Winter Haikus written by my students

In Heatherpardy (a Winter / Holiday game that was explained in my last post), in order to win 500 points under the category Miscellaneous, teams had to write a haiku about winter... here are some of my favorites... ENJOY!

*note... I am writing these down verbatim. In other words, before their AWESOME language assistant (me) dropped some knowledge and helped them correct their errors

During the winter
I'm exciting and happy
because it's Christmas.

Santa Claus love milk.
Santa Claus is coming town.
Winter is better.

I love Chrithmas trees
with candles who are pretty,
and gift lovely.

See the snow falling.
Found the Santa Claus coming.
Heard children laughing.

When Winter's coming
Time has come for happiness.
Eat chocolate and cakes.

The merry Christmas
We wish you happy new year
Magic of Christmas

Winter is coming,
and snow is going to fall.
We are so enjoy!

The winter is cold.
Santa Claus is comin' soon.
So... Happy Christmas!

I am Santa Claus
And I give presents for childs.
I wear a red cloth.

When Winter comes here,
Snow is falling on the ground.
Santa Claus comes home.

Behind the window,
I can see a big snow man
playing in the snow

Winter, you are cold.
Winter, you are beautiful.
Winter, you are calm.

Other than that, things have been good. Went to a teacher's house for dinner... delicious, went on a little hike / long walk through the forest by a castle, ate a cronut, celebrated a friend's birthday, met a huge panda. My class on Friday was canceled, so it is officially Christmas break for me. I go home in 3 days!

Jenna and me

panda at the Christmas market

Loving life & Birthday!

Do you ever have those moments when you're walking down the street and people are staring at you like you're a freak, and then you realize it's because you're wearing a smile that is abnormally big and is probably creeping these people out? Well yeah, that's been me lately. I've been so content with life and feeling really lucky. Just the other day, I was walking back home in the crisp winter air, listening to N*SYNC Christmas music (which is the best Christmas album out there and will always be), walking on an assortment of pretty yellow and orange leaves, and it just hit me--life is good. It was a glorious feeling.

My awesome Holiday/Winter game

Work has been going great lately, and I am loving my students. With each passing week, I'm remembering more and more names. I walk through the hallways and I hear excited "hello"s as I turn the corners. I got to plan a lesson based on the film Hunger Games since 2 of my classes were going to see it for English Appreciation week at a local movie theater. Some of the students remembered the word "cornucopia" from our lesson two weeks earlier which means they really are learning things from me! This week, I'm starting lessons on Winter / the Holidays. I spent 4+ hours on this Jeopardy-esque game, and my kids are loving it. I love making them come up with team names... today I had the Opposite Team vs. the Caribous vs. the Green Moose. However, the best was when a girl belted out "All I want for Christmas is you" à la Mariah Carey in order to get her team 500 points. I think I finally have this whole "edutainment" thing down.

friends <3 pointing at me, the birthday girl

The social side of my life has been lovely as well. I have definitely been "profiter"ing. Last week, I frequented the Christmas market many times, went to a trivia night, chilled at a pub, celebrated my birthday (Dec 7), and went ice skating! On Friday, my awesome friend Jenna made me a cake... I still can't get over the fact that you have to go to the pharmacy in order to buy baking soda, haha. Anyways, the cake was delicious, despite the stupid trick candles that I couldn't blow out. It was great being with such a wonderful group of people right at midnight when I officially became 23. On Saturday, I caught up on sleep, then had the pleasure of showing Angers to my friend who I studied abroad with who came to visit me! We got to reminisce about Aix, try a new restaurant, go on a ferris wheel, and more. We also got to satisfy our craving for McDonalds. That evening, we went out again, ending my birthday in the same fashion as when it started... surrounded by my awesome new friends.

Fakesgiving

I have officially survived my first Thanksgiving away from my family! Luckily for me, I was still surrounded by loved ones...

As I said in my last blog, I have been teaching about Thanksgiving in my classes these past two weeks. First, I must say that I love how no two classes are the same. The exercise I had my students do where they had to write three things that they're thankful for was so insightful. The range of serious to funny statements was staggering-- "I am thankful for my parents because they give me money," "I am thankful for my bed because it is always there for me," etc. On the other hand, I had some students who wrote full paragraphs saying how appreciative they were for their friends who are so welcoming and kind... Things like this elicited class-wide "aww"s and hugs all around. I wanted to cry.

