Collège Jean-Marc Laurent

So this update is coming way late, but I thought I better catch up piece by piece. If nothing else, I'll be able to read this later on in life and at least be able to remember.

I spent 3 weeks at Jean-Marc Laurent. This is the part of my time in France that I was the most nervous about. I was excited to work with older kids, but incredibly nervous. I know what middle school kids can be like, and I was nervous to face that with a language barrier on top of everything else. Middle schools in France are a bit different. Students ranged anywhere from ages 12 or so to 16ish. High School in France is only about 2 years instead of 4. It was such a funny thing walking in on my first day. You see kids that still look like kids, and then you have older kids that could pass as college students. The drastic differences in appearance between the different ages was so funny.

Most of the kids were really sweet. I spent most of my time in French, English, and Spanish classes during my three weeks. In the English classes, the teachers would take a bit of time during that first class to introduce me to the students in English. They would ask me questions in English about my life in America, why I was in France, etc. I answered in English, but was able to translate my answers or better explain in French when they started to look like they were getting a bit confused. Most of the conversations went like this:

Teacher: Hello class. I would like to introduce you to Taylor. She is going to be in our classes for the rest of the year. Let's ask her some questions in English.

Student 1: Hello miss. How are you?

Me: I'm good. Thank you. How are you?

Student 1: (giggles)

Student 2: Where are you from?

Me: I'm from the United States.

Class: (lots of snickering. I have impressed them with this one answer. I'm in.)

Student 3: How old are you?

Me: I'm 25 years old.

Class: (lots of snickering again. I suddenly feel years older than I am.)

Student 4: Do you know Katy Perry?

Me: Yes. I like her a lot.

Student 5: What's your favorite movie?

Me: I love the movies Love Actually, Dirty Dancing (...and several other movies that they have never heard of. Add another couple years to my new age. I'm getting closer and closer to that senior discount.)

Student 6: Do you know lil' wayne?

Me: He's not one of my closest friends, but we run in the same pack from time to time. (They didn't get my little joke at all of course.)

Student 7: If you were stranded on an island, what's the one book you would want to have with you?? (Obviously the genius of the group)

Me: (Stunned into silence. I wasn't mentally prepared for this question, plus I was having fun convincing the students that I hung out with the likes of lil' wayne and crew.)

After my first day at Jean-Marc Laurent, I started to feel like the most popular kid in school. Every student I passed in the halls said "Bonjour Madame." Now is a good time to point out once again that French politesse is best experienced as an adult. I just loved how polite they were (to me at least). This is one thing that I wish was a little stricter on this side of the ocean. These kids may not have all of their stuff together, but they are certainly polite. I just loved my time at Jean-Marc. My lunches were always spent in the teachers lounge with all of the other teachers, where there was usually some wine being passed around. I didn't ever have any wine, because I was always fearful of going back to class with a buzz. I didn't want to be that kind of American. I'm sure it would have been fun, but I just never felt that strong of an urge. Anyways, the French teachers who did drink would keep it down to a glass or two and we all know that's just a tease.

There are many things that are off the wall different when comparing French and American school systems. Some things are better here and some are better there. Based on what I saw, I'd say that the actual material that the teachers were teaching there seems to be better, but they have more disciplinarian issues which is kind of a big problem. What's the point of teaching great material when the students aren't listening? Miss my little French friends. All in all, I loved my time there and will not ever forget those three weeks I was able to spend at Jean-Marc Laurent in the summer of 2013.

Coffee and Culture

Salut tout le monde!

I have a bit of time before my next class so I thought I'd play another round of catch-up. I'm in my last week of observing and assisting in the French school system. It seems like it's gone by so quickly now that it's getting closer to the end. Weird to be closing this chapter of the trip. I still have a lot to look forward to though. Next Monday, I will be going to Amsterdam, followed by London, before finally having a night cap in Paris for old times sake. It's hard to tell you all what I've gotten from being here, but I can say that despite the ups and downs, it's been nothing short of transformative. I am not the same person I was when I left. I know that sounds really cheesy and cliché, but there's a lot of truth to that statement. Traveling has the power to change a person. It changes the way you see and think about things. I now know how lucky I am to have had this time and I hope to repeat something similar soon. Anything is possible and it's exciting to think about le futur. 

I will update you all tomorrow about my time at Collège Jean-Marc Laurent. I want to finish tomorrow before trying to talk too much about my time here. It's been interesting and great to say the least.

In the meantime, I think it's time to talk about some of the French culture I've noticed since being here. 

