Early Mornings

I just finished up with my first week of assisting English classes. Thank you to everyone that gave me some suggestions on how to deal with my students. They all were very useful, but I still have six more months with these kids so if any more ideas pop into your head don't hesitate to let me know. Anyway classes are starting to get a little better as well. Teachers have made a point that the students are really enjoying the opportunity to talk with a native English speaker, and even the kids who normally never say a word, are posing questions. The most difficult aspect of this last week was getting to school on time. I have not officially been "late" yet for the shear reasoning that classes rarely start when scheduled. Thursday and Friday mornings I am obliged to be ready for class at 8am. This requires waking up at 6am, something I have not done since high school. Looking back now at all the problems and issues I had with school at OPRF, I would argue that most could have been totally avoided if only class started at 10am, and I had a 2 hour lunch period.

I am not a morning person, and today it almost made me late for real. I jumped out of bed at about 6:50am (after turning the alarm off at 6:15am) needing to leave the house by 7am to have ample time in case there were issues with transportation. Luckily I have mastered the art of getting up and out in no time flat. However, I did not anticipate how terribly unorganized, busy and violent the Lille metro gets if you arrive after 7:30am to Gare Lille-Flandres. Not understanding the metro's insane rituals I figured I had time to grab a croissant and a café as I transferred from the tram to the metro. However necessary the café was to keep me from totally collapsing on the train, it was a bad idea to stop. By the time I got from the little patisserie/café to the doors of the metro, the number of people in the station had more than doubled. As well there were already so many people on the trains that only a select few at the front of the lines who were quick enough, and pushed hard enough made it on. I say quick enough because the metro, for one, is completely operated electronically. There is no driver at the front making sure people don't get themselves caught in the doors. Instead there is a buzzer that goes off and a split second later the doors slam shut. An old lady in front of me was almost crushed when she lunged at the last second only barely slipping through, but getting slammed by two sets of doors in the process.

During my wait I was able take a couple sips from my double espresso, and as the 4th train past with out me aboard, I was determined not to be held off the next. One problem was the French are very skilled/slick/sneaky when it comes to getting on the trains, and know exactly the right angle to take to avoid the passengers getting off. As the next trains lights could be seen in the distance down the tunnel everyone started crowding together and trying to slide past me to get better position. For those of you who haven't seen me in a while I will remind you, I am ~6'1" and 225lbs, I've got the average Frenchman by a good 30-40lbs and 4 or 5 inches, so this time no one was getting past. The previous attempts I was too tired to ensure my boarding, and was overtaken by the most sneaky and slick of the travellers. Not this time, I was starting to wake up. I stood my ground, pushed back against those doing the pushing, and while checking to make sure no one had stolen my wallet, I stepped through the double set of doors and on the train. I was not aware, though, of the immense wall of people I was actually holding back because as soon as I made it on, and let my guard down for a split second, I was smashed up against the other passengers as 15 or so more people crammed their way on. There would have been another 3 or 4 but I'm pretty sure they were sliced in half or had their limbs broken by the closing doors. And I thought the Greenline at rush-hour was bad, what a trip!

This being my second week roaming the halls of Lycée Baggio, I am starting to feel much more like a part of the faculty. I recognize other teachers and students in the halls, and I've finally begun to get around without having to look at each passing classroom number to find my destination. I've also noticed that I am being recognized around the school as "l'Americain." I hear it whispered as I pass, or students say "hello" instead of "bonjour," and word apparently travels fast because I am getting this from students that I have not taught or met. I even heard one girl as I walked past remark, more to her friend than to me, "I vould like...eat...a kebab wif you...baby." It was hilarious.

Aside from the students being welcoming and eager to speak, everyone at Baggio has really been amazing and helpful. I have already made some friends with the other English teachers, (they are throwing a little fête after the upcoming fall break, in my honor) and the security guards at the front gates (so I'm no longer given the 3rd degree when I try to enter school grounds at unusual times). As an "ice breaker" for two of my classes I was given a tour of some of the technical facilities in Baggio like the printing workshop, and engineering/mechanical fabrication areas by some students to get them to explain what it is they are actually studying for in English. Teachers remind me now and then to keep a relatively professional relationship with the students, but many of them are 21, 22 and 23 years old, and are constantly talking about the good bars and fun things to do in Lille. They also mention taking Kathryn and I to these places so they can "practice their English and we can practice our French." Of course I would never do anything to jeopardize my teaching position, or damage my reputation with the students, but an insider tour of the city sites and attractions is very high on my list of things to do here. I am looking forward to it.

Right now Kathryn is at another day of training on how to deal with out-of-control seven and eight year olds. Hers are not ordinary O.C. seven and eight year olds either because she is in the ghetto, and has already been told whose parents are drug addicts (about 50% of the class) and which students are always "doing well" in case their parents ask, to make sure they're not badly beaten. Again any advice would be helpful as we have zero experience on how to calm down kids (only how to incite them). Also look for her upcoming addition to the blog as she begins her first days of teaching next week. They should be very interesting.

Á Bientôt,

Jor