One year later...

It's been about a year since I posted. I am impressed with myself, I guess? Not really, it's more that I didn't always have things to say and, to be honest, when I'm happy, I don't blog. I'm blogging again now because a lot of stuff has gone down this year and it has pretty much all been very negative. I've been writing in a journal when I feel like it all needs to get out, but I do miss the blogosphere and the ability to share things with the thought that we're all here to support each other and maybe what I say could somehow help someone else who is going through or has gone through a similar situation. I won't get into everything, but I can share a bit of what I've been going through.

The first semester of the school year was very difficult with the loss of a colleague, school admin that often don't have the best intentions, my status here up in the air and a promotion that never was. But, with the change of the year, I always have a feeling of a fresh start and my heart becomes filled with hope for better things. This was especially the case this year more than most other years. Well, on the job front, things definitely did NOT get better which seriously affected other areas of my life. Then, The Chef and I got a puppy which was a totally unexpected and joyous event that ended tragically when he came down with a very aggressive disease called Parvo. We took him to the vet to get hooked up to an IV on a Friday because he was very weak as he wasn't keeping anything down. Monday afternoon, the vet called The Chef and I told him not to tell me anything until I finished the work day because I knew I wouldn't be able to hold back my emotions if he didn't make it. So he picked me up from school and I could tell right away what had happened although I so didn't want it to be true. He didn't make it. My heart split into a million pieces. Poor little pup. We didn't have him a long time, but as an animal lover, I got very attached very quickly. He was a really sweet dog, basically the most awesome puppy ever.

After that, I found out that someone that is very dear to me has cancer. That was a huge shock and I couldn't even wrap my head around it with everything else that happened. I guess I tried not to obsess over it too much to avoid just completely breaking down. But, the fear of losing that person ate me up alive and though I didn't necessarily analyze this information like I normally would, it was ALWAYS in the back of my mind.

When I thought things couldn't possibly get any worse, The Chef tells me he's having doubts and has been thinking about this for the past two months. I'm sorry, what now? We decide to take a break for a week and he goes to stay with his brother. We meet up a week later and he tells me he's now sure that things aren't working for him and he's not happy. It's the kind of split where nothing happened, no one "did" anything, but it's just not right. Except that it was a total surprise to me and I thought I at least had him in my life still and could count on him to help me get through everything that was weighing me down. Not the case.

It's been a month since the break-up and I was doing OK, but I'm starting to feel really horrible again. I don't know if it's going back to work(I was on vaca the past two weeks) which just reminds me of all the problems at work, the fact that The Chef finally moved out all his stuff a week ago which reminds me of the break-up and feeling alone, seeing a good friend come and go or a mix of all these things and more. I think it's the latter. Plus, I just feel so unsupported by certain people which is a really hard pill to swallow. Thank goodness for those friends who have been so supportive that I feel so lucky, however it seems to just point out more those who haven't been very supportive at all.

I just feel that it's a lot of things for one person to deal with at once. It's hard to stay positive and I know time is what I need, but I just so want to not feel this way anymore. I'm looking forward to the day that I can look back and be OK and I know that day will come, but I'm seriously willing the time to go by...and fast.

To not end things on a completely bad note, I will tell you that I somehow magically got my French permis de conduire by exchange. I was technically about 6 weeks late past my first permanent CDS, but something had to give for Pete's sake and I got it in the mail...4 months after I asked for it, but whatev, I got it! Another positive thing was that after doing lots of research and trips to the Dreaded Prefecture, I think that I will be able to renew my CDS Salarie without having my employer go through the Labor Dept which is exactly what I need and want to happen. Now they just have to offer me a job...on verra for that. Lastly, the person who has cancer had surgery just yesterday that is very essential to a cure. I do have hope and everything should be OK, but you just never know. So voila, just wanted to get that all out there.

Meowdy y'all!

Wow, so I've posted 5 whole times so far this school year. Yikers. Where to even begin? I think my last post was during vacances if I remember correctly, vacances during which I did a whole lotta nada. I did go to Paris the first weekend, but the rest of the time was spent with the kitties and the copain(will get to this eventually.) It was basically R&R time that was really necessary after a speedy Christmas hols which didn't even feel like vaca because of running around seeing people and being sick and all the general holiday craziness. I do have to admit I got a bit stir crazy by the end this time what with the French friends working and many of the Anglos gone, but I didn't have the sous even if I did want to go somewhere. Hopefully April will be a different story and if not, I have travel plans swirling around in my head that need to eventually get set in stone. Maybe a weekend in England this Spring? Maybe a reunion in the south of France in July? Paris for Ep. 333 in April? My English friend in the states chez moi and visiting our other Rennes buddies elsewhere in the states this Summer? There's definitely some sure-ishness somewhere in all those plans. I also plan on renting some terrain with a salle de fete to fete my anniversaire in April which a friend of mine did last year to fete her 30 ans and we had a blast. I'll be co-feteing my anniv as the copers' bday is just 4 days before mine and he is turning the big 3-0. Anyways, there is exciting stuff to look forward to and time is a-flyin as usual and April will be here before I can say supercalifragi...

