only get water with meals. On Thursday at lunch there will be yet another Christmas meal! Woot!!!
Anyway, Friday I finish at 1230, I have 3 classes and in the last one the teacher and I decided we would do the class together and just watch a DVD. Easy!! hehe! After that I will catch the bus and head to Chateauroux then Paris to meet up with Mitsuko (my Japanese friend). Then Sunday off to Spain!!!! Let the holidays begin. Spending 7 nights in a resort hotel near Marbella (in the south) with some day trips to other cities and then upto Cordoba, Salamanca and Madrid I think. I cant wait. When I return from Spain on the 29th I will meet Darcie at the airport and we will spend a few days in Paris, including New Years and then head off to Amsterdam and Brussels. I am looking forward to the holdiays! I cant believe they are here already. Where has the time gone??
Well, enough from me here, take care and MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!

Pics

"Only in a small town"

Well, I just had my "interview" for the newspaper "L'Echo du Berry" (if Im not mistaken) on what I am doing here in La Châtre. I have to say Im sure that this doesnt happen to very many people especially those in big cities. He took my picture too so I will have to keep my eyes open for the issue with me in it. Luckily I believe it is a weekly paper so I wont have to check EVERY day. So we'll see how it turns out. I felt a little silly, I have never really had an interview for the paper. Been in it for skating enough when I was young though.
Well, this week has flown by. Tuesday I met up with Sophal and hung out for a little bit in the evening. I headed to Bellac on Wednesday morning, arriving there at 2. It was nice to get away for a bit and see some other places and other people. We didnt get upto anything overly exciting which was just fine with me. It was just chill. Yesterday I started heading back home with a stop in Limoges. Stayed there for a couple hours before catching the train to Chateauroux. I liked the city. There were several parks which I love to just sit around in them. Dont know about night life but has good potential! I got home around 1815 and watched friends before coming to get the key to internet, pick up a package I received(THANK YOU so much...you know who you are) and go to dinner. I ran into one of the english teachers. She and her husband are such sweethearts and have been very welcoming with me. Anyway, she invited me to her place right then for dinner instead of eating in the canteen. I didnt want to 'disrupt' (i dont know the good word to use here in english) her family etc( je n'ai pas voulu lui déranger). Well, we headed out, me with my package in hand to her car. She called her husband with my phone to let him know that me and another teacher were joining. To the grocery store we went where we ran through grabbing a few things. Her son is such a cutie. He is seven and loves Tim Burton. He is super creative loves to draw and create monsters. He gave me a picture that he drew and i promptly stuck it on my wall when i got home. We had a great evening just chatting and enjoying each others company along with some typical French wine! Great evening. Before heading out they brought me in a gift. Totally unnecessary and soo sweet. Her husband owns/runs the cinema town that I love going to. So they got me a book of Movies posters(adverts) from the 90s. It was very nice of them.
Well, that's about all. Life is great! Just going to chill here tonight, watch a little Star Ac, which I had completely forgot about and eat some salt & vinegar chips (mmm...cant wait...Ms Vickis (if i can spell correctly) woot). I am going to walk into town and get some wine I think and bread for dinner. Tomorrow if Im up Ill go to the market before heading to Chateauroux for our "christmas shindig" which should be great fun! Cant wait! Only one week left of classes before the holidays begin! Cant wait!!!!

Another weekend done....

Only have 12 more hours of classes before the holidays start! WOOT!!!! Unfortunately those 12 hours are spread out over toooo much time and I am not done them until 1230 next Friday the 16th. There are only 20 days left till Christmas as of today which is GREAT!!! Well, its not like Christmas is going to be normal for me seeing as I will be galavanting around Spain, but it will be something different and memorable. I cant wait. Have looked into so many things Id like to do while down south. Too bad it wont be that hot, although it is curently around 20, so I am assuming it will be somewhere around here when I arrive in less than 2weeks!!!! And before that I am going to see MITSUKO!!! Yipee!!! I cant wait to see her!
Other than that, I had a great weekend. Thursday afternoon went out for a "drink" - coke in this case with one of my students and just wandered around town a bit. Nice break from everything. After my classes on Friday I headed off to Bourges with Manola, one of the english teachers for the afternoon. We had a nice lunch at a chinese restaurant and then walked around town, looked at shops etc. When I got back to La Châtre, Lucy and Caitlin were already here waiting for me. I met up with them, we got some groceries headed back to my place had dinner and some drinks - beeer in this case. We watched the semi finals for the girls on Star Academy 5 then went out to the Kilkey for a drink. Everyone was pretty tired so we never made it to the Amazon, too bad, I would have liked to go. Next time.
Saturday we slept in late then made our way out to do a little tour of the area. We headed to Chateaumeillant and Culan(where there is a castle - closed unfortunately) and then they dropped me off and I met up with Sophal. Her and David(her husband) picked me up and I went over there to eat dinner and watch the Miss France. hahah.
Yesterday I pretty much did nothing besides buy a couple of train tickets for when Darcie comes to visit. And today....class. First class was good. Had fun with the girls. Second class, good too! Talked about Christmas today. And I realize that with this class, 1e STG, which I was never a HUGE fan of, I have to do my lesson and reward by chatting in French for a few minutes at the end. I was actually happy at the end of this class. Plus, some of the students invited me to go to L'Amazone, unfortunately I will not be here that day, its the day I leave for Spain.
I headed to town to get some money, needed to add meals to my card so I could eat. hehe. On my way back into town a couple girls came upto me, my students, and asked me to go with them to the Amazone the same time, the 18th with them. I told them I would love to, but it is not going to happen this time and I promise I will go next time. The one girl just celebrated her 18th birthday this past weekend....ahhh, remember when you turned 18. WOW....that was in 2000 for me. haha!
Anyway, life is grand! Was going to head to see Olivia in Bellac either tomorrow or Wednesday, but not sure if I really feel like going anywhere, though I should because I know I will get bored around here. We'll see what Im thinking later. Off for now to try and find a computer that lets me check my email...I hate this one and a lot of times the ladies in the library tell me to use this one....Grrr. Oh well, ta-ta for now!

