So it's been exactly four weeks since my last blog entry, and what a month it has been! I've had a visit from Caitlin and Donna, a trip to barcelona, a stolen blackberry, an asthma attack, food poisoning, sad news about Amy's family, a night in London and a six hour drive on the way home thanks to the best boyfriend ever.
However, nothing humbles you more than the death of someone so close to you; someone that you had taken for granted and assumed would be there when you returned from the shitty year abroad. My Dad was right when he said that the only sure thing in life is death, but that doesn't make you feel better. Before this week, I had thought this year in France had taught me that i hated french people, that I had the worst luck ever and that no matter how many times I say i'm going to change, I have the worst temper ever. However I now realise that this year abroad has taught me that i'm selfish. I forget about the people back home and only concentrate on my problems and that i'm so self-absorbed. My granda was without a shadow of a doubt the kindest, most amazing man i have ever met. He always put others before himself and was the cleanest living man God put breath in to. And so I have decided that the death of him shall not make my dreaded return to France sad or depressing...but that I will channel his personality into myself. I won't let trite things bother me, and if they do I will not blame it on anyone other than myself. My faith has been made stronger with this passing, rather than the weakened version it was in France. As they say, every dark and stormy cloud has a silver lining...
<3
Monday 20 December 2010
Monday 22 November 2010
countdown!
Bon soir!
Been a while since the last blog update, sucks to be you eh? Not hearing about my fabulous life in France must be shit!
Since the last hopeful and uplifting blog entry, my positive attitude seems to be continuing! Although, I dont want to mislead anyone into thinking that this has to do with France/French people/School. It mainly has to do with visitors/Christmas time/BEING HOME!
The level of my excitement for going home is reminiscent of a child writing their list to Santa; the feeling that its coming and youre on a countdown. So far, my blackberry messanger contacts and my facebook friends have been subjected to a daily countdown...we are currently at 24 days! Eeeeek! Planning what to pack and take already. This is how sad my life has become! Have also planned an all day and night date with my man on the friday which includes Harry Potter, Dinner and Drinks! Cant wait to dress up! Since arriving en France the dressiest thing i've worn is an h&m dress, with tights and brogues! My fake tanning has been cut down dramatically, as has the straigtening of my hair! Its not that i have lost any pride in my appearance, its that they kinda dont care in this country and i was also told in school that my skin was an "eeeeedious" colour when i put fake tan on once! So why bother?
Speaking of this, I have a new visitor arriving on thursday, my delightful friend Donna who is going to a lot of hassle to see me! It includes a flight from glasgow to beauvais (Boke), a bus from beauvais to paris gare du nord, and a train from gare du nord to Lille Flandres! Now if that isnt friendship, i dunno what is! All the rest of you lot better take note, Donna has set the bar! This also means that the aforementioned tanning and hair straightening will have to be kick started again. For all of you who know Donna, high maintenance is being kind! If i turn up at the train station with my hair tied back, pasty white with no make-up on she won't hide her disgust! It might be a good thing to get back into this beauty regime again, seeing as i will be greeted at Glasgow central by my man in 3 weeks! Looking forward to my weekend with D, can't wait for a proper gossip...I miss the pub sorely for our little catch ups, much to Charles' disgust! I swear he's regretted putting us on the shift since that first fateful saturday!
Anyway, I will be in school tomorrow-Shocker eh? I'm hoping this is the first week since arrival that I will be able to do my contracted 12 hours without any greves or illness or lack of professional ettiquette! We'll see how it goes though!
Love to you all
Bisous x
Been a while since the last blog update, sucks to be you eh? Not hearing about my fabulous life in France must be shit!
Since the last hopeful and uplifting blog entry, my positive attitude seems to be continuing! Although, I dont want to mislead anyone into thinking that this has to do with France/French people/School. It mainly has to do with visitors/Christmas time/BEING HOME!
The level of my excitement for going home is reminiscent of a child writing their list to Santa; the feeling that its coming and youre on a countdown. So far, my blackberry messanger contacts and my facebook friends have been subjected to a daily countdown...we are currently at 24 days! Eeeeek! Planning what to pack and take already. This is how sad my life has become! Have also planned an all day and night date with my man on the friday which includes Harry Potter, Dinner and Drinks! Cant wait to dress up! Since arriving en France the dressiest thing i've worn is an h&m dress, with tights and brogues! My fake tanning has been cut down dramatically, as has the straigtening of my hair! Its not that i have lost any pride in my appearance, its that they kinda dont care in this country and i was also told in school that my skin was an "eeeeedious" colour when i put fake tan on once! So why bother?