In other news, I have indeed...joined a book club. Thought I was going to say something else, now did you? Well, this isn't new news persay as it's been going on since December. I haven't had time to read all the monthly books(I finished December's over Feb vaca for example), but I am enjoying the monthly get-togethers and reading on a (semi) regular basis. We've done Water For Elephants, We Need to Talk about Kevin(still need to read this one!), The Land of Green Plums(this one's started) and this month is Life of Pi which I have already read...thank goodness. A pretty great lineup and I've already started April's book which is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo which I've been wanting to read for a while now. I also have the second one in this series lined up as I joined France Loisir and got my first book for a discount so I chose that one knowing I'd be reading the first one for April. I hope its being in French doesn't ruin it for me. It's true the English version is a translation from Swedish, but still...I prefer French books that are originally in French. Petit rant, whatev. But yeah, I love reading, I really do and always have. I was totally that kid that stayed up late with my flashlight reading late into the night. I love books that you just.can't.put.down. Yay for reading...and nerdiness!

Lastly, as you have gathered by now, I am currently maquee, c'est a dire, avec boyfriend. It's relatively new aka 4 months this Sunday, so I'm still on my toes and getting used to the newness of the situation(ok, that just totally made me think of the Jersey Shore...am I the only one? Bueller?) Things are going well, but it is difficult sometimes considering that (insert nickname here) is a cuisteau and works many late nights and then is off in the afternoon when I'm generally working, well MTRF in any case. Luckily, as the season slows down ie it warms up outside (it's a savoyard resto), he works less and at the end of March, he will have two whole days off plus a half day(it used to be just two half days til January, people, that was roughhhh.) It is hard for him to get to know all my buds considering his schedule, but as I have had pas mal de soirees these past weekends with all the bdays, cremailleres and whatnot, he has gotten to know a few of my proches. So, we will all have to keep tuned to see what happens with the copers, but all is well for now! I will need to think of a nickname for the blizzog, but I don't think it should take too long as we all know how I love a good nickname. I actually have a few already, but I'd like to think of a different one for here. I'm thinking maybe something having to do with cooking or specifically cuisine savoyarde like Mr. Potato Head or something equally ridiculous. Ideas are welcome!

Besides that, the kitties are good. Still not yet cuddling in each others paws and no eskimo kisses as far as I can tell. To be honest, Owen is kinda douchey sometimes. Well, 50% douchey and 50% cuddley...ok maybe 40/60. I'd like to blame it on kittenhood, but kittenhood is quickly coming to an end as he will be 11 months in a few days. One day he will de-douchify, at least I can only hope so for now! Sienna at least gets a break at night when Owen goes in his panier to sleep. Ah, the kitties, gotta love em. Well, I think that's it for now, but it's been good talking! Talk soon(ish.)

SnOwen

Here is another kitteo for your viewing pleasure whilst I gather my thoughts in order to write a real post un de ces quatre. It has been snowing up the wazoo here in Rennes, that is to say, more than negative 1 times per year as it usually does. Kitten is intrigued by this phenomenon and I'm sure, if he could, would love to romp around in the snow like the dog that he was in a former life. Enjoy and a+, mes amis!

Meli-Melo of Ideas

I'm still vivante! I thought I might throw that out there to distract you from my absence, helas, I doubt it worked. I do have to say I definitely thought I would be blogging at least once a week for Pete's Sake, not once every 7 weeks!(It's been literally 7 weeks, I just went back and looked!) During vaca, for example, I was sick for part of it, but otherwise I had plenty of time on my hands that I clearly prefered to spend watching True Blood and going on FarmVille. I know part of the reason why I've been unmotivated to blog, but I can't blog about it here so then we start going around in circles. Yes, I realize that makes no sense to 99.9% of you(with me being the 0.1%.) Unfortunately, that's how it will have to stay for a while because this isn't a private blog and I don't really want to have to make it one either. Anyways, enough of me saying things that make no sense, what CAN I tell you? Well, to continue from my last post, I had my medical visit(no TB, woohoo!) and I went straight to the Dreaded Prefecture afterwards and got my recepisse with no probs(with the exception of thinking I didn't have to pay for the 70 euro timbres until I got my actual carte...oh well.) I can also tell you that as of 2 weeks ago, I am now the proud owner of a carte de sejour salariee...youpiiiii! So, I am now proof that it IS possible to work in France legally and not be a student, assistant, pacsee, married or go through a program that sponsors you...yay!

