hello from toulouse

well I made it to thanksgiving dinner!!!! I am very glad I did, because it was so much fun, and I think I would have been more upset than I originally thought if I had missed it. My heart goes out to you, Alex, because her trains were delayed so much she missed her connection and couldn't make it. But hopefully we will see each other Wednesday!!

It was so great to see everyone, and I like how the ex-Union group seemed to enjoy themselves more than the current students. Afterwards we went out for a drink (I didn't want to go out clubbing, and even Kaitlyn offering to flash me did not change my situation. She probably doesn't realize I've seen them already, HA.) I'm not a going out kind of girl. So Heidy and Emily and I came back to Redon and DAMN their flat is nice. Like a million times nicer than mine and THEY DONT PAY.

So I called mom and then got really homesick and upset so I talked to Heidy for a while, then slept for HOURS. Once Heidy's out of the shower we're going to walk around a bit, then work : ( Its kind of crappy out, but what can you do? Its so good to be with friends and people who have known me for a long time and just understand me and my quirks, and with who I really feel I can be my blunt, swearing self.

happy thanksgiving you assholes. I am very upset because my thanksgiving dinner is being threatened. As you may or may not know there is a huge train strike in france that has been going on for over a week. This means that whereas there are 10 trains a day into Paris, tomorrow when I need them there are only 2--one at 6 am and one at 6 pm. Which is ok, except for the fact that I need to cross paris to get from one train station to the other, and the paris metro is the MOST effected by the strike--only about 20 percent of the trains are running aka there are only 1 or 2 trains an hour.

In other news I am still going to the pool and even though necessity makes it so I hate going in the morning. in the morning we are the only females there under the age of 40 and all the middle aged men with goggles are there. I have a tankini and I've started tucking the top into the bottom because the middle aged men have been heard discussing us more than once. with creepy pedo looks on their faces.

Things for Ireland seem to be working themselves out well enough.

UMM I'm freaking starving but have to wait another half hour to leave. My 330 class doesnt let out in time to let me make the 435 train, so I have to wait for the 540. Then take a 20 minute walk home, so instead I'm waiting for Bayram until 6 so that he can just give me a ride home. Then I will have a mini quiche and a yummy croque monsieur, then mmmm pudding.

I've had a headache all day long, probably because I've been sad and stressed. BUT GOOD NEWS Christophe has agreed to write me a grad school rec and seemed rather pleased that I asked, AND he promised not to say bad things about me in it. WOO

I'm really mad because theres some big important soccer game on tv tonight meaning they're NOT SHOWING Star Academy--aka the only thing I do on Friday nights.

Thursday was the same as usual, though I almost peed my pants in one of my classes. Two of my students think they are real funny (though in truth they are) and it just got out of control. The class was in groups of 6 and they had to write a report card for a fake student. Their student was a girl named Gin anTonic. She was a horrible student but was real good looking, so they two boys insisted the teachers should pass her because she was gorgeous and could always become a model. The geography teacher said "but she can't even read a map!" and Ohan (one of the boys) replies "It is okay, she does not need to know where Brazilia is." They'd been going for a while, so I replied "Oh? Please, tell me where Brazilia is." Then burst out laughing. Once Christophe informed Ohan that there was "no such place as Brazilia" the rest of the class burst out laughing, though probably more at the fact that I was pretty much rolling on the floor with tears pouring out of my eyes.

Though it was funny, class was very intimidating! There were 6 students in each group, and I had to take half of them to correct them and grade them! So I had to take notes and then tell them what they did wrong, it was scary!! I know I missed things, and maybe there were a few things that are proper in British English but not in American English or vice versa that I corrected, but Christophe seemed fine with it. My notes are kind of sloppy, so I am going to organize them a bit more this weekend.

