Mary Dang is in our school!

My first reaction upon hearing my acceptance to teach in Paris was of absolute joy. My next thought was, "What shall I wear?!"
This will be my third time here in Paris but the first time I have ever lived here. I have traveled to many places before, among them Vietnam, Chile, England, Ireland, Italy, etc., but I consider Paris a very special city and wanted to live here and experience the Parisian lifestyle.
So far, the Parisian lifestyle is very different compared to where I am from. My family is originally from the south of Vietnam, but I have lived in Los Angeles almost my whole life. In Southern California, the weather is always sunny and hot, even in December. For transportation, you have to drive on the freeway in order to go places, which is a big hassle when there is a lot of traffic. On weekends, "Los Angelenos" usually go to the beach to surf or sunbath. Because a lot of Hollywood films and TV shows are made in Los Angeles, it is not uncommon to see celebrities in a grocery store or at their own movie premier.
In contrast, you can definitely feel the change in the weather and experience the four seasons in Paris. My favorite season is autumn, so I enjoy walking around Paris very much to see the leaves change and fall. I also like how the metro makes it easy to go anywhere and it is great for the environment. In Paris, my favorite thing to do in Paris is "people-watching." I like to go to cafés and sketch the people walking along the boulevard or the patrons enjoying their drinks.
Besides traveling, I enjoy art, reading books, the cinema, dancing, and music very much. My favorite museum is the Centre Pompidou in Paris. My favorite book is called "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbovsky. My favorite movies are too many to name but I really enjoy directors like Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock, Pédro Almodovar, and Wong-Kar Wai. I love all types of dance and am currently learning the tango. My favorite bands are The Beatles, CSS, and Justice although I always like to discover new bands. In fact, I love learning new things about myself and the people around me, including my students, and look forward to getting to know you all even more!

Mary

Look at her!

Karie taught the euro class last week. The students did a quizz entitled "How green are you?"...I think I can leave the classroom and have a lovely cup of tea...she's doing very well ..even better than me!

Carie Von Fange: an American assistant in Paris

This is my fifth time in Paris… I just cannot stay away! However, this time is the most special and important trip that I have made to Paris, because I will be teaching English at Claude Chappe and Henri Bergson. I have very few experiences teaching, and have never had a job outside of the United States, so this is a “big deal!” At the same time, I am earning a master’s degree at New York University in Paris, specializing in Teaching French as a Foreign Language. My goal is to eventually be a certified French teacher in the United States. However, my first few weeks have been so great in Paris, that I feel I will want to return some day and work here… we’ll see!
I come from Virginia, in the United States of America: Virginia is in the Northern most part of the southern states. I grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is a very beautiful part of the country, with a very nice park called “Shenandoah National Park.” I love it! I do miss autumn in the mountains… it is the most beautiful I have seen anywhere! So, in Paris, I like to take walks in the Park Buttes Chaumont… to remind me of the forests in Virginia.
So far, I have been thrilled with teaching at Claude Chappe. I like the job, because it is challenging, but also a lot of fun. The students are apt to ask questions and participate. They are full of positive energy! I feel like they are genuinely interested in learning English and American culture. I hope that the year continues to go well… I’m sure it will!

Our new assistant : SARAH WALKER!

