Yesterday I was reading about the new smoking ban that goes into effect tomorrow in France. Smoking will no longer be allowed in places of business (like shops), schools, and hospitals. Then in January next year it will not be allowed in any public places including restaurants and bars. (They wanted to give people a year longer to adjust to the idea.)
I also read that in France about 1 in 3 people smoke. It is a large number, but I believe it after being here for 4 months. People smoke everywhere including the teachers at school. When I first started working here I was startled to see the teachers light up in the teacher’s lounge. I though it was strange to see them smoking at a school where children might see, so imagine my surprise the next day when I saw a teacher smoking on the playground while the kids were at recess! I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing!
There is one teacher in particular who is always smoking on the playground, so it will be amusing to see what happens tomorrow. He will probably have to leave campus 10 times a day to get his nicotine fix.
It is a little sad that the smoking ban for bars and restaurants doesn’t go into effect until next year. The smoke is one of the hardest things I have had to deal with here. Even if I sit in the nonsmoking area, I still go home stinking like smoke. Most times I have to go wash my hair because the smell is so strong it makes me sick.
It will be interesting to see how French culture is changed because of the smoking ban. It seems that smoking a cigarette is as French as wearing a beret.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Winter Wonderland
We ended up getting about 4 inches of snow. It made everything look so pretty. It has also been REALLY cold, so not much has melted in the last two days. The highs have only been in the 20’s. Also in Belfort they don’t shovel the sidewalks, so they have become ice rinks. I almost fell about five times going to my classes this morning. It really makes me miss Boulder, where you had to have the sidewalks shoveled by 12 pm the next day!!
We are supposed to have another chance of snow tomorrow night. I guess it is a good thing that we aren’t going anywhere this weekend. It might be a little too cold for sightseeing.
The first weekend of February we are going to Paris. We are going to Disneyland on Saturday, and then go to Versailles on Sunday because in winter the first Sunday of every month admission is free. We would be saving like 18 or 20 euros, so that sounds good to me.
Here are a couple of pictures of the snow from my bedroom window.
Just a couple of hours after it started…
This is a view of the castle in the morning.
We are supposed to have another chance of snow tomorrow night. I guess it is a good thing that we aren’t going anywhere this weekend. It might be a little too cold for sightseeing.
The first weekend of February we are going to Paris. We are going to Disneyland on Saturday, and then go to Versailles on Sunday because in winter the first Sunday of every month admission is free. We would be saving like 18 or 20 euros, so that sounds good to me.
Here are a couple of pictures of the snow from my bedroom window.
Just a couple of hours after it started…
This is a view of the castle in the morning.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Let it snow...
Well, it has just started to snow in Belfort for the first time this winter. It looks really pretty falling down in the lights.
I knew it was going to snow today because the kids were so crazy today. It was tough to get through all the lessons, but I made it. I don't have to work tomorrow, so if we get enough snow maybe I can go take some pictures. I hope it isn’t all melted by then.
Also, I have just updated my Web site with my pictures from Neuchâtel, so check them out.
web.mac.com/downinga
I knew it was going to snow today because the kids were so crazy today. It was tough to get through all the lessons, but I made it. I don't have to work tomorrow, so if we get enough snow maybe I can go take some pictures. I hope it isn’t all melted by then.
Also, I have just updated my Web site with my pictures from Neuchâtel, so check them out.
web.mac.com/downinga
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Neuchâtel, Switzerland
We had a good time in Neuchâtel. It is an absolutely gorgeous town. It sits right on Lake Neuchâtel, which is the biggest lake entirely in Switzerland. It also has spectacular views of the Alps. They are just on the other side of the lake. They were all covered in snow. I even saw Mt. Blanc for the first time!
On Saturday we decided to go on a hike to see this gorge thing called Creux-du-Van. It is located in the Jura Mountains to the west of Neuchâtel. We asked at the information place, and they said it was a little hilly and it would take about an hour and a half to get to it.
That was not the case at all. It was the HARDEST climb I have even done in my life. It had about 2100 feet of elevation gain. In the end it took up 2 hours and 45 minutes. Then we got to the top, and this is all we could see…
Here is what it is supposed to look like. Just a little different…
We worked so hard, and all we saw was fog. It was such a bummer!! At least we all made it. That night we came back completely exhausted and sore, but we went out to dinner and had fondue. It was fun to have real Swiss fondue in Switzerland, and I didn’t lose a single piece of bread in the pot!
Today we saw some more of the town. There is a really beautiful castle, but we could only see it from the outside because it is closed in the winter. (It is hard to travel in January, I guess) I still got some neat pictures of the outside though. We also walked down to the lake on a little promenade. It was a nice weather the entire time, cool but sunny.
I really liked Switzerland. Before this trip I had only passed through it a few times in Bâle. This was the first time I had spent any real time there. The Swiss people are all really nice and friendly, and they keep everything so clean. Plus they actually stop to let you cross the road, which is nice.
Even though we didn’t get to see the gorge it was still a fun trip. Now I have to go back in to work mode. This week I will be teaching all the kiddies about animals. Good times!
I will put up pictures on my Web site soon.
On Saturday we decided to go on a hike to see this gorge thing called Creux-du-Van. It is located in the Jura Mountains to the west of Neuchâtel. We asked at the information place, and they said it was a little hilly and it would take about an hour and a half to get to it.
That was not the case at all. It was the HARDEST climb I have even done in my life. It had about 2100 feet of elevation gain. In the end it took up 2 hours and 45 minutes. Then we got to the top, and this is all we could see…
Here is what it is supposed to look like. Just a little different…
We worked so hard, and all we saw was fog. It was such a bummer!! At least we all made it. That night we came back completely exhausted and sore, but we went out to dinner and had fondue. It was fun to have real Swiss fondue in Switzerland, and I didn’t lose a single piece of bread in the pot!