One of the tables at our Fakesgiving

Last night (Friday), I got to participate in my own Fakesgiving with the other assistants. It was so fun being able to help introduce my new British / French / etc. friends (aka Thanksgiving virgins) to this beloved American holiday. Everyone brought a dish and we ended up with a HUGE feast-- mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, parsnip mash, turkey breast, parsnip soup, green beat casserole, carrots, stuffing, gravy, pumpkin pie, banoffee pie, ooey gooey pumpkin cake, and so much more (sorry, didn't get a picture of the spread.. was too busy eating). Before we ate, one of the hostesses had us go around the room and say what we were thankful for. For so long, I have been making others reflect on what they are grateful for, I had almost forgotten to do this for myself and my life. I'm so thankful for this opportunity to teach in France because the culture and lifestyle here is so different and rewarding. I'm so thankful for my family and friends back at home who support me and my passions. Lastly, I'm so thankful for my students and new friends that I've met in France because I have already learned so much from them--not only about the world in general but also about myself.

Now, enough of this mushy nonsense... We all know that once Thanksgiving is over, it is officially socially acceptable to get lost in the Christmas spirit-- cue the holiday tunes.. except not the new British ones I've learned that talk about drunk tanks and call people bad names. We can skip those ones.

The Angers Christmas market officially starts today along with the ceremonial turning on of the Christmas lights that have been hanging up throughout the streets of the city for the past month, just taunting me. It's going to be beautiful and I feel like a little kid on Christmas morning.

Chillin' at a local bar surrounded by good company

Homemade dinner cooked by my buddy Rhys. Delicious.

Update from Angers

A couple of weeks ago, my program (Teaching Assistant Program in France or TAPIF) posted a status on Facebook that said, "In a survey done by the Consulat général de la France, university students were asked why they decided to continue studying the French language. The majority responded that it was because they had a great teacher in high school." I immediately thought of my middle school and high school teacher, Mme Gallaspie and my university professor, Mme Armstrong. They both made learning the French language educational and fun through movies, games, songs, grammar, stories, conversations, etc. I would love to be my students' Mme Gallaspie or Mme Armstrong and inspire and cultivate a passion for the English language. Easier said than done.

Every Monday night, I stay up until the wee hours of the morning trying to think of activities that will get my students to participate. Lesson plans for one class will go swimmingly but then the next hour, it'll fall flat with deafening silence. Last week, it was teaching about Cincinnati and other tourist attractions in the USA. This week and next week, it's Thanksgiving including vocabulary lessons and bingo. Today, we did an activity where they had to write 3 things that they are thankful for. Several of them wrote, "I am thankful for my teacher." I believe they were talking about their normal teacher or maybe they just didn't know what else to put, but I'd like to think that they were referring to me :] In a couple of weeks, I will also be accompanying my youngest group to see Hunger Games in English (French subtitles). I can say that right now, I don't see myself being a teacher in the future, however, I also know that there is very little that trumps the feeling of a successful class.

French culture: the reason why I'm really here! Side note-- I know, I know, this is probably bad to admit since my job is teaching, but whatever. Since my last post, so much has happened!

-Ate a delicious home cooked Russian meal and then proceeded to roll home. Well actually, my landlady picked me up afterwards because she is an absolute sweetheart and worries about my safety.
-Visit to the Cointreau factory with the other assistants. Had a tour which included fascinating information about the history, fabrication, advertising, etc. of this yummy liqueur. Ended with a dégustation which meant that we were all pretty tipsy by 1 pm in the afternoon.
-Went to the movies to see a cheesy chick flick
-Celebrated a friend's birthday
-Got to dance away the night and experience what it is like to work a full day after a solid 4-hour night of sleep.
-Attended a salon du chocolat at a huge convention center-esque place. Free samples anyone?
-Played games and ate pizza at the second pizza and board game night at the bibliotheque anglophone.

Time has never gone by so slow, yet at the same time, it's speeding by.

