Monday, March 31, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
subject goes here.
Today, I had a really good day. I was very productive...
I was in the computer room for most of the day, getting organized and making some lesson plans I need for later this week. There is one student here who loves English and is just the sweetest girl. She passed by the room and saw that I was in here working, and actually came to chitchat a little bit with me since I was in here alone. It was really sweet of her, and I really enjoy her. I wish all of my students were that awesome!! It actually happened twice (I was in the room for hours today), and she must have spent an hour in here talking to me. It was great. I also got to chat with Judith a bit, which was nice because it's been awhile since I've gotten to talk to her.
I was in the computer room for most of the day, getting organized and making some lesson plans I need for later this week. There is one student here who loves English and is just the sweetest girl. She passed by the room and saw that I was in here working, and actually came to chitchat a little bit with me since I was in here alone. It was really sweet of her, and I really enjoy her. I wish all of my students were that awesome!! It actually happened twice (I was in the room for hours today), and she must have spent an hour in here talking to me. It was great. I also got to chat with Judith a bit, which was nice because it's been awhile since I've gotten to talk to her.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
New French friends and a visit to an old synagogue!!
Hey guys, I am sitting here in the lycée's computer/language room as always, listening to my favorite radio station from home (US99, of course)! I always feel so great when I listen to this station. It's a way to make myself feel better when I am homesick, which has been happening way too often recently. It is so nice to hear a Midwestern accent, they aren't really common here.
Yesterday night, my good friend Sarah invited me to go to a bible study with her, because it was in a synagogue!!!! Unbelievable, huh? For those who do not know, I am not a very religious Jew, but I am very culturally Jewish because I am from a very Jewish Chicagoan neighboorhood. The idea of going to a synagogue really excited me, so I agreed. We had trouble finding it at first (why is it that French people always make directions sound easy but they are always oh-so complicated?), but after about 15 mins of walking around the area where it was supposed to be, we asked a guy and he was able to tell us where it was. We finally found it a few minutes later.
I don't know why, but I can always tell when a person is Jewish. At first, I didn't sense any Jews there, so I was kinda disappointed. They opened up the synagogue, and we were sitting in one of the rooms in the synagogue. It was so cool, it had lots of pictures of Israel up and lots of other Jewish type things. So neat to see after 7 months of no Jewishness whatsoever. Then a rabbi came in the room, and one of the people we had been talking to outside told him that I was "de sa confession" (of his faith), and he came towards me and introduced himself. Then, I told him that I was indeed Jewish and very happy to be in a temple, since I hadn't seen one in 7 months. He told me to follow him, because he had something to show me.
He led me to a room next to the one we were previously in, and it was the "worshipping area" of the synagogue. It's from 1882, and so beautiful. I may go back there to take photos. He told me about the history of the synagogue and about when there are services (every Sat. night and Sunday morning), and invited me to join them. He then showed me a wall where there were different plaques, one for each Chalonnais (person from Chalon) who was a Jew and who was killed during the Holocaust. There were about 20 plaques. I told him about my grandparents and he was very interested in my story. He once again said that I should join them for services, and I think I may give it a try this weekend. It would be a good way to meet French Jews, and it may be a way to finally feel like I am a part of this town.
After we were done there, we went out for a drink and Kristen joined us. We went to a bar/café which is across from their place, and we ended up getting quite happy and speaking lots of French to everyone who was there. There was a girl there, who is about my age, and she began speaking English to us. Her English was so good, so I asked her how she learned. She said that she lived in the States for 3 years. I asked her where and turns out she lived literally 10 minutes from me, and that she is also Jewish. I just couldn't believe it, and still don't. Anyway I spent most of the night talking to this girl, both in English and French, and she's invited us to go out with her on St. Pattys day next Monday. Pretty exciting that we have plans with French people for a bar night!!
Yesterday night, my good friend Sarah invited me to go to a bible study with her, because it was in a synagogue!!!! Unbelievable, huh? For those who do not know, I am not a very religious Jew, but I am very culturally Jewish because I am from a very Jewish Chicagoan neighboorhood. The idea of going to a synagogue really excited me, so I agreed. We had trouble finding it at first (why is it that French people always make directions sound easy but they are always oh-so complicated?), but after about 15 mins of walking around the area where it was supposed to be, we asked a guy and he was able to tell us where it was. We finally found it a few minutes later.
