Week 2.5 Update!

I kept trying to wait until what felt like my first normal day or week of school, at least some semblance of routine, to talk about what it's like to be a language assistant. It doesn't seem like any routine will be happening for a while though, so I might as well let you all know what's going on. Because of the A/B week schedule I was still doing introductions in class last week, as well as some real classes as well. Most classes went well, with teachers telling what what they had in mind. Other classes were canceled (strikes- surprise! and a class trip to Spain for some students) and others were more difficult. I had one class where I came in expecting to get something from the teacher so I knew what to cover in the hour. However, she just gave me a group of about 8 students and left me to it. It can be difficult keeping all the different classes straight, and knowing what each class needs since I don't really understand the french grade levels yet.

The way out, there's a big set of gates, though they might be hard to see in this photo. I have a set of skeleton keys to them.

The view if you turn around form the last photo. Directly ahead is building A, where most of my class are. I live to the right in building D.

I'm missing class on Monday as well, it's the English language assistants' “Orientation” in Caen. This works out quite well for me as Monday would have been 6 hours of class (half my week!). I only have about 3 classes Tuesday and one on Thursday.

With all this free time I decided I needed something more to do.My almost daily trips to the grocery store were ok too, but the path to the store isn't the prettiest. I had already gotten a library card earlier in the week, and it's not that big of a library.

So, what else do I like to do?- Swim. David had shown me where the pool was on the way back from Agon-Coutainville last week. It's only about a half mile from the Lycee, not that far at all. I headed down there twice, the first time it was closed, the other they said the swim coach wasn't there. I sent off an email to the swim coach letting him know I am 22 and looking for swim team. The adults swim team has a lower age limit of 25, so I wasn't sure if I'd be allowed to join that. The response I got was “Come by the pool Saturday between 1-3, and we'll see how you swim.” After the last four years knowing various swimmer's on K College's team I was worried that I was not at all what they were looking for. I had some difficulties trying to figure out where I was even supposed to enter the pool, and some help from an old french man I was finally there. David (the swim coach, not my mentor at the school) was really kind and basically had me do some laps of different strokes and some different exercises to see my technique. He totally called me out on my crazy breaststroke legs- hahaha. At the end of all of this he said

“Are you free Wenesdays and Saturdays from 2-3?

Yes.

Ok, you're on the team”

I'm not really sure what team though. I don't think it's the adult team- but at the beginning I did ask if there were people my age to which he said yes.... so I guess in time we'll see. The other downside is that it's rather expensive; 155 Euro for the pool pass, swim team suit, shirt and swim cap (it's a package deal, you have to get it all.) I guess this means I'll be competing, though I wasn't given a schedule or anything like that. We'll see how it all turns out, there are no practices during vacations which is good but I'll also have to be staying around Coutances a bit more on the weekends.

Not too much to update about, just falling into everyday life in Coutances.