Week 18: 01/15 – 01/19
Welcome to /miel/, a written account of my life and what my days hold here in France. Thank you for coming to read today.
Shortest blog ever, coming right up!
This week has been a very simple, easy week. I worked Monday – Wednesday and am mainly doing presentations on the National Parks and Montana. The kids seem to be interested in the National Parks and mostly study Yellowstone in class, so it’s fun that I get to tell them that I live right next to Yellowstone National Park!
Doing my presentation on Montana is simultaneously fun because I get to inspire the students about Montana (a state other than California, Texas or New York), and also simultaneously difficult because it makes me miss Montana so so SO much. I get to go through the history of Montana, talk about the Indigenous Peoples present in Montana and the University Land Acknowledgement (which I love), and then I talk about the various activities we do in Montana. Of course, skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, but the bizarre ones? Floating the rivers, ice fishing, rodeos, pumpkin picking…
I’ve been going back and forth this last week if I want to really try and stay in France for the summer, or if I’m for sure coming back to Bozeman. Of course, I want to experience a summer in France/Europe, where it’s sunny and warm and the tourists are in full swing. But, I feel such a longing for a well-known, sunny, hot, fun, river-floating, summer in Bozeman. I think if an opportunity comes up that is too good to pass, I might stay. But, at the end of the day, I have a hankering for a Mad Mile Cream Ale and a paddleboarding day on the Madison River.
Today, there is a nationwide strike across France concerning pension reform. The current retirement age is 62, and the government plans to gradually increase this to 64. This has not been adopted yet. The strikes result in a great reduction in functioning trains, public transportation, the amount of workers in schools, banks, civil jobs, and more. If you do not go to work because of a strike, you do not get penalized for it, however you do not get paid for that day of work.
Sometimes there are demonstrations, which you can attend, however many people simply protest by not going into work. Do these strikes work? Sometimes. The last pension reform protest that made a true impact was in 1995. Does it truly disrupt the status quo if “there is always a strike”? I’m not sure. I do have the opinion that if a nationwide strike like this were to happen in the U.S., where civil workers, teachers, bankers, unionized workers and even students didn’t go to work/school for a day, there would be severe disruption and the call for change would be great.
Moving on, tonight Nicole and I are going to Compiegne for a drink with the teachers at one of my schools, and this weekend, I look forward to being incredibly productive. I am working on my coursework (TEFL, and French lessons), putting together my “dossier” for teaching jobs for next year (yes, all in French), and planning my trip with my BFF, Katie, who comes in about three weeks!
TL:DR
High: Talking about Montana and sharing my love for my state!
High #2: Learning more about the French culture surrounding strikes.
Low: Getting a little homesick from talking about Montana.
New French Word:
grève – strike (protest)
Lesson(s) Learned:
1. There are so many opportunities, all over the world. It’s up to you to find them.
2. Montana is still the best state and the “Last Best Place”.
3. Translation of documents can be expensive and takes time – do it earlier than later.
4. This crochet blanket is taking for-ev-er………
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Until next week, I wish you all well. I miss you all incredibly much. Please send me a message, an email, some snail mail, whatever suits you best.
All the love,
Abigail
Below: one of my favorite butterflies from the Butterfly Museum in Saint Quentin
Just catching up on your blog. I enjoy reading about your adventures! It's okay that you miss Montana, but I'm envious of all that you are experiencing. Sounds like you're making the most of it! I plan to do better at keeping up. Folks in Montana do love and miss you!
Bob
That butterfly is beautiful! How big is it? Good luck with your future planning. That can be a difficult but satisfying process. I'm tiny-bit-voting for the summer in Montana. But, they will always be here (the summers, that is). So, do what you will!! We love and miss you...from Montana... :)