Why does no one tell me anything?
Trip Start
Sep 23, 2008
1
55
65
Trip End
Jul 09, 2009
Nantes, France
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Today was the end of my really messed up week. I went to babysit my kids, and ended up staying there until about 4:30pm. That's kinda late for me to stay. The whole time was really awkward because there was a maid there the whole time and I felt really weird. The kids were great though; we played board games and stuff, it was really fun. After that I really didn't do much of anything. Fun life here in France huh?
May 23, 2009
I hung out at home most of the day and then went to Leslie's to hang out. It's her last weekend in France so we had to do something. A lot of her friends had come to visit, so we hung out at her place for a while and then Josh and Phillipe came over too. Then we went to some outdoor bar thing and had a drink. I love that it is warm outside. There are so many terraces and they are so crowded, it's a really nice atmosphere. Next we went to The Tower dance club, which Leslie and I had gotten kicked out of before (I can't remember if I wrote about it in here or not, we got kicked out cause we weren't buying drinks). But they played some nice 80s music, not much to dance to, but it was a good time.
May 24, 2009
Today woke up late and then headed back to Leslie's to help her pack. She had to be out of the apartment by 6:30 so we had a lot of work to do. Josh and Phillipe came over and got her washing machine down the very skinny stairs. That was an experience. Then her landlord came over and checked her out of her place. She was staying at Josh's tonight and her landlord even gave her a ride. It was really nice. Then I went home and planned for the next day and went to bed.
May 25, 2009
So this morning was school picture day. They had told me on Friday that I wouldn't have classes but I needed to have worksheets prepared for them to do while I was at my other school. So that's what I did, prepared worksheets. I made copies and organized stuff all morning and then I see my kids headed to class. I guess I did have class. I ran upstairs and asked one of the teachers about it and she said that I would have my first class like normal and then let them out for recess and then give the other class the worksheet. I had NOTHING prepared for this class except for the worksheet. Why do they not tell me anything? So I make some stuff up and have them do the worksheet with me. Then, I let them out at the usual recess time and they all came back to me saying it was going to start 10 minutes later. I had literally nothing to do with them. So I said whatever and let them go to recess early. BUT, I had to stay in the gym with them until some other teachers came out to supervise. So I still ended up at my other school late, and I was really mad. UGH.
I get back to my school in the afternoon and two of my oldest kids come up to me and ask about the English test they are having that afternoon......................um...............what? I didn't know they were having an English test in the afternoon. You'd think, of all people, they'd tell the ENGLISH teacher about the huge ENGLISH test MY kids were having. My tutor person that I observe every once in a while was coming in to give them a big test. I had no idea. My kids were mad at me because I didn't warn them, and I was mad at Valerie because she never told me anything, and I didn't even know if my kids were going to know what was on the test. What if they all failed because I didn't know what was on the test therefore I did not know what to teach them to prepare for it. UGH. So when my tutor finally gets to my school, I go to her and ask to see the test. Thank goodness most of it my kids already knew. I ran up to the girls who were freaking out and told them they'd be fine. Why would she not tell me?? So I head up to my class of younger kids, and all my older kids start filing in. I tell them that it's not me giving the test and they couldn't believe it. Neither could I. Most of the test was an listening exam and my tutor and I don't say things the same way, so I was nervous for them about that. But apparently it was really easy, according to one girl. After my classes, I ran into my tutor and she said that she needed to talk to me. So she gets me together with all the other teachers. Apparently she didn't finish the test with one class, and I needed to finish it sometime this week. This made all the teachers mad. I didn't realize that they were really inconvenienced by this stupid English test, but they hated it. I loved that they felt the same way as me. We figured out that I'd give the test to them on Friday in place of another one of my classes. So pretty much this whole week is messed up. Great. Good news though, we are on strike tomorrow, so I don't have to work, yay!!!!
May 26, 2009
Woke up late, then got ready and headed out to the city centre to return Leslie's internet box for her. I go to the first store and some guy directs me to the main store. I then head to that one and some girl puts my name in the computer and I have to go upstairs and wait for my "appointment." After waiting a while, one guy is free so I go up to him and explain what's going on. He hears my bad accent and the fact that my friend is Canadian, and he starts speaking perfect English to me. He was SO nice. He's been all around the US and I think he was really excited to speak English to me. It was great. He took care of everything, and then I headed to the library. I got some more books because I'm a big nerd. I walked home instead of taking the tram, I love it. Now that it's nicer, I don't have to take the tram as much. Tonight I'm going to see Josh in a play called "The Mousetrap". He even got me a free ticket to it. I'm really excited to see him in it. It's in English too :). I'll let you know how it is. Also, Mom got my contract in the mail today from Effingham, and they need all this stuff from me, that they too did not tell me about. I thought it was just a France thing, but no, it's a teaching thing. UGH. They need my school transcripts, my certificates that they already have, I have to get a physical with a TB test, and have my cert registered with their county. All this stuff (except the physical) makes sense, but I wish they would have told me about it. WHY do they not tell me? And now I'm going to be stressed out because I can't do anything about this until I get home. Great. I have until August 17th to get it all done. It is do-able, right?
