Saturday, October 30, 2010

Chateau de Villandry and Vouvray Wine Tasting

Now that I am more situated in Tours, I am beginning to take advantage of my weekends. On Saturday, October 16 I went on a visit to the Chateau de Villandry and on Saturday, October 23 I went to Vouvray for a wine tasting. Both of these mini excursions were quite memorable…but in very different ways!

Jenna, Jenny, and I decided to visit the Chateau de Villandry before it was going to get too cold. Villandry is known for its beautiful gardens, so we had to go before they would be taken out. We went on a beautiful fall day; the weather was perfect, there was a cool, brisk breeze, and just enough sun to keep us warm. We decided to take the bus (Fil Vert) to Villandry…the other options were bikes (I am the only one with one), walking (haha), or by car. The bus ride was about 25-30 minutes and took us directly to the chateau. We arrived to Villandry around 10AM so it was well before the rush of tourists…this gave us plenty of time to explore the chateau and gardens leisurely and peacefully.

Here are a handful of photos of our beautiful day at Chateau de Villandry:






Jenny, Miriam, and I planned a Saturday trip to Vouvray.  The area that we are all in is known for its chateaux, but also its wine (almost in the heart of wine country). With this being said, we wanted to head to Vouvray (10 minute bus ride) to do a wine tasting and visit the Chateau de Montoucour-Vouvray.

On the contrary to my visit to Villandry, the weather for my visit to Vouvray was terrible! It was cold and rainy, and I found myself running almost 1.5km in the pouring rain to find a place to stay dry. Jenny, Miriam, and I had not really looked at the weather forecast before our departure…so we forgot the appropriate attire (i.e. umbrellas, raincoats, etc.). We also did not do enough research…because the Chateau de Montoucour-Vouvray is a private chateau (meaning no tours).  We were, however, able to do a wine tasting and visit a wine museum. Both were “OKAY”…

All in all, lessons learned: (1) look at the weather forecast and (2) make sure you do your research well. We will be returning to Vouvray again…because there are a lot of other places to do wine tastings and tours of wineries!

Here is the sole photo that truly captures the day…Miriam and Jenny are soaking wet  from running in the pouring rain and in the distance we can see the Chateau de Montcoutour-Vouvray. Though it is followed by a more cheerful one...food does make EVERYTHING better!



Well, that is all for now! I'm heading back from Paris in a few hours...HAPPY HALLOWEEN! -Alex

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

NY Times: "In France, Labor Strikes Head for Showdown", Alan Cowell

So, this is what is going on in France...this is why I am not working AGAIN today!



