It’s been a while and for that I apologize.
I’ll try to be good and not give an in-depth recap of my first weeks being “Teacher Katie” nor will I go into my Toussaints vacation, because ain’t nobody got time for that.
So let’s just start with the basics.
Once back in Pontarlier after our adventure in Paris, I settled in for the night because Sunday was church!
Before even arriving in France, I had researched churches in the area. Seeing my options were slightly limited in Pontarlier (based off what I could see online), I mentally prepared myself for the possibility that I would be taking a bus into Besançon or Switzerland for church. But I was determined to try the one option that Pontarlier had for me.
On one of the nights my mom was here, she suddenly looked up from her phone and asked me when the church’s prayer night was. She wouldn’t be here for a Sunday service, but wanted to see where I’d be going, so we looked up their different weekly activities. The only one that would coincide was a Tuesday night prayer meeting. The prayer meeting started at 7:30pm and my mom said, “okay, we’re going!” at 7:25. We were a full thirty minute walk away.
It didn’t help that it was dark and drizzling, but Mom had made up her mind and we set off. Sure enough, we found the church on one of the hills that surround Pontarlier.
And here’s where it got interesting. Instead of the prayer meeting being perhaps in the sanctuary, with dimmed lights and music loud enough that no one would really notice two damp Americans sneaking in the back door, it was in a room that was accessible from the street, with all the lights on, and about ten people seated around a table. My anxiety increased tenfold as my mom started for the door while I literally flattened myself out against the wall so they couldn’t see me. Needless to say, Mom had to convince me to go inside and she promised me it would all be okay.
Ugh fine, so we went in.
I felt the discomfort linger as we barged in thirty minutes late, but a lady quickly jumped up and got us chairs so we could sit down. As fate would have it, we ended up sitting by the pastor. But we got settled and they prayed and worshipped and I began to feel my nervousness ease. This is familiar, I reminded myself. It’s just normal church prayer. I’ve done this many times before and no one is going to care if I pray silently in the corner.
Well, I could have remained inconspicuous if Mom didn’t decide to pray.
In English.
The second she started, everyone’s heads flew up and I had the sudden urge to laugh and/or bolt.
But we managed to continue on and it all resumed to normal. At least, until my mom wanted to ask the lady next to us what time prayer ended. So she turns and, with all the confidence in the world, whispers, “À quelle heure est-ce que nous sommes finis?”
The lady looks at her completely bewildered and responds, “Quoi!?”
So my mom tries again. “À quelle heure est-ce que nous sommes finis?” and the lady just throws up her hands and says “C’est fini quand c’est fini!”
Then the pastor leans over and replies, in English, “Five more minutes.”
Once again, I couldn’t decide if I should laugh or bolt.
Prayer quickly wrapped up and they went through announcements, when one of the men at the table leans over and says, “Okay, can we ask now?” The pastor nodded, so he looked over at us and says, “Who are you? Why are you here? Where are you from?” This sounds very accusatory, but everyone was laughing and it all seemed normal given the circumstances.
I explained that I was a language assistant and my mom was helping me move in and that we had researched churches ahead of time and found them, which they liked very much. Then, one of the ladies told me that her daughter had just returned from being a French language assistant in New Zealand and would be very excited to have an English language buddy.
Which brings me to going to church on Sunday!
I made my way up the hill (seriously, what is up with me going to churches on hills — especially when I don’t have a car!) and found a spot off to the side. I didn’t have cell service so there was a lot of fiddling with my phone, because honestly, what else do you do?
Then a girl, roughly my age, came up and introduced herself as Rose, the nice lady’s daughter, who taught abroad! We chatted for a bit and all seemed well and then service started. I ended up sitting by myself, which I had done many times before, so it wasn’t anything terribly depressing.
After church, I had to decide if I should sneak out or linger and try to make friends. Thinking on the flip side of going to church, I remembered how much I hated it when someone new left immediately before we could even try to follow up or invite them out for lunch. So I lingered. Luckily it paid off because I was invited out for lunch with a bunch of the youth and young adults!
Then we went bowling. Then we went over to Rose’s house to play games! I hadn’t felt that social in ages.
Eventually, it was time to go home and get ready for my first week as an assistante de langue!
My first week was a bit of a joke. I got all the paperwork figured out and had a rough schedule, but I wasn’t scheduled for the Monday or Tuesday, so I mainly just bummed around town. Wednesday was orientation in Besançon which allowed me to meet a bunch of the other assistants and get some semblance of knowing what I’m supposed to be doing in the classroom.
Thursday, I was supposed to shadow at the middle school and they didn’t even know I was coming. I think we’ve finally worked out the kinks (finally) and now I know when and where I’m going!
Actually, that’s not entirely true, because I was supposed to teach a class yesterday and apparently the teacher is still on holiday and nobody told me. Oh well *shrug emoji*.
The week wrapped up with the youth and young adult group! I admit, my French didn’t miraculously become fluent within a week, so when they announced we were playing a game, I was worried. But let me tell you, having a non-native speaker play a game that requires verbal communication is a lot of entertainment. At least I learned the word for “move backwards”!
Anyway, I started this post too late and now I need to head out for a private tutoring session.
Until time is on my side,
Kate
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