This morning I woke up early so I could be ready to go to school at 8:20am. After a small breakfast, Margot and I walked the 100m to school. I spent the first 45 minutes watching the 10-11yr-olds in their PE class. They are training for a race, so they were required to run around the schoolyard (a specific distance) as many times as possible in 3 minutes. They then had a 45 sec break before they did it again for 3 mins. This happened three times before they switched with their partner, who was sitting on the side counting their laps. Pretty good work out! And everyone ran the whole time, even if they were going slowly—no one complained or tried to sit out. I’m not sure if that’s normal in the US…
At 9:15am I headed to the bank with Bruno to set up my account—that worked out (thank goodness), but unfortunately the phone I’d brought needed a new SIM card. Due to the fact that it hadn’t been used since the last time I was in France (2.5 yrs ago), the number had been re-assigned and I’d need to go to the next town over to get a new SIM card. Ugh. We decided that it would be easier to just set up a different account through the bank (which is right in town, not somewhere else), so I returned to the bank to figure that out. It took a long time to get it sorted, but the new SIM card will arrive on Thursday and then I will be able to use my phone. (30 mins/month for 10€)
The front door of the school is locked during lunchtime, so I was unable to get back in when I’d finished my bank adventures. So, I returned to the house and rested for a bit before taking a little stroll through town. Everything (even the grocery stores and boulangeries) is closed from 12-1:30pm at the very least. It can be inconvenient, but it’s awesome that everyone takes the time to eat a good lunch and have a rest. C’est belle, la sieste! ;)
I sat in on Margot’s class (another group of 10-11yr olds) all afternoon while they did their French grammar, Reading, and Poetry recitation. I don’t recall ever having to memorize and recite poems during elementary school! But it was pretty cute to see them each stand up and (nervously) say the poem. I’d forgotten how incredibly cute and funny little kids are. Just sitting in the corner watching them…..a little blonde girl, staring vaguely at the teacher while using the end of a pencil to twist the skin in her armpit, a little boy in the front who seems to be unable to keep his stuff off the floor (no matter how often the teacher nags him), another little boy who had to ask when my birthday was so that I would return the question and he could tell me that his was next Monday, the same boy who, later on when the teacher was out of the room, came over to show me how he could put his foot behind his head (and could I do that??), which sparked three more kids sitting on the floor in front of me, showing off their various flexibility skills…etc.
After school, I had tea with Catherine and Margot (who doesn’t drink tea, but ate her snack outside with us) and talked a little in English so Catherine could practice before work. When she left, I headed upstairs where I promptly ended up sprawled across my bed, asleep. It was a lovely 45-minute nap (which could have been longer), but I decided to try out the backyard swimming pool. Unfortunately it was already 6:30pm, so the air was cooling down. I only stayed in for 5 minutes before deciding that I’d rather swim on a hot afternoon. I went running instead (wowing Margot with my “5-fingers” running shoes) and, since I haven’t been shown the woods, ran through the town. At the very end of the run, I found some woods…but I was too tired to go very far. Next time I’ll head there directly!
We had a big dinner of pasta with homemade gorgonzola sauce—I was absolutely stuffed by the end! Once dinner was cleaned up, Catherine and Ralf started trying to figure out the problem with the internet (it stopped working this morning) and Margot invited me to come up to her room. She then produced a game which had been made by her German grandfather (involving a large wooden box and a bunch of pegs), which we played several times. I got out my cards and we exchanged card tricks for a while. She was very impressed with my shuffling skills. ;) I also taught her “speed,” which she loved. We hung out for at least an hour, playing games and eventually just talking about anything and everything. She’s a cute kid—she sorta reminds me of a 10-yr-old Ramona Quimby (in both looks and personality). At school she is constantly running around and normally plays sports with the boys. I think I’m going to get along well with her.
As I was getting ready for bed, Catherine came in to say goodnight and ended up hanging out, reading my day-to-day Zits comics. It’s kind-of nice that she understands English (and lived in Ireland and England for a while) because she can identify better with the stories I tell her. She’s excited for me to make pancakes this weekend, whereas the others aren’t sure if they really like them…
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