run, run as fasahyoucan!

Good afternoon! The sun is shining and it is another beautiful spring day in France (good thing too, as today is the first day of spring!). I would love to be running around the park, but alas, walking pneumonia/being tired strikes again. I started wheezing at lunch and felt dizzy on my walk home, so I'm resting up with the windows open to let in some l'air frais!

Despite feeling très fatiguée, I had a great morning. We worked on the gingerbread man some more in all of my classes. You will be hearing a lot about this little guy as I have planned a 6 week lesson on him:) It's surprising how much more kids pick up after just a second reading. Some of my older kids were able to pick out full phrases that they understood, "I don't like..." and even new vocabulary that was evident with help from the pictures: kitchen, oven, head, nose... etc. And this time around, the kids were more curious about the sing-song part the gingerbread man says over and over again as he runs away. I say the lines slow at the beginning, but progressively get faster.... My CP kids laughed and giggled every time I read it. At the end they said, "Teach us the gingerbread man song!"

Although it isn't really a song, it is catchy- "Run, run, as fast as you can! You can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man." I added some motions to it and broke it down for them to learn. The teacher had little faith in them being able to learn it, but we went over it maybe 3 times and they were all singing it! It was so cute.... maybe I'll video tape it when they get really good at it:) They still get it jumbled and it sounds more like this, "Run, run, asfasahuacan, You cancatch ME, I'm the gemmebrman!" But hey- for 6 year olds who don't speak English- sounds pretty close!

We had boeuf bourgignon for lunch today. Yum yum! My favorite cantine lunch:) I sort of laughed on the inside when I got done and had wiped my plate clean with my baguette. It was only just a few months ago I was watching the teachers wipe their plates with their bread and thought.... how do they do that? Their plates are so clean! But, the student has become the master:)

During lunch, there was a bit of heated conversation about teacher absences. Sabine was absent today and Vincent, the director, had called in a sub. However, the sub didn't show and so they were left scrambling with the kids. In most schools they just break up the kids and put a few in the back of each class. For some reason, Vincent decided to have the 2 special education aids watch the class for the day. I went in and did English, which was fine. We just read the story and reviewed some old material.... but anyway- the point is, some teachers are very upset about the number of absences compared to the number of times they are replaced by a sub. I kind of got the feeling that one teacher was indirectly commenting on a particular teacher's amount of absences... and that she feels bad enough when she takes leave when she's sick because there are no subs, but she has even more anxiety about teachers who don't care about this same worry (or so I think that was her point).

In any event, all the teachers agreed that they do feel bad when they don't come to work and are sick, but when you're sick you're sick, and you shouldn't judge others who may be in the same situation another time. But, the same teacher, who was upset, made the point that you never know if the system is being taken advantage of... if the person is really sick. And the other teachers said- it doesn't matter... we're a team and we respect a teacher's decision to stay home if they feel they can't come in. She said, yeah that's fine, but then parents start to complain about the number of teacher absences and it reflects poorly on all of us. And then one older teacher, whom I don't work with, but usually think is pretty funny, said.... Does it matter? Who knows if the perks of being a teacher will be taken away from us anytime soon. We have some of the best flexibility when it comes to taking sick leave... and on national average, teachers are in the middle with the number of days taken absent. If people want to take advantage of the system, then do it while you can!

I just thought- wow! It must take some major will power for her to come in everyday. (But the funny thing is, I've never seen her absent from school!) I piped up and asked- so you don't have a sick day limit? -Nope. I told them that we have certain rules about how many days you can take off for sick leave or personal leave... but we always have substitutes when we're absent.

As I was walking home, I thought... huh... even though we have substitutes and sick leave limits, I feel like for the majority of teachers, very few miss school if they can help it. I think we have different standards for being sick and how sick is too sick to go to work.... but I don't know, I guess there are always teachers that take advantage of the system and take sick leave more often than they should in America too. Just seemed like an interesting dilemma!

Welp- I'm going to try to go lay down. I just want to feel better! It's so frustrating feeling like I'm always sick. Darn foreign germs and my lack of immunity to you!

Happy first day of spring to you!

Reste cool:)

my attempt at explaining the strike craziness

My plans were drastically changed today (from going to meet the girls in Vieux Lyon, to sitting at home) because.... yep, you guessed it- the strikes, the protesters, and the violent rioting. So, because I haven't done much today but enjoy a really fun care package from Victor's sister Valerie, go for a run to the castle, pick up toilet paper, and eat goldfish and ravioli, I'm going to attempt to break down the strike that has turned ugly.

1. Proposed Reform by (right of center) President Sarkozy: Raise the retirement age from 60 to 62, provided one has worked for 41.5 years, and raise the age one can receive the pension from 65 to 67.

