Children, children everywhere!

I've worked for a little while now so I can give you an idea of how it's going. I like the other teachers at the school and the Spanish assistant is really nice. I don't know about this whole 'teaching children' idea, though. It's strange that I have 2nd, 4th and 5th grade but not 3rd, and the difference between the two groups is remarkable. The smallest ones are my favorites because they are more worried about impressing me than their classmates. So far, I've accumulated 5 drawings and one bead. I must say I'll take that over the presents from the cats any day.

The older ones are far more of a challenge. Not only do I have more of them at a time, but they really like to assert themselves in really stupid ways. I won't explain but I'm sure you can imagine.

In one of my classes, I have a young boy from Moldova who arrived here two weeks ago after having lived in Portugal for a while. So he speaks Moldovan fluently, Portugese fairly well, a few full sentences of English, and no French. He's picked up a few words but he's not capable of making full sentences yet. He likes to make his classmates laugh by acting out a lot so despite the fact that he can't really talk to his classmates, he seems to be fitting in well. Let's just say he's hard to know what to do with.

So far at the middle school I had been more of a passive observer than a teacher because the school hadn't bothered to get me a classroom where I could take half the class. But, the other day, the inspector came by to make sure Karen and I were working our full 12 contractual hours, and he saw to it that I would have a classroom for the following day. He was far more effective than my or the teacher's attempts to get them to give me a classroom! Also, I have been assigned another school because the inspector discovered that I only had 10 and 1/2 hours of classes. So, I have to go teach a 4th grade class twice a week across town. I don't really have a right to complain but that doesn't change the fact that I'm grumpy about it. And I got a better deal than the Spanish assistant. She only had 6 hours of work, so she also has to go to another school, not the same as mine where I could give her a ride, but a school even farther away. And even with this other school's hours, it doesn't add up to 12, so she will now have to (or get to, depending on your perspective) spend time with the gym teacher and teach kids to play sports in Spanish.

Fortunately after working almost a whole month three days a week/four hours per day, I finally get a well deserved vacation. Yep, it's Halloween break! I've been taking advantage of my extra free time by making travel arrangements for Uncle Allen and cousin Lauren. I've met all the inn keepers in the neighborhood and I now have a few that I can confindently recommend. I can't wait to have the visitors! However, it must be noted that others wanting to come visit will have accomadations with Laurent and I if you so choose. This is an enthusiastic reminder to all friends and family that I would love to host you here!!!

I recently signed up with the music school in Tarnos, not as a teacher but as a student. I'm taking private voice and piano lessons. I was a little nervous to tell Laurent how much it cost, but his reacation was actually extremely positive. He figures he can now spend the same amount on skiing this winter and I won't be able to give him a guilt trip about it. It works, I guess!