Anyway, Saturday evening, as stated, I ate at Laura's house. She's a teacher at my second school here, and as I said before, British. Although she's only just recently moved in, her house is lovely and in a very pretty spot. She had also invited friends round (French, I might add) so there were plenty of opportunities for us to communicate in both languages. When I was only listening to French conversation, it confirmed for me just how fast you can end up speaking in your own language. I'm sure I do it too in English, but it's just so difficult to understand when you're not fluent! Laura very kindly (and with absolutely no problems at all - how jealous I am!) switched between one and the other for me so I could keep up.
After listening to David Bowie for a while (he's a favourite, had you not noticed), I made the mistake of saying, in French so everybody understood, how funny it was to me to see a mixture of English and French names on the screen. I was then subjected to what was apparently the worst French music they could find. Thankfully, I don't remember the names of the artists. But the conversation was lively (discussing stereotypes of both France and Britain) and the food was great. It was something called raclette which I had tried once before in eastern France. It is cheese, potatoes and meat (all very much appreciated), melted under and cooked on top of a table-top grill thing. I'm clearly not great at explanations, so just be rest assured it was awesome. It's just a shame that I'm not yet used to the French eating time - we ate late and I don't sleep well if I've eaten too much...
The next day, Fanny had suggested we go to Etretat. Now, I'd wanted to go here having seen pictures before I'd even arrived, so I was more than happy to do so, and it was good to drive and see some of the surrounding area. The cliffs at Etretat are very impressive, and not unlike Dover. In the theme of trying the food here, I had a proper French omelette for lunch sitting outside and wasn't allowed to pay for my meal. You see, the French and the Brits are not that dissimilar after all, stubbornly remaining outside whether it's cold or not, and refusing to accept money for food out!Weekend over, and Monday took me into my second school. At half past eight, the third English teacher of whom I will see a lot swung by to pick me up and take me into Gruchet le Valasse. She is also British, so language posed no barriers again. I observed three classes at school: troisième, cinquième and sixième (roughly year 10, year 8 and year 7) and picked up many tips. With another week or so of observation, I'm sure I will pick up many more! I think I'm going to need them, even though I will only be working with small groups or helping out in the classroom itself. They also had the chef make cake for my introduction to the rest of the staff, which was marvellous, and I think has endeared me at least a little to the teaching team... Maybe I'll take a cake in every day and they will love me.
On Tuesday, I was summoned to Rouen itself for the first of four days with all the other assistants. I say summoned, but I actually had a really good day, even if we did have to leave the house at 8am. On the car park I met Leanne, with whom I went shopping last week, and inside ran into one or two other people I'd met on Facebook. There was to be a big talk first, all together, and then later we would split off into separate groups after lunch. I'm not joking, upon walking into the lecture room Fanny seemed to know all kinds of people and struck up conversations. Just as I was feeling like a bit of a lemon standing there, a girl whose face I instantly knew came over to me, asking me if I went to Exeter University. Yes, yes I do. So did she. Brilliant. Then someone whose hair I instantly knew (I had done some Facebook-stalking, yes I admit) came over and introduced herself. Excellent. I know people now!
Whilst waiting for the talk, Fanny and I embarked upon a lesson of how the British political system works. Of course I always manage to end up talking politics! The talk itself was only about an hour but full of information, most of which I managed to get first time. It's a funny thing, language. Sometimes you think you understand it all, and sometimes it seems like you've taken about eight steps backwards. I hope I'm not the only one. Anyway, it turns out that there are people from twenty-nine countries in the académie this year, and that includes first person to ever come from Palestine. And she's a girl. How utterly marvellous.
After the talk finished, it was time for a typically-long French lunchtime. And a very long lunch queue. In the drinks area, however, I met more of the British Facebook clique, and chatted about football amongst other things. Shortly after, with an "I'll be back in two minutes" (I wasn't - sorry Chris), I was whisked away by Fanny to meet the other assistant deposited in Bolbec, the one to whom I will be clinging for emotional support. I jest. But now I can say I have a friend from Australia, which is pretty awesome, right? Or far out, or whatever it is they say down under. And upon meeting Lauren, I was also promptly introduced to Sarah from Manchester and Meredith from les Etats-Unis (the Brits' favourite US of A). All in all, it was a pretty hectic day for taking in names, phone numbers, vital information, filling in forms, chatting, and absorbing all manner of other things, but it was fantastic fun and I can't wait for Training Day the First next week. Oh except for this nonsense about birth certificates, but just don't get me started - this post is long enough as it is.
It was a shame, therefore, that yesterday had to be such a vast contrast, but it needed to be done. I brought all kinds of papers with me to be organised, but that's no use unless you actually, you know, organise them. I also had to figure out exactly what it is my university requires of me for this portfolio business. So, form after form it was. Ah well, I was warned many times of this French red-tape... At least today I can leave the house, and tomorrow, j'attends mes parents.
Fin.
(For now.)
No comments:
Post a Comment