SAINT-PRIEST: Nice place to live, work, and fun to say:)

Besides still being sick (I'm, gross, even worse today), I had an awesome day! I met with Laurence, early before our big meet-and-greet with the schools, to go over a bunch of administrative paperwork and make copies of all my documents 500 times (well not that many, but it sure felt like it). The French love making you provide copies and originals of several different documents for anything from getting a long-stay work visa, to social security, to acquiring telephone/internet, etc. I guess it's good that they are so thorough... but it's kind of a big headache for someone unfamiliar to the system. Laurence tried her best to help answer questions, but for some things she's just as confused as I am!

Then, Laurence showed Alexa (the other assistant) and I their collection of English teaching materials. There's some good stuff and some not-so-useful stuff, but the materials were a helpful starting point for brainstorming ideas for our first few lessons. I'm still a little confused about how much I plan for the classrooms I'm in, but I'm sure there isn't a straight answer as every teacher is different and each teacher has a varying level of English proficiency. I did gather, that

for at least the first week, I'll be mostly observing how a French classroom is run (cool!). The second week, I'll have to attend a formation, or some type of pedagogical in-service, and the third week of October I'll have my first "real" classroom interaction... Then, of course, I go on a week-long break :)

Around noon, we gathered for the meeting with the representatives of the 6 primary schools

chosen to have English assistants this year. Apparently, every few years it rotates and new schools in the district get to have an English assistant. Each of us will have 3 schools to go to, and at each school we work for about 4 hours, assisting maybe 3 classes with an English lesson. Which means, I'll have maybe 9 classes and 9 teachers to work with... it will be challenging to get to know the kids and teachers on a more personal level, but lesson planning won't be bad at all! In each school, I think I'll work with 1 of 3 grades, so at most, per week, I'll need to think of 3 lessons (nothing compared to the 20+ lessons/week in student

teaching).

Some of the representatives from the schools were principals and some were the teachers I'll be working with. They were so nice! One principal I have already talked with via email over the summer. He is a hoot. I gave everyone there my new cell number, and he immediately texted me saying: "Just a trial run. Pierre." So cute. At another school, all 3 of the teachers showed up and one asked if they could give me a ride Monday morning (of course I told her yes). And the last school was represented by their directrice (principal, but she also has a class) and a teacher (who also offered to give me a ride for Thursday morning). So my schedule is: Monday work 8:15-12:15, Tuesday work 8:15-12:15ish, and Thursday

work 8:15-12:15ish. How great is that!

In my free time, I can do many different things: work at the cafeteria serving and watching the kids who don't go home at the break for lunch, work at the after-school program, work at the non-school-related daycare program on Wednesdays (no school on Wednesdays!), babysit the children of the teachers I work with (who want their kids to speak English more often), give private English lessons, tour Lyon, go for long week-ends somewhere cool, entertain guests, read books from the Library (got my library card today!), learn how to cook a la francaise, write postcards, write really up-to-date blog posts, etc. Any further ideas on how to enjoy my time in France is much appreciated. Guests are always welcome.

After the meeting, I ran a few errands... picked up my French credit card, transferred money

into that account, mailed my first letter to the USA, bought a couronne (circular baguette, it looks like a C in the picture because I ate some), picked up my library card, tried out my new Lyon metro pass (it works!), and headed home. While walking the short distant from the tram to my apartment, I couldn't help but think, man, I was so lucky to land a position in Saint-Priest. Everyone from Laurence, to the teachers I met today, to the woman at the bank (who generously walked me through depositing money into their atm machine) to the woman at the post office to the woman in the bakery- they were all so gentils (nice). I don't think I could have asked for a better situation!

But, I know what you're all thinking.... she lives so close to that big, cool city called Lyon, why doesn't she go explore? Well, I would, but I am winded just walking downstairs from my apartment, much less to go out and about in Lyon. But, thankfully it's supposed to be an even more beautiful weekend (in the 70's oo la la!). So, for now, I'm drinking my fluids and resting from my busy day in my little, cute town, Saint-Priest. (zip code 69800... I'm excited I've memorized at least one combination of numbers that are new to me).

Reste cool:)