And so the first week is over.

It took a little more out of me than I thought it was going to, but I am happy where I am. It feels different to not be physically exhausted after a day of work. It is different to use your mind instead of your back to make a living. The kids were great I have seniors (Terminals) through sophomores (Premieres) who have proved to be a little difficult, but it will be good. I was prepared, but not near enough. The teaching was easy, it was the prep that caught me off guard.

I am sitting in my kitchen, as I do here in Castres most evenings, going over some new lesson ideas for next week and packing for a climbing trip up into the Pyrenees. I got hooked up with the local climbing club here and in less than two sessions at the local wall, they invited me to come and spend the weekend craiging and then some class IV alpine up somewhere. Didn’t so much pack for this one. However Ryan you will be pleased to know that I did bring my spandex along, so those will prove helpful and for the top all I have is my down green Patagonia and a few more light tops that I will layer like hell to keep warm, dirtbag alpine? Does that exist Josh?

I will post photos soon ya’ll I am having to do it all from the school and there is all kinds of malfunction problems. I am going to be getting internet here in the apartment soon, so take heed all y’all skypers, I will be online maybe next week.

And about next week the Verner clan has yet again pulled together to buy their son and brother a flight back to the states for Stuart and Erin’s wedding that will be next weekend, the 20th. So I will leave Toulouse, France at 12:45 on Thursday, get to Nashville that night at 9 stay until Sunday afternoon about 4 and head back to France to be at work on Tuesday.