I still haven't finished blogging about my wonderful spring vacation and seeing my family in Roma BUT I couldn't resist adding some pics and moments from this past weekend. I feel like I haven't stopped since I have been back from break, which is a good thing. I also am really starting to hold off thinking about how I only have about six weeks which is not enough time - I'm really starting to feel at home and the longer I stay the harder it gets to think about leaving. All of that being said, here are some highlights from my past week:

Thursday was St. Patrick's Day, which I'm sure most of you know, so I tried to concentrate my lessons on talking about what St. Patrick's Day actually means for both Ireland and the United States. I taught my kids the legend/story of St. Patrick and we did a little exercise about the meaning of shamrocks. We have also been focusing on energy so I spent a good part of my day grading 'Alternative Energy' posters for my sophomores - which was absolutely exhausting, but fun to see how hard the students had worked! Because I don't work on Thursdays, my friend Caely and I decided to splurge and go to our favorite restaurant, Apple Pie, for some real Ireland indulgence. Well, we couldn't have picked a better day to be true gourmands. Lisa had prepared homemade bread with creme fraiche and smoked salmon, an Irish stew with cabbage, beef, carrots and potatoes, and last, but certainly not least, Irish Coffee Cheesecake. Now, I've been treating myself to Apple Pie since my discovery of it in late November. I even wrote an entire post dedicated to Lisa's Pumpkin Pie over Thanksgiving, but I have to say that the cheesecake was the most incredible thing Lisa has made so far - basically I should write a new post: Ode to Irish Coffee Cheesecake. So Lisa, thank you, yet again you have managed to make me want to share my food adventures with everyone who reads the blog. 

Homemade brown bread and smoked salmon .... really?

Irish stew - reminding me of St. Patrick's Day at home!

Irish Coffee Cheesecake: Renamed "Can I have another
piece?" cheesecake ...

Caely hard at work

Now that you are salivating and hungry ... I worked all day Friday, as I usually do, but took on some extra hours to help the students with their oral exams. Friday night I was absolutely exhausted and went to bed at some unreasonably early hour because Saturday I also worked. Saturday was 'Open House' at school - basically so that parents and their middle schoolers could come and see what the lycée has to offer. Lycée Chateaubriand is considered one of the, if not THE, best public school in Rennes, so you can imagine we were super busy. We schmoozed with parents for a few hours in the morning asking their questions about our role as assistants and where we come from etc. It was exhausting, but actually quite fun to see how many parents are really curious about the next step of their children's education. Saturday afternoon, I continued working and did another afternoon at Les Petits Bilingues - which is a small school offering special afternoon classes for younger kids to practice/learn English. I help once a month with the cooking class offered on Saturday, and this week we made Carrot Cake and American Pancakes. The students were so well behaved and the parents were very pleased to see their kids so excited to share the cake with them, in addition to proving they can say "eggs", "flour", "sugar", and "cinnamon"... very cute. To top it off, France 3, a French news station, came to interview us and film a bit of our class - very very nerve racking. So apparently, tomorrow night, Emma attempting to teach English, cook, and speak French will be on French news - yikes.

Caely attempting to review the ingredients with some of my students

Despite my exhaustion level after meeting friends for tea after teaching, then going to see a very adorable new French film, I decided to 'profiter' from the incredible weather we have been having, and I took a day trip to the northern coast of Brittany with my friends Fabienne (from Germany) and Elsa (from Russia). We left around noon and drove up to the coast stopping at a couple different beaches and points. Our main goal was to see Cap Fréhal, a place I have been wanting to visit since arriving in Rennes. It went above and beyond my expectations. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, and it was so nice to be in a car, exploring the countryside and the coast - which is absolutely beautiful here in Brittany. It is truly spring here, and I saw all of the colors and lush gardens to prove it. We would drive a bit, stop, get out and take advantage of the sun and walk a bit before getting back into the car and hitting our next stop. Fabienne vacationed here as a kid, so she knew the area like the back of her hand. Our last stop was at a beach where we walked along the boardwalk and grabbed a galette before heading back home in time for a shower, and finally, sleep. I'm so lucky that Fabienne has a car, and it was so nice to only speak in French all day.

Beautiful sunset

Me at Cap Fréhal

The 'phare' or lighthouse at Cap Fréhal

Catching mussels

The beach 

Fort Latte at Cap Fréhal

The water color was absolutely crazy - there were times when
you couldn't tell the difference between sea and sky. Right
below the cliffs, the water looked like Caribbean water it was so
aqua and absolutely beautiful.

Paragliding in Brittany

Families have picnics and take advantage of the sun on a Sunday

Horses at low tide