Week 2: Et alors, on y va...

Technically, this was my first full week but for the sake of blogging, I'll bend the rules and consider it my second week. I've been here just over a week and am already in love with Tours. By chance, I found an amazing apartment right in the heart of Tours. My street is called place foire le roi, which translates in fair the king. My petite rue is located just off rue colbert which is the oldest street in the city, dating back to the 17th century and you can definitely tell. The cobble stone streets are ancient, and the little stores and restaurants are tiny and packed together. I live right across from an Irish pub, The Pale, and there is a rager every single evening. This morning, the owners and their friends were up at 9 am, drinking beer and watching football.  There is never a dull moment in this town.
My apartment is on the third floor right above this little tea shop. The stairwell smells like tea and spices constantly, which helps with the old, musty smell of the ancient building. My landlord, Pierre, is this old french man who speaks with a thick accent, straight out of the countryside. He knows absolutely no english whatsoever, so signing the lease and figuring out the contract was challenging. Luckily, he is very laissez-faire, as most french people are. He gave me the keys before I moved in, and before I had even paid rent. This country is so relaxed and moves at such a slower pace, it's fantastic. It's completely acceptable to take multiple breaks throughout your day, for a coffee or beer, and to linger over your 2 hr lunch break without worrying about getting back to the office.
My apartment is the perfect size for one person: you walk in, and I have a little kitchen, equipped with a mini fridge (Pierre replaced the large fridge saying it would be too big for me, little did he know that fridge was 1/3 the size of normal American apartment), a stove top and of course, a typical french washing machine. The french do not use a dryer, so that will be an interesting experience once I decide it's time to do laundry. My apartment came fully furnished, thank goodness, including a fantastic old wooden kitchen table, chairs, and full bed. I made a necessary trip to Ikea- located, conveniently, 10 minutes away by bus. I purchased bedding, pots and pans, and little accessories to spruce up the place. Once I moved in, I made several trips to Monoprix- the Target of France- for cleaning supplies and food. I spent my first full day in my apartment cleaning and organizing, and rewarded myself with a nice bottle of Beaujolais which I enjoyed with my friends. All the friends I've made live fairly close to me, but everywhere in town is, for the most part, within walking distance. From my windows, you can see the beautiful cathedral in town and of course the rest of Rue Colbert- thankfully, my mom gave me ear plugs before I left, just in case. How did she know I would be living on one of the nosiest streets in town? The 5am street cleaners don't faze me, thanks to her brillance.
Today is Sunday and in France, the day of rest is taken literally. Shops and restaurants are, for the most part, closed the entire day. The Pale is open every day, but then again, they tend to defy the norms of this country. I went for a run today and it was as if the busy town had emptied out, just for the day. Hardly any cars were on the main street of Rue Nationale because people tend to nest and veg the entire day. The Loire River is runs through town, and on this cloudless beautiful day, people were enjoying picnics and lounging along the riverside, all with baguettes and wine.
My first day of orientation went smoothly and without fault. The teachers in charge of all the primary schools are the sweetest woman and told us to not hesitate if we need anything. I'm teaching at three schools, in Tours Nord which is located just over the Loire river. On Monday, my actual teachers I will be teaching with will pick me up and introduce me to the students where I will have observing hours. All next week, we have orientation to understand the french curriculum which, is completely different from the States. I start to teach a week from Monday, and I cannot wait to read the kids "Goodnight Moon" and teach them Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. French babies, get at me.
I'm ready to get into the swing of teaching, and to keep exploring this wonderful little town. Since I've been here I have opened a french bank account and signed a lease on an apartment, two things I barely know how to do in english. I did, however, barely understood what the man at the bank was telling me, or what Pierre was saying about the hot water, but I did my best, smiled and always said "ouais." Et alors, on y va...
Bisous!