Trivia At The Wallace

It seems I have chosen a place in the world that appreciates the same night time activities as I do!  I have found trivia!  However, here, its refered to as ‘Pub Quiz’ or ‘Quizz.’  It first came to my attention when my friend Kirsten came back from church with a whole group of friends who frequent a Scottish pub in the old city every Thursday to play together.  It is a bar called The Wallace (and my friend Kirsten happens to be Scottish so she was quite happy to have discovered it).  The first time we went it was just for a drink and some dinner, the second time we realized how the game was played and joined a team properly called, “Whale of Fortune” some sort of inside joke that I have not yet become a part of.  It is a three part pub quiz.  The first part is photo identification, second is a series of announced questions (about 15, I think) that are asked in english AND in french…how cool is that!  And the third part is song identification.  We were playing against 31 teams and we got second place!  We didn’t win anything but it was pretty cool to have done so well our first time playing!

As for other pub quizzes there is also one every Monday at The Cavern which I do believe is owned by the same person as The Wallace, and then on Tuesdays there is a pub quiz at The Sleeping Dog (all of these are both in French and in English).  I don’t know many of the questions but it’s a good crowd and a lot of fun…that’s what a team is for right?

Credit Mutuel Bank - Turn Left at the Top of the Stairs...

In the past two weeks I have made some great progress in getting settled here in Lyon.  Since I found out where I would be working I became very motivated and have moved into my apartment, met my teachers, and since last Thursday, opened a back account.  I arrived at the bank for my appointment on Thursday at 16h (4pm).  I gave them my name and the man behind the desk gave me directions to go up the stairs and sit and wait in the seating area to the left and a representative will come and fine me.  Then he asked, “C’est bon?”  to make sure that I understood his directions in french.  I said, “Oui, merci” and headed upstairs.  When I got to the top of the stairs I saw an office to the left with a great big desk to the right when you walked in and a round table with four chairs right near the entrance.  I sat down at the table and waited for someone to come and get me.  As I waited I looked around and thought it interesting that the bank would send me to an empty office, I mean, there could be some very important documents totally unprotected!  As I am pondering the situation I hear a laugh come from the hall way and it is the bank representative who I have my meeting with.  She waves me towards her with a rushed sort of motion.  She begins to laugh as she explains to me that I was indeed sitting in the head of the bank’s office.  She pointed out the chairs that were directly at the top of the stairs that I had apparently completely missed when I got up to the second floor.  It was a good introduction and we continued to laugh as we made our way to her office.  She said that she wouldn’t say anything, and that she just couldn’t believe that I had been waiting in her boss’ office!  We sat down in her office, I presented all of my documents and within a half hour, I had a bank account!

LYCEE MARCEL SEMBAT

The high school where I will be teaching is location in Venisseux about 25-30 by metro from my apartment.  I will be working with the BTS students who have chosen to pursue a vocation such as welding, engineering (mechanical or electrical), robotics, etc…  They have an oral exam at the end of the year and it is my job this year to work this them on their speech.  I was told that I will be asking them to do oral presentations based on a photo, article, or subject.  They will be given 12 minutes to present and then I can give feedback.  I will not be working with more than 10 students at a time.  I still do not have a set schedule but hopefully this week something will work out.  I do like all of the English teachers who I have met so far.  One of them even gave me a duvet, duvet cover, vegetable steam cooker, hangers, and a mini garbage can for my apartment!  OH! And a ride home so I could get all this stuff back to my apartment in one trip and not make a fool of my self trying to carry it all on the metro.  

Settling In.

I moved into my apartment on Sunday.  When I got here it was just Jacques and Clement who were home.  I have two official flat mates, Margaux and Jacques and then Margaux’s boyfriend, Clement, lives with us right now.  He is in the process of finding a job.  It was a bit of a mystery when I first moved in.  I wasn’t sure where Clement fit in but now I understand.  I was able to put away a lot of my stuff and FINALLY discover clothes that were at the bottom of my suitcase!  I didn’t quite know what to do because Clement and Jacques were having a conversation in the common room.  So as I put stuff away I just set up some music and decided to take my time.  That night, I hadn’t bought any groceries so I met a friend up at Place Bellecour at an Italian place for dinner.  When I got home I talked with my flatmates a bit then went to bed.  Monday I went to work.

