Bonne Vacances!

Well it wouldn't be a complete week if it didn't include walking to school at least once... or so it's been for the past 3 weeks. And since I hadn't walked to school yet this week, today had to be the day!

We got something like 15-20cm of snow last night (up to 30cm reported "in the countryside") which brought the city to a near stand-still. Lorrains have been watching the weather for about a week, obsessing about when and how much snow would fall on the region. Finally on Wednesday it became apparent that Thursday afternoon would be the witching hour for commencing what one British assistant deemed "Siberian" conditions.

Sure enough, yesterday around 3:00pm, just in time for afternoon recess, the snow started to fall. City buses were reduced, and as soon as the 4.15pm bell rang, teachers and students alike fled the building. Everyone was in a panic to get home before things got worse. I fortunately escaped walking home last night by the grace of a generous colleague who drove me part way, and then a really well-timed bus that passed only minutes after leaving the car. But it wasn't just the teachers who had taken to the roads. Lots of businesses and shops closed early to send workers home before the going got too perilous. This resulted in crazy traffic throughout the city, especially as some of the major routes were preventitively closed or as others became blocked due to accidents. I finally arrived home around 6:00pm...

This morning when I got up, they had already announced there would be no city buses running, so I packed my school bag, ate my breakfast, donned my winter-wear and set out on foot. It's about 2km from my apartment to my school, a distance that I have down to an exact 45-minute walk. I don't really mind the walk, either, though I'd clearly have preferred a quick 12-minute bus ride... But today it was particularly exhausting; "real" snowplows (by Vermont standards) don't even exist for the roads here, so having plowed sidewalks is utterly out of the question. I equated my trek through the snow, ice and slush to walking through particularly wet sand... Exhausting.

I arrived at school at my usual time of 7:45am, welcomed by cries of "how in the world did you get here?!?!" "you came by foot?!! Are you crazy!?!" and "I know you don't usually drink coffee, but maybe this morning you'd like one...?!" Yes, in fact, I would very much like a coffee. And a nap?

Being the last day before the Christmas holiday, the teachers were fully planning on taking advantage of the snow-filled courtyard. "How early before recess can we send the children outside to make snowmen? Thirty minutes? Is forty-five too much?" Needless to say, everyone was in rare form, both from snowy surprise and excitement for the impending vacation.

After my three classes were done, it was another 45-minute trek home.

I think I've well earned my two weeks off. Or at least a good night's sleep, which I'm sure will not be a problem tonight!