I played a little badminton today

Badminton seems to be the game of choice for some of the teachers here, and today I decided to join them. It's been probably 6 years or so since I've played, but I felt my way back to the game with ease. Badminton is like tennis except the 'ball' flys and hovers in the air for a lot longer. You can hit the birdy (I think it's called) as hard as you want but it doesn't influence the distance too much. It felt good to release my aggression on that little foam ball with wings.

Time to complain: My kids have been driving me nuts lately. Have you ever taught a class before? I don't understand how I am supposed to teach if: 1. The kids don't speak or understand English 2. The kids are perpetually facing each other chatting and being obnoxious or 3. If they kids could care less and don't smile or say anything. It's the kids that glare at me and just talk over me that drive me the most crazy. I tried to talk about interesting things, like food (everybody likes to talk about food, right?), but I got no response. It's probably every other class that drives me nuts. This morning I had a group of 8 girls that just chatted to each other. I ask them to be quiet. I shhh them. I wait silently and watch them, waiting for them to finish. Nothing works. Yesterday a punkish looking girl just listened to her headphones the whole time I was talking. What the hell.

I am, however, about to teach my favorite class. This is the class to whom I teach Frankenstein. I always enjoy this class.

OH and something else that drives me crazy: I do not understand why my BTS students are going to school to learn about being a secretary or sales assistant! Why?? I thought this kind of stuff was learned on the job. Why does the government support those types of classes? I feel like someone has told these kids that this is the only option for their lives. Don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with being a secretary or sales assistant. I just think that while in school, kids should be learning other ideas about life and the world. Does this make sense to someone else?

One interesting thing: strikes, though troublesome, are effective. The transportation system goes on strike about once a month. They strike because they work too hard, they want more money, they don't have enough vacation etc. etc. During a strike, about half the trains and half the buses run on schedule. It causes quite the ruckus. I was stuck in Chambéry for 3 extra hours the other day because my normal train was canceled, and I was 15 minutes late to class because the bus didn't run on time. But they get at least a part of what they want. The teachers in this region are going on strike on Monday. Most students won't come to school that day. The teachers, especially the English teachers, are tired of the media and the parents complaining that teachers don't work hard enough and get too much vacation. The kids don't speak English well enough, they say. The English teachers are angry because it's the kids who don't do their work or don't practice or whatever. There are other reasons they are going on strike as well, but I don't know them. The teacher's don't get paid on the days they strike, so it's significant when a strike happens and teachers choose to participate. Maybe I should go on strike, too. I want to get paid more! I want to rid of BTS classes! I want a new car! I wonder what Monday will be like.

This weekend I am going to Annecy to finish Christmas shopping and to try cross-country skiing for the first time, if there is enough snow. Hopefully I can take some pictures to show you.

And lastly, I am missing my home during this season. I miss hearing Chrismas music on the radio and in stores. It's just not as big here. It's kind of nice because Christmas isn't in your face everywhere you turn, but I do miss the music. It's depressing sometimes. Between my crazy kids, the cold, and the lack of Christmas spirit, I'm feeling kind of blue. And I can't always discuss Christmas with my the BTS kids because half of them are Muslim and don't celebrate Christmas. Tonight, however, I am going to a restaurant with about 50 other teachers for the end of the year Christmas party thing. I hope that is nice. Sigh.

Happy weekend!

me and my tree

lights!

Some of the lights in Aix

Recently

The other day I was brainstorming with some senior kids about what-is-personality and words they could think of to describe personality. Someone suggested the word 'extravagent' and I accepted it and wrote it on the board. Then, one girl raised her hand and very serioiusly said, "I heard that in the United States you can say 'bling. bling'." No one else in the class understood her so the room was silent. Except for me, who exploded in laughter at this proper French girl saying 'Bling bling' and having no idea the context or anything. She said it as two separate, distinct words, and it was hilarious. I had to control myself and try to explain the context in which one would use that phrase.

Last Thursday I attended a group of older French and British people who get together each month to practice speaking English. They were having their annual Christmas party and the other assistant Kerri and I decided to go. There were about 50 people there and we were the youngest by about 25 years. We sat in cushioned chairs and sang a selection of American and British Christmas carols accompanied by a gifted keyboardist. The director of the evening was a warm goofy Irishman who changed his hat depended on the song we were singing. He wore a santa hat, an antler hat, and a sparkly hat. He was jolly. After singing for 40 minutes or so we mingled and ate mini minced pies and sipped Sherry. Those older than me became quickly warmed by the Sherry, and some of the men started sharing stories of visits to Los Vegas and wet t-shirt shows. Awkward. It was nice though to share some Christmas spirit(s) with English speaking people, even if they slightly misjudged personal space boundries.

I bought a little Christmas tree for my apartment at the market on Saturday! It is lovely. I am taking pictures of my apartment that I rearranged and of Aix because they have turned on all of the Christmas lights in the city and it is beautiful. I love it.

My last day of school before the break is the 23rd. Two weeks. For Christmas I will be in Annecy with Tessa Lynch and Kerri. We will celebrate together and eat lots of good food. Then I am going to Spain with Lisa Cantrell, a friend from Furman who is meeting me in Spain. I'm excited! Good luck these last days of school!