Today we saw some more of the town. There is a really beautiful castle, but we could only see it from the outside because it is closed in the winter. (It is hard to travel in January, I guess) I still got some neat pictures of the outside though. We also walked down to the lake on a little promenade. It was a nice weather the entire time, cool but sunny.
I really liked Switzerland. Before this trip I had only passed through it a few times in Bâle. This was the first time I had spent any real time there. The Swiss people are all really nice and friendly, and they keep everything so clean. Plus they actually stop to let you cross the road, which is nice.
Even though we didn’t get to see the gorge it was still a fun trip. Now I have to go back in to work mode. This week I will be teaching all the kiddies about animals. Good times!
I will put up pictures on my Web site soon.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Life in France
We finally got our heating back last night. I guess our landlady forgot to put something in the main boiler thing downstairs, so all four apartment in the building didn’t have any heat. Somehow that just isn’t too surprising…
Yesterday we went to an exposition on the city of Belfort. This year the town is celebrating its 700th birthday, so the exposition was about the history of the town. It is hard to believe this town is 700 years old. There is just nothing in the States that is that old!
Also Sarah writes a short article for her college newspaper about her adventures in France. This time she wanted to write about some of the differences in everyday life we have noticed. The three of us brainstormed. We came up with a lot of funny things, so here is a copy of the article. Sarah wrote it , but the ideas are all of ours. I left it just how she wrote it because the phrases in “real” England English are also amusing. Here are some translations:
1.Chave = the best translation I have come up with for this word is a person who is a “tool”
2. Zebra crossing = cross walk
3. brollies = umbrellas
Pourquoi…?
Pourquoi do the French male chavs all follow the fashion of having either a
burberry handbag (no really) or a pastel coloured bumbag (or fanny pack as my housemate calls it) with some kind of animal depicted on it.? (the baby blue kangaroo is the best we’ve seen)
Pourquoi is there poo everywhere?
Pourquoi do the French dance with their hands facing down whilst clutching said pastel elephant handbag?
Pourquoi is it necessary to say “Bon appetit” anytime you see someone (usually a stranger) eating anything, however small (on the train, sitting on a bench, walking down the street on your own…)
Pourquoi is it fashionable to have one trouser leg rolled up to your knee and the other tucked into your sock?
Pourquoi do the French always feel the need to push in the queue?
Pourquoi do the French have no concept of time e.g. discussing their husbands’ hemorrhoids with a stranger when buying tickets at the train station, despite knowing there are 27 people behind them who want to catch the train leaving in 34 seconds. E.g.2 stopping the bus when I need to get to work so that a little old lady can get off to buy the bus driver breakfast.
Pourquoi does a green man mean nothing on a zebra crossing?
Pourquoi do they not sell salt and vinegar crisps/peanut butter / baked beans/ bacon/ decent chewing gum?
Pourquoi do the French tramps prefer to hold their brollies over their dogs rather than themselves in the pouring rain?
Pourquoi does a baguette only last for one day before the only thing left to do with it is to throw it off the balcony to see how far it will go?
Pourquoi is everything shut for 2 hours every lunchtime and all day Sunday and Monday when this is the only time anyone has off work?
Pourquoi have I not seen anyone wearing a beret or with a string of garlic round their neck?
Pourquoi do the French never smile when the sky is blue most of the time? They are probably trying not to step in the poo!
Yesterday we went to an exposition on the city of Belfort. This year the town is celebrating its 700th birthday, so the exposition was about the history of the town. It is hard to believe this town is 700 years old. There is just nothing in the States that is that old!
Also Sarah writes a short article for her college newspaper about her adventures in France. This time she wanted to write about some of the differences in everyday life we have noticed. The three of us brainstormed. We came up with a lot of funny things, so here is a copy of the article. Sarah wrote it , but the ideas are all of ours. I left it just how she wrote it because the phrases in “real” England English are also amusing. Here are some translations:
1.Chave = the best translation I have come up with for this word is a person who is a “tool”
2. Zebra crossing = cross walk
3. brollies = umbrellas
Pourquoi…?
Pourquoi do the French male chavs all follow the fashion of having either a
burberry handbag (no really) or a pastel coloured bumbag (or fanny pack as my housemate calls it) with some kind of animal depicted on it.? (the baby blue kangaroo is the best we’ve seen)
Pourquoi is there poo everywhere?
Pourquoi do the French dance with their hands facing down whilst clutching said pastel elephant handbag?
Pourquoi is it necessary to say “Bon appetit” anytime you see someone (usually a stranger) eating anything, however small (on the train, sitting on a bench, walking down the street on your own…)
Pourquoi is it fashionable to have one trouser leg rolled up to your knee and the other tucked into your sock?
Pourquoi do the French always feel the need to push in the queue?
Pourquoi do the French have no concept of time e.g. discussing their husbands’ hemorrhoids with a stranger when buying tickets at the train station, despite knowing there are 27 people behind them who want to catch the train leaving in 34 seconds. E.g.2 stopping the bus when I need to get to work so that a little old lady can get off to buy the bus driver breakfast.
Pourquoi does a green man mean nothing on a zebra crossing?
Pourquoi do they not sell salt and vinegar crisps/peanut butter / baked beans/ bacon/ decent chewing gum?
Pourquoi do the French tramps prefer to hold their brollies over their dogs rather than themselves in the pouring rain?
Pourquoi does a baguette only last for one day before the only thing left to do with it is to throw it off the balcony to see how far it will go?
