Success!

I felt like I was making progress today. Number one, I had a conversation with two kids on a moped today--as I was sitting on my bike at a stoplight. We were like the motorcyclists at home who chat over the roaring engines, automatically friends just because they own the same type of vehicle. Granted, my conversation revolved around the driver telling me I should lower my bike seat because it looked too high, but whatever! I understood and responded, "Yea, thanks...I'm not gonna do it now in the middle of the road, but you're right."

Two, I helped a prof at school and therefore felt like YES, I am the expert here. The fact that I was explaining a Weird Al Yankovic lyric makes it even better. "An amish with a tude?" Yes, "tude." I'd've been confused, too.

Three, I had two new classes today and they were great. They were secondes, the youngest kids at the school. I think they both went so well because they were younger--making me feel older and more in charge. Moreover, they asked questions. Questions. "What's the word for patinoire, madame?" "Do people in the US like George Bush?"

I must be getting a thicker skin or something. Some of the situations I get into would've made me very frustrated and stressed a couple months ago. Like, today, one of my new classes didn't have a room. I found the class--one of my new ones, so I guessed the large group of lost-looking kids was mine--and told them to stay where they were (the courtyard between buildings). I had to go from the professor to the proviseur-adjoint, finally found a room, got back to the class--who'd done what I'd told them--and just moved on and taught the class. Taking things in stride, it's so much easier after a couple months of having to do it.