Next stop on the France train: citizenship! Ok, so I mayyy be getting a little ahead of myself here, but it's something I've been thinking about as the years roll on by. I am guaranteed a job at my skool until the end of the 2010-2011 school year which is also about when I would be eligible for citizenship, so we will have to see what happens with my job. So far, the two previous people before me have worked exactly 3 years which will be the case for me at the end of 2011, but I think the only 3 years thing was due to the fact that the job is not a CDI for now plus one girl went back to the states and the other passed her CAFEP-CAPES so she moved up to the college/lycee level. On verra, maybe I'll be working more in the International program next year than this year? I will very likely have 2 extra hours to fill again like this year and I won't necessarily be doing 8th grade grammar, plus the program is constantly changing and having more and more hours open up, so it really is a big ol' point d'interrogation. I wonder, though, if it really is necessary to have a CDI to get citizenship or if anyone has ever done it with a CDD. Like I said, I really am getting ahead of myself.

For now I need to focus on the present which is easier said than done because the future sounds far more exciting. Christmas with my fam, New Years with my university friends that I haven't seen in ages and are the funniest group of nutters I know, a weekend trip to Nantes in Jan or Feb with my former roomie to visit our other former roomie who is such a positive, funny dude, the K&K infamous Episode 333!!!, a reunion in the south of France in May with my friends from Rennes 04-05 who are some of my very favorite people and then possibly this summer my lovely English friend from Rennes who has sinced moved back home coming to visit in the states. I just reread that and got re-excited! My current life of couilles-less kittens, colds that won't quit and online TV just somehow doesn't inspire me as much, ha! Not really, I mean, I have managed to do some intersting and fun stuff like meet a bunch of new people, make French people celebrate Halloween, see a Flashmob MJ tribute and sing 3 songs at Karaoke(whilst sick, I must add!), host a couchsurfer for a few days during vaca, go to the Salon des gourmets to taste and drink some yummy bits and host my own mini Diner Presque Parfait. I think my prob is that I just need some sort of creative outlet, like singing, dancing or cooking classes. These are all things I love and I like to do them on my own time, but it would be nice to go to an actual class rather than me singing and busting a move as I prepare my own dinner in my kitchen that equals not the same thing. Plus, I'm a creature of habit and I like having regular weekly/bi-weekly or monthly plans. I'm not making cards regularly either anymore(only when I go home and go to classes) and I just don't find it as enjoyable by myself. While we're throwing things out there, I should get back into running too...yikes, one thing at a time, of course. Now that I've thrown my year plans out there for you all, I'll let you contemplate what your own plans are and enjoy a kitten video aka a kitteo if you prefer. A la prochaine!(hopefully less than 7 weeks this time!!)

Tarte de Mesjours Update

As I mentioned last time, I was eagerly awaiting notification of my visite medicale and worried that, because this is CDS season, it could take a long, long while. Well, I got a letter at New School just this past Monday from the OFII/ANAEM/OMI/Please stop changing your name why don't you? in my casier. I quickly tore it open only to see a letter about the timbres I would have to pay for plus a map. That's great you're telling me the money I have to pay plus where you're located, but how about what day and time I'm supposed to be at your office? Duh. So, I called that same day, but it was clearly the old number that had since changed and so then I sent an email which bounced back. When Tuesday morning rolled around and I got a break from teaching, I sent off another email and later that morning when I went to go back to the site to call them as well, their "handy dandy" France map with all the contact info wasn't working on not one, but two comps at the school because they didn't have some plugin that I didn't have the right to download and there was nowhere else on the site itself or the internet to find the contact info, believe me I tried! You're thinking I should have written down the number when I got the email except that I didn't have a pen handy because I forgot my trousse down at the primary school and was at the college and was about to have class. Fin bref, I managed to FINALLY have a look at lunch at a comp that had the plugin and wrote down the number and called that afternoon.

