What is Teaching in France Really Like? TAPIF Diary #2
December 2019
This month, Jalen and I continued our work as English Language Assistants with the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF). We’ve been busy teaching English classes, feeling the effects of France’s latest grève (strike), and planning for our winter break. Here’s what we’ve been doing since the beginning of December.
December
The first weekend of the month, Jalen and I were invited to have dinner with one of my colleagues. We really enjoyed eating pizza, drinking rosé, chatting, and spending time in a French family’s home. Time and time again, the French have welcomed Jalen and I with open arms and we are grateful for all of these wonderful opportunities for cultural exchange.
This month in Troyes, the city finished putting up holiday decorations, including lots of sparkling lights and an adorable “snow globe village” called “Les bulles enchantées.” In addition, there are many temporary holiday food stands, like Maison Graupner in the city center that Jalen and I have frequented for mulled wine and churros! We also got to see la Corrida de Noël – a Christmas-themed 5k in Troyes where all participants wore costumes.
As for teaching, we used the three weeks in December to cover various topics with our classes, including lessons about Virginia, the American school system, American Thanksgiving, and American winter holidays. It was fun to teach the students about our culture and watch them discover the similarities and differences between the United States and France.
On December 5th, the French pension reform plan strike began. The nationwide strike led to decreased attendance at our schools, cancelled classes, and disrupted transportation by plane, train, and metro. As a result, I had a few very small classes on the 5th and Jalen had some trouble getting to and from work all month, as he normally commutes by train. That said, it has been interesting and enlightening to chat with French people about the strike and to see its consequences personally. Jalen and I, of course, stand in solidarity with our colleagues and support their right to advocate for themselves by means of a strike!
The Vacances de Noël, our first winter break, began December 21st and runs until January 6th. To kick off our break, we took a trip to Caen! Though three out of the four trains we booked were cancelled, we made it to our cozy Airbnb and back home using a combination of a train, a BlaBlaCar, and two BlaBlaBuses.
Jalen and I visited the following places during our trip:
- La Napolitaine: Had pizza for dinner at this cute restaurant
- Château de Caen: Explored this unique castle and fortress and got some amazing views of the city
- Église Saint-Pierre de Caen: Visited this small, but inviting church
- L’atelier du burger: Ate some yummy burgers at this fun restaurant
- Musée de Normandie: Learned about the history of the Normandy region from prehistoric to modern times at this museum
- Les Salles du Rempart – Caen en Images: Enjoyed a temporary exhibition that showcased artists’ representations of Caen over the years
- Musée des Beaux-Arts de Caen: Saw lots of beautiful paintings at this fine arts museum
- Abbatiale Saint-Étienne de Caen: Spent some time at this iconic church
- La Grande Roue: Took a ride on this big ferris wheel and got a great view of the city
December was good to us and we continue to enjoy our TAPIF experience! We are looking forward to having some fun with my mom in Troyes and Paris for the rest of our break when she comes to visit on December 26th. If you have any questions about what we’ve been up to or want to know more, leave us a comment!
Check out our TAPIF Recap video!
Check out our other TAPIF Diary entries!
- TAPIF Diary: September, October, & November 2019
- TAPIF Diary: January 2020
- TAPIF Diary: February 2020
- TAPIF Diary: March 2020
- TAPIF Diary: April 2020
Check out our video to prepare to participate in TAPIF!
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