Imagine!

Well, it has been a busy week I guess. Tuesday I went into the city stayed at Caitlins. We met up with a friend of mine for a drink that night and just relaxed at her place after. On Wednesday we didnt get up to tooo much during the day, but that night we had a last party with all the assistants because Lauras contract ends today. It was fun like usual, lots of food and drinks! It was a fun evening and great that EVERYONE could make it out! Last night I went out with Bernard for drinks and dinner. This morning to my surprise I received a BEAUTIFUL bouquet of roses....28 of them! WOW!!!! Wasn't expecting that one, especially from someone that I dont know that well.....krazyness....imagine! hehe, oh well, they look nice in my room. Nice Bday week. Tonight I think I am going to head to some concert about 20 kms away with Bernard and Laurent. French group that I dont really know. Tomorrow afternoon I will head to Bourges with Manola and tomorrow night I think Stephanie and I are going to head once again to the London's Club meet up with friends...supposedly the barman is interested(so Bernard told me)! hehe Well, have a great weekend everyone!!!!

Oh yea...

I totally forgot that last week there was a class of CE2's, which are kids around 8 or 9 years old, here from Tours. They were here for a couple days touring the region and whatnot. Last Tuesday night I went with them to this castle where people were dressed in clothing from the 19th century and then we went to this little house which was supposed to resemble that dating also the 19th century. Inside they somewhat re-enacted what happened those days though we got to be apart of it. The told little stories, played music, sang, danced and ate food. It was quite a fun evening! On the Wednesday I also joined them. They did a little tour of the region which was nice. It included going to the castle of St Chartier, and Sarzay as well as the Mare au Diable, the moulin d'Angibault and the church in Vic and passing again my the house of George Sand. I was really lucky to get to take part in all this especially free!! Lucky me!

Who woulda known...

Well, I just learnt something new. We changed our clocks ahead here in France this past Sunday and back home in Canada, and Im assuming in Panama too, you dont change them ahead till next weekend. So wierd!
Anyway, it has been a week now, and not that much has been going on. I really have not been working all that much due to various other things including the famous french "greve" aka strike! Tomorrow, once again there will be strike and the debate of the moment is "do I get up for the classes or not". I dont really want to, and if I dont have classes tomorrow that means I worked a hard week of 2hours!
So this weekend a couple friends came Friday night to visit and celebrate a little for my 24th! Oh they are so great! Lucy and Rosy came around 7. I had made good old "tartiflette"(however it is spelt)! That was fucking delicious! They had picked up a bottle of vodka for the night as well as got me a cake, some candy, a little water gun and even a bottle of champagne that I managed to get all over upon opening. We enjoyed a nice dinner at my place had some drinks and headed over to a bar around the corner and then planned on going to "the amazone" the club in my town. We got to the bar around 23h30. I saw a few of my students there which was funny and another friend. We ended up hanging out with my friend Bernard and his friends. Lucy and Rosy had made me a little list of tasks I had to accomplish for my bday night out. It was quite funny I must say and I probably only did about half the things on it. Oops. That probably partly has to do with the fact that we did NOT go to the Amazone. We called for a cab to TWO different companies who both said NO. How horrible is that?! Anyway, he had a blast that night and ended it with some microwave popcorn.
Saturday night I met up with Stephanie and we went back to this same bar to see a concert. There were lots more students out Saturday then Friday. It was a pretty fun night. Hung out with Bernard a bit as well as Fabien. Late night once again.
Yesterday was a BEAUTIFUL day out. About 23°C! Sunny for the first half, a little overcast the second. I ended up heading down along the river with Bernard to enjoy the weather and make the most of the nice day we had. French rules dating....update, I am dating Bernard now. Well, I think that is all that is going on in my life....
Oh wait, today, for my bday the teachers all got together and bought me a nice book of the region and a pen. It was really sweet of them. And tonight I went to Manolas place for raclette! DELICIOUS! I ate way too much but it was great! I am going to be sad to leave here that is for sure, but I know I will come back and visit all the wonderful people I have met here!
Thats all now I think. Heading into the city tomorrow I think, for a couple days. Wednesday night we are having a little get together with all the assistants before Laura leaves as she finishes the end of March. I cant believe this year has just flown by. Anyway off for now....getting late, Cheers!

Fun classes!!!!

Wow!!!!! Look at that title!!! hahah
Well, today my first class was fun. They were really sweet, actually worked and we talked about our next class (in 2 weeks). It will be my last class with them so we are going to have a little party. We will get some music and have some snacks and treats! It will be fun.
My second class, as far as I know it is the last time I will see them. I brought in some candies for them and some of the girls wrote me a little goodbye note which was really sweet! I gave them my email/msn address so for those who would like to keep in touch can. I am going to be sad to leave here. I feel it already :(
I am loving my life here right now. Things are going super well and I will be sad to leave, but hey, I'll just have to make a point to keep in touch with people and come back for a visit! YIPEE

Weekend fun!

