I love the Internet

[WARNING: you might learn some French in the reading of this note]

There is nothing like being a teacher to remind you that you are, inevitably, getting old. Come on, at twenty-eight, really, I did not think I had anything to worry about. Oh boy was I wrong. Facing my lovely year 7 today, I simply got 'patronized' by a bunch of twelve years old. And about the Internet no less! Yes, this thing I am currently on in order to write this very note. Think of it, they also probably assume I don't know what a blog is! 

We were learning about activities we can do at the weekend. Here is how it went:

Miss V.: Répétez: Je danse. 

La classe: JE DANSE!

MissV.: Je regarde des vidéos. 

La classe: JE REGARDE DES VIDEOS!

Miss V.: Je surfe sur Internet.

La classe: JE SURFE...uug?

Miss V. Is there a problem?

La classe: surfing the Internet? What is that m'am?

Miss V: ha ha, is it not what you say? What would you use?

La classe: 'Going on the Internet!' Nobody says 'surfing on the Internet', that's (say in knowing tone) old fashioned....

Point taken. And thinking about it, they are probably right. I haven't heard someone using that expression in a while. Has it become obsolete already? I was priding myself of being a bit of a nerd and now I am apparently not up-to-date with my Internet lingo. 

My pupils have got a totally different background than me though. Going back in time when I was their age, Internet had just started to appear. Google did not exist yet and most people did not have a personal computer at home. My dad worked in computers (still does - salut papa!) and every holiday, I had the privilege of spending one day at his job, playing games & using Yahoo search to look up info on my favourite films & to print posters of them. It was an absolute blast and I will always cherish very much those memories when surfing the net (see what I did there?) was special. 

However, now, will I use today's incident as an excuse....mmmhh...opportunity to go more on the world wide web? Oui. 

The usual?

This has now become somewhat of a tradition (mmmh) to come here around the new year and to write a little note about resolutions, etc. Well, this year, I don't feel I've got something special to say or to wish or to be resolute about. At all. To be totally honest with you, I've had the most low-key New Year Celebration of all my life so far. I did not feel a page was turning, I did not feel like I had to make my usual list of stuff to change/try. I spent the last hour of 2013, watching a series in my pjs. Nothing special about that. 

So here it is. 

I don't really know what it means.

All I know is that I was tired of expecting. 

Tired of expectations I put in my head when the clock strikes midnight. 

So, this year, I've decided to leave it all up to God. 

My only hope for 2014 is to feel loved by Him every. single. day.

To let myself be vulnerable in Him & for Him.

At the beginning.............

The premise of my blog's name 'The smart but casual way' was coined  by a well known phrase in education here in the UK. Even before starting my teacher training, I remember hearing it & questioning what it really meant - wanting to make sure I did indeed wore smart but casual clothes. I am actually pretty sure I wrote a note about when first starting the blog! It's about the way to dress, yes, but I also took it as a way of being. Being smart in life but yet casual, letting life surprise you. 

Also & most importantly, it is about setting a good example for children to look up to.

Ok, yes, I can see how you're rolling your eyes at how cliché it sounds but

as much as I want to be a good role model for my pupils, making an effort in what I wear - especially when they have to dress in uniform, is one of the ways to demonstrate it.

So here it is. 

Starting my fourth year working in schools, having had total outfit fails as well as great successes, I feel now confident enough to share my first smart but casual outfit.

- A very simple but comfortable navy dress from TKMAX. 
- Black tights. 
- Black boots.

Hopefully this will help girl teachers in need of inspiration in the morning.
I am aware this first one is very simple & 'uncluttered' but that's what works well sometimes (and it's very French apparently so, there!)

:-)
More to come!

A teaching story I

I once watched an inspiring video on how to turn around negativity into positivity in your work environment; a school. In it, the speaker was suggesting getting a box & that every time something good happened, write it down on a piece of paper and put it in the box. After a year, you would have the rewarding task to read them out & smile. Remember the good days, the good moments, the good pupils. 

Today, I had one of those. A 'write it down and put it in the box' moment. So I'll share it.

I've been a tutor for a year now. I'm in charge of 28 pupils who come & register in the morning. The job's more than just checking if they are in school though. I'm in charge of their well-being & from the start, I really wanted to build a good relationships with them but also for them, to build relationships with each other. 

