Toilets and more

First the 'and more' then onto the subject of toilets and finally more 'and more.'

I spent the morning in a classroom of ten year olds today. Their teacher has been trying to get me in her classroom since I started on Monday so I was glad to finally be able to spend time there. She is very young and speaks English quite well. She spent some time in New York and also in Spain, so we have a lot to talk about. We actually exchanged phone numbers at the end of the morning, which made me ridiculously happy.

She teaches some English to her class so when I arrived this morning the students each had a question for me, ranging from my name and favorite color to some adjectives I would use to describe myself. They were all very enthusiastic and after I answered each individual question the individual would politely respond 'Thank you' (or 'Sank you' - the th is a very hard sound!) and Karine would ask if they understood. Non.

After a spelling test, an oral book report, poem recitation and a math lesson, there was some extra time before lunch, so it was decided I would teach the kids an American song. In the two seconds I had to prepare, the only song I could think of was 'Black Socks.' If you know the song you qre probably cringing right now, so please help me think of better rhymes to teach in the future!

My other huge thrill of the day after getting Karine's phone number was going out to lunch with her and another teacher. We went to a plce that served food cafeteria-style, and it was very good. I shamelessly copied the French teachers' etiquette, but clearly did not succeed completely when it came to eat a peach and cheese pastry and I was lacking a spoon. No one died because I had to eat dessert with my fork, so it was not a disaster.

Since I promised myself that I would take pictures of even the most mundane things, I suppose I should also write about such things when they strike me. The subject now is, of course toilets.
When I returned from Spain someone asked me what I noticed about living in the U.S. during the readjustment process. I have a knack for saying things that are just barely appropriate, so I started talking about American toilets: “They have so much water! Whenever I flush and the water starts to rise a bit I get so afraid it’s going to overflow. I have to watch to make sure that the bathroom doesn’t flood.”

Here in France I am having the opposite adjustment problem with the toilets: They hold so little water that I am nervous that it is not enough to carry the toilet paper away. I do not want to be known as the foreign girl who stopped up the toilet and made it overflow.

I have so much I want to write about and so little time to do it. I suppose my inspiration will wane some as I get used to my surroudings and my routine, but I really want to document everything as it happens so I'll have to be satistfied with a list.

• Today in class one of the girls raised her hand, and with a look of horror on her face announced, 'I heard they eat butter made of peanuts in America!' The other children looked disgusted and I couldn't really explain how good peanut butter really is.
• I hate coffee, and I only like the taste when it is mostly sugar and milk, but at the school all the teachers meet in the lounge during recess breaks and drink coffee so I've sacrificed my taste buds for the sake of fitting in.
• Speaking of fitting in, Karine and another teacher have a great sense of style, very French to me, so I am hoping I can find out from them where all the cool kids are shopping around here.
• I am surprised how often I am asked my age here. Of course I expect it when I am getting youth discounts for train tickets and such, but all of the teachers and university students I've met have asked me. I don't know if it is because it is confusing that I look so young yet have a job, or if it is culture.
• Finally, I love French kids. They are so respectful, curious, and enthousiastic. Plus, several of them have already given me drawings they've made, which are greatly appreciated in my bland dorm room.