So, Thursday went very well. Friday I woke up and was still sick, but got up and taught 5 classes anyway. Gave a test in my first class, drank some coffee/made lesson plans, and then went to Ballan-Mire. The copier was not working properly and would only copy one sheet at a time (ughhhhh). I got really hot in one of my classes and had to take me sweater off and the kids freaked out about my tattoos. (Mind you, I'm completely allowed to show them in French schools, I just haven't yet). The overall impression was that they think they are pretty. So, that's nice. That day was, in a word, just too much work, haha.

Friday, got home, went to happy hour (to kill the germs, of course) and had a little bit too much fun. David called me, told me that he is sick too, and then I don't really remember the rest of our conversation......haha. I did text him later explaining that red Orangina is delicious. Liz made us Chinese noodles for dinner and they were delicious.

Saturday I ran some errands etc. Then headed over to Krystal and Amelie's apartment for their house warming party. It was actually really really fun. Everyone played some music (they have a beautiful piano) and we sang along to Beatles songs with Julien, and I played some Dashboard, and it was awesome. I even got to meet someone who was an extra in New Moon. I'm going to watch it again soon to see if I can spot her! The Vouvray was flowing all night (which is officially my kryptonite here in France) and everyone amused themselves a lot.

Today I woke up and went to David's house as a surprise. We hung out and I got to meet his best friend Nico (who is really cool). Then we picked up Chelsea and went to Julien's for Sunday brunch around 2. It was delicious. We ate a potato torte kinda thing with salad and REALLY good red wine and apple tarte tatin. It was super fun and the language barrier was awesome. I wish Julien and David would become good friends. After lunch we came back here and watched Running with Scissors and now I'm about to do some lesson plans and get ready for bed.

The weather was very nice today. Very cold, but super sunny. When I was walking to Marche Plus nobody was on Rue Nationale and I felt like I owned the entire town. It was awesome. Saturday night the moon was really low and really really big (and full). It was quite the sight to see.

This is our last week of work before our February vacation. Everyone is going to London with Grace, but I'm staying in Tours (money reasons). I think I might pop up to Paris or something for a weekend or....I don't know. I'm hoping to get my tattoo over break too. Anyway, I'm sure I'll do something super awesome and luckily David will still be around. It should be a relaxing break if nothing else.

Always,
Amanda

So, remember how I was talking about that list of movies that I've seen? Well, since I'm stuck in bed and sick I thought I would update you with a bunch of the movies that I've seen in the past month or so.

Off of AFI's 100:
The Graduate
One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest
Annie Hall
American Graffiti
Saving Private Ryan
The Shawshank Redemption

Others:
Funny People
He's Just Not That Into You
300
American Beauty
Sideways
Snatch
Boogie Nights
Waking Life
Adventureland
New Moon
The Road
Where the Wild Things Are
Wristcutters: A Love Story
The Basketball Diaries
Into the Wild

And those are just the movies that this was my first time watching them. I would have to say that my favorites at the moment are Adventureland (which I am currently rewatching), New Moon (obvi), American Beauty, and Annie Hall. My least favorites have been Snatch, American Graffiti, and Waking Life. I would suggest that you watch Wristcutters: A Love Story and Adventureland. They were both unique and different than a lot that's out there right now.

I'll be sure to keep you updated on my movie watching experience (now that my twitter's gone). :)

Always,
Amanda

So, Sunday I really didn't end up doing anything. Certain people (who shall remain nameless) were being flaky...grrr... so nothing ended up happening. Monday I taught classes. Brought the guitar in again. Had an awesome time. Went to David's for dinner (curry pasta). Then Tuesday taught a class, taught David some English, hung out with Grace, then ate dinner at David's (sandwiches). Wednesday I taught an atelier for adults who speak English. It was cool. I made a contact with a woman who lives in the country and would like me to come speak at her preschool. She even invited me to stay the night in her house and hang out with her family on a Sunday. This should all be happening sometime after April. I can't wait!

After the atelier I ran around and got ready for............The Moonjellies concert! We went to the concert at a place called "the drunk(en) boat". It was so fulfilling to go see live music (since that was pretty much my life this past summer). Emma's beau is the lead singer of the headlining band and they were............drumroll please......... SOOOOOOOOOOOOO good. So so so so good. Go check out their myspace. So good. They sing in English and awesomeness was to be had. We got home around 2 last night and I woke up at 6:30 to work, showered and got ready only to discover that I am sick. Head cold. ick. So, I called off work, did the dishes, mopped the floors, and am about to head back to bed.

I miss chicken noodle soup. And orange juice. Turns out my plan for last night (alcohol kills germs!!!) did not go as planned. Drinking beer, wine and cidre does not have the same curing effects as drinking screwdrivers. So.........sadness. Well, I think I'm going to turn on the lion king now and sleep.

