April

Back to school

 

 

 

After a solid rest, I am back to school from two weeks. I’m happy to meet again my students. I took some distance about my mission. I am assisting French teachers and my missions is not to be a teacher following FLE (Français Langue Etrangère – French as a Foreign Language). I am currently studying these methods but I need to adapt them. I need to stay flexible and not to feel failure when it is taking time to see methods applied.

 

I’m also going back to studying and revisions. I missed my DAEFLE (Diplôme d’Aptitude à l’Enseignement du Français Langue Etrangère – Diploma of Teaching French as a Foreign Language) exam in December 2016 but I am back to fight back and now, I’m feeling more confident. I rebuilt this confidence during the holidays. It was probably too ambitious to try the exam after what happened in Madagascar.

 

 

 

Strenght of teachers

 

 

 

I admire teachers and their work. They give a lot of attention to students.

 

I see the other side of the mirror today. I always felt miles away of this world, even if my mother was a Early Childhood teacher. My only position was the pupil one.

 

Talking about perception, it is true that it is fascinating. The day I have been a customer at the restaurant I have been waitressing for a long time in Adelaide, Australia, i twas a real delight. I was sad to read that they closed down. Of course, I always wanted to satisfy, guessing desires but it is something else to change of position and to actually live it.

 

 

 

Sharing

 

 

 

I am very happy to see my students of the Secondary French club. I meet again the same serious and attentive students. It is a real motivation for me as I know that they are waiting for me as I am waiting for them.

 

When I discuss with them, I have the impression to open the door onto a new universe and new possibilities.

 

 

 

The ‘antique’

 

 

 

We do not have a television and I must admit that I do not miss it. It is sometimes surprising for people when we are talking. They usually ask me if I am not feeling about being cut out from the world.

 

I did not have any in Adelaide for two years and I did not miss it either. I prefer reading, writing, playing music and having more time to do things such as crossed words or a Scrabble. ‘Antique’ activities.

 

We got a French enigma board game at a night market.

 

 

 

First aid

 

 

 

After the last episode (see the previous post), I thought it would be good to know the right thing to do when someone is drowning. I have learnt first aid during my studies in Australia but nothing like the proper way to grab someone unsconscious in the water without choking her or him.

 

So I contacted the local swimming club and someone is ready to teach me the right thing to do. There is no official certification in Seychelles (anyway, I could probably not do it because of my poor sight) but it is not my interest. It would be only to know how to rescue someone in case of.

 

 

 

Oven

 

 

 

In kreol seselwa, they are using the expression ‘soleil carême’ (Lenth sun) to define this burning sun and hellish heat of April. 46 degrees in Australia were a different torture. The high rate of humidity in here is worse for me and it is very difficult to move without sweating.

 

 

 

Reading

 

 

 

Unfortunately, I had to give up on ‘Poulet Bicyclette et Cie’. Too harsh for me for now. I will read it later but now, I do not want to read this collection of very rough short stories. I got Victor Hugo’s 'The man who laughs’ (probably not sweeter but at least, a bit diluted).

 

We uploaded few podcasts and in our selection, a radio program called ‘Temporium’. They are not journalists but it is well done. They are maybe students or even History teachers. They did a series about Victor Hugo and the passion of the presenter made me more curious about his books.

 

After Victor Hugo’s ‘The man who laughs’, I wanted someting lighter. I took a random book, Katarina Mazetti’s 'The guy from the grave next door’ (poor translation). I was a bit afraid of a cheesy romantism but in the end, it was not that bad. Even if the very last pages left me a bit puzzled… I will reveal the end but I would like to have your opinion about it.

 

 

 

More reading

 

 

 

After the end of ‘The guy from the grave next door’, my curiosity was teased and I have found by luck the next episode ‘The family grave’. It was funny as in the end, I did like it. It just took me time to admit it. It was good but it is reinforcing some of my ideas…

 

I totally ate and enjoyed Daniel Pennac’s ‘School sorrow’ for its vision about school, students, teaching. I also read Philippe Labro’s ‘Falling seven times, stand up eight’. First, i twas too pretentious for me and then, I revised my judgement.

 

I dived into Patrick Modiano’s ‘Rue des Boutiques Obscures’. My little brother left me French magazines, Fluide Glacial (adult comics) and Echo des Savanes (acidicmagazine). They made my day. We should receive a fantastic mazagine called La Revue Dessinée at the Alliance française, I cannot wait. This magazine is designed as a comics but it is actually reports done by journalists.