Christmas is Coming!

Hello all,

So, it's ten days until I go home for Christmas, and I am SO EXCITED it's unreal. Seven weeks is a looong time to be away when I've never been apart from my family for more than a week before. I am insanely impatient and unsettled at the minute; I can't get to sleep at night, I'm constantly thinking about the journey home and if I'll have enough time to check in and get through security once I get to the airport, if the bus and trains will run if the snow comes back, etc etc. But I literally can't wait to get home and see everyone; I'm missing them all insanely and I'm so happy that I'll be seeing them soon.

It snowed pretty heavily this week; it must have been a foot deep. While it was pretty to look at, it took me twice as long as usual to trudge through it with my big shopping bags. I guess I'm becoming a proper grown-up, seeing snow as a nuisance rather than something fun to play in.

Another reason I'm looking forward to getting home is the continental market. It's a TRADITION to  go and have bratwurst and German beer and paella, and talk to the Native American man, so I can't wait to go; I think we're going straight from the airport, which I'm really looking forward to.

So, Joyeux Noel and here's hoping the snow goes away!

Dear Builders

Dear Builders,

I would like to thank you for the very effective wake-up call you provided this morning; it was extremely thoughtful and considerate. However, I am curious as to the reasons behind it. Surely building work at 8.30am is against the builders' code of conduct? Surely ferocious hammering above my head is both fruitless and irritating to all parties? I am curious; just what were you hammering that required such vigour?

In future, please rest assured that I can set my own alarm, and be up and ready for work at an hour of my choosing.

Thank you. >: (

Becoming Accustomed

Hello all,

So, another week has passed, and I think the fact that I have nothing to report is a good sign. I'm "getting used to" being here, and that I'm happy in my own company is something to be pleased about, particularly given the fact that the only people around my age are my students, thus severely limiting the chance of finding "friends" here! I'm getting on really well with the teachers, I'm pleased to say; Olivier took me to a shooting range on Wednesday. I have to admit, I was apprehensive (to say the least!), but ended up really enjoying it. I think it's much more beneficial to me to be spending time with the teachers, because, after all, they are doing what I want to be doing in a few years time, and I can learn lots from them. Also, they are interesting people, and I can talk to them about stuff I'm interested in too; they want to know about me, and ask questions and show an interest, something I think would be lacking if I were to hang out with different other people. That they are language teachers helps too, because they're willing to help me if I make language mistakes, and they're perfectly happy to speak Franglais if necessary, when I get really stuck!

I'm sure the other language assistants from Queen's are all out at bars having great craic and meeting randomers every other night, but that's not what I do at home, so I'm not planning on doing it here.. I'm pretty much spending my time the way I normally do, only in a different language, and I think that's the best way I can possibly spend my time here. *shrug*

All Better Now.

Hello!

Well, I promised last time that I'd be happier next time I posted, and I'm glad to say I am! I've had a nice relaxing weekend, watching Cold Feet and Spooks, I have a fridge full of nice food, (nearly) all the dishes are done, and all three classes today went without a hitch. Also, and perhaps most excitingly, the Erasmus grant made an appearence today, which means the family might get a Christmas present: I think we have a success on our hands!

Unfortunately, I have been a hermit these past few days, and have nothing else of interest by way of news. So I will say adieu for now, and post again when I've actually left the house and done something!

Feeling Blue

*sigh* So, Caroline left this morning to go home, and I couldn't help but wish that I was going with her. I had such a nice week with her; it was awesome to just be sisters together, not doing anything, but just being. We haven't spent so much time together in I don't know how long, and I'm really grateful for the past week. But now I'm going to have to get used to being on my own again. At this point, I'm missing everyone lots, and just hope that the next six weeks go as fast as the past five, so that I see my family and friends again really soon.

I'm just feeling a bit sorry for myself, I suppose. I've had two weeks of constant company, and it's really strange to be just me again. I've ordered lots of DVDs off Amazon to console myself, and I've got some new books to read as well. Right now, I'm just concerned about making myself feel better, read and watch things in English, and never mind how my French is coming on... I guess the "Year Abroad Mood Cycle" that Queen's told us about is kicking in - "The normal pattern of the year abroad is that after the initial excitement of being in France, there is a period of adjusting to new surroundings that can lead to a low around the end of October or the beginning of November." I guess I just have to go with the flow, get on with it and look forward to Christmas.

It helps that the English teachers were really nice today; they understand what I'm feeling, especially because they know how close I am to Caroline. Olivier and Sandrine both asked if I was alright, if Caroline got away okay this morning, and gave me a bit of sympathy, and Olivier has invited me out for some target practice next week, which is nice; maybe shooting things will be theraputic!

I'll be more cheerful next time I post; I promise!

Back Again!

So, I've had a lovely week at home, seeing everyone and being generally very busy! And now, I'm back in La Chatre, and Caroline's here with me! It's been really good being able to show her where I've been spending the last month, and being able to spend time with her is just awesome.

Rachel is counting down the days until I come home for Christmas; 47 sleeps tonight! It really doesn't seem such a long time when you put it like that! I just sent off a report to Queen's about how my first month is going; it's funny to think that, when they were telling us about writing these reports, I was sitting in Peter Froggett Centre thinking, "that seems so far away, I can't imagine spending a whole month in a foreign country all by myself!" And now, here I am, a whole month behind me! It seems so surreal.

Caroline and I managed to miss the circus AND the cinema today, because I thought (mistakenly) that the clocks went back last night. So we arrived at the circus in the Place du Champ de Foire, ready to see some awesome show, and we'd missed it! So we spent 2 Euro and 15 minutes looking at some animals (and were able to stroke a zebra, which was, admittedly, pretty cool), then headed to the cinema in the hope that something would be on later tonight, only to find that we'd missed the start of Despicable Me! So we're back in the flat, watching Glee and getting fat munching tons of snacks and drinking gallons of tea. Awesome.

Tomorrow, we're planning on hiring a car and going traveling. I'm just hoping the bus to Chateauroux is running, as it's All Saint's Day and the transport system might be up the left. So we'll see how that goes!

Not Loving the Greve.

Alas, the greve has finally affected me. The train I'm supposed to be getting tomorrow, the lovely, direct-to-the-airport train, has been CANCELLED. So I've to hang around for an extra hour in the train station, get a different train to Austerlitz station, and get TWO MORE TRAINS to Charles de Gaulle :( Grr.