Speaking of, our weekend plans got kind of shot but I'm really very fine with it. First we were supposed to go on an expedition to Chartres to see the cathedral and all that, but we would have to be in Chartres at 10 and we couldn't possible make it there before 2. Then Ysmay said, well why don't we just go to Orleans? I was fine with the idea for a while, but next weekend I'm headed to Rennes and the week after that we are going to Paris, and my bank account cannot support a trip to Orleans at the moment. I know if I went I would just be miserable. Besides I have something like 45 hand turkeys to make.

So tomorrow I am just going to relax--take a nice bath, use the hair mask I bought, make tons of hand turkeys, organize my notes, and maybe go for a walk. My skin is getting real gross from all the swimming I've been doing, as is my hair. I am seriously contemplating buying a swim cap if it will help my hair at all.

I leave you with an image--taking my first steps into the mediterranean. obvi I got splashed major about two seconds later. photo taken in nice.

grrr arrggghh

so the rest of last night passed uneventfully, and by uneventfully I mean that I slept very fitfully and had many dreams about peeing my pants, or rather peeing on my pajama pants, rinsing them out in the sink, and then putting them back on. Thats what I get for being lazy and not getting up to go to the bathroom when I really have to pee.

I got up at the asscrack of dawn (8 am) and headed for the bus stop, you know, same old same old. Chatted with Tinette (the german ta who lives in another flat) and made swim plans for later. Made my thanksgiving lesson (though I need to find a place that sells LOTS of construction paper so that we can make hand turkeys), then headed off to class. I accidentaly went the long way and as I was walking Christophe goes "Oh Liz didn't they tell you, you don't have class today I have a meeting" OHMYFUCKINGWHODIDIT. Christophe is my only class today, yo! And I'm sad because I really like that class and now I won't see them until after Christmas (they are going on internships). WAAH. Not to mention the fact that IDIDNTHAVETOWAKEUP this morning!!!!!! !!!

!!!!!

Apparently Christophe even told them to leave me a note yesterday and let me tell you NO ONE did. Some one is getting cut bad, yo.

So now I'm just killing time until the next bus shows, since I am still bikeless and just a tad too lazy to walk (plus it might rain and damn if I'm letting my shoes get hurt).

I need to spend an assload and buy a converter for my mac so that my students dont have to huddle around my teeny tiny macbook to watch a tv show for class. Apple decided to be clever and charge $19 for it on the american site, and freakin frackin €19 for it on the french site (aka almost 1.5 times the price) but after shipping and such, and getting it here on time, I'm just going to have to spend the extra money. boooooo

I'm trying to decide what tv show to show my students. It has to be good, yet easy to understand, and preferably one they haven't seen. I'm thinking old school might be a little better, but not too old school. Maybe I'll show an episode of full house! OOOO but what episode to show? Maybe the episode where the twins were born during Michelle's birthday party. Thats a classic and full of information. OOOOO no I know what I'll do!!! The disneyland eps were a two parter, right? We'll watch the first one, answer some questions, then they have to guess what happened in the second one. OOOOOOOOO I'm a genius.












ps send me mail.

poke me with a fork and call me done, yo. I am sooo freaking tired. I didn't sleep well last night (I ended up taking one of my sleepy time pills) and between my first and second classes today I have a 5FREAKING hour break. Not to mention the fact that when I got here the hot chocolate machine wasn't working (though thankfully it is now or I would murder you. immediately). My first class was quite dull and the students were quite dumb. They were supposed to be researching Angela Davis and Malcom X and when I quizzed them all they could tell me is when they were born and who their parents were, even after I told them what kind of information is important and what isn't. They also got pissed because I kicked them all of wikipedia. Dumb shits can't use a search engine. You know, once upon a time I had to find all my information in books. BOOKS. I doubt these kids know how to use an index. Damn if I wouldn't like to index their dumb butts.

so I've been waiting waiting waiting and I still have an hour and a half to go. SOFREAKINGBORED. All my work is done for the week, and I just have one lesson to plan for next week.

Last night I went to the pool and saw everyone and their mother, and by that I mean this lady I really don't like (and not just because she's cross eyed.) I timed my laps so we wouldn't be at an end together, but she caught up to me when I was leaving and I wanted to twitch. Of course then I had to walk into the changing room and see NAKEDFRENCHLADY. AHHHEEEEWWWWPUUUUKE. I proceeded to slit my wrists.