PARIS — Scores of flights were canceled, drivers lined up for fuel and young people took to the streets of Paris on Tuesday protests over President Nicolas Sarkozy’s efforts to change France’s pension system mounted in advance of a final parliamentary vote on the measures this week.
Labor unions again called for widespread work stoppages and protest marches on Tuesday — the sixth day of national strikes or demonstrations since early September.
Young people threw up barricades of garbage bins to snarl traffic in the Place de la République in central Paris on Tuesday and scuffles between high school students and riot police were reported from there and from the suburb of Nanterre.
Garbage workers, teachers, armored truck drivers supplying automated teller machines and an array of others planned to join the stoppage Tuesday. Protest organizations said more than 260 demonstrations were planned during the day, ratcheting up the battle of nerves between the authorities and unions demanding that the government retreat from reforms as previous administrations did in 1995 and 2006.
The disruption that has been building since the first protest on Sept. 7, compounded by strikes at oil refineries now in their eighth day and blockades of fuel depots have left motorists scrambling to fill up their cars as hundreds of the country’s 12,000 service stations ran out of fuel.
But Mr. Sarkozy has shown no sign of abandoning his plan to raise the minimum retirement age to 62 from 60.
“The reform is essential and France is committed to it and will go ahead with it just as our German partners did,” he told reporters late Monday in the Normandy resort of Deauville, Reuters reported.
He was speaking after talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, which resolved in 2007 to raise its retirement age from 62 to 63 by 2029, in line with a broader European trend. Overall, the continent is aging and, as people live longer with smaller families, fewer young people are available to pay for the continent’s social safety nets.
News reports on Tuesday said a high school in Le Mans, southwest of Paris, was destroyed by arson in the early hours, but it was not clear if the blaze was linked to the protests. Transport authorities in Paris said commuter rail services would be cut by as much as a half. The national railroad authority also announced cancellations of around half its high-speed and normal services on Tuesday, but said the Eurostar Paris-London link would not be affected. The authority said support for the strike seemed to be running at around 30 per cent compared to 40 per cent for the previous stoppage one week ago.
At the Gare du Nord railroad station in Paris, travelers waited on benches then raced for trains running on a reduced schedule. “It’s absolutely absurd,” said Emmanuel de Boos, 56, an author from the western city of Nantes. “We absolutely need to reform the retirement system as it exists today.”
“I think these strikes are more about other things,” he said, likening them to a referendum on Mr. Sarkozy. “He has a lifestyle that doesn’t look like that of everyone. This is a reaction against the elite.”
Yannick Kalu, 25, a student from a northern suburb of Paris, called Mr. Sarkozy’s reforms a “bad idea. For those who began working early in life it’s going to be rough.” But he, too, said the strikes were about the broader issue of Mr. Sarkozy’s rule. “I really do hope it’s going to stop,” he said, but “we can’t hold it against people to worry about their retirements.”
In the central Chatelet neighborhood of Paris, Marie Rodriguez, 35, a middle school teacher of history and geography, said the breadth of the protests “ proves that not only one group is against the reform but that everybody is concerned. I support the strike.”
At Orly airport near Paris, where half of the scheduled flights were grounded, travelers peered at departure boards recording a slew of cancellations and delays.
Martin Raggio, 31, and Alejandro Molettieri, 29, who both work at a beer distillery in Buenos Aires, Argentina, had come to Orly after their train to Barcelona was canceled. “I guess we will wait here, we will sleep here in Orly maybe, until we can leave,” Mr. Roggio said glumly. "We knew about the strike but we were hoping we would be okay.”
At other French airports, around a third of flights were to be affected by the strikes as the test of wills between labor unions and the government intensified.
Presenting himself as a champion of necessary change, Mr. Sarkozy had proposed the retirement measures to help wrest France from the economic doldrums gripping many parts of Europe and to reverse years of declining fortunes before elections in 2012. With a final Senate vote on the measures expected this week and lower house approval already in hand, he believes he can bank on success.
Initially, the vote was set for Wednesday but French news reports said that it could now be held on Thursday or even as late as Sunday, extending the confrontation as the Senate plows its way through some 400 amendments introduced by the opposition. Those tactics will delay, but probably not alter, the outcome.
Mr. Sarkozy “has a clear majority in the two houses, so he has no difficulty in passing the reform,” said Pierre Haski, co-founder of the news Web site Rue89. “But that does not give him legitimacy with the public.”
At worst, Mr. Haski said in a telephone interview, the upshot could be that Mr. Sarkozy emerges from the crisis as a lame-duck president for the next two years. “It is a question of legality versus legitimacy,” he said.
Mr. Sarkozy, who was aiming to be able to present himself for the next two years as a courageous reformer in the national interest, may instead end up with the image of an elitist imposing unwanted reforms on the poor. A widely quoted survey in Le Parisien on Monday said 71 percent of respondents either supported or were sympathetic to the strikers. The telephone poll of 1,002 people was conducted Oct. 15 and 16.
“The government can win it despite threats of violence in the street, despite shortages, or simply by a vote of Parliament,” said Jérôme Sainte-Marie, who heads the polling institute C.S.A. “But these 71 percent translate into the cost of victory: It will be very high.”
He added, “We are looking at a direct confrontation between public opinion and the president of the republic.”

Sunday, October 17, 2010

My First Week of Teaching: October 11-15, 2010

Having never taught in a classroom before, nor having any formal training/classes in what to “do” (except for the two “formations” that I had in France), this past week was exciting, exhausting, and challenging. I still am not in any sort of routine, and I have no idea if “this” is what I might want to do as a career when I return back to the states.

Monday afternoon at 1:30PM is my first class of the week. I head to Ecole Victor Hugo (my closest school) and teach for 45 minutes in a CE2/CM1 classroom (8-9 years old). In this class some of the older kids have already had some English before, but for the first lesson, I focused on doing an introduction to the United States. I showed the class a map of the United States and Ohio, pointing out large US cities along the way, as well as showing them where I was from. We spoke about the differences between the United States and France; I showed the class a handful of photos from the states (postbox, skyscrapers, homes, McDonalds, malls, etc.) to get the ball rolling. I explained to them that on Friday we would begin learning English; this lesson was completely in French.