Always,
Amanda

So, Thursday was by far the worst day I've had in France. I woke up at 6, waited at the bus stop for 20 minutes for a bus that never came, tried to contact my school to let them know I'd be late (of course, nobody was there yet), then caught the next bus, had to wait in Joue centre to change buses for 20 minutes, then finally got to school. I missed one of my classes, taught the other class, and then during break discovered that my next class was canceled because of a greve. Of course, the only bus back to Tours was 2 hours later, so I was stuck at the school doing nothing for 3 1/2 hours. After the huge break I taught 3 more classes and then the last class of the day the teacher was 15 minutes late coming back (even though she's not even supposed to leave). I thought I had/was going to miss my bus, so I ran out of the school and waited. Luckily my bus was running late too. Overall, not a good day at all.

Friday was fun because I took my guitar into class and taught the children "This Land is Your Land" which I believe they enjoyed quite a bit. We didn't end up going to happy hour that night, but we did go out to dinner to an Italian restaurant. David came too and was being super grumpy because work didn't go well for him. He ordered himself a drink and me one too because he didn't feel like drinking alone (I'm okay with free drinks!). Then during dinner the rose guy came around and he bought all of us roses which was really sweet. Of course, spending time with the girls cheered him up and he enjoyed himself that night. The waiter at this restaurant actually lived in Toledo for a couple of years and was really nice to us. We will be going back. That night I went back with David and we hung out/watched TV and I ended up crashing there.

He woke me up in the morning (7 on a Saturday, ugghhhhhh) and left). I fell back asleep, then woke up and decided to be super nice and clean his living room and his kitchen. Then I hung out with Grace and we went to le Palais for coffee and watched Saving Private Ryan. Everybody eventually came home and we had a grand ole time watching tv shows, etc. And then everybody decided to go out, but broke Amanda decided to stay home and finish the previously mentioned movie. Overall it was quite the night.

Today it is beautiful outside (minus the rain) and I'm trying to think of something cool to do.

The end.

Always,
Amanda

So, yesterday I tutored David. We did the whole "missing words" from song lyrics for The Best Deceptions and Don't Stop Believin' (teehee), a few writing exercises, worked on hard to pronounce words such as bought/boat, and then he read a summary of Twilight that I wrote with questions. Finally, as the grand finale I made him talk to my dad for 2 minutes on the phone. It went very well. :) Overall, we studied for about 7 hours and I think he learned a lot. Then during the night we watched Twilight in preparation for tonight's viewing of NEW MOON at Studio Cinema! (are you excited? you should be!)

I have finished the itinerary for my father and sister's visit. Should be a good time. I keep imagining the first time I step foot in Avignon and exactly where I will walk and what I will see and...everything. I can't wait to get nostalgic.

I think today I'm going to make some calls and try to get in contact with people. It gets super disappointing when you call someone and can't talk to them. Also, it gets really annoying if you want to call 4 people and CAN talk to them all, but you end up recounting the same stories when all you want to hear about is how they are doing. It's hard. Perhaps I should just try to call one person a night or something, but, if I talk to one person I want to talk to everybody! Sigh, it's frustrating.

Overall, thanks to e-mail and facebook I think everybody's staying in touch pretty well. I feel like most of my friends have made a valiant effort to talk to me if only a sentence here and there.

Tomorrow is my hardest day of the week and Friday is my least favorite day of the week. Then it will be the weekend. and it will be glorious.

Here's your funny anecdote for the day:

Last night David and I were chilling on his couch talking about our plans for Wednesday. He was talking about what he wanted to eat for dinner, etc. (mind you this is all in French). Then I say, "Mais, David, il faut voir New Moon demain soir" and he said, "Mais, c'est pas grave. On va aller au bout de la Loire". I was confused for a bit and asked him wtf he was talking about. Turns out when I said "New Moon" he assumed I wanted to watch something in the sky (he just heard the word moon) and that it would not be a problem...we'd just go to the Loire. bwhahahahahahahaha!

Okay. In print that story is not that funny. But we laughed about it for at LEAST a half an hour. Good times. Good times.

Always,
Amanda

I'm sorry. Sigh. Epic blog fail. I started getting busy and stopped writing here, but I def. still had time to write........I just didn't.

So, I'm sorry, loyal readers. Sorry sorry sorry. So, quite a bit has happened since the last time I wrote, so let's get updated on my life!

1. David is now my bff and we hang out all the time and go on adventures. He has decided that he will be coming back to the US with me to visit it for the first time. (quite the souvenir, eh?). I know that you're making an ass out of u and me right now....so don't.

2. Krystal doesn't hang around much anymore. She fell in love with a frenchie, they moved into an apartment together, and we don't see her so much.

3. Christmas! Christmas was good. Emma got me a coffee maker and David went halfsies on me for a guitar. Still no word on any family Christmas presents (grumble).

4. AJ came and went. Paris was breathtaking and impossible to describe. Have also visited La Baule (longest sand beach in Europe), Chenonceau (chateau), Chinon, Azay-le-Rideau, and probably other places (you should go google those)

Right now things are going very well. Back teaching (animals/food right now). Super awesomeness.

I promise, promise, promise to update more.....so just hang tight with me!

Always,
Amanda