Desperate Anglo Housewives : Bordeaux > she's back and dating in her 50s

Grappling for the silver lining... It's the time of year when my teaching hours slow down from frenzied 12 hour a day stints to almost nothing.  This is often a time a major stress for english teachers in the private sector who are paid on contract rather than salary.  No teaching  = no pay. It basically means no, or little, income. Most school teachers in France have a state contract - at college or high school level they have a maximum face to face teaching time of 18 hours per week. For those of you who aren't "in the know," teaching hours are basically multiplied  by two for " real time hours"...this is to add preparation, correction time into the formula. Their salaries are not the top of the pile but they do have 2 months summer holiday, 2 weeks at  Christmas, Winter, Spring and Autumn....all at full salary. Do the maths!  Once in the public teaching sector you are set for life....unless of course you lose your temper and lash ...

Continuing comments about school.... When my daughter was 4 years old I was sent a " convocation" to see her kindergarten teacher. This is basically a " summons"... I cancelled classes, appointments, and was at the school door at 4 30 sharp to see the teacher. On the way there I was imagining all sorts of things...was she being bullied, was there a health problem, was she fighting, was she mute, had they detected a hearing or visual related problem, ringworm...? I sat waiting for the teacher feeling the same kind of anguish I'd felt as a school girl outside the headmistress's office. I was duly called and went in.. "Madame, thank you for coming. I have summoned you here today because ( wait for this!!.. .) your daughter can't trace her w's." Being "me" I burst out laughing and looked around the room for hidden cameras. Is this some kind of joke, I asked. The teacher in question turned red and said that indeed it was not. B...