Friday
Trip Start
Dec 10, 2008
1
19
22
Trip End
Jan 15, 2009
La Rosiere, Île-de-France, France
Friday, January 9, 2009
We arrived at school and went to our first class, French. We had an hour of French. I write all the notes dictated to us, and thought that if I ever decide to read Hamlet in French, then I would be ready with all the notes. When we do Shakespeare in English, we all read and have a discussion. Here, just the teacher reads (though she does have a nice expression as she emphasises some syllables) and then she dictates notes. I really like noticing the differences between here and back home. There are so many.
After French, we had a two hour class of Italian. I prepared myself to not understand anything, but Italian has a few English words and a few French words, so I got a little. The were talking about the mafia in Italy. I though that it would be interesting, if I understood, but I guess not as Maïté told me that she "wanted to put the papers in the dustbin". I found that the Italian accent was very similar to the French, apart from a few things.
After an hour of Italian, more than half the class left. Everyone had 20 or so minutes for a break, so we all went outside to chat. When it was time to go back into class, we were a little late and Jessica got some extra homework. The next hour of Italian had some of the same people as the first hour but some different people as well. I still don't have any idea of how this system works.
We then had a free study period. Jessica was going to have a big test that she didn't know about, so she studied for half of it and watched the foosball for the other half. We were in this room for the high school kids that had tables (to study or play cards), a foosball table, a television and a couch. They also come here to hang out after they have finished eating lunch in the cafeteria, too. There is one room like this, but there are others with just tables and chairs.
We then had lunch. As we were in the high school room, we left a little early to beat the lines. We usually wait about half an hour for the lines to go down before we line up, but today there was no need. Lunch was good, as always. After lunch we went to one of the high school rooms and talked with people. I helped some girls with their English homework; that always feels good. It's amazing the 'vast vocabulary' that the French possess in English; the girls used words like 'jerk' and phrases like 'you're pissing me off' in their role play. I don't know rude words in French, and I'm quite happy like that. The other day, in English class, some boys were reading out their role plays and they swore, pretty strongly. The teacher only stopped them to fix their pronunciation.
The last two hours of the day (we finished early, at 3:30) were history, and an exam for Jessica. This was the big test that she didn't know about. We were in a big room, with desks with chairs for two. There was only one per desk, though, as it was a test. Marian and I sat together up the back as I didn't need to do the test and she has already finished school in Mexico, so she didn't need to, either. We read, then listened to music together. It was still a long two hours. The teacher sat up the front, typing on his laptop, and came to students when they needed him. Needless to say, there was a lot of cheating going on. Students whispered to each other, some had their bags on the other side of the table with the book open inside, etc. Students are very creative when they need to be, so I wouldn't be surprised if their were other methods of cheating.
We finished school , and got in the car. Jessica's grandmother was waiting for us out the front. We drove back home (but not before checking in on Balou) and ate. School really makes you work up an appetite. I watched American 'junk' television like Will & Grace, Grey's Anatomy and Gilmore Girls in French. The mouth moving, but different sounds come out still feel weird to me, but it helps my French to listen to the speed and the words.
We ate dinner and went to bed; skiing tomorrow!
Comments
Long lessons
Hi Amy,
Will miss your great blogs soon.
A 2 hour lesson seems very long at school - we had 3/4 hour lessons, with the occasional doule period at school & at college they were only 1 hour sessions
Lots of love
Nana & pa