assisting in the learning of English! =) lol impressions of my work experience so far

I have now been working at my high school for 2 weeks. So far I have been to classes with students from 16 to 23 years old! lol Some are still here because they have failed or because they have changed their course of study. There are 20 something year olds because my school offers a vocational diploma after their high school diploma.

I have to say so far I've been very shocked with them. Some are very chatty and will talk during the entire period. Others down right insult the teacher to his/her face. Harsh words are exchanged like "ta gueule" (your trap) between teachers and students. This is something I never witnessed in my high school... =/ It's quite an experience. There are always a few students that try very hard and participate, but most are indifferent to the class.

I find there isn't much structure to these English classes. The read an article in a book or a print out and answer questions. They use a lot of FRENCH in class! too much! It goes a lil like this: Teacher speaks English and students answer/ask questions in French. Or Teacher explains everything in French and then students read in English and after that all the discussion is in French with a few words thrown in in English.

I'm only a assistant and I do as told. My tasks so far have been to read and correct students reading. In one class I got to take them out individually and discuss an article read in class. I only talked to 3 of them and most didn't really understand the article. In their favor the article had a lot of business vocabulary. =/ pas facile! (not easy!)

I haven't finished meeting all the classes and so I find myself telling the same story every time. "Hi my name is...I come from...I am...I like...I love...I don't speak French (to force them to speak English)...I am Mex-Amer...I was born in...I moved to the US when...I don't have a boyfriend...No, I'm not looking for one...Yes, I have a sister...Yes, I speak Spanish...I love Paris because..." etc, etc...All of this includes me drawing a map of CA and passing around my Driver's License.

As soon as I say I'm from California the entire class says "oooohhhhHHH!" "I lUVEUH Californee" LOL in their French accents. They all ask me if I've seen stars. The first city they name is LA. When I tell them it takes six hours to get there and there is no train, they are all in shock! =P They ask if I own a gun, if I eat at McDonalds, if I've ever seen a celebrity. They ask me if I watch the Kardashians, The OC, or One Tree Hill. In some classes I admitted to loving Twilight and half of them were outraged and wanted to throw me out, a handful of girls in each class were immediately in love with me.

If they stop asking me questions I have them introduce themselves: name, age, background. My school is very diverse. There are lots of North Africans (mostly Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco). I get the occasional Asian in one class and there are even a few South East Asians. They get very shy when talking about their background and that is why I'm very open about mine. I praise their bilingualism and try to throw in some of my knowledge about their cultures. Bollywood, pinoy food, random words in Mandarin, my basic knowledge of Arabic, etc...they are immediately very impressed and happy with me.

The teachers:

They have all been very welcoming. We have coffee breaks together (the teacher's lounge has a coffee vending machine with hot chocolate and tea available). Its a 50 cents a cup. At least once a week we have had lunch in the cafeteria. There is a table in the back where all the professors sit together. The cafeteria has real cutlery, dishes, and cups! It's a full meal! You have a salad, meat (usual med rare, but for American standards...rare!), desert, a bread roll, and cheese! It's a great experience! and in my opinion the food is good, but not very vegetarian friendly. The meal is 2.50euro. So cheap!

We have a small computer lab in the lounge, but the computers are pretty old the monitors are huge (no flat screens here!) and they are pretty slow. I have a small mail box and a decent sized locker, which I still have to put my name on. =) Some students say hi to me around school others look at me and immediately turn the other way.

Interesting to note: There are no school dances, no year books, no school newspaper, no student government, no clubs, and no sport teams. The closest thing to student government that they have is a class rep. The rep "defends" the students during teacher meetings about the progress of students and the school year in general. It's very different from an American high school. No teacher has a permanent classroom. They all have to move around every time. Tuesday all the teachers are here all day (about 60 teachers for around 500 students). As you might imagine finding an empty classroom on that day for your class is difficult. I ran around the building with a teacher for 15min trying to find an empty classroom.

Hungover...-Sept 26 (Sunday)

I got up at 1pm with no desire to go out, but I had to! Being in this tiny studio makes me stir crazy! I got ready and went on a wifi quest, but not before I went to my old church in the 16th. I got there and asked what time church was. It's not far from the Champs Elysées so i went to MacDo for wifi...I ordered and guess what? The internet wasn't working! GREAT!
I went back to the MacDo next to my church, but decided to try Starbucks out. Their wifi wasn't working either! WTF is with this country and their wifi! We're in Paris for crying out loud!!!!!
So I dragged myself back to MacDo...or should I say McCafé! lol The barista took forever! I grabbed a seat and spent the entire time on FB and Gmail...argh! I had a chocolat viennois...bad idea...the milk was too much...=/ lactose intolerant!

