This post was originally published on Reims and Repeat, a blog that I ran during my Year Abroad.

So I appeared to have settled into an unintentional schedule of new posts - that is to say, Wednesday and Saturday. Naturally, as soon as I realised this, I decided not to write this post until Sunday.

“Get on with it, Edward! What’s happened since you last wrote?” I hear you cry. (All five of you.) Well, as I mentioned in my last post, I’ve been back in the lycée, observing lessons and finding my way around. Since I finally got my timetable a few days ago, it’s been useful, going into classes, knowing whether or not I’ll actually be teaching them from Monday. The students really are delightful: I haven’t yet met a class that I didn’t like. Everyone’s really interesting to talk to, and I get the feeling that I’ll enjoy working with them.

That said, this coming week will be slightly different from the last one, since I actually start teaching: proper “teaching”, not just “standing-at-the-front-of-the-class-and-asking-what-people-know-about-the-UK”. That of course means making lesson plans and preparing resources, of which the most fun so far has probably been the Dad’s Army theme tune. I’ve also decided to get a loyalty card at the local branch of Chapitre, a combined book- and stationery-shop; let’s just hope this doesn’t lead me to make any rash shopping decisions that I might regret later.

I also paid a visit to Régates rémoises, the local rowing club, yesterday. They’re pretty well-established, by the looks of things, and the nice lady who replied to my emails gave me a little tour before suggesting I go and watch some of their crews training. The standard was high, even among the benjamins, minimes and cadets (the names given to their younger sections), and their collection of Empachers was impressive, to say the least. The stretch of water they row on might take some getting used to, though - for someone used to coxing on the Cam, taking lots and lots of bends, the fact that I’d be steering on a canal (not best known for their challenging corners) might take some getting used to. Still, at least you can get good 1000m times …