Well it’s time for you to be introduced to another language assistant!
My full name is Sarah Gemma Dawn Walker. I’m twenty years old and I come from the wonderful city of Nottingham in England. I have wavy brown hair, green eyes, fair skin and I’m average height.
Nottingham is a nice size, it has everything you need. There are about 279,000 habitants. It is roughly a two and a half mile car journey north of London. There is a lot to do in Nottingham, such as ice skating, bowling, cinema. It is very good for shopping and nightlife. It also has a big sporting scene as we are host to Trent Bridge cricket ground (a major venue for international matches), Holme Pierpoint National watersports centre, two football teams (Nottingham forest and Notts County), the National Ice Centre (which is home to our ice hockey team- ‘The Panthers’) and we have a large tennis centre. Nottingham is famous for it’s caves underground, the castle and for the myth of Robin Hood. There are is plenty of countryside not far from the city of centre as Nottinghamshire as a county, is very big. You can visit Sherwood Forest in the north of Nottinghamshire which is where Robin Hood is said to have lived.
I go to Aston University in Birmingham which is known as the second capital in Britain because it is the second biggest city. It is a very cosmopolitan, vibrant and multicultural city. I prefer Nottingham because it is more charming than Birmingham. At Uni I study straight French. Currently I am in my third year, so this is my placement year abroad. I chose to be an assistant because I like working with children and might become a teacher one day so it is a very valuable experience.
In my family, there are 6 of us. Mum, Dad, my two brothers and my sister. They are called Tom, Daniel and Isabel. Tom is 18, Dan is 15 and Isabel is 9, so I am the oldest. We have a dog called Honey and two rabbits called Freddy and Fluffy.
In my freetime I go out with my friends a lot, watch fims, go shopping and I enjoy eating! My favourite type of food is probably Mediterranean. My favourite types of films are “chick flicks” like Bridget Jones, The Holiday, Love actually, Dirty dancing etc. I love art and being creative. I love going to all sorts of new places and experiencing new cultures. One of my biggest dreams is to travel the world.
I am very fond of Paris and all it has to offer. My favourite places I’ve visted so far are Jardins de Luxembourg and The Pompidou centre. By the end of this year I hope to be fluent in French, know the French culture better and to have helped the improvement of your English.

FAREWELL!

I have come to the end of my sojourn here in Paris, France and it is with deepest regret that I’ll have to return to my homeland (YESSSSSSS!) and leave the many acquaintances that I have made. But before the tears fall let me say a big thank you primarily to your teacher Mrs. Létant, a true gem, to the clerical staff of Claude Chappe and to the teachers those of whom took the time to relieve me of the nostalgia and entertain me with the pleasantries of what become my home away from home. This experience is inextricably linked to the students that I have placed in front of during my stay. By and large, I found you all really receptive, both to myself and the language. As such it was a pleasure having lessons with you.


The seven-month period here was a time where I was trying to put things into perspective not only concerning my dreams and future endeavours but also in terms of awareness of the culture of the French language. Returning to my homeland will mark a new period in my life in that I will become part of my county’s working population. In the same breath, the experience garnered here has been nothing short of magical except the CARTE DE SEJOUR (that I just received) and the SECURITE SOCIAL(forget it !!!!). The food, the architecture, the museums and all…..it is just to die for and wish to come back some day.

Au boulot….October 1, 2k6

Tablier rendu…April 30, 2k7

TWO INTERVIEWS OF YOUR FAVOURITE ASSISTANT!

Here is Shaun's pic ! Not only can you discover our great Jamaican assistant at last but you can also listen to what he thinks about his stay in paris . There is also a second interview about his native language.

Don't miss these two nterviews and enjoy!

short version.mp3

Shaun's interview2...

HEROES HOLIDAYS IN JAMAICA

On the 14 to the 16th of October Jamaica celebrates National Heroes Weekend. This is a grand spectacle in the life of the country where we pause to celebrate the life and work of the heroes and heroine that fought relentlessly for the rights and privileges that we now enjoy. For this year 2006, Jamaica will be celebrating National Heroes Day on the 16th of October. At this occasion one will be able to see float parades, live performances of folk and cultural dance forms; for example Dinkie Minnie, Brukkings, Quadrille, May poll etc.

It is at this time of the year too that children are able to learn about the contributions that these heroes and heroine have made to their country and so all weekend long there are documentaries on the national station showing the way in which they lived their lives.

To show our gratitude to the heroes of our country, we erected a park in their honour. At this park one will be able to see the tombs of all the national heroes and heroine. Present at each tomb is an art piece or a sculpture that is done specifically to fit the characters and the lives that they all lead. The name of the park is National Heroes Circle. It is at this location too that on this day the Diplomatic corpse and the members of parliament join to recognize the lives of the heroes and heroine by the laying of wreaths at each of their graves. These solemn moments are accompanied by the singing of the national anthem, national song and the saying of the national pledge.
The heroes are comprised of six males and one heroine. Their names include Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Sir Alexander Bustamante, William Gordon, Paul Bogle, Sam Sharpe, Norman Washington Manley and Nanny of the maroons.