1) La politesse

    Politeness is not to be taken lightly in France. France is certainly a country of traditions that have been passed down from century to century, and being aware of some of these rules is very helpful if you plan to visit. They can seriously make the difference between a good trip and a bad trip. First, I'd like to say that the French people as a whole are not rude. They are actually very warm and welcoming if you treat them with the same respect that you expect people to treat you with when visiting your country. I'm not saying you'll never meet a rude person here, but they certainly don't live up to that part of their stereotype.

Bonjour makes a bon jour. This statement is so true. In France, saying hello to everyone is very important. It seems like it takes a long time, but it's very important. Most of the time, saying bonjour is paired with a kiss on both cheeks, but when strangers are concerned, always say bonjour (or bonsoir). Some of these traditions seem a bit old fashioned, but this particular gesture isn't to be messed with. Not saying hello to someone is an easy way to make yourself seem rude and to be alienated because of that. Even if you don't speak French, a simple bonjour Madame or bonsoir Monsieur will get you far.

This part of the culture has become so engrained in my mind that I have started to think like a French person. If someone doesn't say un petit bonjour to me, I feel a little agitated. It will be interesting going back to the states. France should come with a warning label...

2) Le café

    Coffee Coffee Coffee. As most of you know, I am a huge fan of the show Gilmore Girls. I never get sick of it. The show centers around a mother and daughter duo who are quirky and coffee obsessed. I always wondered if there were people out there who really needed coffee to survive like the characters of my favorite show. 

It turns out that these people do exist and that they're known as the French. I have never really considered myself a big coffee drinker, but I have learned to love it and have developed a little addiction myself. Merci France! The French love their coffee. I have been observing one professor to see how many cups of coffee he has each day. He typically has 4-5 cups before lunch, wine and coffee at lunch, and by the afternoon I've lost count. The scary part is that those hours between the time he wakes up and the time he shows up to school are a mystery. I'd add another 3 cups to the total, and that's being very modest. Yes, this is very general and can't be applied to everyone, but coffee makes the world go round here in France. 

Réglise and I. His humans own my favorite café in Amiens, Les 3 Banques.

3) Le vin

    Everything you hear about French wine is true. There's a reason they have such a reputation for it. The nice part about being a wine lover in France is that it's possible to go down to the local Carrefour and buy a decent bottle for under 3€. Pas mal. I guess producing it by the masses gives them a little more freedom when it comes to pricing. At a restaurant, a glass of wine could cost around 4€, but coca-cola could cost up to 7€...having a dependency to wine isn't a problem in France because you can still afford to pay the bills. 

Don't think the French are above boxed wine either. I found an aisle of it. Not sure who actually drinks it here but there must be someone. 

4) La mode

    Everyone's heard that France is the fashion hub of the world. This is true and faux. I have seen a lot of really strange fashion...man capris paired with tight shirts and bright scarves. However, last weekend I was in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés quartier in Paris and I was amazed at the attractiveness level. This particular neighborhood in Paris is known as being very posh, or bobo as the locals say. Everyone was dressed so perfectly that even the most unattractive French man looked like he walked off a runway. It was here that I understand what they mean by the French being known for their fashion. The fashion is really unique and oh-so-French looking. Can't wait to see more.

5) French Kiss

    Yes, the French are very romantic. It's not unusual to see a young couple on the metro sitting a little to close and having a moment that seems a bit too personal for public. It's something you get used to though. It's also something I'm going to miss back home. After being here, I've seen how much more reserved people are in the states. Even if it's at times borderline cringe-worthy, it's nice to see people who are in love and not afraid to shout it from the rooftops. The romanticism has rubbed off on all of us one way or another. Paris for Valentine's Day is best to be avoided by all the single ladies out there.

6) Scarves and Cigarettes

    Every women here must have a separate closet to hold all their scarves. Scarves can be worn every day here. I have gotten 3 since being here. I love scarves, so this is right up my alley.

   Yes, lots and lots of the French population smokes. However, they are very blunt about their warning labels. The label is huge and it generally says fumer tue. This literally translates as smoking kills. Yes, the French are also very direct. It's another thing you get used to. They can't smoke in bars here though, so they are making changes little by little.

------------------------------------------------ I could probably continue to add to this list, but I'll stop myself for now. It's been a lot of fun learning about the French first hand. 

I am definitely missing my friends and family (and birds) back home and I can't wait to see or talk to everyone again. Love you all lots!

Plein de bisous,

Taylor

Week 2- École Delpech

Hey everyone! Once again, posting on a regular basis has proven to be quite the challenge. I guess I should catch everyone up a bit from where I left off.

