Chapter 44: V+EHH=BFF

nerd blog post #49

My students were looking really tired on Wednesday morning, and dragging their feet more than usual. I asked what was up, and they told me they had stayed up to see the results of the elections. People are really pumped for Obama over here, and I heard of many people who waited up until it was announced at 7am. I was anxious to hear too, but set my alarm for early morning and watched his speech on my lappy486.

Wednesday afternoon at 2pm, I was to meet Hossoen and go to his house. When I arrived at the kebab stand, he told me he had to work, but that I was to go, by bus, with his son. His son, Shahein, works at the kebab stand and is nineteen years old. I know him, but we're not pals like Hossoen and I. So we take this bus that goes out of Rennes and to a small suburb called Saint-Gregoire. While on the bus, I started thinking about how weird it all was.. Strange that I'm friends with this guy's fifty year old dad. Strange that now I'm going to meet his wife. I wondered if I would hate me if I was the wife.. I wondered if I should have been friends with Shahein instead.. But it was kind of too late to turn back.

Arriving at the house, Veronique welcomed me with open arms. She gave me bisous (two cheek kiss) when I entered. She made me coffee and offered me delicious chocolate muffins. Their house is lovely. They have three sons and a golden retriever. Veronique was SO kind to me. We just sat and chatted for hours. She loves crafts. She does all sorts of crafts. She has no daughters. And so now V and I are going to be pals, too. She only works mornings. Next week, we're going to a store so we can buy wool. I'ma knit a scarf. I did one before and I'ma do another one. She asked what other crafts I like. I said making jam. I've never done that before, but I would like to eat that. My fave crafts are the edible ones. She makes miniatures. Small doll houses, Christmas ornaments, jar decorating.. She's good at it. She speaks five languages - English, French, Italian, German, and Persian. We spoke French, though. I don't have a lot of lady friends. I felt a bit like Anne of Green Gables and Mirilla. But in a good way. It was sort of like I was in a play and had to act proper for this nice lady. I'll probably set her house on fire making apricot jam.. That will be the end of that play.

As for the job, she actually teaches at a private "college." This is sort of middle school. Ages eleven to fourteen. She said she would pass my name along to the principal and tell him about me. She thinks it will work out. Which is great! Still not sure what I'd be doing exactly, but I'm happy to keep busy. She also said that next term she teaches two weeks on Canada, and wondered if I'd go in to her class. No, I said. I'm not proud of being Canadian at all. Juuuust kidding! I was obviously excited and planned my red and white outfit in my head.

That evening, I had the theatre group thing. I had about twenty students from 6-8pm, and then a whopping thirty-five from 8-10pm. It went well. I wasn't sure what to do, and haven't really done anything like this before, but I had a lot of fun. We did some warm-ups and exercises, I taught some basic theories, and we played some games. Next week, we'll do some text-based stuff. It was an interesting mixture of French and English that was spoken. My fear is that it will grow beyond what I can handle.. I'm thinking of extending it to six hours, and having three groups. But we'll see.

Yesterday I taught and did some errands in the day. At 7pm, I headed to Merrill's for a party entitled Obamarama. At first, it was just Cynthia, Merrill and I. Merrill had bought champagne and we brought some snackies. A little later, some French friends who live in her building came over. Then there were close to twelve of us. I love how French people party. They barge in, cigarettes in mouth, guitars in hand. Merrill doesn't smoke, but the invasion didn't seem to notice or care. We sang French songs and played cards. It was a lot of fun. Later, we went to a bar near Thirsty Street where I had promised some friends I would end up. I met Brock (my Isabella friend) there, and two of my students and their friends. Every Thursday night at this bar is the Soiree Anglaise. If you prove (by talking) that you're a native English speaker, you get your first drink free and your second and third at half price. Great deal.

Today, Cynthia's friends are coming to visit Rennes for the week-end. She's teaching, so I'll go and pick them up from the train station. I have some other things to get done as well. Doctor and I are starting to plan our Christmas break. He is (obviously) way ahead of me on the research-train, so I want to get going on that.. These next few weeks will be good ones. Visitors this week-end. I love visitors. Next week-end, to Paris. American Thanksgiving should be great too. Benito, the Chilean train friend from last week, is coming to visit. A German clown may also come from Paris. Visitors are exciting.

And so, happy Friday. I hope you are all well. Much love to Canada.

Signing off,
Hincks.