'It was a cold rainy day in October and the clocks were striking thirteen.'

Ok, not really.  I just have to make a joke about how they tell time in Europe.  The clock itself may strike once, but it's the thirteenth hour, and they insist on calling it that.

Anyway, back to the saga of my life. I had a really busy week.  On Monday, I got to meet some of the kids at my other school (of which, I have already told the tale).  Their English isn't that good.  Maybe they were just nervous.  I guess I'm here to help them!

(side note): My roomate and I always have a blast comparing languages (and practicing, of course).  On Monday, I pulled out a textbook of expressions and we compared them.  Then she taught me this French tongue twister:

Un chasseur sachant chasser sans son chien est un bon chasseur.
And
Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches, archi-sèches?

Try saying those five times fast :)
 
On Tuesday, I had a blast.  I caught the earliest train to Nancy and had to sit through an all-day conference.  the fun part was meeting the other assistants and SPEAKING ENGLISH.  A wave of relief washed over my brain as I communicated in my native tongue...

Ok, maybe not quite like that.

For lunch, they herded all 90 of us to a restaurant down the road where we ate a full course French dinner.

THE MENU (for those interested parties):
- Quiche Lorraine served with a small salad (with dressing) - by small, I mean, one leaf of lettuce
- Poultry thing (we were pretty sure there were two kinds of meat.  duck and chicken, perhaps?), potatoes au gratin, and a broiled tomato
- a small piece of brie with the same salad as before
- Pineapple torte thing with coffee (in a thimble sized cup)
All served with bread and water

Afterwards, we had the second half of a long conference.  I did learn a lot about teaching and what we are expected to do (the next problem is, how do I implement it?). 

Then I took the long train ride home.  I found one assistant who lives nearby, so we rode the train together until I had to make a change.  Then, to my surprise, three other assistants accompanied me back home.  It feels good to have other assistants in town (THAT NOBODY TOLD ME ABOUT)

This isn't a rant, but I feel I need to express a certain sentiment.  Nobody ever feels the need to tell me anything, even when I ask questions.  It's like an "ignorance is bliss"mentality. They simply do not want to burden me with 'unnecessary' details about my life that are extremely important.

Like the rent I am supposed to pay (although, I'm not mad about this one).  They were just so happy to meet me, that they clean forgot about it.  (lol, it was hysterical.  I thought the apartment was free!).

Anyway, I found out on Wednesday that they don't have school on Wednesdays (I think).  I woke up late because I'd had a long day on Tuesday, and there was no one around.  It didn't phase me, I went for a long walk and figured out that they forgot to tell me that little detail.

Yesterday, I observed a couple of classes.  I'm nervous and excited, and I don't know what to think.  One more class today, and then the weekend.

Bon week-end!
--Mary