Well, Friday I hung out at Sophals for the afternoon because they were having their heating fixed seeing as it has been broken for about 2 weeks and she had class and David had to work. Friday night I headed into Chateauroux to meet up with some friends. Jerome met me at the station and we waited for Cecile and Romain to pick us up. We headed to some of thier friends for dinner. It was a delightful evening. Had a few beers, no green beer for paddys day though, and a delicious meal. I stayed at Rosys that night, as Lucy her and I were heading out to Poitiers the next morning. We headed out around 10h30. We couldnt go straight to the hotel because the streets were blocked off due to protests against the CPE. So we parked the car, grabbed some lunch, mmmm crepes, then headed to the hotel to drop all of our stuff off. We went out and did a little shopping, of course I spent more than planned, but oh well!
Saturday night we got ready in our room had a few drinks, met up with a friend Kim and headed out to dinner before going out. Once we made it to the pub Lucy and I managed to get some free shots from one of the bartenders by asking what he recommended. GREAT! Our drinks that we ordered came with glow sticks(well, they were like the skinny bracelet ones) in them. Rosy started playing around with it until she snapped it and the glow stuff went all over her and the mirror on the wall beside her. It was quite amusing! We stayed there until it closed around 2 and then decided we would check out a club, one that was free for females! We were waiting for a cab when we decided to test our luck hitchhiking. It worked!!! This girl stopped and was jsut going to give directions because it was actually very close. Then she said she would drive us. She told us she had never picked anyone up before and they only reason she did was because we were 3 girls. They were really sweeet, 2girls and one guy, and ended up coming to the club with us. It was quite fun though very expensive. We stayed there tearing up the dance floor till the early hours of the morning, getting back to the hotel around 5h30. It was quite the night!!
Sunday we got some pasteries and sat in a park and relaxed. It was a beautiful day out with the sun shining. We then took a little walk through town and ate and headed home. It was a great weekend! I also found out some great news which I will not post on here, if you really want to know you have to ask me!!! :) Take it easy

Lovely wake up....

Well, I got quite the wake up this morning. Sure it was 10h20 but still. I did NOT enjoy hearing the fire alarm going(though just a test which I forgot to check the time on the poster in the staffroom). I did not really know what it was at first because it is a little different from those at home. I got up, went into the hall then realised what it was. I quickly threw on jeans a sweatshirt and shoes, forgetting about undergarments. I am glad I slept with my contacts in last night!
Yesterday I didnt get up to tooo much. The weather here is finally nice. The sun is shining and though it is only between about 8 and 10, me guessing, it is beautiful out. Its been like this for the past 4 or 5 days. I went to Lise's for dinner last night which was delicious and a fun time.
The students here are on strike AGAIN! Oh France, makes me laugh. I think I will head out into town for a bit. I may go sit in the park and read for a bit. It's a nice day out and I should profit from it. Going to Poitiers on Saturday with Lucy and Rosy. Should be a blast! Trying to figure out if I will go somewhere tomorrow or not. No class, thought some of the students I had on Friday mornings want to have class with me again so I am going to probably do a couple classes with them before I leave, for those who want to come, because I will not force anyone because I didnt always enjoy having the students that didnt want to be there.
Off for now!

Officially getting paid for almost nothing!

Well, I can't believe how many classes of mine can get canceled in one week. Yea, you heard me....I feel like I dont work. Yesterday 2hours of mine got cancelled and today one of my hours is cancelled. I have worked a total of 4 hours this week and my week is now done. How am I going to go back to a 40 hour work week when I get home?? This year is almost like one long holiday. Haha!
Well, I started this post on Tuesday after I finished class, around 10h45, for the day and for the week. It was a good day. My first class was terminale (grade 12) and I was marking them on a practice oral exam. I had 3 students. That hour went well. The second hour I had my class of 2nde(grade 10). We were working on their Shakespear reciting. Fun times! I really like some of the kids in this class. I asked who was going on the England trip and told the others they were stuck with me and a couple of them said that is why they arent going. hehe!
I told them that after the holidays I was going home and someone asked me to mail a postcard. Hehe! I said I'd bring in my camera next class to take some photos and one of the boys said that he is going to try and remember to bring his in too. hehe! Someone also said they like listening to me speak french because of my accent. hahahaha!
In the afternoon I headed to Nohant, a town 10minutes from here, where there is the "George Sand" house. I went with a French teacher who was going to give a guided visit to a class of 6iemes(grade 6) that was from some other town. It was really neat to see, and a cute little town. I didnt take any photos so I will have to make a little trip back there. Next week I will be heading to some other thing with another class and the same teacher. I'll have more details later. All for now!

ME in Paris

Pics from the couch surfing meeting Feb 25th! Goood times!!!

I smell like a cigarette

Bon, la soirée était super! Although I smell like a cigarette and I DO NOT smoke. I really dont want to leave this place. I just got in from a GREAT night out in LA CHATRE!!!! Who woulda thought it! Each night is better than the previous, each weekend is better! I dont want to leave here! I had such a great night out with friends and instead of trying to leave during the weekends, I think I may try and go out with them. Sure I had a couple drinks, but that lets me relax and chat and enjoy. I saw some of my students out tonight. At first, I thought " oh man....this is going to be interesting" but there was one that invited me to play darts, and we chatted, he is super nice. We chatted(shoot the shit) which was nice. I met some new people hung out with friends! I had a great night, minus the cigarette smell. Oh well, GREAT NIGHT!!!!