2. Why Unions are Striking: Unions (teachers, oil workers, transit workers, trash collectors, postal workers, etc.) are striking and protesting the reforms because it is hard for many people to reach this 41.5 year mark, especially if they have been laid off, taken time off to care for children, or if they work part-time. They are also striking because there are certain industries that can retire earlier, and other industries that may be more physically taxing that must work 41.5 years before retirement. They are striking because they believe the government can raise taxes on the most wealthy to help aid in the pension deficit instead of overworking the "already overworked." And ultimately, many are afraid that this reform will lead to other reforms to their hard-fought for social liberties.

3. How Can the Oil Refineries Strike?: The oil refineries are part of the public sector, and are therefore directly effected by the reforms. They have been blocking deliveries of oil to the refineries, creating blockades in front of the entrances to prevent people from going to work, and they have rebuilt these blockades after the police have forcefully taken them down.

4. What Impact is This Having on Transportation?: So far, 4,000 of the 13,000 gas stations have had to close. People are lining up to fill their tanks, worried that gas will run out. French officials have said, however, that this is almost impossible, that there is a law against hoarding gas, and that there is plenty to go around. As far as air traffic is concerned, many flights were canceled yesterday due to airport strikes. But only some of the long-haul flights have been canceled coming into Paris due to the lack of fuel. The government has said that this will no longer be a problem because of the reserves and because 3 of the oil refinery blockades have been broken by use of swat team-like force. The government has stated that they respect their right to strike, but not when it interferes with those people who want to go to work. *Just out of curiosity, I checked the Dulles airport and Charles de Gaulle airport website to check if any flights into Paris have been canceled, and the 3 that I found were scheduled to leave on time (and one was an Air France carrier).

5. Why Students are Striking: High School students are striking, protesting, and barricading their schools because they are concerned that if older people work longer, they will have less job opportunities (which are already slim). Many students, after graduating from high school or university, cannot find a stable job until their late 20's and must rely on internships and continuing education before finding a job. If they can't begin working until their late 20's, working for 41.5 years will have them working until a much older age.

6. Why are the Student Demonstrations Turning Violent: France has a history of striking for "their rights." Students know that in 1968, young people took to the streets to fight for social change. (This is the revolution that brought about the 35 hour work-week, the 2 month paid vacation, better school facilities, paid maternity leave, etc.) Students chant slogans straight from 1968. But the difference now is that this mindset, mixed with the growing unrest from the banlieue (or suburbs, which in France's case is where the more immigrant, lower-middle class population resides) is creating out-of-hand and violent rioting. Students are egging on police, throwing rocks, over-turning cars, lighting things on fire, looting stores, etc.

7. How is France Reacting to the Violent Rioting: The government is trying to blame the unions for starting this, even encouraging the unrest. The unions are trying keep the 2 cases separate. The socialist party (in favor of the striking) is asking that if students demonstrate, that they walk peacefully. The French Prime Minister has called the acts of violence unacceptable and have asked parents to step in and keep their children home for their own safety. French police have had to arrest hundreds of rioters, throw tear-gas to disperse crowds, and stand guard while firefighters put out fires around the city (this city, btw, is Lyon... Paris is also having similar riots, and other cities around France are dealing with smaller scale versions of the same thing).

8. What's Next?: The bill is supposed to be voted on for the last time on Thursday. High schoolers have already planned demonstrations to be held in front of the Senate building and oil-workers have said that they will continue to strike even if it is passed. The government has made some minor amendments to their bill, but have also said they are not going to back down or slow down the discussion over the reform. Energy companies have also started striking, causing the government to import energy. On the greater whole, most strikers are unhappy, but will return to work after it is passed.

9. How is this effecting Moi (hehe, obviously this is most important): I am supposed to be going to Amboise on Friday morning at 6:30am, for my trip to the Loire Valley. As long as the bus is running by my apartment (which it did all day today even with the other transportation issues) and my train isn't canceled, we'll make it there ok. Even if we have to wait for a later train, we'll most likely make it there. Once we are there, we shouldn't have any trouble with our tour (hopefully the tour bus has gotten gas from one of the open gas stations), and I will hopefully be able to get back to Lyon on Sunday... as long as the train station is open and the metro is working on the way home.

Then, hopefully, Maggie, Thomas, and Heather will have no flight cancellations or delays, and I will leave for Paris on the train without anything being canceled. Even if my train is canceled, they have been running 2/3 trains, so I will get one up there eventually. And finally, hopefully, I will find Maggie+, we will rent our car, and have no problem finding gas stations to get ourselves around France.

I'm kind of asking for a lot.... and hoping that a lot of little details will work out... but I am hoping that because the Toussaint vacation is coming up that at least the rioting teenagers will go off for vacation with their families...

