Toussaint Week 2 - A Week With My Other Half!

Salut!

If you've been keeping up to date, you'll know how *ahem* wonderful the first week of my holidays was, and how much I needed a break, to spend the second week exploring some of Brittany with Lewis.

After waiting like what seemed forever, Lewis finally arrived on Friday evening, with a carload of some things from home. Y'know, all the important things, baked beans, spaghetti hoops, Dairy Milk, gravy granules etc. Plus I have another suitcase full of my winter woolies, a stack of books to read in my spare time, and a few DVDs. After unpacking the car, we had a homemade Nando's for tea (yup, missed that too!) and set to catching up as much as we could on The Walking Dead! 

On Saturday we ventured to the very cultural Ikea to do a bit of shopping. This was necessary because the furniture the school had put in my room was tragic. Eg. A wardrobe without a rail to hang things. I left Ikea with a bookcase, cubing unit and lots of candles. Once it was all assembled, and my duvet and cover from home were on the bed, my room looked more cozy and welcoming, unlike the prison cell it resembled before. 

Sunday was a lazy day where I showed Lewis around the town, despite the fact that everything was closed. We planned to visit Mont Saint Michel and Saint Malo the next day.

Mont Saint Michel was breathtaking. I loved it there. The picturesque buildings, the drawbridge, the cobbled streets and the inviting smell of the food cooking in the numerous restaurants. I felt like I was in Diagon Alley. 

After Mont Saint Michel we drove over to Saint Malo, which was a really special place for us to visit as it was a place Lewis went on holiday to with his family when he was a bit younger. Traffic getting into Saint Malo was ridiculous and we had no idea why, but when we got there, there were thousands of tourists, loud music, and lots of boats and it turned out that it was the start of the Route de Rhum which is a yacht race between Brittany and Guadeloupe, which takes place every 4 years, and we just happened to stumble across all on the excitement. What are the chances?!

The beaches looked incredible, especially due to the fact that we were there at the end of October.

Then Lewis showed me this place, which is a swimming pool built into the sea, where it is revealed when the tide is out! What a cool idea! I wished I'd brought my cozzie!

Then of course, how can you be a tourist in Brittany without indulging in a Crêpe au caramel au beurre salé. Delicious!

On Wednesday, we decided to visit one of the Spanish assistants in Lannion, which is about 30 minutes away by car. Unfortunately I forgot to take photos, but we had a lovely walk around, and again, ended up in a Crêperie for lunch! On our way home, we decided to detour and drive up to the Côte de Granit Rose which was beautiful.

On the way home we stopped off in a place called Ploumanac'h, which again, did not tai to impress!

And of course, how can a trip to France be complete without des macarons?! Chocolate and chocolate orange! A win.

After a lovely week it was time to say goodbye to Lewis which was awful. I'd had such a great time and knew that from that point on, it would be a long stretch until Christmas before seeing anyone from home again. It was so difficult saying goodbye, and many tears were shed! I tried to focus on making sure Lewis drove home and arrived safely, and by that point, my holidays were over...briefly.

Toussaint Week 1

Bonjour!

For those of you who don't know, Toussaint is the name of the holidays in October/ November. As a language assistant, I had a whole two weeks off work, which was great! My holidays were eventful to say the least.

In the first couple of days we had a knock at the door from a plumber who said that there was a huge leak in the school, so if we needed water, we'd have to climb in and out of the manhole to turn the valves. (If you need water....phttt of course we need water!) For the next few days we trekked to the hole to turn the valve as and when we needed it. However, one day it stopped working all together and we ended up having to spend the night with one of the teachers from the school. The teacher took myself and Talena to an amazing creperie close to his house and made sure we had everything we needed during the water crisis!

The head teacher was called to sort out the problem, but was far too busy spending the holidays on his boat to fix the issue! Alright for some, eh?! Eventually (two weeks later) the problem was fixed, just in time for the students to return to school. 

In the second week my fiancé came to stay so that we could do a bit more exploring of the area. Stay tuned for my next post about the second week of the holidays!

Bises
xx

Language Assistant Training Day

Well, to be completely honest, I had no idea what to expect from the training day. First of all, it was held on 6th October,  and my teaching contract started the 1st, which in my eyes seemed a bit pointless. My training day was in St Brieuc, about a 15 minute train journey from Guingamp. 

There was around 20 language assistants from all around the world; Canada, South America, Austria, China etc. In the morning we filled out paperwork and spoke about what is expected of us in our jobs. The afternoon provided us with ideas for teaching. We were split into groups based on our native language and had a lesson on teaching. 

The training day wasn't amazing in itself, but it was a great way of meeting other assistants. From the day I have managed to stay in contact with a few assistants, which means there is always someone else to visit, and somewhere else to stay for a few days!

It is comforting to be in touch with people who are in exactly the same position as you. You can swap lesson ideas, talk about what you've been up to and it's just nice to have friends when you're in a foreign country.

There's not an awful lot else to say about the training day, other than don't be nervous about it, like I was, and make the most of meeting new people!

A bientôt
xxx

Long Time No Post

Salut!

It's about time I keep you up-to-date with my goings on. With regards to lack of posts, blame my lack of internet for my first few weeks in my school apartment, busy schedule and lots of university work to do.

First off, the internet. We ordered our internet package on 26th September with Orange. Having been told it may take up to 15 days, but would probably be with us within a week, we were pretty happy. But the reality of things was different, I mean, I'm living in France, the country where paperwork is ongoing, but still nothing gets done. By the end of the second week, we went back to the shop to enquire about the internet. They said there had been some problems (nice of them to let us know!) and that it would be sorted ASAP. We got our internet they day after. The moral of the story is, chase people up, otherwise they aren't going to rush to get things done for you! But finally we have internet! 

