My work is finished...

...but my time in France is not!

Yesterday was my final day of work at the high school, and also the final performance of the play I was in with the high school. It was called "Le Spectacle Continu(e)" and translates mostly into exactly what you think it does. It was about dead musicians in a train. Most of them were French or very old (Mozart, Gainsbourg, Edith Piaf), but there were also some Americans (Ray, Louis Armstrong) and I played Billie Holiday. I didn't have many lines, but the ones I did was Billie speaking in poor French/ English combinations for comical effect. I also played oboe in the band.

I've really loved teaching--the people I work with and the students, too. In the beginning it was slightly more difficult, but the more French I learned made communicating and translating easier. With some of the older students I began having friendly relationships outside of class (usually in French, except for the exceptional excellent English student). It made it easier that my fellow teachers really helped involve me in projects outside of class, like going to plays, and also visiting the French equivilent of the House of Representatives. I met the former Prime Minister and Speaker of the House, Laurent Fabius, who was also a potential presidential candidate for the Socialist Party, but was beat by Segolene Royale, hopefully you've heard of her.

Anyway, this is just me being a little sentimental and nostalgic about my work being over...but now vacation is starting and I can't complain! Here's a picture of Fabius and me looking a little too happy.