Another protest, big fucking deal

5:01 P.M.

Yes, it's that time of year again, where all of France gets into greve mode. What is it with French people and protesting everything?? I see mini protests around the city once in a while, but today, it - very annoyingly - affected my day. I had to get up earlier than usual to take the early bus to school since my normal bus wasn't coming. I couldn't go home for lunch because there was (yet again) no bus, so I stayed at school and graded papers and tried to nap on my desk. On the way home, the bus stopped short because of all the traffic so everyone had to unload and walk the rest of the way. Not such a big deal, but my bag was extra heavy today and my leg is aching. Plus there was a parade of people chanting and shouting all over the place, waving red and white flags. Add 5 classes of chatty kids today and you get one annoyed, foul mood me.

I'm exhausted and achy, but I can't rest since there are tons of people chanting not too far from my apartment with someone screaming into a megaphone, foghorns blowing, and the occasional police siren. According to lemonde.fr, there are 1.5 million people protesting in France today. They're asking for pay raises and want job protection with the financial crisis and all. Um, who doesn't?? Of all the 1.5 million French people, why couldn't at least 1 of them be a teacher from my monster school??

Speaking of teachers from my school, there's one CP teacher who I always seem to get stuck with alone in the teacher's room. Her room is right across from the teacher's room and my classes are over 5 minutes before la recreation, so we're always the first ones getting coffee. When I'm with her, I'm always praying that another teacher will come in to make things a little more.. lively? It's kind of awkward because she's so frowny and doesn't attempt to make any conversation with me. Once, we were sitting at the table together in silence, so I asked her how her vacation was and she seemed uninterested and unresponsive. But once the other teachers come in, she gets all smiley and chatty, so I don't know what it is! I know French people have a reputation for being closed off with people they don't know, but can't she just throw me a bone and have a fake, forced conversation with me?

Anyway, am going to elbow my way through the swarms of people to do some grocery shopping. I'm determined to get my Moroccan mint tea as I've gone a whole week without it and could really use some today.