Too Much Cheese

Hello from the land of folk who eat cheese all the time! No, it's not Wisconsin, it's France and it's bad for digestion. (We'll talk about this later.)

Okay, before I finish my weekend story (probably next post), let me catch you all up on what has been happening around here:

1. Thanks for posting to (drumroll, please): Susan (I am sorry you can't emotionally read me through these posts, but I assure you that I am having a terrific time here! The area is beautiful - I can't stress this enough! I hope you are doing well at the moment!), Mom (I love you! Thanks for the Swift #!), Jed (Boy update at the end of this post, I promise!), Niki (Unfortunately, I wasn't on platform nine and three quarters, but I laughed my head off at your post!), Amanda (I miss you all, too!), Grandma Barb (Love your post name! I agree with the name Nightmare Express on so many levels!), and Leah (Awww, chillin in the kitchen! I miss it all! Can't wait for August to roll around!) - you rock my world, as do the rest of you who read and post. I miss you all!

2. I think I am constipated. Too much cheese. Today, I had this goat cheese that smelled like shit. (No, I'm serious.) It was really, really strong, but I liked it. Also had another kind of goat cheese and the local cow cheese that is made in this village. (Ha, that sounds kinda funny.) Both good, too.

3. There is a church tower that rings its bells twice (sometimes more) times per hour (typically on the hour and half hour). This happens all through the night. Beef - one of the other counselors here - told me that he met the bellringer at a fête (festival) last weekend and the dude is deaf. (Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha - I almost fell off my chair!) Also, Beef asked the bellringer why, sometimes, he rings the bells at (for example) noon, 12:03pm, and 12:06pm. The guy said that there are many people in the village of Thèbe that are deaf, so he wants to make sure they hear the bells! Good Lord, seriously?! So, the moral of the story? Never become a bellringer - you are destined to be deaf. Needless to say, we always know what time it is at camp - whether we want to or not. We also have roosters crowing every damn second of the day (oh no, not just at dawn) and sheep with bells on that clang every time they move. I am in the friggin middle of nowhere. But I like it.

4. The water is FANTASTIC. My skin is beautiful. I mean, this stuff is so great that I actually watch people drink water for fun. I'm not kidding. It's so clear, it's like a small piece of heaven running down your throat. Ahhh.

5. The counselors here put Tobasco on EVERYTHING. It's humorous.

6. I am teaching English this week! Let me explain. There are 2 groups of counselors, the American Counselors (US) and the Daily Life Counselors (DL). The DLs are all French and responsible for getting the children up, brushing teeth, showering, bedtime, night watch, etc. The US Counselors are split into 2 groups, the ESLers and Activities. The ESLers teach 2 English classes per day and the Activities group plans activities periods for the session. Each summer session is 2 weeks long - the kids arrive and we have a series of theme days (for example, Discover America Day, Thanksgiving Day, Wild West Day, Olympic Day, Valentines Day, Mardi Gras Day, Halloween Day, Fairy Tale Day, Hollywood Day, Graduation Day) in which everything during that day coordinates to the theme - the food, the English classes, the activities, Congress (a special time that we have entailing singing songs, learning cheers, performing skits, introducing the themes and phrases of the day, etc.), the Evening Program, etc. Last week, I was an Activities person, so this week I am super excited to teach! I have my own classroom and I get to teach pretty much whatever I want. I am stoked.

7. We picked family names. Topic? Animal sounds. So, we have the Moos, the Clucks, the Baahs, the Ribbits, and the Oinks. Therefore, I am Koko Baah this session.

8. We saw two AMAZING rainbows tonight, probably the brightest I have ever seen. I took pictures! They were just over the farthest mountain - the sight was breathtaking! If I figure out how, I will post a pic or two of this!

9. I've been informed that I speak with a very strong Wisconsin accent. I was unaware. I guess it's just part of my midwestern charm.

10. Here are descriptions of the counselors I will be with for the next 2 weeks so you are more familiar with them when I mention them in future text...