Good thing I did call! Turns out they forgot to put in the convocation telling me when my med. visit was. Yeah, that's right, forgot! Oh, France. So, the lady was very nice and said that was definitely not supposed to happen and told me I have my visite this Thurs(as in tomorrow) at 9 AM. So I luckily had the time to notify my teachers I won't be there Thurs morn. I don't know how long my visite will take, but in any case, afterwards I'm headed straight to the Dreaded Prefecture to give them the OFII form so I can get my recepisse because my carte expires tomorrow!! Talk about pile freakin poil! It's that time of the year again, folks, so please croisez those doigts for me that everything goes ok!

Kitty Wranglin etc.

So it's been 2 weeks since I posted. Whoops-a-daisy! Whoops-a-daisy? Did I really just write that? Does that make anyone else think of that scene from Notting Hill? Anyways, I just wanted to FINALLY post the video(s) of my appart that I've been meaning to film/post since foreeeeever. I 've been in this apt since Feb, that's 8 whole months! Time really does fly. I still am so glad I left the colocdom when I did even if it means I've had to dip(or in the case of this month: plunge) into my decouvert pool several of those 8 months...sidenote, is it the end of October yet? Money issues aside, getting back into the swing of things here in Rennes and at school hasn't been too much of a challenge so far. My scheduling was annoying, yes, but I knew it would be like that, so at least it wasn't a surprise like last year. It was actually even more complicated this year as I have more hours at New School than last year which meant that I was only able to work a couple hours at Old School(ie just with the CPs, not the GS.) This is because the extra time I had to fulfill was filled by teaching 2 hours of grammar to bilingual 8th graders. Let me just say, gramer sux. That being said, I'm doing what I can and will get what needs to be done done, but I'm hoping next year to have any extra hours used teaching bilingual 2.5-11 year olds aka not college kids! On verra. At least my group is small(11 kids), motivated and generally nice and I can't say it's not interesting to hear their life stories about how they came to be bilingual, trilingual, etc. Ca donne envie, quoi!

In about 2 or 3 weeks, I'll start with my classes with the university students on Wednesdays which will be good for the bank account, but I will miss my free Wednesdays. Quoique I haven't been really even able to sleep in (kitten's fault) and I've oftentimes had errands to do and by errands, I clearly mean crops to grow on farmville, so it's not thaaaat big of a deal to go back to work there afteral, I suppose. Speaking of work, I have yet to receive my carte de sejour "salarie" because I haven't had a convocation for my visite medicale yet! My current CDS expires...next week! Yikers! I guess this means another trip to the dreaded Prefecture to try and get a recepisse whilst I await the visite. I was hoping to not have everything be so last minute, but I am not in the least bit surprised. Lets just hope the OFII hasn't lost my dossier and by lost, I clearly mean jete-d in the poubelle! This is not the ideal time either with all the new assistants coming, fin bref, whatev.

Besides school and the usual paperwork shuffle, I've been spending a lot of time kitty wrangling. Owen is a bully and Sienna has had it jusque la and is fighting back and it's getting old. I never expected them to be snuggle buddies or anything, but a bit of tolerance would be nice. I'm hoping it will change as he grows up and maybe after he gets his, cough, man parts removed? Only time will tell. For now I'm running around the appart like a crazy woman trying to get him out of everything he's getting into. Let me just say it is hard for such an organized person as myself to deal with a kitten causing a mess in every.single.room. Yes, he finds a way! He is sleeping in the kitchen on work nights, but I might do a test next week to see if I sleep through the night ok with him roaming free. Cats are hard work sometimes! I think that's it from me, folks, but I wish you a happy Friday and a tres soon!

Previously on Leah en France Part Trois...

Not to waste any time explaining why I was gone, here's what you missed:

February

I moved in here.

March

I have no idea what happened in March. There aren't any holidays, this month blows, nuff said. Haha!

April

My parents came here. We also went there and there.

May

I had my Cremaillere and dressed up as her. Also, I worked maybe 2 days because of all of the jours feries.

June

I got very anxious to be done teaching these guys.

July

When in France, I went here, here and there. Then, once back in the US in early July, I went here to visit with family and friends after a 13 year lapse!

August

I got one of these. His name is Owen. Stay tuned to see what happens with these two.