So the weekend after my week at École Annexe, we went to Paris for a little day trip. Once again, I'm blown away by this city...as if that's even a surprise. We decided to explore Montmartre a bit. After taking the train into Gare du Nord, we had to get a metro day pass and find our way to that quartier. That part wasn't too difficult, but then we had to walk up these ridiculously steep streets to get to Sacre Coeur, the white basilica that is sort of the unofficial face of Montmartre. Although I've never been to San Francisco, I'd imagine that the streets we were having to walk up were pretty similar. We finally made it up the streets and came out into this clearing that was full of cafés and cute little stores. We were definitely in the right place. Although Montmartre is full of tourists, it's a must-see if you're in Paris. It is so charming and so quintessentially Paris. If you want to have the ideal Parisian experience, this is a good neighborhood to start in. We decided to climb the stairs up to Sacre Coeur. Talk about a work out. 

We got to go into Sacre Coeur, which was absolutely incredible. It's amazing how beautiful the architecture is here. It doesn't seem like real life. After, we found a restaurant and had lunch. I had cheese penne, which was a bit strong for my taste. It was good, but the cheeses were all strong, French cheeses. Not a subtle taste, that's for sure. Later on, we were able to go to Notre Dame, Shakespeare and co, and La Sorbonne. It was a great re-introduction to Paris. I left with sore feet and a thirst for more. That sounds silly, but Paris has almost been like this great challenge for me. Just when I think I've seen a lot, I realize I've only seen a fraction. It's kind of like a gift that keeps on giving. 

Now, I guess it's time to move past Paris and talk about my second week in French schools. I spent my second week at another primary school called École Delpech. This school is much bigger than École Annexe. Where Annexe has 5 classes, Delpech has about 15 classes. It's much bigger in regards to students and faculty. The principal is the only man in a faculty of all woman. I don't think I've drank so much coffee in my life as I did this week. They have several breaks throughout the day, and it's a normal thing to grab a coffee or two during break. I liked it because it gave me time to practice my French and be social with adults.

The kids are so sweet. They were so eager to learn about where I come from, and were so eager to have me as their new friend. They are all incredibly smart. I'd say they were all exceptionally literate and strong in math. I think that's because they start a few years ahead of kids in the US. I had several little girls who wanted nothing more than to hold my hand all week. They would fight over my two hands to the point where they were satisfied holding a finger each. I'll never forget walking down the hall with about six little girls holding onto a finger. Made walking a bit difficult. I have learned that if I were to teach younger kids, I prefer 1st and 2nd graders. They are still so sweet and eager to learn, and they aren't quite as jaded as some of the older students. Don't get me wrong, I love the older students too, but it's amazing how quick some of these kids learn to have an attitude. :) Here are some pics:

I still have so much more to update on, but at least I'm sort of catching up. Miss you all!

Definitely learning more than I'm teaching...

Love from France,

Taylor

Life in France---in sickness and in health

Rebonjour mes amis!

2 updates in one day...aka catching up finally. That is about the only benefit of being sick right now. I have finally caught up on blog stuff and uploading pictures. I started feeling a bit sick last Friday morning. I didn't think it was anything to worry about. It's not unusual for me to have a scratchy throat in the morning. This morning sore throat decided to camp out for a while though.

Backtracking to Thursday night...
We went out to My Goodness, which is quickly becoming our stomping grounds. It's a really awesome little pub in centre ville, yet not too far of a walk from the residence halls we're living in. The bartenders are Irish and Welsh, so there are a lot of really nice international students who go there. There's also quite a bit of French people there as well. It's not strictly foreign or anything, which is one of the many things I love about it. Thursday night, we happened to grab a table next to three guys. After a few minutes, I decided it was time to say hello. Turns out these three guys are all French, and they just so happen to be really awesome people. Their names are Frederick, Arnaud, and Benjamin. They were all born and raised in or near Amiens. They are all really sweet and easy to get along with. I was happy to meet some French friends and can't wait to get to know them all a little better. The weather's been getting a bit better, so it looks like we'll have to have a bbq soon. Too bad Arnaud had to leave before this little photo shoot...

 

So, over the weekend. I was going back and forth between feeling slightly sick and feeling normal. Saturday night, we went to my goodness again. This time we met 3 other French guys to talk to. I guess good things come in three in France? This time, we met a Baptiste, an Anton, and an Anthony. Again, nice nice guys. We've been really lucky so far with the people we've met. Everyone is so friendly and interesting to talk to. We also learned a really fun little drinking game. The object of the game is to discretely grab each other's drinks and drink them. If you don't have your hand on your drink at all times, it's up for grabs. Discretion is key though. It's supposed to be funny to watch the owner of the drink become more and more confused as they wonder how their drink is disappearing so quickly. I'll have to take a video of it the next time I can.