Speaking of this, I have a new visitor arriving on thursday, my delightful friend Donna who is going to a lot of hassle to see me! It includes a flight from glasgow to beauvais (Boke), a bus from beauvais to paris gare du nord, and a train from gare du nord to Lille Flandres! Now if that isnt friendship, i dunno what is! All the rest of you lot better take note, Donna has set the bar! This also means that the aforementioned tanning and hair straightening will have to be kick started again. For all of you who know Donna, high maintenance is being kind! If i turn up at the train station with my hair tied back, pasty white with no make-up on she won't hide her disgust! It might be a good thing to get back into this beauty regime again, seeing as i will be greeted at Glasgow central by my man in 3 weeks! Looking forward to my weekend with D, can't wait for a proper gossip...I miss the pub sorely for our little catch ups, much to Charles' disgust! I swear he's regretted putting us on the shift since that first fateful saturday!
Anyway, I will be in school tomorrow-Shocker eh? I'm hoping this is the first week since arrival that I will be able to do my contracted 12 hours without any greves or illness or lack of professional ettiquette! We'll see how it goes though!
Love to you all
Bisous x
Wednesday 10 November 2010
Little Ray of Sunshine
Bonjour!
As the title of this shows, I have decided to turn over a new leaf! As much as you all get a kick of my insane ranting and general hostility toward the French (especially Miss Sweeney as I'm sure i've brightened many a dull day for her), for my sanity and that of my loved ones I have decided to be calm. Calm Ciara...you guys can call me that (although not really coz it's laaaaame). Honestly, looking back over my blog entries I see I have a lot of rage, most of it justified yes, but still too much. This is a year abroad. A year away from Uni and the chance to experience another culture is pretty amazing.
This new attitude does not change the fact I miss home like mad and actually in all honesty, can't wait to see my loved ones again. However, anger towards France does not make the time pass quicker. I have come to realise, due to recent happenings just how amazing my boyfriend, family and friends are. It actually lets you see the ones who are your actual friends, who still make the effort to contact you while you're not in the same country as them. The general concern and support people have shown me is absolutely amazing. I know i am a pretty awesome person, and the lack of my presence in your life may lead to depression, but was genuinely shocked at people's thoughts for me.
I also read on a friends blog that her and her boyfriend recently had the discussion of "are we talking too much while youre away/am i ruining the experience" and I can totally relate to that as Chris and I have spoke about this also. I can honestly say, that without blackberry messanger I would be home. The fact I can text him something good/(mostly)bad and get his response right away makes it so much better. There are many who will think this is ridiculous, but the man honestly keeps me sane and this year abroad has totally made me appreciate him.
The same goes for my family, in particular my brother Paul. Always there by bbm, always someone you can count on for advice and support etc. I suppose nothing has actually changed because I've always known that my family members are there for me no matter what, but it truly makes you appreciate them when you no longer have them. No doubt by Christmas day, I will have argued with every member of the Fitzpatrick household a few times over, including Ruairi; Chris and I will have fallen out at somepoint over some ridic thing; and I wont be keeping in touch with many of my friends on facebook or e-mail. But i know the minute i return to Lille, it'll be right back to normal. Can honestly say this year would not be possible without them!
Gonna leave you with this quite strange blog entry. I felt it had to be done to show my love and appreciation for everyone, and to show that im not a cold hearted much as many would think! Going to see the social network tomoz with my new lads can't wait!
Bisous xxx
As the title of this shows, I have decided to turn over a new leaf! As much as you all get a kick of my insane ranting and general hostility toward the French (especially Miss Sweeney as I'm sure i've brightened many a dull day for her), for my sanity and that of my loved ones I have decided to be calm. Calm Ciara...you guys can call me that (although not really coz it's laaaaame). Honestly, looking back over my blog entries I see I have a lot of rage, most of it justified yes, but still too much. This is a year abroad. A year away from Uni and the chance to experience another culture is pretty amazing.
This new attitude does not change the fact I miss home like mad and actually in all honesty, can't wait to see my loved ones again. However, anger towards France does not make the time pass quicker. I have come to realise, due to recent happenings just how amazing my boyfriend, family and friends are. It actually lets you see the ones who are your actual friends, who still make the effort to contact you while you're not in the same country as them. The general concern and support people have shown me is absolutely amazing. I know i am a pretty awesome person, and the lack of my presence in your life may lead to depression, but was genuinely shocked at people's thoughts for me.
I also read on a friends blog that her and her boyfriend recently had the discussion of "are we talking too much while youre away/am i ruining the experience" and I can totally relate to that as Chris and I have spoke about this also. I can honestly say, that without blackberry messanger I would be home. The fact I can text him something good/(mostly)bad and get his response right away makes it so much better. There are many who will think this is ridiculous, but the man honestly keeps me sane and this year abroad has totally made me appreciate him.
