Le Caousou

Today was my first day at the school where I will be teaching. Le Caousou (prounounced ¨luh cow-zoo" - don't laugh at my wonderful phonetic spelling) was originally a large hospitol during World War II. The students range in age from 3 or 4 - elementary school, which is in another building down the street from the building I work in, to the equivqlent of a high school senior in my building. Camille, my older sister is a senior, or in french "terminale." Celine is the equivalent of an 8th grader, or in french "cinquieme" (which means 5th grade).

The building itself has an old kind of beauty - creaky floors, a brick exterior, but it seems to support many people fairly well. As far as I can tell, there are around 150 to 200 students in each grade, but it's difficult to say. I will love working here, although it is completely different than any other school I have visited. increase the number of people by 3 or 4 times, add a bit of a confusing floor plan ( although I'm always lost, even in Sitka), add another language that you haven't completely grasped and (pardon the pun) - voila! My first day at Le Caousou...I will get it soon though - Agnes showed me around today, all of the other teachers are extremely nice, and my schedule isn't too booked up. I work 7 hours a week in classes of differing ages, and I will be taking 2 university classes in the mornings Mon, Tues, Wed, and Thurs. The students are extremely nice and (I think) excited to learn more English. Or probably just hear the crazy Alaskan speak French! Many of them remember JR, and smile in recognition of his name, and declare that he was "trop sympa!" (so nice!). I have quite a name to live up to, but I'm very glad there was someone as nice as him last year also.

I better go start to look for my family. Most likely I will not find Celine's room on the first try...hooray for a non-existant internal compass!

Ciao!