End of Course

The students at the SAPV begin the spring semester earlier than most, nearly right after New Year's. Then we cram in a few extra structures classes so we can wrap up the course during the first week or two of April. This means that the students are currently gallivanting around Europe right now, experiencing new countries, sketching buildings and streetscapes, and, simply put, having the time of their lives.

Psh. Been there. Done that.
(Oops, I think my I-live-in-Paris-pretentiously side just came out.)

I have completed another semester in the blink of an eye, with what barely feels like a chance to reflect on how the course was going. Judging by the performance on the finals, I'm happy. Thinking about what I would have liked to have accomplished... let's just say, another year would provide needed room for improvement. And now that I've been through the ropes, I have plenty of lecture material and assignments prepared, so a second year would allow me to focus on smoothing out the wrinkles, adding a few bells and whistles, and thinking up a third idiomatic expression to go here.

And so, as the students were preparing for their trips and saying their bon voyages, they kept asking me, "so, um... like, what are you doing during the break?" To which I would respond, "grading." And to which I would respond today "having fun with InDesign and Photoshop" because grading final exams is finally over, and I now have the joyful task of assembling an end-of-year slideshow and yearbook.

Bridgette ponders the depth of meaning of something.

Oh, and Bridgette and I spent a day out in Fontainebleau not too long ago, hiking and picnicking. I'll save the details on that for another post...