"Tu es toujours ma fille?"

I was settling into my pull-out couch in the living room and Genevieve came around the partition to say goodnight.  She asked if I wanted the blinds shut so I wouldn’t be disturbed in the morning.  I said yes and thanked her for offereing to close them.  As she was winding the wand that controlled the blinds she turned to me and said, (in French) “You are always my ‘petite fille,’ right?”

The Last of the Soap

I woke up early on Saturday morning because I was informed that a young Swedish student was coming at 9:15 to see the apartment.  I wanted to make sure my room was in order and that I had at least had my coffee before interacting with the potential new resident of Genevieve’s apartment.  It turns out they arrived around 9:45 and to my surprise the Swedish girl had already decided to take the room.  She came baggage and all!  I told her that I would pack up my stuff and sleep in the living room so she could begin getting settled.

I could tell that she was a little overwhelmed by the next step she had just taken.  I got dressed, packed up my stuff (which wasn’t hard because I had been living out of a suitcase for th past three weeks) and moving into the living room.  I started to explain the which the apartment works, the bathroom, the front door, Genevieve…  She was taking it all in.  Her English was much better than her French so I was explaining pretty much everything that Genevieve had gone over with her in French.  She was nice, a little timid, but I’m sure a couple days with Genevieve and she’ll come out of her shell.  So Saturday night I went to take my last shower in Genevieve’s apartment.  I was doing my regular routine when I went to grab the last little sliver of my soap.  This particular soap that I had been using, I took from the Hotel de Simplon the morning that I moved to Genevieve’s apartment.  It was about the size of an oreo cookie but a bit thicker.  This last shower that I was taking was the last time I would be using that soap.  It literally disintegrated in my hand as I finished.  I thought that was quite profound that it was the soap that came and left with me.

Timing…

Time waiting for the 29 bus: 25 minutes

Time on the 29 bus due to traffic: 30 minutes

Time walking from Bellecour to Academie de Lyon Rectorat: 20 minutes

Time it took to find out I was in the wrong place: 15 minutes

Time it took to sprint down the street to the actual Rectorat: 30 seconds

Time finding out there was not orientation today: 15 minutes.

It is currently 12:42 and I am home!  Although the day is in its early stages I think it is fair to say that I need a little rest.  I woke up at 6:45am to shower, get ready, make coffee, eat breakfast and wait for the bus giving myself ample time to get to the Rectorat for my ‘reunion’ this morning at 9am.  I was successful with all of the above.  I arrived at what I thought was the rectorat, spoke to the secretary who motioned me to go upstairs to find room 520-something and ask for a Ms. M-something.  I found whoever she mentioned wherever she said she would be and was told to “depechez-vous” because the ‘reunion’ was INDEED in the rectorate building down the street and it was already 9am!  I said, ‘Merci, bonnne journee’ and booked it to the Rectorat.  When I spoke to the secretary, between my heaving to catch my breath, she said I was the first assistant she had seen that day.  I showed her my contract that I was supposed to turn up on the 1^st of Octobre at 9am.  That is what I was told by the teacher at my lycee.  So she called Monseiur Guillan (with whom I had already established quite a relationship over the phone).  He said there was absolutely NOT a ‘reunion’ today but asked for me to come upstairs to his office.  This Jean-Yves Guillin is the person who finally sent me my contract confirming my job and placement in Lyon.

It was almost humorous when we met each other because my case, special that it was, caused much “disruption” between the Academie de Lyon and Academie de Rouen.  Apparently I was ‘stolen’ from Rouen.  Oh well, it all worked out right?  

Ohhh, So BCBG!

I learned a new phrase from Genevieve.  As we walked back to the car from our ‘tres chic’ lunch at McDonalds, we passed by the store BCBG.  I had no idea that it was French or that is stood for Bon chic, Bon gens.  It is also a term that is used for older men and women who fit the stereotype of preppy, chic, posh…etc.  They play golf and tennis, bring their little dogs to lunch (at an indoor restaurant), and wear very classy clothing.  I was fascinated by this concept.