Tuesday was supposed to be a busy day for me. I am scheduled to be in two different schools (Ecole Jules Verne and Ecole St. Exupery) in a total of five different classes working from 9:30AM-4:30PM. However, classes were cancelled because of a “greve” (strike). Many French people are currently striking Nicolas Sarkozy’s proposed pension reform and increase in the nation’s retirement age from 60 to 62. This meant that teachers in both of my schools were striking, so there were no classes for me to help with. In addition, only 2 out of every 5 buses were supposedly running, so transportation systems were crippled (meaning I most likely would have had trouble getting to the schools if I did have classes). Needless to say, I slept in and had a relaxing day.

Wednesday there was no school for me too, but not because of the strikes. On Wednesdays, primary schools are closed. The idea is that with there being a very strict separation of church and state in France, a free Wednesday gives students the opportunity to attend religious classes at a church, synagogue, mosque, etc. In middle schools and high schools they have the afternoons off and go to school in the morning. Many students use this free day to do sports and other leisure activities/hobbies. I slept in and went out from crepes with some other assistants, followed by a viewing of “The Social Network” at a great cinema that shows a variety of movies in their original language.

Thursday was my busy day this week. I was in two schools (Ecole Jules Verne and Ecole St. Exupery) in a total of four classrooms. It was a good day, with the exception that French students decided to strike the proposed retirement reform. The students were in high schools, so I was not missing any kids in my classes. However, the students decided to strike along my bus route, so my bus was not running in the afternoon. This meant that I need to bike to my afternoon school (not a problem, but the bike ride involves a 45-degree incline). I got to my afternoon school without too many problems and went over my introduction the United States there. In my first school (Jules Verne) I worked with a group of eight CE2 students (8 years old) and a CP class (6 years old). The group of CE2 students had a lesson that mirrored the one I gave on Monday. The CP class and I talked about the American flag and the colors of the flag. Each class was 45 minutes. In the afternoon I changed schools and went to Ecole St. Exupery (where the only problem was getting there).

***The MOST ADORABLE picture from a student!!!*** 

Friday morning at 10:30AM I return to the class I am in on Monday afternoons. I got to the school just in time to start their first English lesson. Again, there were more protests by high school students on the main street, so I had to bike… We started our first English lesson; I introduced “Hello, my name is…” and “What’s your name?”. I also gave the students American names. Our next class we will talk about how to spell the names…thus, I will be introducing the alphabet to them.

Getting ready for another week…lesson plans, etc. Hopefully the scheduled strikes tomorrow (Monday) and Tuesday will not affect me too much!

-Alex

Saturday, October 16, 2010

280 Rue Victor Hugo

As promised (a while back)...here are some photos of my place in Tours, France.

This one was taken by Miriam..she said "look excited about your house!"

The main hallway in the house. The door to the direct left is my bedroom, the direct right is the kitchen,  the far left is the bathroom, and the far right will eventually be some sort of living room...

My desk in my room. Note all the photos of all my family and friends...and of course the screensaver!

My bed, bookshelf, and nightstand

My closet and the door to the hallway.

The bathroom is so wonderful!

The kitchen that is underconstruction....it is supposed to be completed in early-November.

My view out my backdoor--a beautiful garden with roses and grape vines!

So, that is the "chez moi"! -Alex

Friday, October 15, 2010

Musée du GEMMAIL – Art de verre et de lumière

I just got back from the MUSEE DU GEMMAIL, where I was able to see the art of Gemmail. The technique of Gemmail uses pieces of glass to depict an image; however, Gemmail is quite different from stained glass. There is no lead setting and it is the juxtaposition of layers of glass that is important. This juxtaposition allows for a variety of interesting effects and colors to be created in the piece’s final form (which is illuminated by a light.) The technique of Gemmail was born in the 1950s in Tours by a man named Roger Malherbe Navarre.



It is impossible to put into words what I saw at this museum, let alone into a single photograph. With each piece of art so intricately created, with its many layers and the precise position of every piece of glass, I was instantly astonished and intrigued by what I saw. Many times you can walk into a museum or an art gallery and say ,“Oh, this technique reminds me of [artist]”,  but with Gemmail, this was truly the first time I had every seen anything like it! I was amazed!

