Espresso breaks, croissants aux amandes, and observing French classrooms

And so the actual work begins!

This week I spent a few days observing students in their home classrooms. I will be teaching the equivalent of 1st through 5th graders. They are ADORABLE. I finally understand the pull towards teaching; I barely know their names but I want to do my very best to help them so they can all be successful little English speakers. The French school system is a little different from ours – I learned that full time for teachers is 25 hours plus planning per week, there is ALWAYS espresso for us teachers when the kids go to recess (its glorious, there’s also usually a stash of wine or champagne for important occasions), schools are small with only one class of each level, teachers are friendly, though reserved, with me but very strict (and loud) with the kids. I begin teaching on Monday and I’m in general quite terrified. Some of my students have never had English, and even the most advanced can really only form simple sentences. It will be an adventure.

I’ve started moving into my apartment, which I am wholly in love with. It is perfect! OK so perfect might be a stretch, there is not a lot of furniture; luckily France has plenty of IKEA’esque stores so I might pick up a few things to add some cheer. It is located on the 6th floor – no elevator, aka I can continue to eat baguettes, wine, cheese and Nutella at an alarming rate because I’ll be working it all off on the climb to the top. It is in the heart of centre ville, perfectly surrounded by boulangeries, cafes, the cathedral, le chateau d’Angers, and Maine river. I couldn’t ask for more!

Also this week, probably most importantly, I discovered croissants aux amandes – croissants filled with almond pasty deliciousness topped with almonds. It changed my life.

A bientôt!