So, if you’re anything like my mother, you’re aware (and perhaps worried) that I haven’t blogged since Monday. Well, like I told her: “I’m sorry, but it’s the week before Christmas and I’m super busy!”
Ok, so let me quickly wrap-up this past week. On Tuesday I didn’t work (because I never work Tuesdays) and instead attempted to get all my Christmas shopping done. Luckily for me I’m not going home, thus, I don’t need to get presents for family members, rather roommates and close friend et c’est tout (and that’s all). We moved Bible Study from Tuesday to Wednesday this week and because of this I was able to stay late at the mall. I couldn’t believe how many hours I spent at two different marches de noel (Christmas markets) and the mall.
On Wednesday the heat was working again, so I had clases – well, in theory I had classes. Because it’s the end of the semester, all students had government testing to assess what they’ve learned since the beginning of the year. I think it’s kind of funny my middle schoolers had the eqivalent of a midterm. Well, because they were being tested, all the grades got grouped together and placed in different places: cafeteria, gym, auditorium, etc. They were watched my the surveillants (surveyors/hall monitors) and real teachers (like me) didn’t have a real need to be there. With this being said, I was sent home – well, not sent home like on Monday, rather dismissed to go home unless I wanted to stay and work on lessons. Since I figured out all my Christmas lessons over the weekend, I went home. I baked Monkey Bread all afternoon – 5 batches of it – and then wrapped and neatly decorated the baggies. I made them for the 5 other English teachers on my team. I wrote them also a little card saying that Monkey Bread is often eaten on Christmas morning for breakfast and that I was thankful for them being so helpful and welcoming since my arrival because they have been nothing but wonderful colleagues. Wednsday night we had Bible Study. Our theme was “What Is Love Actually?”. We had a really great discussion about eros, phila, and agape love and then finished by watching the movie “Love Actually”. It was really fun because it was more like a mini Christmas party with a Christmas movie and Christmas themed food. 
Here are a couple pictures.
Me, Alexandra, Stephanie, and Ruthi!
Ok, onto Thursday: Yesterday I had three classes in the morning. This is abnormal, but my schedule is constantly changing on the dime, so I’ve learned to just say “Ok, c’est la vie!” After my three morning classes, and delivering the bags of Monkey Bread to all my fellow English department ladies, I headed home….to make more Monkey Bread! At my second school, I only have three other English colleagues (one of which happens to be on sick leave) so I only had to make two batches. The rest of the afternoon I cut out English words from magazines I brought over for a funny card to go along with my grab gift. For our faculty Christmas party, I bought a travel mug from Starbucks and tea to go with it. Everyone morning when I walk into the teacher’s lounge with my huge (American) travel mug, everyone gives me a raised eyebrow as if to say “I cannot believe you’re going to drink that much.” However, if they were to count up all the little coffees they drink on break in the lounge, it would probably total the size of my travel mug. But anywho, I decided to get one as my grab gift. My card, when I had finished said something along the lines of “Hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year” in English, followed by “There’s to reason to mock me for my big mug any longer because now you have your own!” in French. When 5 o’clock rolled around, I headed back to the burbs to my school for our party. The basement of one of the buildings was nicely decorated with enough tables to fit the 50 or so teachers that had RSVPed.
We had a huge buffet of French food, followed my more food, desserts, and of course tons of wine. We did our gift exchange in which the man that got my gift thought my card was so adorable that he passed it around for everyone to see. This is embarrased me a little thinking maybe I had made an error with what I had written in French, but then decided he probably was just fascinated with what I wrote in English. I hope.
Well, ok this is where the story gets good. We went from mingling, to eating, to exchanging presents, to dancing. Yes, in the middle of an empty classroom in the basement of my middle school, the teachers had a dance party! It was the most hysterical thing ever. The best part was everyone participated – even the principal! In fact, it was the older teachers that were constantly trying to show us younger ones some new moves.
The lights got lowered and the music got raised! On est dance!