*KOKO (Kelly) - Quite possibly the coolest chick ever. No doubts. She's friggin awesome.
*JESS (Jessica) - Have been with her since last Monday. Really, really cool. Is 29 years old and has a French boyfriend. Originally from South Carolina. Currently lives in a town near Lyon, France and is moving to Lyon in August to start a new job. Definitely lifelong friend potential. Fluent in French and has a funny laugh. Mix between Charity Kemen, Abbey Strohman, and an CA in THall from freshman year.
*MCFLY (Kristin) - Super awesome girl who is originally from California and North Carolina. Is 26 years old and living in Bordeaux with her French boyfriend. Red hair and really talkative. She reminds me of Lindsey from the Real World Seattle. We are in a family together this session. She calls me her lesbian lover and says we are showing the kids a more alternative lifestyle. She's hilarious.
*WHEATY (Justin) - Don't know how old he is, but suspecting around 30. Originally from Michigan and Pennsylvania. Moving to Montpellier to teach English in September. Really into cycling and fiber. I ate one of his figs today and we had a small conversation about pooping. It was delightful. He is really tall and has long blonde hair and is skinny. He seems to be really hairy (I can alway see his chest hair). Loves to cook and saves our butts when the chef is not here. No, I am not attracted to him.
*PEARL (Khidid) - One of the Daily Life Counselors. She just came today and seems to be really nice and dynamic. Don't know much more about her other than she speaks the most English of all 3 Daily Life Counselors. African American with really huge black and red hair. Crazy, but it works.
*PINKY (Léa) - Also one of the Daily Life Counselors. Very sweet girl. In love with the way she dresses - super cute. Has short, pixie style blonde hair that wouldn't look good on anyone but her. Great artist. Really, really nice.
*BABE (Celine) - Last of the Daily Lifers. Got the camp name Babe because her friends tell her she snorts like a pig when she laughs. Seems nice, very helpful. Short brown hair cut pixie style also.
*BIG M (Emily) - Super veteran. She has worked at Thèbe 3 years in a row. One half of a couple with Humdinger. Is 21 years old and just moved here from Prague where her and Hum have been teaching English for 10 months. From Ottawa, Canada. Kind of a know-it-all, but maybe that's good. Holds the title of "pedagological director" which, in lamens terms, means in charge of Activities. Very aware that she's thin and has short brown hair in a cute bob. Seems nice, somewhat dry humor. Physically reminds me of Sarah Kluth and this one Heather girl, but I can't remember her last name.
*HUMDINGER (James) - Hilarious, British, and 24 years old. The other half of the AmVil (American Village) couple with Big M. Quite attractive and has loads of British charm. Plays the guitar well and wears awesome Nikes with capris. Thin, taller (but not as tall as Wheaty) and friggin funny. Pulls off glasses like no one I have ever seen.
*NILES (Stephen) - Camp Director. Heads up the camp and is ridiculously funny, also. Has the most dry sense of humor I have ever heard! Reminds me of James Peterson. Originally from California, but speaks fluent French and is trying to get a Visa to stay in France. Really cool. Blonde shaved head, blue eyes, lots of piercings, but they look good. Has great one-liners and sometimes makes you feel like an idiot, but in a good way.
*LEAF (Martin) - Don't know his age, but suspecting around 21. Really nice, when he talks, seems like it's always at the appropriate time for something funny. Gets more attractive every day. Blonde hair past his chin (Dad, at this point, I know you would say, "Must be a cool kid. That's how I wore it when I was his age."). Startling blue eyes and great scruff when he doesn't shave. Seems like the "granola type" - very into hiking, and the outdoors as well. Originally from somewhere in Manitoba, but goes to "University" in Montreal.
*BEEF (Simon) - Don't know his age yet, but assuming around 26 years old. Shorter and hairy (not as hairy as Wheaty), but really good-looking. (Really, really, ridiculously good-looking. Ha, ha.) I don't know, something about him is attractive to me. He is really dark (olive skin, brown eyes, and short brown hair - with some noticably gray strands...yikes) and is a Spanish teacher from Colorado. He also coaches wrestling and track. Really nice guy.

That's all. I hope you are all satisfied with these snippets because I have just described these people to you with them sitting in the room. Weird.

Okay, that's enough for now, I must sleep! Kids come in two days!

Lots of kisses and hugs from one of the most beautiful places on earth...

Kelly Belly Bo Belly Banana Fanana Fo Felly Me My Mo Melly - KELLY

- OR -

Koko Baah

LOVE YOU!