As I write this, there are literally thousands and thousands of people marching past my window protesting about Sarkozy's retirement reform.  The law was passed almost a week ago now and the strikes are continuing!  I must admit that seeing all these people today has softened me a little to their cause.  They obviously feel really strongly about it.  There are people of all ages participating - entire families marching together, lonely looking old men walking by themselves, people my age, teenagers (and they're not just trying to get the day off school because it's the holidays!).  However, I'm still not onboard with all the drama considering I'm sitting here fully expecting to work until at least 65 and not grumbling about it (much) and their age is only getting raised 2 years from 60 to 62.  But strikes are part of French culture so I'd better get used to it.

I'm looking forward to the end of the holidays to really get stuck in to my classes.  I've not had much chance so far.  The majority of what I've been doing is just observing, then there's been the occasional class where I've introduced myself and they've asked me some questions, a couple of classes where no students turned up because they were striking and then there's been 2 classes I've taken by myself and they were by far the best.  I don't want someone looking over my shoulder while I'm teaching.  But some of my classes will be like that as their level or English isn't good enough to have a conversation class with me.  I've been disappointed so far with the way the classes are taught.  I can't remember if I've said this before or not, but during my observations I've noticed that in a lot of the classes barely a word of English is spoken by the students or the teachers.  This isn't always the case but certainly in the majority of classes.  How are they going to learn unless they actually hear some English?  The teachers seem very reluctant to use English in the class, I think they're afraid the students won't understand.  I was told that the 2 classes I took by myself were very weak and probably wouldn't participate much.  I was warned about the behaviour of one student and told he would be unlikely to speak a word of English and that it was ok to send him back to the main class if necessary.  Very hesitantly I took these groups aside in to my own classroom and I used all English with them.  They understood everything!  And they were surprisingly responsive and well behaved!  The boy I was warned about was actually eager to speak English to me!  I can't help but think the teachers have got it all wrong and I can't wait to get back in to the class and prove it.

On the whole everything is great here.  There are little things I miss from home that would make it perfect.  It must sound awful but I'm not homesick in the slightest and since day 1 I've been trying to plan my finances so that I can stay longer than my 7 months.  I speak to my family most days so I don't really feel like I miss them.  Sorry mum!  But I think it's a good thing, it means I'm settled and happy and that means that they don't need to worry.  What I do miss though is the following....

• Bubble bath - doesn't exist here
• Scottish tap water - tea just doesn't taste the same with this water
• My own bed
• Chiquitos - already got a trip planned with Greg for the day after I get home at Christmas
• Sky HD
• Shops being open all afternoon without a 2 hour lunch break
• Having a washing machine and a dishwasher

It's not much really is it?  I can live without all that for the timebeing.  Afterall, I've got champagne and crepes to replace it with!  That's an adequate substitute!