Today made me laugh.

So my responsable Madame Renson mentioned before Christmas break that I need to be inspected, or basically observed. Sweet, come on down. Watch the mayhem begin. I know that I speak too much French and that I don't use the textbook, but my kids can express themselves very well regardless so peu importe. But three weeks have passed since la rentrée and no word from the Power Tower (really, her office is a huge tower in the middle of what would be a quaint little river valley). So I email her. Her response: mid-March. Okeedokee. Glad to know it's not a pressing issue. Granted, I don't really fret about the problems in my classrooms like the other primary assistants she's in charge of do. I doubt I'll be inspected more than once.

Today was a national strike of government workers: some transportation workers, the post office, the water and electricity office, government officials, and teachers! Again! Fortunately, because there was already one strike back in November, only about 33% of all teachers in France went on strike. None of my Thursday teachers were on strike, so I still had all of my classes. I was very relieved to hear this, because missing a day totally throws a monkey wrench into my plans. However, some other students' teachers were on strike. Normally, students of striking teachers are given a note ahead of time saying "Your teacher is supporting something or other" and the kids don't come to school. Except the poor kids whose parents don't support the strike, don't know about the strike, don't have any other place to put the kids, or insist their kids go to school regardless. So I had a few visitors in my classes today. At School Two, they were luckily still my own students so it was ok. But at School Three, I had four extra fourth graders who do English with their classroom teacher Luc. Luc follows the textbook to a T, as well he should. I do not follow the textbook because I don't feel it's thorough enough. (I don't mean that I'm better than the book; I just think that me as a native English speaker and trained FL teacher can find other ways to teach my students the same stuff.) So I told the four guests that they could follow along as best they could, try to participate, and just learn some more English. They did well, and my School Three fourth graders were extra-better behaved because they were showing off for their guests. Whoopee!!

There is a slice of bacon on the outside part of my windowsill. That is all.

S* gave me an invitation (with horrific spelling) to her 10th birthday party.
Rose: Did you ask your parents?
S*: Uh huh. (nods)
Rose: What did they say?
S* (giggles) They laughed.
So I looked up the address, and it's a hike so I couldn't exactly just pop in and say hi. I really can't justify a teacher attending a student's birthday party, as much as it might disappoint her. So I'm going to call her parents.

Normally, employees of the National Education department are paid on the last Friday of the month or the 27th of the month, which ever comes first. The salaries are usually dispersed on the Thursday before and posted in our bank accounts that Friday. Well, considering probably anyone involved with my paycheck was picketing her very office today, I'm a little doubtful that my pay will actually be in my account tomorrow.

This weekend will include details on my upcoming February break. France is AWESOME.