 

Sunday, we went to Paris for the day. We did quite a bit of exploring. We walked around Montmartre, saw the Moulin Rouge, saw Notre Dame, explored Latin and Saint-Germain-des-Pres a bit, etc. There was a ton of walking, so I don't feel a bit bad about having that Berthillon ice cream. :)Once again, I am head over heels in love with this place.

 

 



Back to this morning:
I was supposed to be at my next school, Ecole Delpeche, at 8:30 am. I woke up around 6:45 and felt absolutely horrible. I could hardly even talk because my throat was hurting so much. After determining that I was in no condition to go spend the day in an elementary school, I decided to call Anne. I've been taking medicine and trying to rest as much as possible, something that I have not been doing much of since getting here. That and the weather have been a dangerous combo for me. I'm going to rest quite a bit this week because I don't want to have to go to the doctor here, plus we're trying to go to Amsterdam next weekend. Fingers crossed everything works out.

I miss everyone and hope everyone is doing all right and have enjoyed the holiday weekend. Thanks to all the soldiers out there who fight every day to give people like me opportunities like this.

Loving France but wondering why it's so difficult to find chicken noodle soup...
~Taylor

Week 1---L'école primaire

Bonjour mes amis!

It's been a while since I've made any updates, so I thought I'd go ahead and do that. Last week (May 20th-24th) was my first week in schools. It was a holiday on Monday, so I didn't have to be in classes until Tuesday. Tuesday morning, I woke up and got ready. I had to take the bus to the IUFM to meet a sweet lady named Pascal. She was going to drive me to my high school(Lycee Edouard Gand). We got to the high school which seemed like an interesting set up. It was like a little village of high schools. We found mine and went to find the teacher who would sort of become my mentor for the day. Sounds good if it had worked out that way. Instead, we got there and found out that due to exams and other things, it wasn't the best week for me to be there. Nothing like a little bump in the road to start the week off right. Both of us were a bit frustrated with the situation. We went back to the IUFM to speak with Anne and figure out what I should do for the week since my high school was no longer a go.

Side Note: One thing I've learned since getting to France is that nothing ever happens in the time you think it should happen and it's just best to be open minded and easy going or else it's highly possible to go mad. It's more of a cultural difference than anything else really. In the US, we've become accustomed to making a plan and sticking to it, to getting things we want when (or soon after) we've asked, etc. The lifestyle in France is a lot slower paced. It just takes some getting used to is all. In most ways, I've come to like it. In other ways, I've learned to be more patient. A small joke we have going in the group here is that we always have tomorrow to do what we don't want to do today. All in all, it's a learning experience I'm more than happy to have. There is a lot to be learned and appreciated when you don't rush through life.

Anne, being exceptionally crafty, was able to get me set up with an elementary school. I started that same day, a few hours later than expected, but the same day none the less. Anne is a lifesaver. I ended up going to Ecole Annexe, which is an elementary school right behind the IUFM. Years and years ago, students from the IUFM used to do there student teaching with the school, but they have to many students at the IUFM to do that now, so it's just sort of there now. The school is tiny. It's just 5 classes, one per grade level. The teachers and the principal are all amazing, and the students are as sweet as can be. My first morning was spent observing a class of students ages 7-8 practice in the gym for their upcoming end of the year show. I am happy to say that I was able to understand them and they were able to understand me completely. I was a bit nervous working with these ages because unlike older students, they don't speak any English. Our communication was dependent on me, so there was a lot of pressure. Thankfully it worked out really nicely. I observed each class at least once this week, so I was able to see how each different grade learns. It was really interesting to see them all learning the same things I learned years ago, but in a different language.

 

 

 

 

My week with these kids has been so beneficial for me, and for them as well I think. I was able to observe some differences in the education systems and they were able to learn a bit about a new culture. I spent the week talking to them and telling them about where I come from. I answered questions like: "Do people have black hair like me where you live?", "Do you have movie star friends?", and "Do you eat French cheese in America?" The kids couldn't have been sweeter. I left with a stack of drawings and notes from the kids. Hopefully I will get to stop by sometime while I'm still here to go say hello again. I had a very gratifying and happy week. Fell in love with the kids and the way we talked to each other. I will be at another elementary school this week. Can't wait to see what they ask next!

 

 

 

 

Love from France,

Taylor

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

une soirée au cinéma---a night at the movies

Here are a few pics of my cinema experience. J'ai vu le film "Hôtel Normandy." C'est une comédie romantique. Je comprenais presque tout! Je suis très fier de moi-même ce soir. :)

Bisous!

 

Le Gaumont

The movie we might go see tomorrow...kind of fitting :)

Le petit escargot that I saved on the way home.

 

He's cute