"Faire des petits riens de la vie"

I am now half way into Week 3 of my Year Abroad and I've already learnt some valuable life lessons;

1) The little French-English Collins dictionary that you were handed at your leavers' assembly at primary school- the one you took for granted and most likely sneered at- is your most valuable possession. (Thanks, Coddington!)

2) Whether you have tried (so, so hard) to put on your best french accent, no matter how many 'r's you roll, people will know that you are English. So- ALL HAIL, FRANGLAIS! (For the meantime at least...)

3) Just because you're in the wine capital of France it definitely does NOT make cheap Rosé any better than in England... (Miss you Blossom Hill.)

4) Never forget about the power of people; there is a vast expanse of kindness, creativity and energy in the world. Find it, embrace it, nurture it.

My last blog entry left you at 29th September-  since then I have met my fellow British Council Language Assistants (shout out to my Brits Abroad), been to the cinema (twice), had two of the scariest walks of my life (one complete with high-vis excellence- hope you're proud, parentals!), started at my Lycée and Collège, tasted the Bordelaise nightlife and fallen asleep on the sofa of Sylvette's relative's house due to a two-helpings-of-tiramisu coma.

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin...*

*This week also marks the first out-loud usage of this very phrase... unfortunately, I kid you not...

Tuesday 1st October: La réunion des assistants

This was the morning of the first 'scariest walk of my life'. It had somehow slipped my mind that at 6:45am (the time of which I had to leave for a 20 min walk to the bus stop) that it would still be dark... Dark? IT WAS PITCH BLACK! Thankfully due to my expansive knowledge of Road Safety I had remembered to pack a high-visibility jacket in my luggage to France (such a good girl). So, I put it on over my rucksack (the proper way to wear it, obviously) and off I trekked. Now, I have decided that the French... they don't like paths. People have disputed this with me. But these people don't know, man, 'cos they weren't there.

You'll be pleased to know that, despite this ordeal, I made it to Bordeaux in time for my meeting. We had a day full of admin (N.B. admin even in the french language doesn't make it any more interesting) but then a few of us went for a cheeky (really very nice) rosé.

Overall impression: British Council has chosen a seriously great bunch of Brits Abroad.

(Then I had Scary Walk: Revisited as an 8pm return Chez Sylvette meant the return of the high-vis- however, this was nothing compared to the morning's effort or what was awaiting me the next day...)

Wednesday 2nd October: Qu'est-ce que c'est le pont?!

In preparation for starting at Jean Moulin and Toulouse Lautrec the next day, I decided that today was the day to take on THE BRIDGE. You see, between St. Macaire and Langon flows La Garonne. Now, I needn't delve into ancient architectural or motor-vehicle evolution, but somewhere down the line this of course created the need for a bridge between the two towns. So, lacking car or bus transportation the only method is By Foot which I have seen executed with my own eyes; people- actual civilians- walking over this bridge. Can you blame me for feeling so blasé? 

The start of my journey was enjoyable...

funky St. Macaire concert poster / great old house / this one reminded me of the house in Madeline where the orphans live- childhood memories!
(felt like I was on the set of Downton Abbey with regards to the electric cables, though- shame!)

I had this DOWN. I had my camera at the ready, the sun was out, what more did I want? This was MY TIME.

Then I hit the bridge and this is where my pictures stop... mainly because I had to conserve all my energy into delving into the crevices of my ancient gymnastics knowledge (thank you, beam) in order to navigate my feet on the 'path'. This 'path' then led into a grassy bank (on the other side of the road barrier!) which, allegedly, is an extension of said 'path'. I had to JUMP at some points to cross over from one part of the bank to the other, dodging the massive road signs that I had to duck under and subsequently narrowly avoiding rolling down the hill to a farmland fate!

So by the time I saw this view:

no can-do with Panorama when on the Pont / nearly kissed this sign

I could have cried.

Safe to say I'm taking the bus from now on. High-vis and all.

The silver-lining was that I didn't have to make the return journey (THANK YOU, POWERS THAT BE!) because Sylvette had offered to pick me up afterwards- retail therapy was on the cards.

probably have just come all the way to France to buy postcards / book with a wonderful hand-written note; 'Livre en forme de kaléidoscope fait des petits riens de la vie. A lire pour la musique des mots...' / Sylvette's encouragement for my first day; 'Libby va en cours aujourd'hui courage'

Thursday 3rd October - Saturday 5th October: Qu'est-ce tu aimes faire pendants ton temps libre?