After I was resurrected I went back to the flat and ate dinner then did nothing for a very long time. I am in a funk. ANd you know what would bring me out of it? MAIL YOU JERKS. You know that thing that NO ONE HAS SENT MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. Sure I get bills, but they really don't cheer you up much, you know? I will repeat one more time my address

Elizabeth Favorito
Logement des fonctions
Ecole Jean Moulin
Rue Jean Moulin
45200 Montargis
France

I have been here for over a month and the only thing I have received is ONE piece of mail, packages from my mom. No letters, no postcards, nothing. I think everyone in France must think I have no friends/family. So WORK ON IT.

I like how everyone I hate here is really unfortunate looking, as are their spouses. HAHAHA I AM SO MEEEEAAAANN.

uummm what else is there to say? I'm kind of annoyed because I feel like I do all of the talking for the flat and I'm a bit sick of it. We are kind of confused about how we pay our rent, they supposedly take it right out of our account but then we got a bill yesterday telling us to go and pay. So obviously someone has to go and take care of it. I didn't go yesterday because there was no guarantee that town hall was open. Ysmay finished around noon today and has no class tomorrow, but refuses to go. WTF. I don't see the difference between going by yourself and going with other people who aren't going to talk. I can't go today because I have class all day long. I won't get back from school until 1 tomorrow, town hall is closed until 2, and I am going to the pool at 4. Tomorrow afternoon is the only day I have to plan my thanksgiving lesson, which is going to be a dandy. I also need to go foodshopping. So I really don't know when I have the time to go. I'm in school all day thursday, and we really should have the problem solved by friday. Honestly I am just going to refuse to go, and if no one goes I will go on my own time then refuse to share my information. Welcome to the real world, people, where we often have to do things we don't want to.


grrrr arggghhh bitch bitch bitch. now I have a head ache and 3 hours of classes to go. SPEEEEEWWWWWWWW

aaahhh the weekend.

well these past few days back at school have been fun. It was nice seeing all my students again, and I had my first classes with Bayram, which were HILARIOUS. Bayram is very giggly and sarcastic in real life, but Teacher Bayram is scary mean!! He's very strict with his students, it got to the point where even I was nervous!!

Anyways. Friday Ysmay and I ran errands in town and had yummy baguettes from our favorite patisserie, then Friday night we went to the local pool (conveniently located across the street) and swam laps until swim lessons, then had a yummy dinner.

Saturday was cleaning day. Last year there were three boys and one girl in the appartment, and they NEVER cleaned. The building is also rather old. We bought a mop and such on Friday so that we could give the flat a good scrub. We cleaned every surface in the appartment, we even took the rugs outside and beat them. Manual was in charge of the bathroom and the toilet, and I have never seen our tub looking so beautiful!! Before it had all sorts of rust and calcium stains all over it, and it's so clean now it looks brand new!!

We took a rest after cleaning, then I texted Bayram because he was supposed to come over for a film. Turns out he forgot it was his best friends birthday, so instead we went out to dinner with him and his friend Stephan and his girlfriend Lucille. We went out for mexican, then went to Stephans place. His family is....quirky, but hilarious. Stephans niece Maeva was there, and she was so cute. We watched a film, but Ysmay and I were so tired we still don't quite understand what happened in the end, haha. But it was really fun to go out and do stuff, and Stephan has already offered to bring us to all sorts of places (mm like versailles!!).

So today I slept until like, noon, then spent a bit of time filling in my agenda. I still have a lesson to plan for tuesday, and I should probably like, get dressed or something, haha. My room is already messy again, so I guess I should also fix that up a bit.

Sooorrrryyyyyy this post is all boring, haha. I'm sure the next will be much more exciting. PROMISE.

mmmm ysmay the love of my british life bought me peanut butter. PEANUTBUTTTERRRRRRRRRRRRRR

I really hate when things are over

Woweee a whole week without posting, thats crazzzeeeeee.

