54 Jours Français/54 French Days.

So today is my 54^th whole day of being in France – crazy! As a result, I thought I’d make this blog post a little different and list 54 words, phrases, places and events e.t.c. that I have come across, learnt, seen or experienced since I have been in France. Firstly though, a quick recap of the past few days!

Thursday evening I finally gave in and agreed to go to choir with Beth & Sarah – I’m so glad I did as it was a great way to meet people! We were singing random songs in English but I just had severe problems reading and pronouncing the words, I think I’m losing my English! The guy next to me, Jacques ,found it hilarious that every time we sang the phrase “robe and crown,” I’d sing something else: Robe and clown, robe and frown, robe and gown, robe and down... you get the idea. I just could not say them! He laughed a lot and his laugh was so funny, I laughed at that and essentially, it was difficult not to laugh! On the way back, we bumped into him and his friend who invited us to go with a drink. Beth, Sarah & I had already decided we were going to go for one but French people inviting US somewhere? Yes please! We sat outside O’Cardinals and spoke French for a few hours and there were 2 guitarists playing and singing latino-esque songs inside – they were amazing and it was such a pleasant evening! J

Friday I stayed in my room, sat down and did quite a lot of work – it almost felt like I was back in Cardiff! I wanted to get things done so I could relax a little on the weekend. That afternoon I went to the huge Carrefour supermarket, a short bus ride away where Hannah, Sarah, Beth & Jordan bought sheets for Pia’s toga party. We then spent 2 hours in KFC chatting and eating – it was just so good to eat something different to the French cuisine we’re surrounded by! That evening a few of the gang went to O’Pogues for an hour.

 

I got up early on Saturday morning to go and visit the weekly market at Les Halles where I bought some fruit and vegetables – It’s all so cheap and much better quality than the supermarkets! I then did a little more work and at around 2pm Beth, Freddy, Charles, Han, Lauren and I went to Café du theatre where I had a chocolate crepe – yum!

 

 

That evening, Beth and Lauren came to my room where we helped each other make some togas for Pia’s 21^st Birthday party. It was such a good night, we had a party at Jordan’s residence (he has a huge room) and everyone had come up with different ideas, designs and accessories – It’s surprising how many different variations can be made from the same sheet!

Jaime, Lauren, Pia, Ailie, Beth, Catrin & Jessie looking chic!

 

Myself & Hannah :)

 

All Toga'ed up

 

 

Sunday was a day of rest and in the evening Audrey came over to watch some British shows on my laptop and we bought a pizza from ‘Pizza Palace’ just opposite our residence. Once again the ‘working week’ had come back around and we’ve been given some assessed pieces of work such as 1000 words on the history of the French language – hopefully this shouldn’t be too difficult. Yesterday we had the weekly 2 hour ‘Histoire Contemporaine’ lecture which I usually dread as we literally sit there, the lecturer speaks at full speed for 2 hours, and then we leave again. However yesterday seemed different as I understood nearly everything that had been said (of course some words I didn’t know but I write them phonetically in hope that I can find them later,) and I made 15 pages of notes – perhaps my French listening skills are improving more than I’d thought! J

 

Monday evening we also had a small buffet-style meal as one of the Italian girls, Olga, is leaving. It was a surprise and I think she was very grateful! We each brought along some food to contribute and it was delicious but clearly very sad! I went to our local Boulangerie and bought 6 baguettes – she literally gave me a sack (similar to the brown type for Potatoes at home) and I don’t think I’ve ever felt so French!

 

 

Sara, Alice & Olga

 

 

SO, 54 days in France, 54 things.

1)      Trains - nobody speaks on them!

2)      Mountains – All around!

3)      Crossing Roads – You just have to walk out and the cars stop for you

4)      Boulangeries & Salons – EVERYWHERE

5)      Administration & Organisation – lacking

6)      Chambéry – beautifully picturesque

7)      Wine – crazily cheap

8)      Lectures – 2 hours long, tiring

9)      Euros – difficult to tell apart the coins compared to pounds

10)  Kebabs – much better than those at home!

11)  Sundays – The entire world shuts down

12)  Things you expect to be expensive are cheap, random things are expensive

13)  Postal Service – Be prepared to wait

14)  Lunch Times – Most places close, even places where you’d need to go to eat...

15)  Hill up to Uni – never complain about the flat roads around Cardiff again

16)  Friends – so many new friends J

17)  Saturday wedding processions with all cars blaring their horns through the streets

18)  Few people know where Wales is, nor that it even exists

19)  Markets – so fresh and so cheap

20)  Emails – and other online information never seems to get to Erasmus students

21)  Many French students like to use a laptop in a lecture - I can see the efficiency but think I'd struggle to find accented letters quick enough!

22)  Heels – French girls wear heels to University (don’t forget the hill) but flats for a night out

23)  General fashion – VERY different to the UK (Gym trousers and a smart shirt, anyone?)

24)  Cheese, Cheese, Cheese galore

25)  Coffee – it just isn’t as good here

26)  A walk up a mountain actually means a life threatening climb

27)  Bouncers at clubs seem to rule the world

28)  Libraries – Not as computer filled as in Cardiff

29)  University Canteen – It’s like being back at school, and there aren’t food places open at any other time

30)  Which leads me on to Communal lunch hour: 12-1.30

31)  2 cards for one account at a French bank – one for cash transactions, one for online

32)  You can never have enough photocopies of your passport/passport photos

33)  Communal recycling bins in the middle of streets

34)  Sleep – I have never ever slept as much as I do here

35)  Being Erasmus doesn’t mean you can be treated any differently to the French students or can have copies of notes

36)  Lakes – beautiful, refreshing and none of that awful salt which ruins everything!

37)  Multiculturalism – I’ve met people from across the entire world

38)  Homesickness is natural and you do get over it!

39)  The weather and temperature can fluctuate even more than in the UK

40)  The French love their fountains

41)  Surviving on 2 hobs can become quite tedious

42)  Hundreds of boutiques = hours of browsing fun!

43)  Buses – cheap! (1.20€ per journey)

44)  Skype, Facebook & Email are lifelines to keep in touch with everyone back home – how did Erasmus students survive in the past?!

45)  2 washing machines and 1 tumble dryer is not sufficient for a building of 100+

46)  ATMs don’t allow you to take out 10€ but if you request 20€, you will often receive two 10€ notes

47)  EVERYONE will want to come and visit you abroad (and have a cheap holiday!)

48)  Lots of students spend their time campaigning to strike against something (Just today a poster was left in my mailbox)

49)  France loves acronymes : BU/Bibliothèque Universitaire... RU/Restaurant Universitaire

50)  There’s no such thing as Dairy Milk or Galaxy, it’s ALL about Milka !

51)  The coffee vending machine on campus makes a roaring trade

52)  The music you hear out and about is several months behind that of the UK

53)  98% of Birthday cards sold are actually just a postcard with no envelope

54)  Before coming, if I had been offered £1 million a day to be here, given a luxury flat and everything I could dream of, I would’ve preferred to have been sent to Spain with 1€ a day to live on. Now, I can’t see how I can ever leave this place J

 

 

Bonne Journée!!