News reel
So what's been happening since last week? Things have calmed down a tad although France is still under a state of emergency and Belgium had a serious scare but now the news has refocused on the climate summit in Paris. Everything around here is decorated for Christmas (Noël) and St.Nicolas was celebrated last weekend. All around here are pop up Christmas markets with mulled wine and handmade goods. Lucia has taught me the simplest most delicious way to roast vegetables. I've spent some time with new adoptive Italian family as well as a young couple (Russian/Argentinan) and any free time is used out in service or going to the grocery store to buy groceries before Lucia does. Every Wednesday I do a long day in service with a sister from Valenciennes, sometimes taking the train into town early in the morning, we going in service and have lunch at her house (I make guacamole) and I have a few return visits which is awesome.
Teaching has been going okay. Some days are really good and others not as good. Imagine one morning making a student cry, the next day being told they want you to stay to teach them forever, then the next day have a fist fight break out in class after 'head shoulders knees and toes'. Trying to figure out how to challenge the students but not baby them is a...challenge. I am know encountering the akwardness of seeing my students outside of class (it's a small town), I normally just get a shout out 'Hello Hem-ily!' (they hear the difference between the French Émilie and the English Emily but they like to add a H for some reason) and then they run off. I am happy to state that I am now in the process of teaching 'my favorite things' from the sound of music to some classes, yes if they learn the whole song I will record it for the good of humanity. I normally take about half the class (15 students) with me to another class room and I have about 25 minutes to do an activity in English with them, without knowing when I'm going to see them again. I am still commuting to school and around town by bike, yes it's awesome.
I finally got my debit card from the bank (carte bleu) yeah! and finished setting up my account so no more atm fees or signing receipts. I pushed it a little to hard the past couple of days including wrangling with 4 overgrown kiwi vines that have taken over the metal overhanging trellis outside, then last night I was running a low fever👎🏼 I was prescribed 3 doses of oscillococcinum (basically like opening up a bullet and pouring it under your tongue) by Lucia after biking home/getting the groceries/moving a mattress/harvesting kiwis/starting the fireplace/etc. laughing and full of energy if not a tad sniffly only to collapse into a stiff chair 1 hour later arms spread out, burning up and fast asleep.
Lots o love to all you guys!
Emily (with a y)
You have your mother's skills when it comes to cooking
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