The rest of the vacation was fun. We spent three days in Marseille, checking out churches and museums and the like. The weather at least was a bit nicer than in Toulouse. The best, obviously, was Nice. Originally we were spending one night at our first hotel and two nights at the second, but Hotel Felix was so fab. The guy there was so hilarious and so freaking nice. I think he is originally turkish or lebanese, because neither french nor english was his first language. He gave us a more expensive room at a cheaper price because he had originally but us on the fourth floor (which we in the states call the fifth) but he could tell we were freaking exhausted. Then when we told him we decided to stay there the next two nights he let us stay in the room for the cheaper price. He was super cute. When he left he told us we better come back next time with our boyfriends, lol.

Nice was so freaking pretty, and so nice out! Our first afternoon there we just explored a bit, did some shopping, and I put my feet in the mediterranean!! The next day we headed off to Monaco, where we got really lost but saw some great things. We saw a huge collection of old cars and bikes, and I saw Grace Kelly's tomb. Obviously, we went to Montecarlo, where I took a super illegal video of the toilets. Yes, the toilets, because they are the greatest toilets. I will not tell you about it though, because I plan on using that video to become the next internet superstar. Thats right kids, I've already planned what I'm going to say on Jay Leno. HA> Seriously though once I have batteries for my camera I will upload it all.

Montecarlo was super classy, but tiny!! There really was only four rooms--two rooms with slots, and two with tables. Of course it was super chic. We were there in the afternoon, so it was only like serious old men gamblers. I only became semiaddicted to blackjack. But dude, these rich guys were just tossing out thousands of dollars in roulette. I've never seen that much money in my life!!! Heidy and I were like..instead of throwing the money away gambling, just give it to us!! We obviously tried to get old men to buy us drinks, but even my low cut shirt didn't work. DAMN THE MAN. At one point we though this guy was going to... We were going to get some coffee, but in the casino it was 5 euro and I was trying to convince Heidy to get it anyways. I was like "Come on, then we can tell people we've had coffee at montecarlo!" And some guy was like "screw the coffee get champagne!" AND WE TOTALLY SHOULD HAVE MACKED ON THAT. but obviously we didn't....we just went somewhere else and paid 4 euro for coffee instead, lol. Thats the one thing about the south of france. its really freakin frackin fuckin EXPENSIVE. I probably ended spending about 20 euro (thats almost 30 US) a night on dinner and such.

Our last day in Nice we went to the Henri Matisse museum and walked around a bit, then I sat around while Heidy climbed a shitload of steps to see some dumb view. I HATE STAIRS. aka the elevator was broken, haha, and I refused to climb all those stairs.

Since then I've just been lounging around. Literally. I haven't really left my bed since I got back on Monday night, lol. I did some food shopping, thats about it. Manuel got back yesterday, and we discovered today that our hot water has turned a lovely shade of brown. MMMMM. I called around, and Gardenia said its because there is lots of.. Calcium? (I don't know the translation) in our hot water tank, and since we went almost two weeks without using the water, it built up etc. etc. AKA our water bill is going to be high this month because we had to completely empty the water tank. DAMN YOU BILLS. DAMN you also Sylvie gouchet for lying to meeeee. I was so stressed out about money, and it turns out we got paid a week earlier than we were expecting. AKA I had 800 euros when I thought i had nooooooooooooooooooone. CURSE YOU MR MAGOO

I have to like, work, tomorrow and I haven't planned all my lessons, HAHA. Bayram my Turkish Lover (aka one of our friends here) Invited himself over this weekend, haha, but at least it means we have a social life!! Really though, he is a first year teacher at the lycee, so he is super young, so we all hang out at the lycee. This weekend we're going to go to the movies and he's going to buy me and Ysmay lots of yummy pastrys. MMM GLUTTONY

I think perhaps I will work my way through the seven deadly sins while I am here in France. You know, give myself something to do besides corrupt minors.