Then aside from the internet drama, I have been so busy with starting my job, doing general day to day things and trying to get my university homework done before the deadline this Thursday. I will do my best to keep you updated about everything, but do bare with!

Bises 

xx

Opening a Bank Account

I'll start by saying I had a lot of help with opening a bank account. My responsable had already arranged a "rendezvous" before I arrived. 

The documentation I needed was proof of address, proof of employment (arrete de nomination), a rough estimation of what I will earn a month (I'm sure this is written in British council documents) and my passport.

I think I have to pay 3 euros a month for my debit card, and thats about it. I'm with Banque Populaire and I have to wait around 8 days for my bank card. That's all I know.

Just thought it might be handy to write this post just in case it helps anyone else.

The Pros and the Cons of a Helping Hand

I met Jacqueline at the station on Thursday, and then she took me back to her house to meet her husband Pascal and son Benoit. She told me I'd be staying the weekend and maybe moving into the school apartment on Monday. We'd sort my bank account and the internet out on Friday as well as visiting both of the Lycées that I will be working at. All good I like a plan, but things aren't always as easy as you think they will be.

Jacqueline and her family are lovely, and welcomed me in English and continue to speak to me in English, this has been great in terms of making me feel at home, but I know I'm struggling with my French at this stage. When they switch to French I only really understand 30-40% of the conversation, and as for replying...ha.

The trouble is, as great as it is to have things planned for me, it would be good to sort things out in my own time. At the moment I keep needing an early night because I keep getting awful headaches, but I feel rude going to bed early to Skype home and then going to sleep, but I'm sooooo tired. In the last few days I have spent so long travelling, and concentrating on what everyone is saying that my brain needs to rest by 20h. 

Also I haven't been able to unpack because I am only staying here temporarily until after the weekend, so there's absolutely no point in unpacking to pack again, but I really don't feel at home yet.

AND, what is the deal with eating so late at night? I can't wait until 9 or 10 to eat. Especially after having been so busy in the day. If it comes down to food or sleep, I choose sleep every time.

I'm so lucky though, she had been SO helpful, translating things when I don't understand, helping me open a bank account, sorting out the internet, and introducing me to my flatmate. 

I have been able to use their internet to Skype home, and she has insisted that I phone home whenever I want. 

I know that if I have any problems I have somewhere to go, and someone who is so willing to help me. 

Things aren't so bad at the moment, I just really miss home.

But as the song goes, the only way is up (baby).....

Mon voyage à Guingamp

Day 1

I split my journey into 2 bits. For the first leg of my journey, I travelled down to London with Lewis. It was really emotional but I was so lucky to have the support of someone, when I was feeling so apprehensive about the next few days (months) ahead. Lewis gave me a hand with my bags, which made me so nervous about the next day when I'd have to do it alone, and whenever I thought of that I'd get emotional knowing that I wouldn't see Lewis for at least 4 weeks.

I was rushing around so much that I managed to get to London with just a few tears. But it was hard!

Once we got to London we found our hotel, which was right opposite St Pancras Station and dropped off my luggage. We had a lovely meal, and then came the tears. I felt like I was on a mini break, and I didn't want it to end. I knew how difficult the following day would be, saying goodbye, carrying what felt like 70+ kilos of luggage across Northern France and being in a completely new environment that I'm expected to call home for the next 7 months.

After trying to calm myself down, and watching Bake Off, it was time for sleep. HA. I got no sleep, at all. I couldn't switch off, I worried so much, and I wanted to catch the first train home.

Day 2
Morning came, and soon enough we were stood by the Check In at St Pancras. All morning I'd had a steady flow of tears, but I was only nanoseconds away from sobbing my heart out. How was I supposed to walk through the gate when my fiancé was the other side, waving me off, and then going home.

I know I sound so ungrateful about having the opportunity of a lifetime, but I'm a home bird and suffer with homesickness and anxiety like you wouldn't believe. I managed a smile when the man on the luggage security desk was really nice and told me not to worry because it wasn't forever. 

I managed the Eurostar fine, besides the miserable woman sat next to me, who did a lot of grumbling when I asked to squeeze past to pop to the loo. However, when we pulled into Paris Gare du Nord I was frozen. I was so scared I wanted to stay sat in my seat and wait for the journey back home. I felt sick and generally rubbish. All these feelings plus the stress of having to carry my luggage across Paris made for a really positive start to my Year Abroad!

I managed to jump the queue for a metro ticket because I was the only one with change, and I hopped onto (clambered with stupidly big/ heavy bags) onto Metro line 4 to Gare Montparnasse. There I have about an hours wait until the next train, so I managed a few bites of my sandwich before I felt sick again. 

By the time it got to boarding the final train, I was an emotional wreck again. I'd managed this far, with tears, but this was the train taking me far away from home to a new place that quite honestly I didn't want to be going. Anyhow, I boarded, with much ado with the luggage situation. A grumpy old(ish) man was very dismayed at the 2 minute wait I had caused him by trying to put my luggage into the luggage rack. It goes without saying that he offered no help, but instead sighed loudly at my struggle. 

After that I found my seat and had a good cry (again). It all got too much and I even resorted to locking myself in the train toilet to have a cry in peace.

After what seemed like hours (because it was!) The train pulled into Guingamp Station. I made my way around to the gate which is where I met Jacqueline. 

Here is the end of the hardest, most emotional day of my life...