I went to mass and i felt an immediate inner peace and calm when I walked in. It was so surreal to be back. It felt so good. It was about time I came back and gave thanks. I'm not very religious, but I'm a believer and I try to make it to church and if I don't I at least say my Our father every night ^^ I'm not a perfect Catholic...but who is? I didn't recognize any of the parishoners except for the guitar player, an older woman who always came to mass by herself, and a young woman who walked in super late. I recognized all the nuns, but the youngest one wasn't around. Hermana Pilar was a sweetheart. She always made me feel welcome and I was hoping to see her...After mass I asked the woman I recognized if she remembered me. She said no, lol. No worries, i asked her about Hermana Pilar and she told me she had passed away a year ago from Cancer....WHAT? NO WAY! NO! She was so young, so sweet, always smiling, very welcoming, and never ever ever showed a sign of illness. It made me very sad...I wanted to shed a tear. She passed away while I had been in Paris on vacation, had I taken the time to stop, I would've been able to say goodbye...T_T I will always hold the sweetest memories of her in my heart. May she rest in peace. <3

I met up with Eliana at her place in the 20th. She found housing at her Lycée. Its pretty sweet, she has free internet and laundry mat! The lycée is HUGE! We went out to Rue des Rosiers. It was raining, but our spirits were up. We had falafels at L'As du Falafel. It was good, but now my favorite are in SF at Sunrise Deli...=) We called it a night because it was coming down hard.

U2??? Can I get an encore??? =) Sat. Sept.. 25

I had a goodbye dinner with Loreto. She has been living in my former studio since I left 2 years ago. I couldn't stay long because I had to go to Yanis' b-day bash (which I had promised to go since 2 weeks ago. I got to practice my Arabic with one of her friends =) She said I was good! YAY! success! I peaced out and luckily I was just in time for the bus! I met up with the guys and the old flame =/ ouch...Everyone was ahead of me. I had some catching up to do. Straight to the Chien Méchant! yumm! Eliana & Lorena made it! I hope they had fun...=/

I was having a good time. Yanis' brother and friend didn't make it through the night without throwing up...I mean after a chien méchant, some beers, vodka Red Bull, Jack&Coke, and at least 3 meters of shots(mystery shots) who could survive...well except for Jerome!!
Our two female bartenders didn't disappoint us! We ended the night with U2...with or without you, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For...like taking a knife through anyone's heart! lol

We stopped at out late night Brasserie and Rémi kept talking up SF and cali, he is truly in love with my state! =) yay! I one him over! before his stay in Long Beach there was only NYC...>> Ben fell asleep just as before. Everyone was arguing over Soccer, NBA, and Hockey...yay Sharks! Once we were kicked out...at 4am, we headed to St Mich. Le Départ is 24/7!!!! I had an order of fries =) and Jerome and Rémi kept the party going with another beer...O.M.G. I don't know how they do it...

I caught the metro at 6am...taking the metro solo at 6am is no fun my friends...its so eerie...ah! I was watching my back the entire time...=O

2 day combo--Sept 23&24

Thurs.--I rocked my new skirt and navy blue sweater today! It was awesome! The day was cloudy, but the temperature was a nice 70degrees. I went to H&M and exchanged my leggings....a pair of brown ankle boots caught my eye...I was sold...

Friday--I went to MICEFA bright and early; I spent most of my time on FB, don't judge me. I got a friend request from someone I didn't know. She included a msg and said she was in Paris as an assistant too. I accepted her request and sent her my number so we could meet up. I wasn't expecting to hear from her so soon. She texted me that same afternoon and asked if we could go out that very night. I figured if Kelly turned out to be normal this girl must be normal too. We met up at the Hideout in Chatelet. They told me about themselves and so did I. One Jack&Coke and one pint of beer later...I was drunk. I'm a light weight ok! The guy thought looked like the lead singer from GreenDay was there too, I turned the other way...>_> We went down to the basement for some dancing but the DJ wasn't the best and we headed out.

I caught the metro, but one stop before I got off they texted and said they were going for a walk. I went back and took them to pont des arts (the one with all the locks). It was beautiful and my emotions got the best of me. Sometimes you do things that you shouldn't and you just think oh well, I'm going for it! I got home still drunk and my nostalgia was as strong as ever.

It had to come out sometime. You can't suppress something for so long with out consequences later.

