Joyeaux Anniversaire Caroline...

...even though your birthday is actually tomorrow! But I had such a lovely evening with you today that I just had to say it!

So after staying over chez Thibaud I had to get up rather early to be able to go to mine, change clothes, eat and grab my camera before heading back into the centre-ville to start work. My final class with two of my troisième INTER students was really difficult in a way, as they are both such bright students and when they work together it is brilliant...I barely even need to intercede! They were both pretty stressed out though, as the class after mine was a geography test - and a really important one at that. It's not getting any easier saying goodbye.

At lunchtime there was a little party in the staffroom for me, which was absolutely lovely...and plus, any excuse to drink cider and eat cake! Was really hard to say goodbye to everyone, and I got some absolutely lovely gifts which I really will treasure forever. Reading all the lovely things that people had written to me nearly set me off crying...and the cards I gave to my three teachers seemed to have to same affect! I felt so loved, and I am so sad to have to leave.

The evening was very interesting. I had been invited to the Salon du Vin by some of the teachers with the impetus of "well, it is mean to be wine tasting, but we just drink it...and we have free tickets" - how could I say no? Turns out that it was not just wine that was on offer, but a lot of cheese and cured meats. Perfect. Turns out as well that playing the English card really does get you a lot of free samples of things...and the teachers used it definitely to their advantage! Every stall we went to they decided to tell the stallholder that I was English and profite with the massive amount of food and wine that got thrown at us! How generous, even though the stallholders thought they were educating la pauvre anglaise who had never tried any gastronomie française when in fact what they were doing was feeding and watering some thirsty Frenchies with an angalaise! I'm not complaining.

I then hopped on bus and went to join Caroline, Sylvère, Becky, Claire, Meg and Kendra at Dolly's for a meal out to celebrate Caroline's birthday. And yes, poor Sylvère was the only man. I say poor, what I really mean is lucky obviously! Great food, wine, great company...what more could you want? This picture is of Kendra and Becky, they've been blipped quite a bit before...I'm sure you know them! This kind of shows the difference between Americans and English I think or it could just be that Kendra is very enthusiastic!

Anyhows, after a massive meal, both plat principal and dessert, we headed to Rue Ecuyère to find it the most busy it has ever been. Why? Well, it being the final day of school, all the lycéens had decided de faire la fête. So everywhere was blindé (=packed, but colloquial) but luckily we found spaces in Tour Solidor so had a few cocktails there. After Becky and Claire left we all got a bit...merry. Poor Sylvère having to deal with three hysterically laughing women on his own and sober! God bless him!
One of my favourite moments of the evening came when Caroline, Sylvère and I were walking back through the crowds and we heard a voice shouting "Monsieur, Monsieur Baron!!" Yes, that awkward moment when you run into one of your students on Drunk Street. Having worked for a collège I usually don't have that problem; however for those at lycée it is quite a common occurrence...I know for a fact that Becky and Claire have gone home with some of their students after an evening out on the Noctibus!