Friday is here

Oh how computers make me mad sometimes! I just had a post written and when I want to post it, it weny bye-bye!

Anyway, Friday is here! I dont know why I am saying it like it is such an exciting thing seeing as I started my weekend yesterday at 1030 am. Oh well! Yesterday afternoon I was sitting in the staffroom chilling, Rémi and I were looking through a recipe book that has been sitting on one of the tables for quite some time now. We were talking about typical french dishes and then Rémi started telling me about some pastry called a "religieuse". I had no clue what he was talking about, didnt know what it was and had never tried one. So at that he said we were going to get one and off we went. We hopped into his car headed into town to find a "religieuse". He treated me to a pastry and a couple candies. Seeing as yesterday was a fairly nice day (and the weather has been crap here for probably 2 weeks, I dont remember the last time I had seen a sunny day here - in my town) we sat out on a bench enjoyed our pastries and chatted. It was such a nice unexpected afternoon. Its people and gestures like this that make me truely not want to leave here. There is a difference between colleagues and friends.

Well, I didnt have any classes today. I am going out tonight with some friends but it is only 14h25 and I have all afternoon to do something. I dont know what to do with myself. I was going to go to see Stephanie, but she is not feeling well today. I think I may head out go for a walk (I should grab my camera). The sun is peaking through and its about 9 or 10° out. On my way home I'll grab a few groceries then watch Un Dos Tres...this is like my replacement tv show for everything I am missing back home. :) Ciao

N'importe quoi

Well, on Saturday I was waiting at the bus stop in the rain. There is one of those little bus stop things to keep me from getting wet, but I sure didnt leave my place without my umbrella. I get to the bus stop, there is a girl there waiting and this woman. The woman says to me while wringing out her scarf that she is soaking wet. Then she says to me that she is going to do a "quick strip tease" aka change her clothes at the bus stop. She was halfway done ready to unbutton her blouse as the bus pulls up. She throws on her jacket to get on the bus. Well, as soon as she sits down on the bus, and in the very front seat so anyone looking in the front window can see her, she starts undressing to change her shirt. She stripped down right to her bra. Oh, what a woman....n'importe quoi!
I went into the city to meet up with some of the people that work here at my school. We were supposed to go out to dinner, about 10 of us. When I got to the city it was snowing. So that was the end of the plans we had. People couldnt drive into the city due to weather. So it ended up just being 4 of us. I met up with Lucile and then we went to Cecile Romain (her bf)'s place for "apperitif" and dinner. We didnt end up eating till 23h00 because we were having a couple drinks and snacks and got really chatting. After dinner we headed to a little bar to meet up with some of thier friends and have a drink. I had a really fun time! This Friday, tomorrow, we are going to go out to the bar/billiards that is just around the corner from my place. I am looking forward to going out with them again!
What else has happened this week...I got an email back from a girl I met at the olympics. It turns out I was not the only Canadian to get my wallet stolen in Torino. Her friend, as well as someone else they met there had theirs stolen. Oh well.
Yesterday the Photography Club had some photographer come in and show his work as well as talk about his techniques. I joined the group to see/hear him talk. We also go to go to the dark room and he showed us some of his techniques. It was really cool!!!
Not too much is going on here though...walking home from the grocery store last night after buying 3 pain au chocolats and 3 croissants I realised that I am really not ready to leave here. Yes, I know, I still have 5 weeks here, but I know they are going to fly by. It makes me kind of sad. I am finally just settled in completely and enjoying it completely. I am not ready to go.
Especially dont want to leave the pasteries! Hahaha!
Well, I am going to stop here, because I know if I continue its just going to be ramblings because I will be just looking for things to say. Not too much going on here that I can think of at the moment. Cheers!

Fell in Love in February

Ok....here is who I fell in love with...wish he could come home with me in May! :)
Isnt he just soooo cute?!?

Sinus headaches are no fun

Well, I caught a cold on the holidays and I havent been able to shake it. It's mostly been that I have to keep blowing my nose and I cough. So basically a sinus cold. I havent gone to the doctor yet, but I did go to the pharmacy and get something. It's gotten worse the past couple days with these headaches. They are right at the top of my nose and up into my eyebrows. Not very comfortable if you ask me.
Anyway, I thought I had class right now, so I got ready for class and waited for about 15 minutes in the class, but no one. Oh well, I figure its not the end of the world.
Starting next week I dont have Friday classes. That will go on for 4 weeks. Then starting the following week I will not have classes on Thursdays and that will continue for 3 weeks. Therefore during 3 weeks, I will only have classes on Monday and Tuesday. I will have 7 hours I think. Not too bad eh? 5 day weekend!! The only thing is, I really dont know what I will do with myself because I unfortunately money doesnt grow on trees and it costs money to travel.
I tried calling a doctor, but that didnt seem to work so well...I wish someone was here to do it for me! I think this doctor might not be around so Im going to head to the staff room to see if someone can suggest another one and/or call for me. hehe
Well, im off for now...