Aix-ellent.. Good luck with your burgers

It's amazing how quickly a new place can feel like home. Even though I've only been in Angers for a little over a month, when I'm away, I find myself missing the routine and comfort of what has become my life. However, that is not to say that I did not love my week traveling around the South of France!

le Vieux-Port

Marseille, oh Marseille. I have always had a general dislike for this city... too big, reputation of being dirty and violent, etc. After spending a couple days here with an awesome tour guide, I suppose my opinions have changed a bit. While I wouldn't rush and pack my bags and move there, I can admit that the Vieux Port de Marseille is a sight not to be missed.





The color of the water is absolutely stunning with its various shades of blue and green. Mix that with the pale beige rocks and the historical monuments and you can get some incredible pictures. A dash of sunshine never hurt anyone either... So, I was a complete tourist--taking pictures of anything and everything. My friend, Jérémy took me to the best places in Marseille such as le Palais Longchamp, le Panier, et plus. He was so hospitable and awesome. Gros bisous xx.

Place d'Albertas 

It was so weird being back in Aix. I spent the first couple hours walking around the city and thinking about all of the glorious memories. Instead of typing everything out, I'll highlight some of the best moments with some fun bullet points..

Amy et moi

• Putting fake blood all over my face for a fun Zombie Night Halloween party
• "Breaking in" to the American Center (the gate wasn't actually locked, so it's okay) and taking pictures in the back garden
• My good deed of the day-- translating for an English speaker who couldn't communicate with the Frenchies. He just didn't understand that his burger had too many extras and couldn't fit in the to-go box. (BURGER BAR)
• Partying with some Aixois and seeing how excited they got when Nickelback came on over the speakers (no joke...)
• Seeing my friends and how much they have changed & how much they also haven't changed
• Being reunited with Maman Nanda, my mère d'accueil and having a conversation about the need to buy and use a fanny pack and being asked if I have a French boyfriend yet... love her.
• Comparing jokes in French and English and using the verb "to staple" as much as possible

What a beautiful, wonderful, fantastic city. I was surprised by how many places I hadn't explored though. I was constantly seeing new things while walking around. It was actually a little unnerving.

BUT, I'm back in Angers now. Home sweet home. So happy to no longer be on the train. Especially because there was an old man whose feet kept touching mine. Disgusting. Work started back up today. Woo.

Last update- apparently, my stolen purse was found. I went to go pick it up, body shaking while reliving the horrible moment. As the police gave it back to me, they just kept repeating: "pas propre, pas propre" (not clean). When I unzipped the purse, there was a horrible stench and a couple of slugs. I almost puked. However, all of my stuff was in there (except my cash and my iPhone). Good thing I spent so much time canceling cards, getting a new bus pass, a new train pass, etc. All in all, I guess I'm pretty lucky.

So many feelings

What do you get when you mix a week of no work and France? A lot of fun adventures and unexpected stories to tell later on. For me, I have gone through about every emotion or feeling you can think of...

Relief: After another fun weekend filled with wine, friends and French, the realization that I didn't have to wake up at 7:00am for work on Monday made life a whole lot more enjoyable.

Sick: Because who doesn't love sneezing and blowing their nose every 10 minutes? I decided to quarantine myself for 2 days... or maybe I just wanted an excuse to guzzle orange juice and sit in bed all day watching movies and shows on the internet.

Rhys et moi devant la cathédrale Saint-Gatien de Tours

Jubilant: A couple of fellow assistants made good on a lost bet resulting in the best muffin I have ever eaten in my life.

Peaceful: On Wednesday, 2 other assistants and I went to Tours to explore. It was a beautiful day and we got to see some breathtaking sights. There's a huge cathedral and everyone knows that I'm a big fan of gothic architecture. Can't get enough of the rib-vault ceilings. We also found a flower market that seemed as if it went on for miles with colorful chrysanthemums and heather plants lining the sidewalk. We had lunch in the old quarter followed by a visit to the craft museum, a coffee & magazine break, and a stroll in the botanical garden with more flowers and also a strange array of animals-- wallaby, emu, donkey, etc. Strange. It was an exhausting, long, but wonderful day.

Food coma: I got to eat some delicious Thai and Indian food this week. There's a restaurant in Angers with the most picturesque patio called Thai l'Inde. Pad Thai and shrimp, mmm. The next night (Friday), I got to eat a home cooked meal. So good. Ate so much. I really need to learn how to cook.

