Week 1 down the drain

I was able to upload some more photos. The first couple are just adorable ones of some kids I love and the others are of our summer camp- kids in class, kids goofing off, things of that nature. Also right after the picture of our pinata are photos of my students from a long time ago.  None have captions, for which I apologize, but that just takes way too long and I have no interest in doing that. Make up your own captions.

Week one of school is done! It was very stressful at first, but then it all worked out. I teach only 12 hours this year, which seems disgustingly small compared to my 20 of last year, but half of them are all in one day and that day is Monday. What a great way to start a week, a mix of classes/ages saying essentially the same thing over and over again for 6 hours! But then my work week ends Thursday at 10, which I think is pretty darn great.

It was surprising and gratifying to see how much more easily I could walk into a class and start teaching. Not a lot of anxiety, just walked in and molded young minds. Like a champion. But seriously though, much more comfortable in French and I've said all these things before so it was easy to just pick up where I left off. THe one who where here last year remembered a surprising amount of things that I told them, that made me feel good about myself.  I've been having a bit of trouble organizing everything what figuring out what I'm going to teach everyone, because some are new and some are old and some classes are too large and some are just right. But, such is life! You can't have it all, so I'll make it work and those kids will hate me soon enough when I make them practice typing for hours.

A couple of adorable things that happened. On Wednesday I noticed that all the teachers at my school looked like they got the crap beat out of them, they were so haggard and tired from working for three days. It was pretty funny. Second, I went over to my neighbors to pass the time per usual, and Christian was teaching Carla how to write. I sat there for a good 45 minutes just watching her write and then get distracted and chat, and him pretend to get annoyed, and her getting back to work, gripping that chalk so hard in her little hands and blowing excess chalk off after each letter and looking up for approval and making a joke and  him getting a little exacerbated and threatening to get his belt, and her writing and then telling a story and etc. It was the most adorable thing I've ever seen and I wanted that.

Also, as it was the first week of school and I haven't seen these students in 4 months I was all prepared to face the blunt, sometimes hurtful remarks I was to receive. They are never meant to hurt or offend, but they are unpleasant nonetheless. However I think I only heard "Madame you got fat" like 6 times, 10 times less than expected (I'm not any fatter btw, but they don't know/care), I heard a lot of "Madame your hair grew" to which I replied, yup it does that. And then they would tell me not to cut it again, and I would say, I'm going to cut it right now. And then they would say 'NO!' or 'well if you do, keep it and then give it me so I can wear it.' And then two times girls told me that with my hair I looked 'as pretty as a doll,' and I said if you ever say that to me again I'll slap your face.

So, there we go. The 2011-2012 school year is off and running! Huzzah!