Big huge happy smiley face.

I am very happy.

Today went much better than I had anticipated. I would still like to know why I have to repeat directions three times to the class, and then at least twice to individual students. I asked Vous comprenez?, why did you say oui?? Anyways. I was very pleased with how the activities went today. I especially like when S* in School Three's third grade class tells me before class starts (they have recré right before anglais) "I'm going to be good today." Ohhh that makes me want to just HUG them. I really do like these little kids. There are even moments when I think, Yes, I really do like elementary foreign language education. I'd be really stoked if I could spend the rest of my life doing this - teaching elementary kids languages, developing materials and curricula, and educating other teachers. Ahhh I love little kids, even if they do make waaay too much noise. All. The. Time.

Today after school at School Three, I had a meeting with Luc, a fourth grade teacher who also teaches two classes of English. I just wanted a teacher's perspective, because it's so easy for me to get really tunnel-visioned and lose sight of the purpose of my lessons and activities. But apparently Astrid, a preschool teacher at School Three who also teaches at least one class of English, Madame Mouty, my district supervisor, and Virginie, the teacher whose class of third and fourth graders were also there. So it was really a nice little chat about what should be happening in English class. I was also told I really should be following the (damned) books. I don't like the books so much. I am not familiar with British English and it's really awkward and unnatural for me to say "Have you got a pet?" But it was really nice. Yay!

Also today, we got PAID!!! It is more than last month's salary, but according to my information (aka the amazing forums at assistantsinfrance.com), it all evens out eventually. In any case, it's exciting to have cash. Now to see how fast I'll use it up...hopefully I'll have enough for my upcoming Christmas vacation and sending people cute little French packages of French things with French stamps. Yay.

Ben and I went to dinner tonight with the substitute English teacher. Her name is Marie and she's from Réunion, a French island in the Indian Ocean. She's subbing for one of the Karines who is very pregnant. She was really neat to talk to. She's currently doing her PhD in English, and her thesis is on dreams in Shakespeare's plays. Um, wow. But her company was very welcome and she's nice. Yay.

So yes. Many "yay"'s, and happy Rose. Tomorrow may be shaky because I have Catherine's fourth graders at School Two and she always has this mildly disapproving look on her face...but I'm driving through because it's almost the WEEKEND. Omg I cannot WAIT for market day.

Love you all. So much.