I don’t wanna be a murderer… - lundi, 11.06.07

Lundi 11.06.07 I love my job

I drag myself out of bed this morning. Too much fun in the sun has left me with stiff limbs and an awkward sleeping position has left me with a stiff neck. I shuffle to the marina with the strap of my laptop case exfoliating my shoulder just a bit too much. I don my shades and doze in the shade as the rocking motion of the ocean sends me back to the sea bed.

As it’s my last week in school I’ve prepared some of the requests offered up by the pupils. I’ve made a simple slide-show about trees in Ireland. Arbres not armes I stress as I set up my laptop in Madame Caruge’s room this morning. The musical appreciation element of the class is Rihanna. I’ve a worksheet on her life and career and I’ve the lyrics for Unfaithful with some gaps on another. My CM2 pupils may seem streetwise and cool but I can’t forget that they’re only 11 and 12 years old so I run the idea past the teachers first; Rihanna may not be a hard-core rapper but the content of the song is years beyond them. Most of the pupils have heard the song and some sing along surprisingly accurately. I explain the essence of the song before telling them about the double meaning of the lyrics and how important it is to contextualise the words as the face value is somewhat misleading.

The younger kids are all up for playing games and listening to Beyoncé, Shakira and Michael Jackson. The substitute teacher for Madame Acina struggles a lot with the kids but they’re manageable. Madame Edragas won’t be in on Friday so I take her class today. We finish off their hobby phrases before listening to Heal the World, Hips don’t lie and Déjà Vu. There’s talk about a little dinette for the next class and I tell them to bring in English queries and questions as well as sweets and sugary drinks J

I meet Cloé and Nic at the Soup Bar for lunch. Cloé had a bit of a hissy-fit with some street urchins just outside the café before I arrive. It sounds like some guy just brushed off her but she made a big deal about it. Martinique and her marriage to her Martiniquan man seem to be the root of her agitation; I can’t keep track of all her stories and drama! Illy, her man, is an events organiser and has brought Ben Benassi and Laurant Wolfe over to the classier side of the Martiniquan night scene. Unfortunately though the night scene is not her scene and she seems to spend more time in than out.

Nic and I take hop on the navette home. Nic’s soon back into town to meet up with Cloé and Christian an ex-student for farewell drinks but I snooze savouring the siesta. My mobile jingles. Nicola has met Baptiste, the miniscule Mayflower barman, and they are feasting on food, fags and fantasy formulas in Point du Bout. I’m out for the count and they’re soon flying home.