Friday, July 07, 2006

Adding a teaching blog...

I'm in the process of adding on a blog about teaching; there's been a lot on my mind lately due to things I've heard on the news as well as general reflection about the year, so I thought I'd go ahead and separate it from this one. I've written a couple of recent education-focused posts, but am going to move them since they're probably boring for most of my family and friends, and are generally long, rambling thoughts. Of course, this one is probably boring as well, but I do try to keep it a little less rambling.

Otherwise, things are still great and I'm just waiting for vacation. I do think I've adapted very well to the French part of life where one waits for vacation as soon as it's July. Next week things have slowed down tremendously but I'll still have a couple of private lessons (one is new) and I'm subbing for a BTS class. I shouldn't have gotten so excited about it being my 'last' lesson the other week, because obviously things can come up. My dreams of lounging around in the grass at the park, eating ice cream cones, and reading book after book will have to be postponed a bit.

The 4th of July came and went...no barbecue for us since we don't have a place to keep it, but I did do a U.S. themed day for the English camp. I didn't push the propaganda too much but wanted to try to foster positive international relations while they're still fresh...get 'em while they're young, as they say. In case you're wondering, no, I did not dress up in a majorette uniform and perform a fire baton routine to "I'm proud to be an American." But only because I'm scared of fire and I don't fit into the uniform. One day, I WILL have a yard and I WILL eat grilled meat on Independence Day. I think that dream has a little more chance of coming true than my dream of having David Sedaris and Oprah show up at the local book club and hand out free gifts.

Bastille Day is coming up and we don't have any big plans. Last year we lazed about and watched the parade on TV. It still amazes me that the French president will ride in an open vehicle, but more power to him. I like that and hope it continues. I'm also looking forward to seeing the Foreign Legion, which fascinates me. There are tons of books in French on that subject, I imagine, but I'm still working my way through my 3-volume set on the enigmas of the French Resistance that I bought for 1 euro 50. I have grand intentions to finish it, but really I'm starting to think I can only do French fiction. Non-fiction is just a little too much for me. I understand it perfectly when I read it, I just don't think I retain very much. Maybe the book is just vague, but soon I think I'm just going to buy another Philippe Claudel book and use those other ones as paperweights.

Damn. I definitely rambled on a bit. I'll do better next time.

2 comments:

Ksam said...

Can't wait to start reading your teaching blog too, I bet you'll have lots of good ideas to post about and some great stories to tell!

Betty Carlson said...

I will read your teaching blog, I promise! I bet a lot of us expats are teaching, so it's a good idea.