I don't know why, but I can always tell when a person is Jewish. At first, I didn't sense any Jews there, so I was kinda disappointed. They opened up the synagogue, and we were sitting in one of the rooms in the synagogue. It was so cool, it had lots of pictures of Israel up and lots of other Jewish type things. So neat to see after 7 months of no Jewishness whatsoever. Then a rabbi came in the room, and one of the people we had been talking to outside told him that I was "de sa confession" (of his faith), and he came towards me and introduced himself. Then, I told him that I was indeed Jewish and very happy to be in a temple, since I hadn't seen one in 7 months. He told me to follow him, because he had something to show me.
He led me to a room next to the one we were previously in, and it was the "worshipping area" of the synagogue. It's from 1882, and so beautiful. I may go back there to take photos. He told me about the history of the synagogue and about when there are services (every Sat. night and Sunday morning), and invited me to join them. He then showed me a wall where there were different plaques, one for each Chalonnais (person from Chalon) who was a Jew and who was killed during the Holocaust. There were about 20 plaques. I told him about my grandparents and he was very interested in my story. He once again said that I should join them for services, and I think I may give it a try this weekend. It would be a good way to meet French Jews, and it may be a way to finally feel like I am a part of this town.
After we were done there, we went out for a drink and Kristen joined us. We went to a bar/café which is across from their place, and we ended up getting quite happy and speaking lots of French to everyone who was there. There was a girl there, who is about my age, and she began speaking English to us. Her English was so good, so I asked her how she learned. She said that she lived in the States for 3 years. I asked her where and turns out she lived literally 10 minutes from me, and that she is also Jewish. I just couldn't believe it, and still don't. Anyway I spent most of the night talking to this girl, both in English and French, and she's invited us to go out with her on St. Pattys day next Monday. Pretty exciting that we have plans with French people for a bar night!!
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Been awhile...
Well guys, I haven't updated in abit (again); I apologize for not updating very often. I will try to do it more often...
I received word the other day that I did not get accepted to the University of Illinois. I am a bit disappointed because now I will be a bind if Iowa does not offer me funding. At 30K per year, I cannot afford to go there without funding. Which sucks because I really want to go there!!!! Badly!!!
I also found out that one of my really good friends is moving to California. I am not happy about that at all. That means I will have to fly to go see her. Blah. I hope that she will at least be around during the summer so we can see each other before I leave for Iowa and/or she moves.
I have been in a foul mood recently....been very homesick. Apparently one of the teachers hit one of the students, and that students' parents are going to "porter plaint" (sue them). Pretty shocking, because the French arent heavily into sueing people. Although nothing about France really shocks me anymore, anything goes here.
In 27 days, I will be on vacation.
Then I come back here for a week to teach.
Then I have a Friday off and go to Avignon until Sunday night.
Then I teach until Wednesday.
Then I am off to Germany.
Then I am going home.
Wow!
I received word the other day that I did not get accepted to the University of Illinois. I am a bit disappointed because now I will be a bind if Iowa does not offer me funding. At 30K per year, I cannot afford to go there without funding. Which sucks because I really want to go there!!!! Badly!!!
I also found out that one of my really good friends is moving to California. I am not happy about that at all. That means I will have to fly to go see her. Blah. I hope that she will at least be around during the summer so we can see each other before I leave for Iowa and/or she moves.
I have been in a foul mood recently....been very homesick. Apparently one of the teachers hit one of the students, and that students' parents are going to "porter plaint" (sue them). Pretty shocking, because the French arent heavily into sueing people. Although nothing about France really shocks me anymore, anything goes here.
In 27 days, I will be on vacation.
Then I come back here for a week to teach.
Then I have a Friday off and go to Avignon until Sunday night.
Then I teach until Wednesday.
Then I am off to Germany.
Then I am going home.
Wow!
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