The strike endures. So far it’s been more than 1 week with the public transportation on strike. I am super happy that I bought the 40 euro bus pass for the month. I walk a lot and when I say a lot, I mean a lot. Last Wednesday, Theresa and I walked 2 hours to our meeting. 2 hours. Then the metro was working so we took that and had to walk 1 hour back to our house. Then Thursday, I stayed around the house. Friday, Theresa and I walked to the metro (1 hour) and we went to vieux port. Here in France, you have to pay for a library membership. Not only that but you have to bring a past bill for the house to show you live here. So I am still debating on getting that. I think I’ll call and see if I can take my computer there and use the internet it may be worth it. I doubt it’s like that though. They probably want to charge you even more to use the internet. Sorry friends but its really hard and I am trying to find a way that I can use the internet without using all of my paycheck.

Anyways, Saturday, Theresa, Carmina, and I went on a little excursion, to chateau d’if and isle de frioul. The isle de frioul was amazing! I plan on going back really soon. We took a boat there and it’s only like 30 min away but it would be so awesome to pack a lunch, and swim and hike all day there. I took a lot of pics. Amazing. Hopefully I will get to post some pictures with this post (I am writing the post at my place hoping to be able to take my computer somewhere and post it with pictures) keep in mind we walked 1 hour to the metro, walked and hiked all day then walked from the metro to home 1 hour.

Sunday I went to a different church. Because of the strike I didn’t feel like walking 2 hours to church and walking back, so I went to a church closer to me and I really liked it. There were many younger people there and people were nice to me. That’s always good. I met a girl, Ruth-Lise, who goes to the Tuesday night bible study (but she hadn’t been able to go for 2 weeks) and she offered to drive me there. So that’s good news.

Today, Monday, was my first day of class. I am just observing for the most part, but I get to do some stuff with the class. For example, this morning the students asked me questions and I told them about Ohio, but they weren’t really participative. They won’t be my students this semester anyways. The second class was so good. This class I will have this semester. They all asked questions, even if they didn’t know all the words in English. They were willing to try. So a little French a little English. It was good. Then I had a 3 hour break and I was going to go to the bank to pick up my card, but the bank is closed on Monday. I forgot about that. So tomorrow. I went to the park instead and read and relaxed in the beautiful sunny weather here. Then I went back to the school to my other class of the day. These students won’t be mine this semester either but they were really talkative and asked a lot of questions.

Some of my favorite questions and comments of the day were:
-I thought all Americans were fat
-There are a lot of McDonalds in the US
-Do Americans eat eggs, bacon, pancakes, sausage, etc. for every breakfast?
-When I asked if anyone wanted to go visit the US, one of the classes unanimously answered…No.


I am really happy I am at the high school. The kids are really fun and I like that I am still cool to them. They seem interested to get to know me. Their accents are cute. I really hope I meet a French guy-not a high school one- and marry him because I love when they speak English. Hahaha

I have classes and observations everyday this week but my schedule for the rest of the semester is:

Monday: free
Tuesday: 8-9, 10-11, 11-12, 3-4, 5-6
Wednesday: 10-11, 11-12
Thursday: 9-10, 10-11
Friday: 9-10, 10-11, 11-12

Not bad huh? Plus I get 2 weeks vacation starting next Saturday.

Well that’s about all I have to get you all up to date on now. If you are reading this and have a car, be thankful. If you are reading this and live in Athens and don’t have a car, still be thankful. I think buying a month bus pass in France is similar to buying a month pass at a gym…You get a good workout.

Oh yeah, French is getting easier. It’s still hard to communicate and I get frustrated a bit, but overall it’s good. The hard parts are big groups, technical words and cell phones.


Ok now it’s Wednesday and I still love teaching. Some more funny questions and comments for the week are:

Do you have a boyfriend (the boys ask me this one) ha-ha
Will you stay in France? I say I don’t know. Someone says...if she finds love.
The US has a bad government doesn’t it?
Is it true that American guys don’t take French class because they think speaking French is feminine?



The students are so cute and when I see them outside of class they all come up and talk to me. Today, one of the boys came up to me and was really nervous to talk to me and his friend was making fun of him for being nervous (sometimes they don’t realize I understand what they say in French ahhaahah.) Many of the students have asked for an American pen pal sooooo if anyone wants to be a pen pal, let me know! Email me!

The other English professors are really nice. I think there are about 10 or so, and I have met almost all of them. They are all willing to help me, answer questions, they have offered to take me places with their families and they are just all around kind.

Last night Raquel and I went to the bible study. Each time it gets a bit easier. Last night we were at Olivier’s place. We had salad, and this potato onion omelet (minus eggs)/crepe (but thicker)/pancake thing. It was good. Then we had fresh pineapple for dessert. Then we read a passage in the bible and discussed it. Man o man it’s hard for me to understand everything. It takes a lot of energy each Tuesday night for the 4 or 5 hours we are together to focus on French. All of my foreign friends in the world who speak English or other languages, I am impressed. It’s really hard.

This weekend Raquel and I are going to Toulon with the bible study. I hope to get to know the others better. I am really thankful that Raquel is here. Even though we haven’t seen each other that much since the strike, its nice to know that she’s here and I can easily tell her things and we can be lost together or fill each other in at times.

I like watching French TV. I think it’s good for me. I watch Monk in French and also Malcolm in the middle and other French shows. One of these days, I think I’m just going to be able to understand things completely.

Yesterday, I went down to talk to Madame Balletti and she started telling me how last year all the assistants who lived in this apt, shared food to save money. Theresa doesn’t really want to do that plus she’s vegetarian and doesn’t eat many of the same foods as me. No big deal right? Well Madame Balletti decides she doesn’t like that so she gives me a bowl of something or other she’s cooking for lunch and says “don’t tell Theresa. Meat is good for you.” I love this woman.

Well I am going to write emails and save them all on a CD and take it to the school tomorrow and put them on the computer along with some pictures. I hope it works as easily as I think it does.

ok so i hope you all are happy to read all this: i have a few more funny stories. today is friday and i just finished my last class: they talk a lot and asked so many questions: then one boy thought i was cute so everyone started asking questions like do you like french boys: Do you like french boy in this class: ......wants to know if youll go to lunch with him today. do you want a french boyfriend: it was halarious: i love my job:

well i am off to toulon this weekend:
adios*