Besides the fact that we have to wait an additional week for our grades from the first semester (thank you useless teacher who read us useless things from the internet all semester for not submitting our grades and holding everything up), the department did find a solution for my German class dilemma.
As you might remember, the beginner's German classes were scheduled at the the times of other mandatory classes. Yeah, that's a bit of a problem. Luckily, the director is a German class, so a conflict like this is a huge problem in his eyes, and a solution was found. A teacher from my school was giving a beginner's German class at the engineering school, and I was welcome to attend that one. When I heard this, I was both relieved and freaked out. The engineering school. Where I taught for two years. However, I could breathe a sigh of relief when I learned that it was in the "alternance" part of the school and not the "voie grande école". My former students would not be my new classmates.
So early Wednesday morning, I braved the wind and rain and went to my new 8am German class. The teacher was very welcoming, and I felt at ease right away. Since they started a few weeks before and also all knew each other, the teacher had them ask me questions in German. It was all fine and good until of course, I got the question "How old are you?" Knowing that the other students are basically ten years younger than me, I was reluctant to answer. The teacher was just like "Go on," because clearly, we are all about the same age. Or so he thought.
I answered. However, as numbers are always complicated in a foreign language, not only did the others not understand me, but the teacher thought I made a mistake. He told me to try again. I said I hadn't made a mistake and repeated my answer. This then prompted him to write the number on the board. I assured him I was in fact that old. The others started murmuring over my age, and the teacher looked at me apologetically.
There was another wave of shock when other questions revealed that I originally came to Valenciennes, because I had a job at their school. Needless to say, even if I wanted to be, I won't be any of their friends anytime soon. To them, I'm the old former teacher. And it's clear we are worlds apart.
On the upside, at least the teacher thought I look far younger than I am. That's got to be a good sign for the years to come. Right?
Oh come on, how unnecessary to be your age on the blackboard! I think you might be a few years younger than me and you are NOT old.
ReplyDeleteWhenever I tell younger people here that I'm 31, they ALWAYS say "oh my god, you don't even look it, don't worry about it" and I respond, "I'm not worried about it because 31 isn't old." Geez. Kids these days!!!
Sometimes you just have to chuckle, right? : )
I'm almost 28, and I don't think of myself as old. It's just a lot of French people make me feel like it is. You get the kick of losing the reductions on the train and for museums and whatever else all at once. And the people in my program are mostly 20/21, so I just feel so so ancient. It is a completely different generation. Luckily, my guy (who is younger than me) never makes me feel old. He always makes me feel better when others do call me old. I don't think I'd feel this way at all in the US.
DeleteYou should try working in schools again! My colleagues are all over 40 and they make me feel like a baby.
ReplyDeleteYou should try working in schools again! My colleagues are all over 40 and they make me feel like a baby.
ReplyDelete