My new best friend, Radio France, has been keeping me updated about the new strike that's set for this week. Tonight (Tuesday), it's the SNCF (train network), and tomorrow the RATP starts (Paris transport system). As it's again an open strike, there's no set end date, and it'll only be over when someone gets something done. Best case scenario : the strike lasts until Friday (SNCF & RATP included). More possible scenario : nothing is back to normal until Sunday. Worst case scenario for the poor traveller and best case scenario for the unions : the transport strike lasts until next Tuesday, when 'functionnaires' (public sector workers, including teachers) and students are having a general strike, and then everyone joins together in an Anti-Sarko bloc that completely immobilizes the country. As of right now, that sounds fairly feasible even though it may seem ridiculous to those of you who have not yet fully experienced the incredible power of the French left. Tomorrow I'm expecting to use no public transport ; I might try out the Velib (the bike rental system) but it may not be possible because the bikes are in too high demand during the strike. I can potentially walk to Sorbonne for my MICEFA class, but I will put money on the professor not getting there because I believe she takes the RER - line A is 'quasiment nul' and line B will have no traffic. According to the nice lady in the Creteil metro this morning, there will be no trains on line 8. As for Paris 3 classes, apparently the students & functionnaires are jumping the gun ; they're set to be on strike for tomorrow too. Looks like I might have a free day coming, so hopefully I'll get caught up in some excellent giant protest somewhere. Anne told me she'd take me to one...
In other news, Saturday was excellent, it was strange to see Anne's parents after 5 years but they are great and just like I remembered. Except for that Luc's French got easier to understand (not a bad thing...). They invited me to Orleans sometime, so hopefully I'll be able to find a weekend to go with Anne, though I guess it might not be until after Christmas. It was definitely too short this time, so I hope I can go sooner rather than later! After they went to lunch, I went to meet Faima, which was excellent. I have a much better time understanding her in person than on the phone. We hung around the Champs-Elysees for a while, and then we went to Parc Monceau, and then we went to La Defense for a little bit. It was awesome, I invited her to the Thanksgiving dinner so hopefully she'll be able to come and then we can hang out on Saturday for a little bit, too. I went to Elly's after that, we had dinner and *gasp* watched some TV. I figured I was allowed since it's been 2 months since I've watched any. The rest of the weekend was fairly boring, I tried to get some work done...Verena came over last night to help me organize/read some stuff for my trip to Germany in December, so that was nice to see her (since I probably won't see any of my friends this week...).
I didn't go to Creteil this morning, since I was supposed to be with Amel (who works at both schools) and she told me if I didn't hear from her then I shouldn't come since she didn't have anything for me to do. But according to one of the students, she told them that I didn't want to come...whatever, I guess I don't really want to deal with those kids who throw chalky erasers at my stuff. This afternoon was normal, I've got some homework to grade and a 'prise de parole continue' (oral report sort of thing) for the 3e Europeans in a few weeks (next week is supposed to be another orientation, but we'll see because of all the striking) and then the next week they're going to Caen. I think that'll be a good way to handle things because the kids who actually want to work and make the effort will get a good grade anyway, I know they'll do the thing and I know they can stand up and speak for two minutes. I'd prefer to even take them one by one, but we'll see if that works.
So...Bonne Greve demain!!!!!!!!
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