I went into my schools on the Thursday and I was feeling ready. I was looking forward to seeing the kids, to get a sense of the school, to get stuck into the job that has brought me out here! Thankfully, I was greeted with friendly faces and a good mixture of French/English- as an assistant you can only speak English to the class, so I'm pleased some of teachers indulged me (in all of my franglais glory). I was only observing classes on Thursday and Friday morning- my Assistant Reality started this Monday morning, so you'll hear all about it in my next post- complete with a 'French kids say the Funniest Things' feature and many tips on how to utilise all of your listening faculties in order to avoid answering a question other than the one you have actually been asked...

cinema excursions with Sylvette; Blue Jasmine (interesting one there, Woody) and Eyjafjallajökull (honestly- full of antics of a lunatic divorced couple) / I am officially in France and/or heaven / arc-en-ciel (at least there was something beautiful to come from the down pours that left me with one less pair of plimsolls)

British Language Assistants livin' it up BDX style at cuban bar Calle Ocho / mojit'oh go on then / Eleanor and I (cropped out the leery guys in the background- a bit better, Dad?)

'Next Day' pictures - I am in love with this city 

blue skies and beautiful buildings = Bordeaux 

Sunday 6th October: tirami-sumo

Pauline (Sylvette's niece) invited me to lunch to meet her sister, her four nieces and nephews and her parents. We ate, we drank, we played badminton in the garden and then we fell asleep in front of Bear Grylls (or should I say 'Seul face à la nature'). I felt so welcome and part-of-the-family: it was more or less the mirrored image of a Sunday at home, complete with over-table debates (love and miss you, Family Fox!) A fantastic end to a brilliant week.

And this is just the beginning.

'Quand le soleil se lève il enflamme les feuilles'

As promised in my second post this entry is about my profound experience of Thursday 26th September '13- my outing with Sylvette to Les Dunes du Pilat in Arcachan. It was a day unlike any other. It was a day of reflection; of hopes and happiness; of pure, natural beauty. It was a day that dreams are made of.

Upon this day, I found my favourite place in all the world.

It's okay, I'll allow you to think me melodramatic and crazed for now because, until you have seen this place with your very own eyes (despite my best efforts, no photo could capture what I was seeing!), you could never believe the beauty that lies before you, here, upon this earth!

The first glimpse... ready for the climb!

The dense and vast forest behind the dunes / lovely Sylvette, being my muse (I told her that and she said I was cute) / a snippet of the view from our sitting spot

part of the enjoyment was knowing we'd survived these steps / my secret snap of a man with his dog- too great to miss

photoshoot sur les dunes

J'ai vu le paradis, aujourd'hui

'Je suis bien tombée'

It's Sunday afternoon and I'm sat at my little desk with the windows and shutters open (view complete with fig tree, church spire and painting shed) and I can't quite believe that my Year Abroad- what has, up until now, been an amalgamation of meetings, paperwork and imaginings- is my reality. Zut alors! 

What a week! I haven't ever spoken so much french- it has probably improved more in the last 6 days than across my entire education [Disclaimer: through no fault of any establishment I have attended...]. Having said that, sitting in a class with 5/6 others listing benefits/disadvantages of various aspects of daily life and expressing our (completely-real-never-made-up, deliberately strong and controversial [gives it a bit of 'spice']) views about the ways of the world is, understandably, not like this. This is real life, people! People actually speak French without having to mention the perks/downsides of the internet and/or any form of coup d'Etat! Crazy.

So, to sum up my week, I have put together some photo montages...

(Cue: music to evoke sense of self-realisation and adventure- perhaps Send Me On My Way by Rusted Root?)-

 Tuesday 24th September- Sylvette and I hit Bordeaux;

1st row (L to R) - a Bordelaise Street, one of the city's many water features, another fantastic rue
2nd row (L to R)-  Miroir d'Eau in la Place de Bourse, Utopia Cinema, BDX birds-eye view from Tour Pey-Berland 

   

some light reading and necessary cadeaux

Wednesday 25th September- Donz'Art 


On this afternoon, Sylvette, her friend and I hopped in the car to a village called Donzac where there is an art installation around an 8km trail (trek option for les braves). It is an exhibition created by the local residents and schools- Sylvette co-created a piece, too (no. 8)!

« Cadre dans le vue » ; ‘L’art est dans la vie, L’art est dans le vue’
« Miroitement »; ‘Les lames d’acier bicolores (noires et metal) suspendues au-dessus de cet ancien lavoir sont les reflets miroitants de ce bassin d’eau…’ 

« La petite maison de la prairie » (this probably is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen)
‘Le feu’ and ‘L’air’ of « Les quatre éléments » 

« La vie affine l’homme qui marche » ; ‘Cette ouvre traite de l’amoindrissement de l’ambition humaine qui s’affine au fur et à mesure que l’homme se met en marche…’

My favourite was the third man- he seems to have the most confidence in his stride...

« Naissance d’un papillon bleu » ; ‘Quel est l’être vivant qui est né ici dans ce nid d’amour ?’

