vendredi, mai 22, 2009

rollin' rollin'

Wow so much has happened recently that I'd like to write about (but then get distracted by MasterChef - Australia ... umm thanks Cara) and just haven't gotten to it.

First and coming up very quickly is my written driver's test. I have to take it Monday morning and the stress levels are mounting! I've been taking practice tests all day, reading those booklets (does anyone else find it surprising that I can't seem to find a government driver's book anywhere online? Dude, how much money do those auto-ecoles make!?!) and I still can't seem to get anywhere close to less than 5 answers wrong (out of 40) and that test is a b*^($# - if you'll excuse my French - they don't tell you how you're doing as you go! Plus there can be more than one right answer, or just one, and you don't know... pfff!

Annnnyway venting here. So I'm plugging away at that, fingers crossed. The good news is that I did my first hour of driving today and I was really nervous to get behind the wheel (yes, I've got 3,000km under my belt from the last 2 weeks but I haven't done much driving in Franceland, muchless with a stick!) but the guy was about my age and really nice. He had me drive around in V-town and in the countryside (on those little roads where you wonder how 2 cars can get by...) and I only stalled once! Hooray! He actually said he thought I did pretty good with a stick and that I could probably take about 5 lessons and be in good enough shape to pass the test (at 35e an hour that's good news!) and if dates and stuff work out I might have my licence around the beginning of July!* It was nerve racking having someone sitting next to you analyzing how you're driving but I don't think he touched his pedals so I'm happy about that.

The other good news is that the Rectorat has officially hired me as a subsitute teacher! I'm on the list to teach English in junior high or high school level so I'm on their list baby! I start next week for 1 week teaching 15 hours in a junior high in V-town! Yeah for the 10 minute walk commute, boo for all the days off preventing me from contacting the school to see if the teacher left anything for me to do ... so I'm just going to prepare the classes as if nothing is prepared and hope it all works out, especially since I don't know junior high levels that well. It should be a good experience and a week should be just the right amount of time :-)

There was also some other things from our trip that I would like to write about but I'd like it to formulate better in my head before writing it down, we'll see if I get to that ;-)



*This is of course depending on me passing the test Monday and continuing to do well during my driving lessons...

3 commentaires:

cara a dit…

Good luck, Karina! This is a step we need to take, too, but have been putting it off. For like 3.5 years! Shh, don't tell the gendarmes! Why can't Washington ahve a license exchange like so many other states!!??

And I'm glad you're watching MasterChef, too! I love it! And am actually learning a lot - who says reality TV rots your brain!

Anonyme a dit…

BEST of luck!!

Anonyme a dit…

Bon courage for the driving lessons and code. No, I'm not surprised at all that there's nothing on Internet.

On the postive side, hooray for you becoming an official substitute teacher. There's a huge demand here, all the substitutes I know are swamped.