Here's to hoping! Now- I need to get ready for my last school visit with Berliet until after the break (I won't see them again until Nov. 4!).

Reste Cool!

ps- Even though I was stuck at home today, at least it was a pretty evening to watch the sunset. This is the view from my apartment!

Some French Politics and More Old Churches

This morning I got up earlish because I received a call a few days ago from the mairie (townhall) saying that I would need to let people in to "do work" on the apartment at 9am. About 8h30, my little apartment buzzer rang... and wouldn't you know it, the little lady from the mairie was here. The first thing she said when she got here was, "They're not here yet?" First of all, I had no idea she was coming. Second of all, she was 30 minutes early. Third of all, I wasn't really sure "who" was coming. I was a little annoyed.

I asked her if she'd like to sit down to wait and she awkwardly watched me finish my breakfast... She asked me if I had moved in ok, if I've had any problems, etc. Then, just to make

conversation I told her that I had had a formation the past 2 days... and she asked if I had any trouble getting there with the strike. I told her, no, I got there early and asked if she was on strike yesterday too. And of course, she said, "Well yes! We must strike!" I was like, huh, well this is a topic we could go on for a little while... so I asked her a few specific questions about the retirement reforms the president, Sarkozy, is proposing, and causing such a raucous by doing so.

Apparently, currently people in France can retire at 60, providing they have paid social security contributions for 40.5 years - although they are not entitled to a full pension until they are 65. If passed, the reforms will raise the retirement age to 62, the pension age to 67, and will increase

the social security contribution requirement by a year. Sarkozy has proposed this reform in order to cope with continuing deficits in the French government. But, many French, this lady

included, will fight to make sure they don't have to wait until they're 67 to receive their pension funds. She reminded me that the French have a long history of striking for their rights when their politicians aren't listening to them (she went all the way back to 1968 to begin this history).

According to this woman, Sarkozy is actually fou (crazy), among other choice words to describe him, and as an American, I can compare his lack of intelligence to George Bush. I thought, well, I

don't really know much about Sarkozy, but I agree that Bush wasn't the sharpest crayon in the box. She went on to compare him to other, more "distinguished" French presidents like Mitterand and Chirac (who was actually of the same political party as Sarkozy). Then, she went on to say that Obama is much more intelligent and that he is also much more attractive (lol, the French LOVE Obama, he is the bee's knees). We talked about his wife and his kids... and then talked about Sarkozy's kids (he has 3 boys, 2 from one marriage and 1 from another, and neither of these wives is his current wife). I asked if his multiple marriages bothered anyone in France, and she said no... the French don't like to pry into the private lives of their political leaders... it's what they do for France that they really care about (which is so interesting to me as Americans are so very concerned about the private lives of our political leaders).

Anyway, after 30 minutes of this, she got up and left. At 9am, the electrician showed up... and I had to butcher my way through explaining why the lady from the mairie left and what he's supposed to look at. I was also supposed to wait for the painters to show (which they did not in the extra hour I waited). It wasn't completely wasted time because I went through a bunch of teaching materials the previous assistants left in the apartment. Some of it was worth keeping,

other stuff not so much... but my ideas on what/how I want to teach are growing!

I went over to Laurence's office after going through these materials to look for more teaching materials. I also made some copies and talked to her a while. She said I was always welcome to come and sit and work on plans in their office so I could have some company (which I thought was cute/nice).

And then, after making a little quiche in my oven, I met up with Lindsey

to see a few more churches that are on my "to see" list in Lyon. We went to St.

Georges first, a 19th century church a few blocks down from St. Jean and built on the grounds of another church from the year 550. It was cool, but kind of small, and not

open to go inside, so I don't know if it would have gotten any cooler.

We also went to visit St. Nizier, a church near the Hotel de Ville. The first

version of this church was built in the 5th century, it was ravaged, then rebuilt in the 8th century, burned down,

and then rebuilt again from the 14th-16th century.

Although it also suffered damages throughout the French Revolution, I would say that for the most part the church that stands here today is mostly the church from the 1500's. At the back of the church there is a gorgeous organ, that was installed in the 1800's. Quite the historical little churches, eh!

Afterwards we just moseyed along, talking about our weeks and our plans for the rest of the week (we're going to go see a movie on Friday and then Saturday is the little trip to Chambery). We passed by the Place des Jacobins, a new fountain favorite of mine. Then, we took a gander at a few shoe stores (no luck for me, which is probably a good thing since I haven't been paid yet).

And now I am getting ready for my last day of work this week. I'm going to my favorite school tomorrow, but going by bus this time, so I hope I find it!

Hope you're all having fabulous weeks! Reste cool:)