Pourquoi is everything shut for 2 hours every lunchtime and all day Sunday and Monday when this is the only time anyone has off work?
Pourquoi have I not seen anyone wearing a beret or with a string of garlic round their neck?
Pourquoi do the French never smile when the sky is blue most of the time? They are probably trying not to step in the poo!
Monday, January 15, 2007
Football in France
Last night I watched my first live American football game in France. They had the live feed from FOX for the Bears and Seahawks game with French commentators. There are a lot more commercials in America, so we got to look at the crowd when FOX went to a commercial in the US.
It was interesting to hear what the commentators were saying. They didn’t do any play by play because they spent a lot of the time explaining everything for the people who don’t understand the game, which is pretty much everyone in France. Sarah joked that I was probably the only one watching the game in the entire country of France. I told her that Matt, the other American assistant in Belfort, was probably watching it too, so it wasn't a complete loss.
It was really the best of both worlds because I was able to watch football and practice my French at the same time. It doesn’t get much better than that!!
I am still working on the roomies. They didn’t want to watch the game. Maybe in a couple of weeks when the Super Bowl is on they will realize how great football really is. There is still time!
In other news every radiator in our apartment has decided to stop working, so it is getting quite cold in here. We pay 150 euros a month just for heating, so it is really annoying that they are not working. Our landlady is coming by tomorrow, so hopefully we can get them working. Right now we are just bundling up as much as we can, but it is still really bad when you have to get up early and to shower!!
It was interesting to hear what the commentators were saying. They didn’t do any play by play because they spent a lot of the time explaining everything for the people who don’t understand the game, which is pretty much everyone in France. Sarah joked that I was probably the only one watching the game in the entire country of France. I told her that Matt, the other American assistant in Belfort, was probably watching it too, so it wasn't a complete loss.
It was really the best of both worlds because I was able to watch football and practice my French at the same time. It doesn’t get much better than that!!
I am still working on the roomies. They didn’t want to watch the game. Maybe in a couple of weeks when the Super Bowl is on they will realize how great football really is. There is still time!
In other news every radiator in our apartment has decided to stop working, so it is getting quite cold in here. We pay 150 euros a month just for heating, so it is really annoying that they are not working. Our landlady is coming by tomorrow, so hopefully we can get them working. Right now we are just bundling up as much as we can, but it is still really bad when you have to get up early and to shower!!
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Shopping French Style
Every January in France there are nation wide sales, les soldes. All stores have huge sales on their clothes, shoes and other accessories, and everyone goes crazy.
Sarah, Mandy and I decided today that we were going to hit up some of the sales, so we went to the town of Montbéliard, which is about 15 minutes by train. We went there for a Christmas market in December. While we were there we noticed they had a lot more shops than Belfort, so we wanted to give it a try.
There are some really good deals out there. Almost everything is at least 30 percent off and some stuff is as high as 70 percent. In the sales I bought a two purses for about 17 euros because they were 50 and 70 percent off. It is amazing how cheap things were.
I think everyone in France just waits until January to buy their clothes for the whole year. Every store is so crowded, but I guess you can’t blame them. They just want to save a little money like me!
I think I read somewhere that it is actually a government-mandated sale, and it goes on for about 6 weeks! I wish the US had something like that every year. It was so exciting to see how much money you were saving (but I guess you aren’t really saving much when you buy more stuff ☺).
It was a nice way to spend the afternoon because this morning we had another meeting with the other language teachers. They are so bad because we have to meet at 8:30 in the morning on a Saturday, and sit around and do nothing. It would be really nice if we actually learned or discussed something. O-well, at least it is only once a month.
I think next weekend we are going to go to Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Someone recommended it to me, and when I looked it up it looked really nice. It isn't far from here. Just a little south of Bale. I guess I will spend my Sunday doing some more research on the Internet. It should be fun!
Sarah, Mandy and I decided today that we were going to hit up some of the sales, so we went to the town of Montbéliard, which is about 15 minutes by train. We went there for a Christmas market in December. While we were there we noticed they had a lot more shops than Belfort, so we wanted to give it a try.
There are some really good deals out there. Almost everything is at least 30 percent off and some stuff is as high as 70 percent. In the sales I bought a two purses for about 17 euros because they were 50 and 70 percent off. It is amazing how cheap things were.
I think everyone in France just waits until January to buy their clothes for the whole year. Every store is so crowded, but I guess you can’t blame them. They just want to save a little money like me!
I think I read somewhere that it is actually a government-mandated sale, and it goes on for about 6 weeks! I wish the US had something like that every year. It was so exciting to see how much money you were saving (but I guess you aren’t really saving much when you buy more stuff ☺).
It was a nice way to spend the afternoon because this morning we had another meeting with the other language teachers. They are so bad because we have to meet at 8:30 in the morning on a Saturday, and sit around and do nothing. It would be really nice if we actually learned or discussed something. O-well, at least it is only once a month.
I think next weekend we are going to go to Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Someone recommended it to me, and when I looked it up it looked really nice. It isn't far from here. Just a little south of Bale. I guess I will spend my Sunday doing some more research on the Internet. It should be fun!
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
The New Year in France
Yesterday was a really hard day because I have been suffering from some really bad jet lag. Sunday night I couldn’t fall asleep until about 5 am, and I had to get up at 7 am. Then I had to teach six classes and tutor on two hours of sleep. I was pretty tired. I wouldn’t allow myself to rest at all during the day, so last night I went to bed at 10 pm and slept until 8 am. It was so nice. I felt a lot better when I woke up. It is also good to know that the worst of it is over. It is definitely easier when you travel west because you just get up earlier. Instead of just being in bed thinking that you should be asleep.