Around midnight, the principal finally told us (mind you, we started at 6pm) to go home, or if not going home, just go somewhere else. With there being so much wine and food left over, another teacher decided to just take it all and invite everyone to her apartment to continue to the dance party. One of the other English teachers had offered to drive me home, but since she wanted to go to this other teacher’s house, I had to go as well. I don’t say that in a “I didn’t want to go” attitude, because that wasn’t the case. J’avais tres envie d’y aller! (I was really interested in going.) So everyone packed up the food and drinks and headed to one of the math teacher’s apartments. When we got outside, we realized it had snowed about an inch! I was so cool. It’s snowed every day this week, but it had yet to stick. Finally, last night, it did! When we got to the math teacher’s apartment, there was about 15 of us. Everyone just chit chatted for a while, and some of the other teachers that didn’t know me well, just knew I was the American working with the English department this year, were flabbergasted to know I actually spoke French. Whenever they see me in the hall or passing by, I’m usually speaking English – to encourage the kids to speak English with me outside of class. Anywho, once they realized I spoke French, I had an entourage of people asking me dozens of questions about the States, what I think of France, why I came, etc. etc. etc. It’s amazing how much friendlier people get after having a glass or two of wine. At some point, Marie, the English teacher that was taking me home said at one point, I could just crash at her place (since we didn’t have to rush in the morning) but as the night wore on decided, if it was ok with me, to just crash at the math teacher’s house. Since that’s what the others had decided to do, I followed suit (not wanting to look like the party pooper and agreed). Sleepover with all the teachers! Because the majority of us didn’t have classes till the afternoon we stayed up late into the night just talking and playing games. The best game was “name that tune” in which someone manned the Itunes and shuffled through songs tallying up who knew the most. Despite being the foreigner, I knew quite a few French songs. Everyone was really impressed – especially since some of them only hours earlier didn’t even think I spoke French. hah. “Name that tune” wore us all out – rather mellowed us out (especially the boys), aiding us in heading to bed. When we did actually decided to go to bed, c’etait bordel! (It was a mess.) There were people sleeping with the hostess in her bed. Numerous people on a huge L shaped couch (including me), numerous people on the floor, and two people on an air mattress. Overall it was a wonderful night. Such great memories. Who knew teachers could be so cool?!?! My only rift with it was that I wished it had happened back in September. It’s a shame that I’m just now getting to meet all my other colleagues and realizing that they’re super nice, and that I have so much in common with so many of them. I’m looking forward to January when eating lunch in the teacher’s lounge will be way less awkward now – even if there isn’t another English teacher around.
Ok Friday – So this morning when I woke up at 8, Marie brought me to the metro so I could go home and shower and change. Here’s a picure of her car – covered in snow!
Nelly and I ready and waiting in the car for Marie to finish clearing the snow.
Since I didn’t have class till 1:30, I got to fit in a two hour nap as well! Unfortunately for her, she went home, changed really fast, and headed back into school for her 10am class. When I got up for real at 11am, I got a move-on after seeing how much snow had since accumulated and worried that this will delay the busses a little. When I got to school I had three hours of 6emes (6th graders) and three hours of “Frosty the Snowman”. The kids loved the lesson. Loved figuring out the lyrics. Loved singing the song. (Got to love teaching little ones! We had a sing-a-long in each class.) And they loved that it was the last day before “holiday”! (It still cracks me up that my kids say “holiday” because they learned that and not “vacation”.) They also all told me “Happy Christmas” like the English would, when the bell rang. It was really sweet. I love my little ones. Eleven year olds are wonderful because they’re scared of you and they don’t smell yet… When school ended, a Physics teacher drove me home (well, to the tram right next to where I live) since no one seemed to trust taking a bus on these snowy roads. It was really sweet of her to think of me. When I got home I knitted for a while – I’m making Anne (landlady) a scarf for Christmas. Guillaume made vin chaud (spiced wine) because he said “il y a un tempest de neige!” (Cause we’re having a blizzard!)
Guillaume knows how to use a double-boiler better than I do!
We are NOT having a blizzard. Believe me, this Boston girl has seen snow in her lifetime, and this is not anything major. But because it rarely snows in Lyon, they freak out like all my SC friends used to in college when it would snow! Tonight, I had another Chrismas party to attend, but I declined. It’s freezing outside and I would rather stay indoors where it’s warm, with G’s vin chaud, my knittin, and perhaps watch a movie. I haven’t decided yet if I’m going to watch a movie. Ok, I’ve decided – yes, I’m going to watch a movie. Ok, so I’m off. That’s been my past 4 days. Sorry I got behind (cough mum!).
Bonne nuit! Six jours jusqu’a Noel!
I took my saddened mind off of it by creating a hand-made star to put on the top of the tree. The rest of the afternoon I read. I’m almost done with my book. I think I’ll read some more of it (hopefully finishing it) once I finish blogging right now. When 6:30 rolled around, Guillaume’s mum, Anne, picked me up to go grocery shopping! She wanted me to help get all the things we need for Christmas! (Oh, PS I think I forgot to mention: Anne and Lesley are now coming to our house for Christmas Eve. When Anne (G’s mum) found out that they were alone without real plans she made me invite them over. She said “Everyone’s welcome, the more the merrier!” She’s so sweet!) Anywho, so we went shopping. We left at 7 and despite her saying “Let’s try to be fast since there will be crazy lines cause it’s two days before Christmas”, we didn’t get home till 10pm! 