"Don't make friends with students"

Well, seeing as I put that title in quotations, lets say this...I disagree with what I was told by superieurs. If you are living in a small town, where there is a lack of people in the age range of 21 to 27 (me being 23) you can't really survive without becoming somewhat friends with your students. I have hung out with a couple. Sophal, from Cambodia, who is a student of mine, who is actually 23. And today i went out with Arnaud and grabbed a drink(in this case coke) when we had some time to kill. After I hung out with a few of the students in the library until we got kicked out for being too loud. HAHA, the assistant got kicked out of the CDI(library). The students are nice, and I am happy to start to know some of them on a different level than being a teacher. I am super happy today, going to go take some pictures of the Christmas lights in town in a few. I am starting to enjoy making my lessons, which I need to do a little more prep for tomorrow class, but all is good!
Tomorrow as I said I am heading to Bourges, and then Lucy and Caitlin are going to be headed to La Chatre and we are going to have a little night out on the town. Going to check out "L'AMAZON", which is the big night club in town. We'll see how it is. Im sure we will make it fun, maybe can even meet some ppl my age that live in the area!!! That would be good. hehe, anyway, should be a good weekend.

The life of an assistant in a small town

Well, this week started out well! I chatted with a couple of the teachers in the staff room, ones that I hadnt talked to before! They were very nice, game me there home and cell phone numbers and talk about inviting me to dinner. Even if it doesnt happen the thought is there. Plus the one was telling me how they are having some students from italy come in april and they will be going on some little day trips and that i will have to join. WOOT!!!
My classes all went fairly well. I talked about travel and we played bingo where the kids would win some "canadian" candy like sweet tarts, nerds, taffy, runts. Im sure the students have talked with other classes so they all know i have candy. Anyway, I had one class that was too chatty so we never finished the game. The first kid that was ready to leave kinda waited to see. I just kept packing up my bag because I didnt want to give them candy. They werent good! Didnt deserve it.
I headed to see a movie that night and just relaxed. On my way home I walked past this couple and their dog. It was funny because the woman yells out "Snoopy" calling her dog! haha
I havent gotten up to too much Tuesday, yesterday or today. Had two classes on Tuesday morning and havent had any since. I find that here my classes have been cancelled alot. I mean, i have two weeks left and tomorrow(friday) and I only have 17hours of class until the holidays. Oh well, getting used to it now. I have 2 hours tomorrow morning then my week is done. Hard life! They finally have all the Christmas lights turned on in town! It made me so happy and cheerful yesterday when I saw them. I am going to have to get out there and take some pictures soon. Too bad there is no snow to go with them.
One of my favorite teachers left a CD in my mailbox yesterday for me to listen to. He is a sweetheart!
Got my ticket for Spain and all that is ready to go. Still trying to work on the hostels for Paris for when Darcie comes(for new years) but it'll all work out!
I am in the library at the school. I was chillin beside one of the students I have had only once and we chit chat the odd time when we see each other. He invited me to go out with him and some others at 345 for a drink. I have no idea where, just that I am meeting him at the front then. I wonder what these kids are going to drink....alcohol or not??? Dun dun dun!
Tomorrow I am heading to Bourges at 1130 with one of the English teachers for the afternoon. Its supposed to be a really nice city and the cathedral is supposed to be amazing. Caitlin and Lucy may come out to La Chatre, but not too sure yet, still waiting to hear back.
Printed out my forms to register to vote via special ballot for January. Trying to do a little reading online about all that is going on, because I really dont keep up too well on all of that stuff.
Anyway, i need to go get my winter cooat, cause I usually just put my spring coat on seeing as I dont have to go outside to get to classes and stuff. Also drop some stuff off that I dont need to take with me. Cya!