I know it wasn’t this bad when I came out in September. My friend, Tamar, said it was because we were both in survival mode when we arrived in France the first time. Now I am used to being here, so my body is not so shocked.
Yesterday I must have been whished happy New Year by about 25 different people. I was really amazed so many people said it to me even a week into the New Year. I asked the lady I tutored about it, and she told me that it is the custom in France to wish all your acquaintances “Bonne Année” up until the end of January. If you don’t, some people might see you as being rude. She is a hairdresser, and she said she only says it for the first two weeks because it starts to get annoying after a while. I think this is a really interesting custom because in the US you really don’t hear the phrase uttered past January 3.
I will have to remember to say it to everyone, so I won’t be seen as the rude American.
So…Bonne Année everyone!!
I know it wasn’t this bad when I came out in September. My friend, Tamar, said it was because we were both in survival mode when we arrived in France the first time. Now I am used to being here, so my body is not so shocked.
Yesterday I must have been whished happy New Year by about 25 different people. I was really amazed so many people said it to me even a week into the New Year. I asked the lady I tutored about it, and she told me that it is the custom in France to wish all your acquaintances “Bonne Année” up until the end of January. If you don’t, some people might see you as being rude. She is a hairdresser, and she said she only says it for the first two weeks because it starts to get annoying after a while. I think this is a really interesting custom because in the US you really don’t hear the phrase uttered past January 3.
I will have to remember to say it to everyone, so I won’t be seen as the rude American.
So…Bonne Année everyone!!
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Back in France
Well, somehow I made it back to France. It was another long 24-hour trip. I guess it takes me exactly one day from door to door.
This time I had a layover in Detroit. It was only about an hour, so it wasn’t too bad. We also had a really good tailwind on the trip to Paris, so we landed about an hour early.
Even though I was early I barely made the train to Belfort. First it takes forever to get off the plane because they put you on a bus to take you to the terminal. I was in the back of the plane, so I had to wait even longer. Then after getting my luggage I had to take the train into Paris. Then I had to take the metro to another train station, and by the time I bought my ticket and got on the train I had 6 minutes to spare. At least I made it. I really didn’t want to wait another 3 hours for the next train!
There seemed to be a lot of people everywhere I went yesterday, so it was really hard to move with all my luggage. When I came back to California I only brought Christmas presents, so I could bring some more clothes back with me. I had a lot of stuff, and I must have looked pretty funny because everyone was staring at me.
Sarah gets back today and Mandy comes in on Sunday. I am looking forward to seeing them. I go back to teaching on Monday. Right now I really don’t want to think about planning lessons, but I will probably just do review the first week. I am sure the kids will need it after having 2 weeks off.
It was a lot of traveling but well worth it. I had a good time, and I am happy to be back in Belfort speaking French again!
This time I had a layover in Detroit. It was only about an hour, so it wasn’t too bad. We also had a really good tailwind on the trip to Paris, so we landed about an hour early.
Even though I was early I barely made the train to Belfort. First it takes forever to get off the plane because they put you on a bus to take you to the terminal. I was in the back of the plane, so I had to wait even longer. Then after getting my luggage I had to take the train into Paris. Then I had to take the metro to another train station, and by the time I bought my ticket and got on the train I had 6 minutes to spare. At least I made it. I really didn’t want to wait another 3 hours for the next train!
There seemed to be a lot of people everywhere I went yesterday, so it was really hard to move with all my luggage. When I came back to California I only brought Christmas presents, so I could bring some more clothes back with me. I had a lot of stuff, and I must have looked pretty funny because everyone was staring at me.
Sarah gets back today and Mandy comes in on Sunday. I am looking forward to seeing them. I go back to teaching on Monday. Right now I really don’t want to think about planning lessons, but I will probably just do review the first week. I am sure the kids will need it after having 2 weeks off.
It was a lot of traveling but well worth it. I had a good time, and I am happy to be back in Belfort speaking French again!
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Home for the holidays
After traveling for exactly 24 hours I finally made it home safely. It was a long trip, but I didn’t have any big problems. I was pretty lucky.
Now I have until January 4 until I have to go the 6000 miles back to Belfort. In that time I will probably be watching lots of football and eating lots of good Mexican food to get me through the next 6 months.
I had a good Christmas. I received a new macro lens for my camera. I am so excited to use it in my travels next year. The macro lens allows you to get really close up shots. It should be fun to mess around with it.
Jet lag has not been my friend the last two days. On Christmas morning I woke up at 6 am. Then last night we were watching a movie. I just couldn’t keep my eyes open, so I went to bed at 8:30. Then this morning I was wide awake at 5:30 am, so I had to sit around waiting for everyone else to get up.
I am definitely not looking forward to it again when I go back to France. It really throws you off for a few days! O-well it has been more than worth it to see my family for Christmas!
Now I have until January 4 until I have to go the 6000 miles back to Belfort. In that time I will probably be watching lots of football and eating lots of good Mexican food to get me through the next 6 months.
I had a good Christmas. I received a new macro lens for my camera. I am so excited to use it in my travels next year. The macro lens allows you to get really close up shots. It should be fun to mess around with it.
Jet lag has not been my friend the last two days. On Christmas morning I woke up at 6 am. Then last night we were watching a movie. I just couldn’t keep my eyes open, so I went to bed at 8:30. Then this morning I was wide awake at 5:30 am, so I had to sit around waiting for everyone else to get up.
I am definitely not looking forward to it again when I go back to France. It really throws you off for a few days! O-well it has been more than worth it to see my family for Christmas!
Friday, December 22, 2006
Let's Party!!!!!
