Adorable students!

So my first "official" day teaching (last week's random classroom visits don't really count) went really well. I met the other three teachers I will be working with at Collège de Vaise, and they're awesome. They all spoke French really quickly basically at the same time so I didn't catch everything, but one of them is 28 and just had her first child and another one looks about my age too. The other teacher and my contact teacher are a little older, but they all seem very organized and friendly and really excited to have me here. I guess the past two English assistants at their school were from England and they were told I was too so they're all super excited that I'm from the U.S.

The first class I went to only had 9 students, but the teacher said it was a challenging class because there are two very distinct levels. I ended up sitting with students two at a time so they could "interview" me while the teacher taught the rest of the class. They were pretty shy and generally did have a hard time phrasing questions and understanding my answers, but I think they're a little bit younger and haven't taken English for very long... The second class was older and more lively. Three or four kids asked most of the questions, but they were all really interested in everything. At one point, one of the girls asked the teacher if she could have me say something in French so the girl had me say "I am American, and I would like to speak French very well." I freaked out a little but managed to say something passable because they gave me a huge round of applause, which was hilarious. Of course, later I kept obsessing about what I'd said and if it was grammatically correct--I don't think it was, but maybe that's better. If they hear me make ridiculous mistakes maybe they'll be more comfortable making mistakes in English... Anyway, the third class was my contact teacher's class and they were my favorite class so far. They were cute and polite and engaged and excited and asked some really hard questions! I mean, I had to answer all the usual questions about where I was from and what my hobbies were and what I like about France, but one of them asked me what my dream was, just in general. I also got asked what I wanted to do when I grow up (thank god apparently I'm not there yet!) and what city I wanted to live in. It was kind of intense for someone who hasn't quite figured all that out yet... But I think I managed to fake my way through pretty well. :) I got some points for liking House and CSI: Vegas, although I think I lost some points when I said I'd never seen a wrestling match--who knew the French cared about wrestling?!?! I also think they were a little disappointed that I hadn't ever been to Beverly Hills or met a celebrity--Bill Clinton didn't so much count... Maybe I should have mentioned Curious George! Although I don't think my favorite little monkey is as popular here in France as I had assumed he would be. I generally get blank looks from the French when I bring him up. :(

So that was a pretty good start, although it was atypical, I think. I will probably be doing more small group work once things get going. I definitely have another three classes on Thursday morning who will grill me about the same things. I mean, I love talking about myself and all, but there's only so many times I can list my hobbies and explain where Boston is and where Minnesota is and where Maine is and where Wisconsin is and why I'm from so many different places... And all cold! But since I don't have to do any planning or prep for it, I'm not going to complain.

Aurore and Philip-Emmanuel were cute, as always, last night and tonight, although their mom the drill sergeant got home last night and, when she found out that Philip-Emmanuel hadn't done any homework because he had finished everything for Tuesday, she launched into this lecture (apparently for my benefit AND his) about how he should be getting ahead with his work because later on he will get tons of homework all due on the same day so he needs to start learning how to work ahead and should have finished his work for Thursday. I mean, as someone who was known to maybe, sometimes, write papers on Friday nights in college even when they weren't due for a week, I definitely understand the value of working ahead. But good lord, the kid is NINE. He's in school from 8-5 and then is expected to do homework for two hours straight when he gets home?!??! Do they even give that much homework to 9-year-olds?!?! But she's the mom, so I'm just going to have to figure out some way to get him to do enough work to keep his mom satisfied without completely killing his childhood... Today he was being a little devil (albeit a cute one!) so I did make him sit down and do homework for Thursday without much time for fun. We did share a moment when I started reading a book of his, and he ended up calling his mom at work to ask her if he could lend it to me, which was really cute. I was a little embarrassed though since his mom already thinks I'm a moron and now here I am borrowing books to read from her 9-year-old... Awesome. Here's hoping that sometime before the end of the year my French miraculously flourishes and I can redeem myself!

Anyway, other than seeing the kids, I didn't do much today. Had an unsuccessful trip to the bank this morning to get my bank card because I got something in the mail from them but apparently they need to send me something else. Or I think that's what the guy said... And a British friend of mine moved into an apartment right nearby so a couple of us went over to check out his new place this afternoon. I'm getting kind of sad that I have to leave this area because I have my little favorite boulangerie and a good supermarket and it's near the park and so close to the kids I'm babysitting for. Sigh. But the 8th will be a good neighborhood too and closer to both my schools AND, more importantly, I'll have my own room not in someone else's apartment where I can finally unpack!!!! Yay!