After 2 weeks of epicness à Londres, I am back in France! I got back on Saturday eve and still haven't seen anyone! But it was definitely a good call not getting back last night: Although it was amazing seeing everyone over the holiday, I swear down I didn't get a second to myself the whole time I was back and, therefore, did not accomplish as much shizzle as I had planned... Donc, it was good to lie down and breathe on Saturday night (I had also cleverly left myself some vodka in the fridge for future celebrations), then have all of Sunday to chillax, eat some grapes and falafel (not together - don't panic!!), watch Lock, Stock and some Being Human, lesson plan, send some emails and prepare a plan of action for the coming week.
The journey back from London was alreet, but I still dislike my unavoidable changeover in Paris! Some dude at the Bureau de Change started talking to me in Spanish (say wha, girlfrieeeeend?) which confused me, greatly. And some bird who was pretending to be mute started stroking me outside Gare du Bane-of-my-Life (Nord). Apart from that, there were no major dramas... Like the last time I was at that station and had my first proper argument in French with a 'disabled' gypsy...
Had an excellent start to the day, today (Montag). Decided to make the effort to get ready quicker and go to breakfast (which is in another building) for the first time in literally months. 5.30am. Don't worry, I can handle the heat. Flounced out of my residence at 6am to find the gates closed on both sides, meaning no one from my residence could get in and no one from the other building could get out, this morning, and I had to make do with a coffee at the station (bastads...). Couldn't be arsed with going back to my studio to do nothing for 20 minutes, so I arrived half an hour early for my train. Not ideal, by anyone's standards, but whatever. This country is just trying to wind me up, already. I know it's game. But you know what, people? I will not rise to the immaturity of France!
Once in Thiers, I proceeded to fall on my arse, somehow managing to graze my knee (which FYI is not near my arse) on the way down - talent - near the bottom of the hill of doom which connects Thiers station to the foot of the next hill which goes up to my school. And there were a group of pupils behind me.
First lesson at 8am went well! My Secondes (15-16 years old and youngest pupils of the lycée) seemed relatively pleased to see me, which was nice and, after translating a variety of swear words/other offensive English phrases that they seem to have accumulated over the last two weeks into French for them, we had a successful debating lesson! Second lesson with Terminales was good, as was the third with Premières and in my final lesson, the other lot of Secondes were being such angels we just played Bingo for most of the hour and they loved their lives (completing the actual lesson plannages quickly and efficiently in the middle, as asked). Excellent.
Not looking forward to last lesson on Thursday now, as I have been lumped with the whole class again (trust they are a CAUCHEMAR when they're all together, little feckers...) because the English teacher who can't speak English can't manage her time between her 2 schools, either. Cheers bebssss. This school, right.. I was trying to think last night how best to describe it to you, and this is what I came up with: You see how your body can't store vitamins? So you have to constantly top yourself up, daily? That's what it's like, here - I have to bum-lick these people unceasingly, mainly by doing things that, as an assistant, I shouldn't be doing like marking, grammar lessons and taking whole classes, as I could be back in the doghouse at any minute. This could just be because, for example, it's a Thursday and they forgot that they actually liked me on the Tuesday, so I have to do something to prove that I'm not a prick, then they remember that I'm not a massive douche and are really nice to me for another couple of days/weeks/minutes/hours. Nooottt even joking. Half the staff here have mountain-related issues, I'm sure of it (the pupils, luckily, seem to have localised and adapted to their surroundings since childhood. Sadly, it's too late for some of the teachers...)
Anyway, the 7 weeks between Christmas and Winter holidays FLEW by like a bee on pro-plus, so I'm sure that these next 7 weeks will, too :)
Will write again once I've actually seen one of my mates and something's happened. Got an hour and a half to hang around up the mountain until I can go back to Clermont and have a possible Carrefour date with Justine. Ooh, sexy.
Love you all!
P.S. Here's a small, crap picture of the elusive Thiers. Taken from Thiers, about halfway up the montagne. Don't be fooled by how low in the sky it seems. This is a middle section, there is more upwards on your left and downdowndownwards towards EARTH on your right...
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