I am finished teaching for the next two weeks. I am so excited that I don’t have to deal with the little French kiddies for a while.
Tonight we had a Christmas celebration at our place. We made a really good dinner and opened our presents. Mandy had brought over some crackers (which I found out are not like the ones you eat!!!). They are a tradition in England at Christmas. They are little popper type things, and inside is a terrible joke, a toy and a really goofy hat. We wore our hats the whole time, and I can say that I am glad we don’t have them in the US!
We had a good time and here are some pictures.
Here we are after we opend all our presents. (I made them the scarfs they are wearing.)
Now you see what I mean about the hats!
I am leaving early Sunday morning to make my way back home. I am catching the train at 2 am from Belfort to Paris. Then I have to catch the metro to another train station in Paris to take the train to the airport. My plane leaves at 11:30 am. Then it is a 12 hour flight, and I get into LAX at 2:30 pm because of the time change. I am then taking the SuperShuttle to my Grandparents’ house where we are celebrating Christmas Eve.
All said and done it will be about 22 hours of traveling!!! It will be a really long trip, but well worth. It will be so nice to be back in the US for a while!!!! I will just have to work on getting out of my French mode!
Tonight we had a Christmas celebration at our place. We made a really good dinner and opened our presents. Mandy had brought over some crackers (which I found out are not like the ones you eat!!!). They are a tradition in England at Christmas. They are little popper type things, and inside is a terrible joke, a toy and a really goofy hat. We wore our hats the whole time, and I can say that I am glad we don’t have them in the US!
We had a good time and here are some pictures.
Here we are after we opend all our presents. (I made them the scarfs they are wearing.)
Now you see what I mean about the hats!
I am leaving early Sunday morning to make my way back home. I am catching the train at 2 am from Belfort to Paris. Then I have to catch the metro to another train station in Paris to take the train to the airport. My plane leaves at 11:30 am. Then it is a 12 hour flight, and I get into LAX at 2:30 pm because of the time change. I am then taking the SuperShuttle to my Grandparents’ house where we are celebrating Christmas Eve.
All said and done it will be about 22 hours of traveling!!! It will be a really long trip, but well worth. It will be so nice to be back in the US for a while!!!! I will just have to work on getting out of my French mode!
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Christmas in Belfort
Yesterday I went on the little tourist train that goes around town. In the summer it goes up to the castle, but in December it just goes through the town, so you can look at all the Christmas lights. It was absolutely freezing, and we went so slow!!!! The train went through the pedestrian area, and people were passing us on foot. It was one of those times when it would have been nice to just get out and push.
Despite the cold and slow pace it was still fun to see all the town decorated. It took them about a month to put all of the lights up, but I think their hard work paid off!
Here are a few of the pictures I took.
This is the pedistrian area. I can see these lights from my apartment.
This is the town hall.
Here the gazebo in the "Old Town"
All the buildings in town have yellow and red lights, so everything matches. It looks pretty amazing.
Despite the cold and slow pace it was still fun to see all the town decorated. It took them about a month to put all of the lights up, but I think their hard work paid off!
Here are a few of the pictures I took.
This is the pedistrian area. I can see these lights from my apartment.
This is the town hall.
Here the gazebo in the "Old Town"
All the buildings in town have yellow and red lights, so everything matches. It looks pretty amazing.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
The craziness that is French television
We finally have a working TV. The TV connection is included in our Internet cost, so we were looking for a cheap TV for a while. Then last week our neighbor, who just bought a new TV, let us borrow his old, crappy one. It was really nice of him. The power button doesn’t stay on, so I had to use like 8 pieces of tape to keep it in place. Then just as you get settled and into a show it will come lose, so you will have to walk back over and try it again. It still has a good picture, so it really isn’t too bad considering it was free.
There is not a whole lot to watch. A lot of the shows are ones that were cancelled a long time ago in the United States, and after watching about 5 minutes of them it is apparent why. They do have “Friends” though. It is a lot of fun to hear the dubbing voices because it sounds nothing like the actual person. Ross actually sounds like he is a little bit Japanese to me.
I have caught a cold, so last night I didn’t want to do anything. I turned on the TV and watched a little of “Alert A Malibu,” which is the French name for “Baywatch.” I could only stand it for a while because I remembered just how bad that show is. (In this episode there was some kind of huge octopus thing that was attacking people!) I heard that at one time “Baywatch” was the most popular show in the world because it gets so much play all around the world. Go figure…
This afternoon they had actual American football on TV. I couldn’t believe it! Sure it was only a thirty-minute recap from a few of the games last week, but it is the most I have watched in three months. Maybe this means that I will be able to watch the Superbowl at like 3 am come February. I can’t wait.
I am going to be doing Christmas stuff with all my classes this week. It should be a lot of fun. I think I am going to teach them Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town.” Then I am going to have them make Christmas cards with the new vocabulary words I am going to teach them. It should make the week go by really fast if they are all well behaved. I am thinking that will not be the case, but I am hoping for the best.
There is not a whole lot to watch. A lot of the shows are ones that were cancelled a long time ago in the United States, and after watching about 5 minutes of them it is apparent why. They do have “Friends” though. It is a lot of fun to hear the dubbing voices because it sounds nothing like the actual person. Ross actually sounds like he is a little bit Japanese to me.
I have caught a cold, so last night I didn’t want to do anything. I turned on the TV and watched a little of “Alert A Malibu,” which is the French name for “Baywatch.” I could only stand it for a while because I remembered just how bad that show is. (In this episode there was some kind of huge octopus thing that was attacking people!) I heard that at one time “Baywatch” was the most popular show in the world because it gets so much play all around the world. Go figure…
This afternoon they had actual American football on TV. I couldn’t believe it! Sure it was only a thirty-minute recap from a few of the games last week, but it is the most I have watched in three months. Maybe this means that I will be able to watch the Superbowl at like 3 am come February. I can’t wait.