And, today, was sadly, the Musee du Gemmail’s last day of operation! At 5:30PM, the museum will be closed permanently (because of funding, I assume). With the museum being so small and off the beaten path… the traffic in and out of the museum must be minimal. Thus, I was extremely fortunate to be able to visit today.

Below, are a handful of photos of some of the pieces that I thought were truly incredible. Each of these pieces is composed of roughly an inch of glass layers and is backlit by light. Unfortunately, these photos do not truly capture what I saw…but they should give you all a good idea! Enjoy!

YES...this is made with glass!

You can see some of the layering of glass that creates the Gimmail technique.

All of the pieces created are replicas of pieces of art work (some famous, but many from "newer" artists.

Again, you can see the layering of glass. This was my favorite piece at the museum!

The coloring is amazing...all created by layering and with backlighting. 


Tomorrow I am thinking about heading to another chateau (Villandry). I will keep you all posted on that trip (weather permitting).

-Alex

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Chateau d'Amboise

I went on my first chateau visit today! It was a beautiful day in France...about 75*, full sun, and no clouds. All in all, a great day to visit Amboise (about 30 minutes by car from Tours). I went on a mini-roadtrip with another assistant (Emma) and her two friends; we drove to Amboise (instead of taking the train) because Emma has a car!

Amboise is not the largest chateau in the Loire Valley, but it was a good one to start with. It is home to Leonardo da Vinci's remains and home, so that was pretty cool to see. Check out the chateau at: http://www.chateau-amboise.com/.

Here are some of my pictures from my visit today:










Well, that's all for now...I am going to go talk to KAITLYN! :)

Thursday, October 7, 2010

What a GREAT day...but very exhausting!

Today I did observations at one of the three schools that I am assigned to...Ecole Juels Verne. I sat in on classes from levels CP (1st grade) to CM2 (5th grade)--some of the classes were English, others were math,  or other subjects.

The school and the teachers are great! This is the school that I will be spending most of my time, so this is a great feeling to have. In addition, the students seemed very enthusiastic about my presence at their school. They were very inquisitive and wanted to share with me all their English vocabulary and phrases. I cannot wait to go back next week...though I have to wait until Thursday because there is a STRIKE on Tuesday (the other day I am scheduled at this school)! Oh the French and their strikes...I have already seen four in my time here (about 16 days).

On another note, I am moved in to 280 Rue Victor Hugo. It is going well so far...the family I am renting from is wonderful and it is a pleasure to have dinner with them and talk about our days. They have a daughter named Emilie who is about 12 or 13. And, it is great that as I am getting situated, I do not have to worry about meals...tonight we had a tomato and chicken tart, carrots, salad, and dessert. Yesterday, we had roast chicken, carrots, salad, cheese, and fruit. Needless to say, I am not starving!

I will post some pictures of my room and place very soon...probably in my next post! As for now, I am so tired from today's observations...I AM GOING TO BED!

-Alex

Monday, October 4, 2010

Immigration documents sent...CHECK, School Assignments...CHECK, Absentee Ballot request form sent...CHECK

Three more things checked off!

[X] Send documents to French Immigration Office (OFII)

[X] Find out school assignments

[X] Send Absentee Ballot Request Form

Today, we had a meeting where we all signed our contracts (so that we could get paid) and found out more information regarding our work schedules/assignments. I have been assigned to three primary schools in Tours Nord (Northern Tours); I will divide my time among these schools, being an assistant in some classrooms and a teacher in others. I will also be helping teach English teachers how to teach English in their classrooms a handful of times throughout the year.

I have been assigned to: (B) Tours nord, école Victor Hugo - 1h30, (C) Tours nord, école Saint Exupéry 3h and (D) Tours nord, école Jules Verne 3h45. [SEE MAP BELOW - (A) is 280 Rue Victor Hugo]

I will be doing observations in one of these schools tomorrow, and I will work out a schedule with the above mentioned hours so that I am in every school at least twice a week. I will teach in a classroom either Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday. French schoolchildren (after the age of 8) are required to have two 45-minute classes of English a week.



That's all the "exciting" news for now!

-Alex