Day 17 - mardi

15 fevrier 2011

Today class started at 8:45. Since I got to bed later than usual last evening, getting up at 7:00 was not so easy. And it was raining heavily, too. When I got to school, I walked into the assigned classroom and there were two new students. When the bell was about to ring and no other students had yet arrived, I began to question whether or not I had the right room. After checking the board, I returned to the room, still without a teacher or any other students, though they started streaming in shortly thereafter.

Because of the new students, we had a comprehensive review of what we’ve covered in the last two weeks. It’s good to see the progression – now if only I could remember it all when I need it.  After the break we learned one way to do the past tense. (I remember this still from the class I took years ago at Clarke.) This will be most helpful. It is a real handicap to only speak in the present tense. Try it for even an hour, and best wishes!

At lunchtime, all the smokers stood in the rain puffing away. Why they want to leave the door open, I don’t know, but I just keep pulling them shut. It’s also chilly and damp, so the doors are best kept shut anyway.

Today was the last day for Antoine to be our Intensif Course teacher. He was quite fine, making us laugh frequently in the hour and a half class. I know I will miss him. But we were able to meet our new teacher at the end of class today. She has been teaching the same group of students in the morning and the afternoon. This is irregular, so Antoine will take her group for the Intensif and she will come to us.

After class, I stayed at school to read email. Dean was on Skype, so we texted for a short while. My other task for the day was writing letters of recommendation for my colleagues, so I’ve worked on that most of the day. Now that that is finished, I must get to studying. We have to memorize another dialogue for tomorrow. Even if it were in English, it would be a challenge. So off I must go.

Good evening, Dear Reader.