I am going to be doing Christmas stuff with all my classes this week. It should be a lot of fun. I think I am going to teach them Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town.” Then I am going to have them make Christmas cards with the new vocabulary words I am going to teach them. It should make the week go by really fast if they are all well behaved. I am thinking that will not be the case, but I am hoping for the best.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
I think I am making progress….
Today I had to call a delivery place because my I am waiting for a package, and I had to set up a time for them to deliver it. I was so proud of myself because the conversation went really well. I understood everything she said, and more importantly she understood everything I said. When I first got here I hated talking to people on the phone because it is so difficult, and I used to write everything I was going to say down before hand. Now I can just call them up and talk…I guess I have improved my French in the last three months!! (I can’t believe it has been that long)
We had a good time when Sarah’s first group of friends was here. They left on Sunday. There were three of them, so we had 6 girls here. It definitely got a little tight at times. I was also amazed at how much toilet paper we went through in about 4 days!! Anyway they were all really nice. I am still amazed that there are so many different accents from a county that is so small!! You can tell a difference with every one.
She has another friend who arrived here today and is leaving Friday. Then she has two more friends coming on Saturday, and they are staying until next Wednesday. So we will have a full house until about the time we all leave for Christmas.
Yesterday was also a really good day because I bought plane tickets to travel in March on our next break from school. On March 1 I am flying down to Nice to meet up with Mandy. I think we are going to try to see Corsica, Monte Carlo, Marseille, and Saint-Tropez in the nine days we have down there. I fly in and out of Bale, Switzerland. The tickets were only 65 euros roundtrip. It was such a good deal I just couldn’t pass it up. I have never been to the South of France, so I am really looking forward to it.
I am also looking forward to going back home to California for a while. I leave in exactly 11 days...YEA!
We had a good time when Sarah’s first group of friends was here. They left on Sunday. There were three of them, so we had 6 girls here. It definitely got a little tight at times. I was also amazed at how much toilet paper we went through in about 4 days!! Anyway they were all really nice. I am still amazed that there are so many different accents from a county that is so small!! You can tell a difference with every one.
She has another friend who arrived here today and is leaving Friday. Then she has two more friends coming on Saturday, and they are staying until next Wednesday. So we will have a full house until about the time we all leave for Christmas.
Yesterday was also a really good day because I bought plane tickets to travel in March on our next break from school. On March 1 I am flying down to Nice to meet up with Mandy. I think we are going to try to see Corsica, Monte Carlo, Marseille, and Saint-Tropez in the nine days we have down there. I fly in and out of Bale, Switzerland. The tickets were only 65 euros roundtrip. It was such a good deal I just couldn’t pass it up. I have never been to the South of France, so I am really looking forward to it.
I am also looking forward to going back home to California for a while. I leave in exactly 11 days...YEA!
Friday, December 08, 2006
The Crazy Little French Kids
I don’t know what has gotten into all the French kiddies, but they have been a riot the past few days. In one of my young classes there is this little boy named Hugo who is always causing problems. When we did Thanksgiving he raised his hand, and proceeded to tell me that he “hated the United States.” Not quite sure why he felt it was necessary to tell an American that, but he did it anyway. He is always causing problems, so I am constantly moving him and sending him out of class.
Well, yesterday he came up to me with a piece of paper all wrapped up. He told me it was a gift and to open it. Inside was a pen that said New York. He then told me that he loved New York, and I wanted to ask him if he knew that it was in the United States. I know the pen was just to get on my good side, but I don’t know how long it will last with him.
Anyway so the rest of the kids saw him give me the pen, so they started to rummage through their pencil cases to find something to give me as well. In the end I came home with a pens, two colored pencils, a little stub of a pencil and what I think is a crayon pen thing. I haven’t quite figured it out yet.
Then today in another class, some kids start making noise and yelling because someone farted in class, and it smelled. They then all denied it was them, and started accusing someone else. It took me forever to get them settled again. A little later I was reading a book, and one little boy, Jeremy, another troublemaker, moved to another seat. I turned the page, and when I looked up every kid sitting next to him was covering his or her nose and pointing right at Jeremy…so we had finally found the culprit! I started laughing so hard because the look on all the other kids’ faces was so amusing. They all had looks of pure disgust...it was that bad. I couldn’t even discipline Jeremy because all I could do was laugh. In the process all the kids started to laugh at me. I am glad the class was almost over because we weren’t going to get much more done. I am still laughing about it as I write this. There are just some things that are always funny!!!!
I guess kids are the same wherever you go, no matter what language they speak!
Well, yesterday he came up to me with a piece of paper all wrapped up. He told me it was a gift and to open it. Inside was a pen that said New York. He then told me that he loved New York, and I wanted to ask him if he knew that it was in the United States. I know the pen was just to get on my good side, but I don’t know how long it will last with him.
Anyway so the rest of the kids saw him give me the pen, so they started to rummage through their pencil cases to find something to give me as well. In the end I came home with a pens, two colored pencils, a little stub of a pencil and what I think is a crayon pen thing. I haven’t quite figured it out yet.
Then today in another class, some kids start making noise and yelling because someone farted in class, and it smelled. They then all denied it was them, and started accusing someone else. It took me forever to get them settled again. A little later I was reading a book, and one little boy, Jeremy, another troublemaker, moved to another seat. I turned the page, and when I looked up every kid sitting next to him was covering his or her nose and pointing right at Jeremy…so we had finally found the culprit! I started laughing so hard because the look on all the other kids’ faces was so amusing. They all had looks of pure disgust...it was that bad. I couldn’t even discipline Jeremy because all I could do was laugh. In the process all the kids started to laugh at me. I am glad the class was almost over because we weren’t going to get much more done. I am still laughing about it as I write this. There are just some things that are always funny!!!!
