Faire de la Natation...

　

Let me take a minute to talk about the events of my school day today. It was an extra comical day, which was surprising, seeing as it was a Monday and I almost killed myself when I woke up this morning. (I'm not a huge fan of Mondays...) Anyway, it all started at 10:00 am. Every Monday I have gym from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. It may seem like a really long time, and it is, but I actually don't mind it because for one thing, this terrible event only happens once a week. And also, it's nice to get it over with first thing Monday morning so I don't have to think about it for the rest of the week. But today, gym class was super special. It was like I got in a time machine and was transported back to 6th grade at Governor Mifflin Intermediate School. There's a clue, right there. Can you guess what unit we're studying right now? *DING DING DING* If you guessed swimming, you are correct! So we got on the bus to go to the swimming pool, (It's like 3 towns over, and a 20 minute drive) and I'm stopped by the female gym teacher. She says, "Vous etes nouveau?" (You are new?) Thank goodness I understood her. I'm really tired of standing there like a slap- happy idiot, nodding my head up and down and smiling this goofy smile because I have no idea what someone just said to me. There's only so many times I can use the phrase, "Je ne comprends pas," before people just think I'm a blonde idiot...and I think I used it that many times, unfortunately. So I say, "Je viens des Etats- Unis." (I am from the United States) Then she giggles and says, "Je sais. Je peux dire de vos cheveux. Dans quel etat? (I know. I can tell from your hair. Where in the United States?) So after I stand there translating her question, and trying to figure out if she was in fact mocking my hair, I say, "OH! Je suis desolee. Pennsylvanie." (OH! I am sorry. Pennsylvania) At this, her face lights up and she says, "COMME NEW YORK CITY?!" (LIKE NEW YORK CITY?!) I actually had to step back and wait a second for my hearing to return. I'm kidding, but it was extra loud. It's like the misinformed assumption of anyone who's not from France: Paris and France are interchangeable. WRONG. Paris is a city in France. French people seem to have this same assumption for any state in America, and New York City. So I say, "Non. Je suis Pennsylvanie. New York City est New York Etat." (No. I am Pennsylvania. New York City is New York State) Yes, I do admit my grammar and sentence structure was a bit off, and I had just told her that I was actually the state of Pennsylvania, but I think she got the idea. Then I went and quickly took a seat next to some kid who drooled all over me the whole bus ride, and kept trying to talk to me about Eminem. (and I'm not saying "he drooled all over me" to flatter myself. I mean, he produces an excessive amount of spit, and most of it was being sprayed in my direction as he tried to have an English conversation with me about my favorite rapper. Not my favorite part of the day.)

When we got to the pool we all had to swim a warm- up lap, and then we were ready to get started. Here's the drill: Every week, every student has to swim three sets of 50 m laps, and we get a time for each lap. The swimming itself is actually really easy. It's just the time it takes to do it. There are approximately 72,879,678,124 students all crowded around a pool the size of my kitchen sink. It's like a mosh pit, and the unlucky ones don't get punched in the face; they get thrown in the pool. I'm not claustrophobic or anything like that, but there's something unsettling about standing like packaged sardines in between two guys wearing nothing but peices of fabric they we call "Speedos." Once I could breath again, and I wasn't the middle of a "Brooke Sandwich," it was my turn to swim. I seriously haven't even swam a lap since 6th grade, but it turns out I actually enjoy it. It's something mindless to do, and I need a few things like that in my life. I don't have to talk, English or French, and I don't have to think about anything. I'm not very good, (my times being 50 seconds, 56 seconds, and 53 seconds...) but I still enjoy it. Then when we're finished swimming, we have .00045 seconds to change and get back on the bus before it leaves for Beaucamps. Overall though, I actually enjoy it...surprisingly...

                                    The Socre- Coeur...

  

...ain't it PURDY?