Baffled: This dinner I went to on Friday night was at the house of an English professor at the FAC. His wife is friends with my mom. They are originally from the same city as me back in the States. It just so happens that they had friends come in from out of town including a woman who plays cello in the orchestra that my mom used to work for. When they called me to set up this soirée, they told me that they were inviting some lecteurs. Turns out these lecteurs are the ones who I've known for several weeks, two of whom are also from the same state as me. What a small world! Who knew Ohio could tie together so many people!

Carefree: Had a lovely evening celebrating the birthdays of two friends. 1920s themed-- cue flapper dresses, suspenders, hats, mustaches, etc.

Fear: While walking home, a man on a bike grabbed my purse and proceeded to pedal away. However, I was still clutching onto my purse, crying out which resulted in me falling to the ground and being dragged around a bit before I had to surrender my belongings and run the rest of the way home. My landlady (who I had just met a number of hours ago, since I had moved into that apartment earlier that day) was a saint. She called the police, drove me to the station, helped clean my bloody, scratched up knees and bruised elbows.. all at 2:30 in the morning. Lost my bus card, iPhone, money, 2 credit cards, & a lil bit of my dignity. Needless to say, be careful out there everyone. Even in a generally safe city, there are always scary people.

Lucky: I'm alive! Also, a nice man found my keys, my French cell phone, and my sunglasses in the middle of the road somewhere and decided to investigate. He called people in my phone book and delivered my things to the police station. When I came out of the back room, there were some friends waiting, wanting to see if I was ok... you guys are the best. That seriously meant the world to me. xx

Annoyed: Because no one likes canceling credit cards & phones, changing passwords, trying to figure out how to receive wired money, etc.

Resilient: This wasn't going to ruin my day. After a solid 4 hours of sleep, I woke up and hopped on the train with a friend to go to Chenonceau to see a beautiful castle.

Olja et moi devant le château de Chenonceau

Sore: And alas, all that walking was probably not the best idea for my bruised body. I'm currently laying in bed and don't think I can ever move again.

Till next time! You'll get to hear about my return to the South of France, so get excited... I sure am!

Return to France

le chateau d'Angers

Well, I'm back in France! Once again, I'm sitting in class all day, however, this time, I'm not the student. I get to be the teacher. I get to be the one who teaches French lycéens about American culture. I get to be the one who makes learning fun. I get to be the one who makes an impact on these impressionable students.

My return to France has been amazing thus far. I feel so lucky to call this country home again. This time, I'm in a city called Angers-- located about 2 hours (by train) southwest of Paris. Like Aix, it's a small university town with charm and so much personality. The weather isn't as great, but I love this place. There's a castle in the middle of the city, several fountains, beautiful churches, gardens, cobblestone streets. What more could a girl ask for?

Back when I studied abroad in Aix-en-Provence, I had a blog entry entitled 21 days. I stated that these first 21 days are the most challenging pivotal part of time spent abroad. I have been here for 22 days now, and I feel like I am way more comfortable at this point than I was after 21 days in Aix. I've had to be independent and explore. I've had to be confident and spend time alone. I've had to be brave and put myself out there to meet new people. Nobody is here to baby me. I'm here for a job working with the national government... I've filled out paperwork, found a place to live, opened up a bank account, made friends, created lesson plans-- all in French might I add.

Just to break these last 3 weeks up--

Work: I feel so lucky with my assignment. The teachers have been so welcoming, and (most of) the students have been excited to have this opportunity with "the American." The first week was spent in the classroom with the teacher leading a Q & A session with me. The next week, I was on my own. I have anywhere from 10-15 students for an hour every other week. That makes roughly 185 students total, all at varying levels. I've started with name games, scattegories, two truths and one lie, Halloween crosswords, and scary stories.

some of the other assistants at une soirée formidable

Social life: In Angers, there are 30 or so assistants. Even better, we come from all over the place! Of course, there are other Americans, but I have also had the privilege of meeting people from England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Germany, Chile, etc. Needless to say, when we're all together, the different accents are music to my ears. We generally speak in English, but there has been a good effort to speak French as well. Also, I've brought it upon myself to find some native French friends. I've met several through the Anglophone library, and my current roommate is a good language partner too. I'm excited to see what will happen in the next 6 months!

oh, and now, after 2 and a half solid weeks of work, I have 2 weeks of paid vacation!

le cathédral Saint-Maurice d'Angers

le jardin des plantes