I sometimes despaired and felt like I wasn't doing a great job.

Today, though, today, I felt extremely proud. 

One of my tutees had been out of school for a while because she had an appendix operation & felt too weak to come back. Because we're still at the beginning of the year, I felt especially bad for her, missing the bonding times, getting used to being a year older, etc. 

So I thought we'd send her a card. As a whole form with everybody signing it.

I told my tutees what had happened & they were very keen to do it. 

Quickly, it was done & sent to her. 

Today, morning registration is going well, tutees are sitting, I'm doing the register, appendix girl is still missing.

Everybody is chatting away, talking about tomorrow's schedule when suddenly, I see her through the classroom windows coming across the field to us.

One tutee also spots her and shouts: L------ is back!

All turn around, repeating the shout in a whisper, "oh she's back, L-----'s back"

She opens the door. 

They all start clapping to welcome her.

:-)

24

As I am typing this on my small computer, sitting comfortably in my bed, I feel blessed. I don't always feel it although I am! Constantly blessed. I thought I'd capture the moment in case I forget again how God takes care of me & how He has everything under control. I will come back to this post and read it again whenever is needed. Yes, that's right. YOU ARE BLESSED.

I have my ups and downs, you know. I guess we all do. I hate my downs because they are mostly completely silly & selfish. I would feel ugly & then beautiful in the space of 10 mins. How ridiculous. I would concentrate on negativity instead of focusing on what is amazing in my life. Like my family.

I recently moved into a studio flat. It's the first time in almost three years living in England that I can settle a little bit. I had to buy a pan for instance. I'm the happy owner of a brand new red pan. What is coming next, furniture?! It's lovely here and it was one of my prayers. I wanted a place on my own & heard it was impossible with one salary. Well, this is quite perfect and just big enough for me.

Thank you for taking care of me. 

double two

Twas the night before Christmas....

well, not technically - but it was the 22nd of December, which is very close, let's agree. The protagonist is a girl living on her own in a house. She is going home the next day, taking the plane and as a treat to herself, has booked a facial at a local beauty salon. 

Lots is on her mind as she comes back but inevitably, something is missing from a bag: her house key.

Panic. 

Of the four months living here, not once has she forgotten. 

Bad timing.

She thinks, cries, calls her landlady, all without success. 

She browses the shops, eats out but then, it gets dark. 

She is scared she might not make it.

As a last resort, she knocks at her neighbours' door. 

'Pray, she asks, sobbing, would you have a spare key?' 

Very understanding yet afraid that no, they exhort her to go and ask the neighbours around the corner - 'they might.' 

The girl hopes and trots her way into her next neighbours' garden. Their house is the one she had admired from afar. Fairytale-like by its proportion and shape, that night, it is all highlighted by the glowing decorations.

'Knock, knock, knock.'

An elderly man answers. He listens to her plea and lets her in. Sitting on a sofa, the girl meets his wife - a lovely and soft-spoken grey-haired lady. They immediately make her feel welcomed and listened to. Unfortunately, they do not possess the key but the man calls a friend who might do. They care. They want to help. They remember another friend who lives down the road who knew the landlady's girl well.

'Let's go and ask him'.

A flashlight paves the way and soon enough, the girl and elderly man stand in front of another door.

'Hello, would you not by chance be in possession of a spare key?'

The girl holds her breath.

'Well, as a matter of fact, yes!'

She wants to hug the neighbour and calls him her angel.

He therefore very awkwardly hands her the precious object.

No matter, she is over the moon and able to go home.

Small miracles happen everyday. 

 Three days before Christmas one did.

20 et un

As I stare at the newly formed fat on my otherwise perfectly acceptable thighs, my friend's words come ringing back in my ears : "your body changes every seven years anyway". Laughing it off at the time I now remember. Seven years ago, I was twenty and by what appeared a strange miracle, I had gotten some hips. Not noticeable to the average passer-by but important enough that I had written a little blog entry. I had felt different the way I feel different now. It must be true then! I am stuck with fat. Hello there. How dreadful to finally meet you in the flesh.

New Year's Resolutions:

- Write more. Dare more. Lose that fat.