McDonalds to the rescue.

So, last night, the power went out in my room (for the umpteenth time here in Chauny), so I was left without internet or electricity to charge my many technological devices for my trip ten-day adventure to Madrid then to Bayonne, France. And I knew I had to get online to at least send a message someone to tell them that I was leaving and that I was safe.

After a train, a layover,  a bus, and another bus,  I made it to the Beauvais airport. I was relieved to have made it without any troubles, but suddenly really sad because I had about 12 hours to kill before my flight. Then I saw a sign for McDonalds. Those glorious golden arches had come to my rescue. I happily trudged the 20 minutes with my giant backpack in tow. So, in the past two hours, I have been on facebook, checked my emails, watched Parenthood, researched where my hostel in Madrid is, all while sipping on some good ol’ McCafe. I even packed a sandwich, which I ate very discretely in here. It’s the only time I’ve been embarrassed to NOT be eating McDonalds.

Well, Mccy Dee’s is closing in about an hour, then it’s back to the airport for ipod listening, Harry Potter reading, journal writing, and anything else that keeps me busy for eight hours.

Then….off to MADRID! (I would upload a picture of myself all excited, but frankly, I don’t think you want to see a picture of a tired/sorta sick traveler. It’s not pretty)

Saturday update

Well, it’s been a while. Don’t even pretend like you’re surprised. I’m horrible at this whole blogging thing. Anyway, not much new stuff to report. 

A few weeks ago, I went with Jessica to Valenciennes to visit Shannon, who was the assistant at my school two years ago. She fell in love with France, and now she’s in her 5th year in France, these past two as a lectrice at a university. In fact, while I was there, she tried to convince me to apply for her job. I was intrigued, to be honest. Staying another year with an extra year of pay was quite tempting. However, after I talked with Claude, he convinced me that it would be nice because there’s such a great anglophone community up there, but I wouldn’t progress too much in the language, which is the reason I’m here anyway. Then, he tried to convince me to stay in Chauny another year. That got me into another whole confusing dilemma! I mean, I’ve got it good here. I get paid to learn French and basically get free private lessons. I’m right in the center of Europe (although, I have yet to travel too frequently like I did in Oxford.) Plus, I’m so in love with all French things–quite a change from just a few months ago when I hated it all–and with my colleagues. Sometimes, I’ll just spend my free time in the teachers’ lounge just so I can hang out.  But on the other hand, I realized that I’m gonna have to come back eventually. Not because I have to, but because I want to. I know my life is in the States. If I stay another year, I’ll just be putting off reality. It is a great experience here, and I realize that and appreciate it, but I think that it is just not the time (especially with my loans situation. I’m so jealous that the French almost never have student loans. Did you know it only costs like 400 euros a semester for university?! It amazes me that more of my students don’t go.) Anyway, hopefully I’ll be back in a couple years if I get into the grad program I want, though! 

I’m always going to want to be back home, but when I’m home, I’ll always want to be back here. Vicious cycle, I know. 

 

Other than this huge decision weighing on me, I’ve been just working, reading, and trying not to freeze. It was ridiculously cold for the last few weeks (I’m talking 12-18 degrees F during the day), but thankfully, it’s back up to the 40’s and walking to the grocery store isn’t such an impossible feat.  I’ve been getting some socializing in too. Last weekend, I went over to Claude and his wife’s house for dinner. Dinner was strictly cheese. You heard me right. 21 different kinds of cheese and 7 types of bread. It was madness. Delicious madness!!! Then, naturally, we had some samplings of Claude’s homemade liqueurs. Other socializing includes spending my Wednesdays in St Quentin with Justine. We generally go to our favorite thrift store (my best finds include a pair of raybans for a euro and doc martins for six euros) then have a goûter. Funny story about those: when I first got here, I found out that lunch is always at noon, and dinner is no earlier than 7. That was almost torture, and I didn’t understand how the French didn’t eat for seven hours, especially as a teacher, when you NEED the energy. Then, someone enlightened me about the goûter, which is a snack (usually a pastry or tart) eaten around four. One of my favorite things about France. 

Today was the Portes-Ouvertes (open house) for my lycée. That meant a very boring day. But, it was fun for me to hang out with the other professors. We even played a game where the other profs said a word and I had to guess whether it was masculine or feminine. That’s one of the hardest things for me in the French language, but I think I did pretty well and realized how big my vocabulary has gotten, which is really encouraging. 

well, I guess I wrote a lot more than I though, and I hope I didn’t bore you all to death!