« La bête des Morillons » - this is Sylvette’s work ; she and Anne-Marie used colourful rope to decorate a fallen tree, creating a monster. These rabbit silhouettes are scattered around our garden, too! 

« La source aux coleurs »

 « Chemin des palombières » ; every kid’s dream- some seriously fantastic den potential
« Donza-La »; ‘Notre Donza-La évoque prosaïquement: la forme généreuse et arrondie de notre Terre, les pieds et les sarments de nos vignes, les tuiles de nos maisons, les jeux de nos enfants… un peu de création et beaucoup de recréation.’

... and then to top it all off, we went fig picking in a nearby field because Sylvette wants to make more jam.
Honestly.

Thursday 26th September- day out at Les Dunes du Pilat and Arcachon

I saw some magic this day- it deserves it's own post.
(I also learnt how to use panorama on my camera that afternoon, so you've got some serious photographic excellence coming up...)

Friday 27th September- rendez-vous with fellow Year-Abroad-er in Bordeaux

Mike and I did the Tour Pey-Berland (free for under 25s, people!) and after climbing at least 9839327309 steps this view was awaiting us:

Incroyable.

Saturday 28th September- soirée with Pauline and Stéphane

On Thursday night, Sylvette invited her niece to have dinner with us- luckily, we hit it off and she invited me to spend Saturday night with her and a friend. We went to a bar in Langon, drank cocktails (funnily enough I think my french improved as the night went on...) , ate sushi, played Girls vs. Boy pool (improved in the same manner as the french...) and finished the night with bowling.

super sushi / bowling - it's tiring business this foreign language lark! NB: hip french spelling

I had a great time- thankfully laughter is a universal social tool! Hopefully next time I'll be linguistically equipped enough to share brilliant anecdotes and stories, too!


Sunday 29th September- réfléchir

And this has been my week.
In the words of Sylvette's lovely neighbour (St. Macaire, you spoil me!), I have truly 'fallen well'.

A la prochaine, tout le monde.



aka. 'Libie'

'Tout est possible'

Bonjour tout le monde!

Je m'appelle Libby, je suis une étudiante anglaise, j'etudie le français à l'Université de Nottingham. J'ai commencé mon année à l'étranger cette semaine. Je suis installée dans la region de Bordeaux pour devenir un assistant d'anglais à Langon, dans le lycée Jean Moulin et le collège Toulouse Lautrec...

[And for reasons of wide-spread public inclusion and deliberate avoidance of grammatical humiliation I shall continue this blog entry in English until further notice...]

I am here. I have made it.

[evidence of the above statement]

On Monday morning, Dad accompanied me and 20kg of my life's possessions (after multiple 'guess the weight' debates between the family, the 'weigh before you drop' facility in the airport lobby was the best £1 we spent; my bag came in at a miraculous 19.2kg- unashamedly, there was celebratory air-punching) across the Channel.

Once we hit French turf, the blissful sunshine (merci, le Sud!) washed our previous plan of tram/train/taxi transportation down the figurative drain... the prospect of a road-trip upon far-stretching auto-routes was all too romantic for us to ignore- off to Enterprise it was (first attempt at French negotiation, complete)! So, once the left-hand drive was navigated (sorry, Dad), we were off- and the next important step in my French adventure was just (down the auto-route, through some tolls,  through a couple of roundabouts, off a few side roads and then eventually...) round the corner; the meeting of my French fairy godmother of the logement world, Sylvette. 

You see, after a months' ordeal with various 'collocation' sites, September had arrived and I was still sans logement- a fate that many assistants face, it is true... but for a person of my disposition (I like to know things) and the frets of my parents ('A hostel?!') my cosmopolitan Bordeaux dream of sipping café au lait with my 'plein de vie' French flatmates seemed to be slowly slipping from my grasp... I went back to the drawing board. If this dream was not meant to be, then I could reinvent it! 

Every Summer for the last few years my family and I have stayed in a maison de maitre in a tiny village- St. Exupéry (for those of you who know Le Petit Prince, the writer Antoine de St. Exupéry is an exciting link!) - a few kms from Langon (who'd have thunk it?!). Yet, it was only this year that we came across an interesting little medieval village in between the two; St. Macaire.

Such a great clock tower...

So, being swayed by the memory of a chiming clock tower and old stone buildings, I put it in the search engine. I found a few appealing adverts (wholeheartedly adopting the 'YES' woman guise) and held my breath... it was a good day when Kim at appartager.com informed me that Sylvette had selected 'Nous pouvons discuter'! A few emails and a telephone call (I was brave) later, it was set; 'St. Macaire- j'arrive!' And it was a good move. My room is wonderful, the town is full of surprises and Sylvette, well, to quote her directly- 'tout est possible'. That says it all. 

L'aventure peut commencer!