I guess kids are the same wherever you go, no matter what language they speak!
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
I have been really dragging the last two days. I think my trip to Germany really wore me out last weekend, but I am still happy I went. It was worth it. I also think part of the problem is that all of the kids have been really wound up. I can't wait to see how bad it is going to be in the next two weeks especially Friday afternoon on December 22!
Tomorrow we are going to the Christmas market in Bale, Switzerland because Sarah has some friends flying in. They are coming to the Bale airport, so we are going to go meet them. I went to Bale one time before, but it was a Sunday, so everything was closed. Now I will get to see what it is really like.
Then I think we are going to another Christmas market on Saturday in Montbeliard. It is only about 15 minutes on the train from Belfort, so that will be a quick trip. I am going to be a veteran of Christmas markets by the time I go home. They are all so different, so there is always new stuff to see.
I updated my Web site with the Germany pictures, so head on over there and check them out.
Tomorrow we are going to the Christmas market in Bale, Switzerland because Sarah has some friends flying in. They are coming to the Bale airport, so we are going to go meet them. I went to Bale one time before, but it was a Sunday, so everything was closed. Now I will get to see what it is really like.
Then I think we are going to another Christmas market on Saturday in Montbeliard. It is only about 15 minutes on the train from Belfort, so that will be a quick trip. I am going to be a veteran of Christmas markets by the time I go home. They are all so different, so there is always new stuff to see.
I updated my Web site with the Germany pictures, so head on over there and check them out.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Germany
Well, Germany was a real whirlwind trip. We went through three countries in the 2 ½ hour trip…there and back.
We got into Freiburg at about 11 am. After we dropped out stuff off at the hostel, we did a walking tour of the city. Freiburg was a really great town. It is really beautiful, and it has a huge cathedral that is known as the Munster. I think it is the biggest cathedral I have seen. Also, the town had up all its Christmas decorations, so it was very festive.
That night we went to the Christmas market. The Christmas markets started in Germany, so they really get into it. They had lots of handmade ornaments. They were really amazing. They also had a place where you could make your own candles, so we all made one. Mine ended up a little crooked, but at least I can say I made it in Germany.
There were so many people at the market, so it was difficult to move in the crowd. I also found out that German people don’t like to wait in lines, so they will just cut in front of you. Sarah warned us about that before we got there, but it is still surprising to see everyone do it.
We stayed at the Black Forest Hostel. It was a clean place. We had three beds in an eleven-bed room. Sarah and Mandy didn’t seem to mind, but I didn’t sleep very well. I don’t think hostels are made for light sleepers. The showers were also crazy. They looked like big metal space ship things. They were round and tall, and when you got in there was a little window that you could see out (and others could look in which was a little weird). I just squatted down and took the fastest shower ever. Anyway I made it through my first hostel experience, and it only set me back 19 euros.
This morning we went to the Black Forest. It was only about 20 minutes out of town by tram and bus. We took the cable car up the mountain. It took about 20 minutes, and the views were incredible. Then we hiked up the mountain to the very top, which was about 3,800 feet (so really it was just a hill to me). The views were once again amazing, but it was so windy that it felt like we were going to blow away.
After we had something hot to drink, we decided to WALK back down the mountain. It was about 6 miles down because it took us 2 ½ hours. It was on a marked train, but it was still really rocky and steep. We stumbled quite a bit, but we still had a great time. It was nice for me to back near some trees and mountains. I really miss that.
After our long day we caught the train back to Belfort and got home at 7:30 pm. It was a quick trip, but loads of fun. I am still glad to be back in France where I can speak the language. It was the first time I had been in a country where I didn’t speak the language. It can be a little tricky, but luckily for me Sarah speaks German so it was a little easier.
I will be working on the pictures in the next few days. Now I am going to fito bed because I am exhausted, and I have to teach 120 kids tomorrow.
We got into Freiburg at about 11 am. After we dropped out stuff off at the hostel, we did a walking tour of the city. Freiburg was a really great town. It is really beautiful, and it has a huge cathedral that is known as the Munster. I think it is the biggest cathedral I have seen. Also, the town had up all its Christmas decorations, so it was very festive.
That night we went to the Christmas market. The Christmas markets started in Germany, so they really get into it. They had lots of handmade ornaments. They were really amazing. They also had a place where you could make your own candles, so we all made one. Mine ended up a little crooked, but at least I can say I made it in Germany.
There were so many people at the market, so it was difficult to move in the crowd. I also found out that German people don’t like to wait in lines, so they will just cut in front of you. Sarah warned us about that before we got there, but it is still surprising to see everyone do it.
We stayed at the Black Forest Hostel. It was a clean place. We had three beds in an eleven-bed room. Sarah and Mandy didn’t seem to mind, but I didn’t sleep very well. I don’t think hostels are made for light sleepers. The showers were also crazy. They looked like big metal space ship things. They were round and tall, and when you got in there was a little window that you could see out (and others could look in which was a little weird). I just squatted down and took the fastest shower ever. Anyway I made it through my first hostel experience, and it only set me back 19 euros.
This morning we went to the Black Forest. It was only about 20 minutes out of town by tram and bus. We took the cable car up the mountain. It took about 20 minutes, and the views were incredible. Then we hiked up the mountain to the very top, which was about 3,800 feet (so really it was just a hill to me). The views were once again amazing, but it was so windy that it felt like we were going to blow away.
