Language Assistant in the Dordogne

just realised, looking back, that it was exactly a year ago yesterday (20th June) that I found out I was going to be in Perigueux!

Had a really nice last day, it was suuuuper hot. Was at school (Davesne) for a lot of it. Did my lessons, listened to the choir rehearse for their concert on Tuesday (they're doing "Hello Goodbye" which I taught them, sounded great) and did this little instrument visit thing with them which was cool. Was sad to say goodbye to the kids, Muriel etc. Got some more lovely pictures, notes etc. Then had a manic few hours doing major clean of appartment...am never moving house. Then the evening was great, we got pizzas and wine and sat outside on Cecile's terrace, was soooo good. Then Molly, Louise and I headed to the icecream shop and got there like 1 minute before they closed the doors at 11pm. :-) It was like still 20degrees then, just wearing a dress, made me tres happy. But also sad; the girls are gonna pop round today so still havent properly said goodbye but Molly gave me a sweet card and an early birthday present...Country music, hahaha, love it.

So yeah, livebox back, see Molly, hoover floors, Bernard and Lou come round and then, I guess, I will be on my way home.

What an amazing year.

Had a really nice last day at Zola school. The kids were good and enjoyed the quizzes we did and little cards and gifts and stuff I had for them. My CE1s that I have first thing are adorable...tiny little things, as I was leaving at the end of the day they all came out to the playground and were like hanging on to me all saying goodbye, we'll miss you and stuff. And singing the goodbye song to me from the gate. Was soooo cute. Was emotional at that point! The teachers were nice too...they gave me a nice card thanking me for my work and kindness and a necklace and bracelet. And Sylvie's class gave me a bilingual book of Perigordian recipes which is lovely, a class photo and lots of little pictures and messages and stuff from the children; one girl who had never really seemed to enjoy my lessons much (but had never really been disruptive on the other hand) wrote this really funny little thing about my smile and eyes and stuff! Bless her!

The weather is finall GORGEOUS. Properly hot and lovely. Met Lou and Molly in the middle of tidying etc and had a glass of wine in the sunshine.

Wednesday

Had to get up this morning :-( . Went and did last recording thingy for JPP with Molly and Lou...he's so funny, had a new microphone (which looked like a UFO, "OVNI") so that was exciting! he he! Then came back and had a really productive few hours...cleared the legendary stack of bottles frm the kitchen (the whole year's collection!). Packed up a lot of my clothes, and sorted out what I had left in my kitchen and bathroom. So basically all ready to start being cleaned etc now. Called the water company as I'm still waiting for a reimboursement cheque from them, and Orange haven't sent me the stuff for the Livebox but apparently I can just take it into the shop. This afternoon Helen and Sarah came in from Bergerac and we all sat in the sun together for a few hours. Was lovely to see them but sa to say goodbye. Also popped round to Cecile's and said goodbye to her. The goodbyes are hard...but I dunno in some ways not as bad as I imagined, I guess because I do think I'll be back here and more and more, now I know I'm going home, I'm feeling ready. Although not when I hear what the weather's like... :-(

I think Molly and Lou are coming round for a film in bit. Now, saying goodbye to them, that really will be difficult...

Monday:

School was annoying. Kids were fine...pretty good actually, but it ended up being a messed up day because when I first arrived the teachers told me it as actually going to be my last lesson with 3 of my classes (not the penultimate). I was kinda angry cause I had all this stuff for the last lesson...didn't want the kids to miss out so I crammed all of that into one lesson. To be told, at the end of the day, that they will be there on Thursday! So now I've had to come up with a different plan for that.The day was made just a tiny bit bet because the nice secretary who works there decided randomly that we should all have an aperitif at lunchtime! I did my last private lesson with Anais which went well, and then started a bit of packing in the evening but was kinda tired.

Tuesday:

Fun morning at school. Did the "culture box" from England with my older classes which was fun and my younger class is making an English dictionary of all the words we've learnt this year. Oh and I gave out their little "dossiers" of work which I've put together for them...and they were really pleased and excited, and actually silent for like 5 minutes looking through them. I also got my first leaving present from the kids because they thought it was my last day, 3 of the girls in CM1-CM2 preseted me with a great big bright poster they'd made with little messages etc on. At lunchtime the teachers at this school (I guess there were 10 or so of us all together) did a little leaving meal for me. They were all soooo sweet, had brought in little traditional French dishes each, plus loads of cheese, wine, cake etc....was soooo good. They're a really nice team there actually...think I'd quite like working there properly. They were sooo funny at lunch, just didn't stop chatting. One teacher who I won't see again said that I've got what it takes to be a good teacher, can actually make the kids learn, and another whose class I don't even teach said what great things she'd heard about me! so, hurrah! Was planning on more packing in the afternoon, but by the time I'd hada little siesta and got some school stuff ready for last 8 lessons it was time to go out for another French meal at Muriel's with her, Nicolas and Maya. Was really nice. Really felt like I was with friends, and they gave me a lovely book about Perigueux and have invited me back there anytime. Was a bit of a struggle to get through another 3 course meal though!

Wednesday now and trying to seriously get some packng/tidying/cleaning done. So more soon.