Yet another chilly French
week is over (in fact, the next has already started.)
Last Sunday was the final evening in the “Come Dine with Me – Chambéry” series and it was our time to cook! (‘OUR’ being Alex, Hannah, Beth, Chris and myself.) With Hannah as head chef, a feast was prepared that would have filled the largest of armies. The menu was as follows:
Entry Apéritif: Tequila Shot + Nacho Crisp
Starter: Nachos plus cheese, guacamole, sour cream and salsa
Main: Burritos and Fajitas
Dessert: Chocolate brownie and vanilla ice-cream
I think it’s fair to say that everybody loved it and as Ailie mentioned, had it been a proper competition, she said we definitely deserved to win, bless her J!
With the food theme of ‘Mexican,’ the clothing theme was naturally ‘Mexican,’ and as hosts, it was imperative that we set the standard. We all made colourful ponchos (using the sheets we had used for Pia’s toga party – 2 costumes from one sheet, money well spent!) and drew on some rather think and imposing moustaches with Charles and Lauren equally putting in great effort.
Last Sunday was the final evening in the “Come Dine with Me – Chambéry” series and it was our time to cook! (‘OUR’ being Alex, Hannah, Beth, Chris and myself.) With Hannah as head chef, a feast was prepared that would have filled the largest of armies. The menu was as follows:
Entry Apéritif: Tequila Shot + Nacho Crisp
Starter: Nachos plus cheese, guacamole, sour cream and salsa
Main: Burritos and Fajitas
Dessert: Chocolate brownie and vanilla ice-cream
I think it’s fair to say that everybody loved it and as Ailie mentioned, had it been a proper competition, she said we definitely deserved to win, bless her J!
With the food theme of ‘Mexican,’ the clothing theme was naturally ‘Mexican,’ and as hosts, it was imperative that we set the standard. We all made colourful ponchos (using the sheets we had used for Pia’s toga party – 2 costumes from one sheet, money well spent!) and drew on some rather think and imposing moustaches with Charles and Lauren equally putting in great effort.
Alex and I - Our Mexican Versions
Myself & Lauren
Otherwise, the week was
fairly uneventful. We had a Grammar test on Monday which I think went fairly
well and the rest of the week was filled with lectures and not much more. This
weekend, the majority of the group went to Val Thorens, about an hour away, for
the opening weekend of the Ski season. I decided to stay in Chambéry and use
the opportunity to do some of the pieces of work that are due in the next few
weeks so that I can enjoy my friends visiting and Paris without deadlines
looming over me.
Earlier in the week Anya
and I had taken some books from the library to research and find some quotes to
use in our essay. We knew it was on Napoléon and subsequently took out several
books on this topic. However, it was only when I sat down to begin reading that
I realised Napoléon had died before the date of the speech we had to discuss
(which he had made...) We realised that the speech was by another Napoléon –
indeed we’d been ignorant enough to think that there was only one Napoléon (I’d
never heard of any others until now.) It turns out that the speech was made by Louis-Napoléon
Bonapart, Napoléon’s nephew (and who eventually became the third ‘King
Napoléon.’) So, there’ve been at least 3 Napoléons in France (perhaps even
more?!) As a result, we popped back to Uni on Friday afternoon to swap the
books over.
The essay was quite difficult in the sense that we had been presented with a source (in this case a speech) and that was it. No question, no guidance of what we needed to do or what was expected of us. Nothing. After spending Friday evening (and into the early hours of Saturday) reading books, selecting possible useful information and putting together an essay plan, I spent Saturday writing the essay. It was a slow, slow process. Not only did I need to ensure that the Historical facts were correct but I also had to ensure I was expressing myself correctly and using the correct past tenses. I was so pleased with the work I’d done by the end of the evening and just hope it’s worthy of a good grade. The French students have to present theirs as a 30 minute presentation – at least we are spared that task, at least!
The essay was quite difficult in the sense that we had been presented with a source (in this case a speech) and that was it. No question, no guidance of what we needed to do or what was expected of us. Nothing. After spending Friday evening (and into the early hours of Saturday) reading books, selecting possible useful information and putting together an essay plan, I spent Saturday writing the essay. It was a slow, slow process. Not only did I need to ensure that the Historical facts were correct but I also had to ensure I was expressing myself correctly and using the correct past tenses. I was so pleased with the work I’d done by the end of the evening and just hope it’s worthy of a good grade. The French students have to present theirs as a 30 minute presentation – at least we are spared that task, at least!
Saturday evening, after
completing my essay and having been in my room for practically 2 days, I felt I
deserved a quiet drink at O’Cardinals. Ailie had a friend visiting for the
weekend, Leonie, and so the three of us walked the short distance for a
refreshing (in my case) Desperados. She is such a lovely and hilarious person and
it was great to meet her and Alice and her boyfriend, Andrea, came to meet us
there a little later. My particularly favourite moment was at the bar when
Leonie ordered her drink (in English,) to the utter bemusement of the guy
behind the bar. Kindly, I translated her request for a ‘diet coke’ to ‘coca-light’
and a disaster had been averted! She talked to me about how amazing it was to
see Ailie living abroad and how fun we must have and what an incredible
experience it must be and how everyone must want to be in our shoes. She asked
me if I would recommend it. My response? Definitely. It was quite refreshing to
hear this as this is now life for me and I sometimes forget that I am living
and studying in a foreign language, using it to get by in life and improving it
while making some amazing friends, visiting some beautiful places and having
some awesome experiences.
Leonie, Me, Alice & Ailie
Outside O'Cards :)
I did another piece of
written work on Sunday and a few History notes, but felt quite mentally
exhausted from the previous two days History. That afternoon, Ailie, Leonie,
Sarah, Lauren and her boyfriend Jake decided to go to the patinoire (ice rink)
for an hour. As I have mentioned numerous times before, nothing ever opens or
goes on in Chambéry on a Sunday. Well, it does – EVERYONE seems to go to the
ice rink! The place was ridiculously busy with some people clinging in terror
while other Olympic-standard individuals glided across the ice and through the
tiny gaps between the multitude of people. Sometimes there was a loud
announcement (which I couldn’t understand) and everyone would suddenly change direction.
Seeing 100+ people coming towards you at speed can be.. daunting. Like last
time, there was music and lights (as if it were a night club... on ice) and
sometimes songs would come on and several people would stop in the centre of
the rink to dance – Lauren, Sarah, Ailie and Leonie joined in with ‘The Macarena’
– OIF! (Only In France!)
Lauren & Sarah showing the French how the dancing is done
This week will be another where I’ll aim to do some work, mainly revision notes as exams are only a matter of weeks away. However on Friday afternoon 2 friends from home, Rach &Beth, will be coming to visit for the weekend and I’m soooo excited to see them and show them my little French life! I have an itinerary of places to go, things to eat and things to see and I think it’ll be a beautiful weekend! It hasn’t rained for weeks here until this evening, I just hope the weather isn’t too bad for the weekend J
À Plus
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