Sometimes I feel like going to Sylvana and Amanda’s is like running the gauntlet. First, the metro line that I connect to is usually jam packed. So I have to shove myself into a full car. Then, I walk up a little bit of a hill, and then I have to pass through the guys trying to get me to buy a friendship bracelet. Once I have successfully broken through that bunch, I have my option. I can either cram into the funicular with 34 sweaty and smelly tourists, or climb 222 stairs (yes, I have counted). The next stretch is another little bit of walking up a hill, and then breaking through the line of people who want to draw my caricature. When I get to the door, there is a small set of stairs to climb, and finally I have made it. My reward is French TV and wine.

This has been an odd week. The kids started their Toussaint vacation on Wednesday, so I only had to teach Monday and Tuesday morning. I only had each class once this week. I went over Halloween with them. Halloween isn’t that big of a deal here is France, but the kids were really excited to learn about it.

Toussaint is All Saint’s Day, November 1st. It is where Halloween came from (All Hallow’s Eve). It is a national holiday in France, and the schools take a week and a half off to celebrate. Unfortunately, not the Universities. They only take the one day off. One day is better than nothing though.

And I found out, cursive is mandated in the elementary schools. All of the children have to write in cursive. So of course, the directrice (directrice is the word the French use for Principal) wants me to use cursive whenever I write anything. First of all, I barely write in cursive. It’s easier for me to write in printing, plus I think it is easier for other people to read. I happen to like my writing. Secondly, do you think French cursive is the same as American cursive? Of course not. So after spending my last class on Tuesday being constantly corrected by the directrice (she is my last class on Tuesdays, she is a teacher on top of being in charge of the school), she gave me a book that has all of the French cursive in it. I get to practice it during my “vacation”. Great, I feel like I am in elementary school now too.

Last week, in my oral class, the girl from Mexico presented her country. Keep in mind that my French speaking class is composed of only non-French people. There are 6 Californians in my class, and the rest are Europeans. The 6 of us were just drooling when she was talking about Mexican food. I am not sure anyone else understood. They were looking at us like we were crazy. We were looking at them like they didn’t know what they were missing out on. We were asking if she found any good Mexican restaurants here, and she said she found one, but she forgot what it was called. We made her promise to tell us next week.

And this week, I made the best discovery yet. I discovered the Monoprix by my apartment. Think of Target mixed with Vons. And that big too. I felt like I discovered Christmas. It’s funny how excited I got as I was walking through the store. So much variety of food. (I guess it is important to explain that the markets I have been shopping mostly in two markets. One is smaller than an average 7-11, and one is about the size of a produce section in a typical Californian grocery store. ) I have choices. I don’t know if I can explain my euphoria without sounding like a complete nutcase.

I’m supposed to get my first paycheck this coming week. It’s an interesting situation, because normally people don’t get paid at the end of October, but they give us the choice of getting most of our money advanced to us. I got all of the proper paperwork taken care of. But the way things have gone up to this point, I am kind of expecting it to not be there. Keep your fingers crossed for me.