Pyaar Threading =) Sept 22 (wed)

Sorry gang. I got lost like a rolling stone and couldn't find a real reason to get back to my blog, but honestly you didn't miss out on much. =)

Wednesday, I got a notice from my bank saying I could pick up my Debit card. YES! But oh no...I got there and they said they hadn't received a delivery confirmation from the previous letter they had sent and therefore they couldn't give me my debit card! WTF WTF WTF...this is not happening...I almost lost it...I grabbed my stuff and stormed out. Tears were building up...it's just so frustrating!!!!!!! I just want to have internet at my place and I can't do that without a damn debit card...lame right???? I was so angry....So angry that I went out for lunch ^^ I tried a new Lebanese café next to my place. The owner was super nice. He wanted to put lettuce and tomatos in my zaatar "pita bread," but I'm a sucker for the plain bread/zaatar that our Professor made us. He said "it's too salty on its own," why do these two Lebanese cafés always think that I don't know what I'm ordering....I KNOW WHAT IT IS...If I didn't, I wouldn't ask for it! JEEZ! Anyway he invited me to sit down, "asseyez vous, mangez tranquilement sur la terrasse" (very loose translation: sit, eat in peace on our terrace). He was very convincing and I sat there people watching and eating...it felt very normal, like I had always done this...weird...

I met up with Kelly at Rue de Fbg St. Denis. I needed to get my eyebrows threaded with a quickness. They were ridiculously thick...=/ It was her first time in the NRI neighborhood. We had samosas and mango lassi, yum yum. I then went to her great find. Its a discount store with brand name clothing, next to Opéra. I found some great stuff, but nothing in my size except for a navy blue sweater that I've already worn twice! I love it!

I commited a mortal sin. I went to H&M and spent money. Just the fact that I'm spending money...on clothes! is already a NO NO. I spent 20min in line to try on clothes. The lines at H&M to pay or get in the dressing room are always ridiculously long...

I would've bought more, but I was trying to be sensible...=) I walked out with a new black skirt, long black leggings, and a beige sweater (super cute). Please don't ask for the total...let's just say that every time they slide my card I cringe...

Monday, Can't go on--Sept 20

I feel like I’m going nowhere fast. That is how paperwork in France is making me feel. I woke up and honestly had no desire to get up. What for? Nothing that I want to get done is getting done! LOL But the sun was shining and I eventually unglued myself from my bed…It was a beautiful day in terms of weather, but the morale was at an all time LOW. I got to MICEFA a lil too late, in time for the student crowd. Judith was about to lose it. We had a good convo. One of the students recognized me, so weird! Two years ago when I had gotten back Topher and I carpooled to SFSU for Study Abroad Orientation. This student had been part of our group. I can’t believe he recognized me LOL. He has now been here two years…wow! Good for him! We exchanged numbers…I hope we hang out! =)

That afternoon I got another call…but I got to hang out with the lil ones and the boy I sit keeps saying words in English, but refuses to put together actual sentences. He’s too cute. He said “regarde, quand tu squeeze le requin!” «regarde, il y a un little one, là-bas! » When I ask him what color something is he says “bleu!” I give him a look and he giggles and says “blue”…sneaky, sneaky, I’m sure he’s just playing with us AAdults.

sunday's a B.Z. Sept 19

Around 11am…I crawl back into bed after changing into my comfy clothes…I notice the biggest bruise on my upper arm. WTF? How did that get there? I have no recollection of that happening…and this is a huge black and blue bruise the size of the bottom of a can of coke! O.M.G. lol…anyway I’m tossing and turning, my stomach feels like shit, my head keeps going in circles. I want to puke, but I don’t. I get a call which only makes me feel worse. I can hear everyone going up and down the stairs. I’m about to hurl in my mezzanine bed and false hope fills my thoughts…I HATE TODAY! I read a lil and am finally able to sleep for 30min…I HATE TODAY! I get ready and head to MacDo. The walk is exhausting and I feel like fainting, every smell makes me nauseous and Paris has one too many smells going on. I make it in one piece and order fries. Not a good idea. I skype with Ly, Lu & Peters…My emo state is at its peak. My eyes are bulging through the camera. I had been listening to Amy Winehouse’s song “You know I’m no good” and got a lil too much inspiration in terms of eye liner. LOL.

I ran to meet my old girlfriend from my study abroad year. It has been almost 3 years since the last time I saw her. My hangover was a lil better, but I was still very emo LOL. I met her and her friends at a Mexican restaurant in St Mich. Her friend persuaded them to give us tequila shots. It felt nice! We walked to Pont des Arts. There were locks hanging off the railings. I want to add my lock TOO! Her friends were really nice and funny! I got to listen to the Brazilian French accent and the Italian French accent, both quite charming. We went to her new love nest. It’s the cutest most French apartment I’ve ever seen. The ceilings have the most beautiful crown molding. She has the most old school French chimneys, and a tall stained glass window. The neighborhood is quiet and around the corner you have the Eiffel Tower and other side has a straight view to Les Invalides. It’s perfect! So cute! AND she got a great deal on it and its furnished! Mad props to my friend for hustlin’ and makin’ this happen. We caught up to 3yrs of our lives LOL we had a lot to say. She explained some things and others we differed. She told me I was strong and that she would’ve cracked, but honestly sometimes it takes every bone in my body to hold back. I’m telling you this is the most emo day I’ve had yet… T_T