In other news, I missed my freakin blogiversary! It's been 3 years, can you believe it? Apparently I've posted just 165 times, so that's an average of 55 times per year. However, we all know I've sucked at posting these past 7.5 months and then the first year I wasn't thaaaat post-y, so I highly doubt the average is so perfectly spread out. Anyhoo, no excuses, I'm the only one to blame for not keeping a written record of my vie. That being said, I really don't know how posting is going to go this year. I really would like to get back into it, but I might be just as busy as last year socially and workwise. I've been given 2 more hours at New School so that they can sponsor my CDS(long story, but it needed to be done because of regulations), but as of yet, I'm not sure what I will be doing for those 2 extra hours since all the teaching time has been filled up. I might have to surveille the kids or some shiz like that which is all fine and dandy, but I had worked it out so that I could have one afternoon off, so I'm hoping whatever the directrice has me doing will be either before or after school or during lunch hours. On verra. I also have yet to hear from the directeur of Old School which is sort of my fault because I kind of partir-ed like a voleur this summer, but to my credit, I did call his portable last week and have yet to hear from him. I'll have to call again this week at the school itself and see what the dilly is. If they don't need me, it could mean 2 afternoons off and also, one less job to have to lesson plan for and worry about, but it's also less money(well, the same amount as last year, but I was going to make more with those 2 extra hrs.) So, I'm sort of torn. Basically, if they still need me, I'll do it and if they don't, I don't plan on getting something to take its place.

The rentree is tomorrow...ahhhh! It's kind of scary to think about working with all those little ankle biters again. It'll be easier than last year just due to having last year's experience, but there are always things that will change and new kids and teachers. We actually have a lot of new people coming in! There's a new lady in maternelle to replace the collegue who retired last year. There's also a new stagiaire working with one of the CE2 teachers, but I probably won't see her very much unless I have that class the day she teaches. Then, there are 2 new people taking over another CE2 class and a new CM1 prof. This is all because we had a split level CE2/CM1 class last year because there weren't enough kids to have a full class of each level. Well, the person who taught that was just a sub essentially. Then, this year since we had enough kids to separate that split level CE2/CM1 into 2 different classes, we had to get 2 new teachers or in our case, 3 new teachers. So, that's already 5 new people. Plus, we need a new aid to work with one of the kids in maternelle who needs to have their own personal helper. And, we also have 2 new teachers in the International Program for the bilingual and high level English students. So, 8 newbies all together once everything takes shape! It'll be interesting. Tomorrow, almost all of those peepz should be there minus the International profs who will prob be at the College/Lycee meetings. I have to be completely honest and say that I am kind of dreading all those meetings because a)I really don't like small talk and I still kind of feel like the new girl b)so much of the info at the meetings is not for me since I don't really collab with any of the profs, more like work alongside them if that makes sense and 3)I could be sleeping. Tear.

In reality, all I need to do is set up my classroom with new material, decorate the door, update some of the posters and set up my schedule. Last year, I spent the first 2 days of school setting up my schedule and it was a lot of waiting and then running around like a crazy monkey from classroom to classroom and during recess trying to track down teachers and get them to choose a time slot. Some were easy, but most were a pain in the A. There were some that were difficult just to juggle all the things their class had going on (recess, gym, choir, catechese, International English class, wine tasting, cheese sniffing, etc) and then there were those that really weren't willing to compromise for no good reason. Although, while I'd love to get the scheduling done before the kids come back (ie Thursday), in a way it does make sense to have one full week with the kids so I can have all of the classes in one go rather than miss out on Mon and Tues classes this week. I guess I'll find out tomorrow or Tues or Thurs or Fri for that matter! I just want to get the beginning over with and ease right back on in to teaching, this before stuff is no fun. I also am looking forward to the next vaca, not gonna lie.

In terms of the future, the plan is set for a couple more years in France. The school is sponsoring my CDS and all that is left to do is have my visite medicale and then pop on over to the Prefecture(I say that dripping with sarcasm, has anyone in history ever popped on over to the Prefecture?) The whole process has gone relatively smoothly(so far) except for the little blip with the hours which cost us some time, however it was probably for the better because had we known this earlier and had the Labor Dept given the OK, I would've probably been gone when my medical visit was scheduled which I'm sure would be fun to reschedule....NOT. So as it stands, I'm waiting to get a med visit scheduled sometime soon(as my CDS expires at the end of Sept), then go to the Pref for my CDS(well, my recepisse, but whatev) and I will have a CDD for 2 years(summer pay, woohoo!) and a CDI at the University where I teach 3 hrs per week. But, I am waiting for something to go wrong, so I will be holding my breath until I get that laminated carte in my mains! I think that is it from me, I'd better be off, I've got some kitties to wrangle!

Bisous,

Crazy Cat Lady aka Leah en France