After we had something hot to drink, we decided to WALK back down the mountain. It was about 6 miles down because it took us 2 ½ hours. It was on a marked train, but it was still really rocky and steep. We stumbled quite a bit, but we still had a great time. It was nice for me to back near some trees and mountains. I really miss that.
After our long day we caught the train back to Belfort and got home at 7:30 pm. It was a quick trip, but loads of fun. I am still glad to be back in France where I can speak the language. It was the first time I had been in a country where I didn’t speak the language. It can be a little tricky, but luckily for me Sarah speaks German so it was a little easier.
I will be working on the pictures in the next few days. Now I am going to fito bed because I am exhausted, and I have to teach 120 kids tomorrow.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Weekend Plans
Well, today has been a very slow day. It has been the first day in weeks that I had nothing planned for the day. It was really quite nice to stay at home. I was able to read, and to finish editing my Colmar pictures. They are now up on my site.
Sarah, Mandy and I also finalized our plans for this weekend. We are going to Freiburg, Germany. It is really not far from here. Maybe an hour and a half by car, but we have to change trains twice to get there so the ride is about three hours by train. We are leaving early Saturday morning, and coming back Sunday night.
I am really excited to go to Germany because I haven't been there before, and their Christmas markets are suppose to be the best. Also Freiburg is right next to the Black Forest, so we are hoping to go over and see that area as well. It should be another fun filled weekend. I am so excited. Now I just have to get through the next two days of work!
Sarah, Mandy and I also finalized our plans for this weekend. We are going to Freiburg, Germany. It is really not far from here. Maybe an hour and a half by car, but we have to change trains twice to get there so the ride is about three hours by train. We are leaving early Saturday morning, and coming back Sunday night.
I am really excited to go to Germany because I haven't been there before, and their Christmas markets are suppose to be the best. Also Freiburg is right next to the Black Forest, so we are hoping to go over and see that area as well. It should be another fun filled weekend. I am so excited. Now I just have to get through the next two days of work!
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Colmar and Other Happenings
It has been another very busy and fun filled weekend for me. Yesterday I had a meeting with the other language teachers. We have them once a month, and I am not quite sure why we do. I think it is suppose to be for us to check in and bring up any questions we have, but it always ends up just being a social time. At least it was only for a few hours in the morning. After our meeting we went to lunch, and then we went o see a movie. We saw “Fast Food Nation,” and it was a little disturbing to say the least.
Then today we went to Colmar. It is another little town in the Alsace region. It is about an hour by train. It was very cute, and it had the classic Alsatian look. When we first got there we got lost in a residential area for a little while, but it wasn’t bad because we got to see a lot of amazing houses. They were all really large and beautiful, and trees lined all the streets.
We finally found the main part of town, about an hour later. They had alight all along the streets and ornaments hanging form the trees for Christmas, so it was beautiful. They definitely really get into Christmas around here.
In Colmar there is a section known as “Little Venice.” All the multicolored houses are built on the edge of the river, and there are a bunch of cafes that look out on the river. I also heard that they even have little gondolas on the water when the weather is nice. It is probably one of the prettiest places I have been since I have been here.
They also had their Christmas market going on. They had stuff set up in three different areas of the town, but it was still really crowded. The area was a lot smaller than the one in Mulhouse, so it kind of felt like you were just part of the heard moving along. Even though there were a lot of people it was still fun. They just have so many things on display at the markets.
We stayed until about 7 pm, so I got to see everything all lit up again. I will edit my pictures soon. I think I am too tired to do them tonight. Plus I have to finish preparing my lessons because my supervisor is coming to observe me in class tomorrow. I hope it goes well. Keep you fingers crossed for me!
Then today we went to Colmar. It is another little town in the Alsace region. It is about an hour by train. It was very cute, and it had the classic Alsatian look. When we first got there we got lost in a residential area for a little while, but it wasn’t bad because we got to see a lot of amazing houses. They were all really large and beautiful, and trees lined all the streets.
We finally found the main part of town, about an hour later. They had alight all along the streets and ornaments hanging form the trees for Christmas, so it was beautiful. They definitely really get into Christmas around here.
In Colmar there is a section known as “Little Venice.” All the multicolored houses are built on the edge of the river, and there are a bunch of cafes that look out on the river. I also heard that they even have little gondolas on the water when the weather is nice. It is probably one of the prettiest places I have been since I have been here.
They also had their Christmas market going on. They had stuff set up in three different areas of the town, but it was still really crowded. The area was a lot smaller than the one in Mulhouse, so it kind of felt like you were just part of the heard moving along. Even though there were a lot of people it was still fun. They just have so many things on display at the markets.
We stayed until about 7 pm, so I got to see everything all lit up again. I will edit my pictures soon. I think I am too tired to do them tonight. Plus I have to finish preparing my lessons because my supervisor is coming to observe me in class tomorrow. I hope it goes well. Keep you fingers crossed for me!
Thursday, November 23, 2006
My Thanksgiving in France
I had a great surprise when I got home today. Sarah had decorated the living room for Thanksgiving. When I can in there was a large banner that said “Happy Thanksgiving.” There were also balloons, and she was playing the “Star-Spangled Banner” on her computer. She said she wanted to do something for Thanksgiving, but had no idea what people did for it in the US. It ended up looking a lot like a birthday party, but I didn’t care. It was so nice of her to do something! It made my day!
Here is a picture of our apartment decorated for Thanksgiving. Just imagine the National Anthem playing in the background!
Here is a picture of our apartment decorated for Thanksgiving. Just imagine the National Anthem playing in the background!
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