The same goes for my family, in particular my brother Paul. Always there by bbm, always someone you can count on for advice and support etc. I suppose nothing has actually changed because I've always known that my family members are there for me no matter what, but it truly makes you appreciate them when you no longer have them. No doubt by Christmas day, I will have argued with every member of the Fitzpatrick household a few times over, including Ruairi; Chris and I will have fallen out at somepoint over some ridic thing; and I wont be keeping in touch with many of my friends on facebook or e-mail. But i know the minute i return to Lille, it'll be right back to normal. Can honestly say this year would not be possible without them!
Gonna leave you with this quite strange blog entry. I felt it had to be done to show my love and appreciation for everyone, and to show that im not a cold hearted much as many would think! Going to see the social network tomoz with my new lads can't wait!
Bisous xxx
Sunday 7 November 2010
Casse Toi, La France!
Salut!
For those of you who didn't hear my breakdown, or who I didn't tell...this has literally been the worst week of my life! I seemed to be coping well with Chris leaving...until i returned to school! School is definately the worst thing about my time here in France! I HATE to be negative because i know this is meant to be the time of my life and i should be making the most of it, although if one more person says those two phrases to me again, I may stab them right in the face, however people dont realise how hard it is!
Returned to school after a short holiday on Thursday am. My first two hour class had a test for the first hour/hour and half so i was told to just sit. and watch them. do their test. in silence. whoopee for me. Since their was only half an hour left, there wasnt time to do a lesson so I was told she didnt need me and i should just go to the salle des profs until my next class. I met my next class' teacher who said, Oh Ciara, my class have a test today so I dont need you. Bearing in mind these were my only classes of the day and i had just paid 13euro for a train ticket to get there! Have these people never heard of e-mail? text? social and working etiquette?!?!
So, I returned home, in the vain hope that tomorrow would be better. Aye, good one Ciara! Arrived in school at 7.30 for an 8am start. I was determined to be positive and not let anything get me down. Quelle Suprise, that didnt last very long! There was no sign on my teacher in the staff room, so at 8am i made my way to class. There was a teacher there who informed me my teacher was sick and I was to take the class. I knew this wasn't right. I am not a trained teacher, and being patient and dealing with a binch of brats is not my forte! However, i knew the class so i thought, okay just this once. From 9-10 i had a break, so i made my way to the salle des profs where a fellow english teacher sat with me. In walks an office lady. She asks where the english assistant is, and proceeds to tell me i will be covering my ill teacher's classes to me, while handing me her timetable. I knew i wasnt allowed to do this, this was not part of my contract and i do not get paid buttons to be somebodies supply! While i have a frown on my face, she turns to the other teacher and says, does she speak french? To which the english teacher replies, bah not very well.....
*In My Head* HOW THE FUCK WOULD YOU KNOW IF I SPEAK FRENCH OR NOT?! YOU DONT LET ME SPEAK FRENCH TO YOU, YOU IGNORANT DICK!!!!
Of course i didn't say this, i just said No...this isn't my job and she replies, yeah but who else is gonna do it?! So i get bullied into taking this timetable. This means i miss all my own nice classes and im stuck with bratty brats!! The last class of the day were the worst. There were 28. They were 14. I was about to fucking explode! As i had no prep for these classes, i made them do presentations of themself. One smart arse stood up and said "I like Scottish girls and I like sex". Typically, the class laughed. I didnt. I gave this boy, of 14 years, what can only be described as a death glare. I mean i almost growled at him. Once he saw my face he went white, apologised and sat down.
It was literally horrible. I cried hysterically for about half an hour when i got home and phoned Chris who told me to phone my mum. She calmed me!
So, from this entry you can decipher that i hate school. However, good things are on the horizon!
I have Donna visiting in 2 weeks. Barcelona in 3 weeks, and home in five weeks! Something to keep me going!
Hope this didnt depress you that much, thought i'd keep you updated!
Love and Bisous xxxx
For those of you who didn't hear my breakdown, or who I didn't tell...this has literally been the worst week of my life! I seemed to be coping well with Chris leaving...until i returned to school! School is definately the worst thing about my time here in France! I HATE to be negative because i know this is meant to be the time of my life and i should be making the most of it, although if one more person says those two phrases to me again, I may stab them right in the face, however people dont realise how hard it is!
Returned to school after a short holiday on Thursday am. My first two hour class had a test for the first hour/hour and half so i was told to just sit. and watch them. do their test. in silence. whoopee for me. Since their was only half an hour left, there wasnt time to do a lesson so I was told she didnt need me and i should just go to the salle des profs until my next class. I met my next class' teacher who said, Oh Ciara, my class have a test today so I dont need you. Bearing in mind these were my only classes of the day and i had just paid 13euro for a train ticket to get there! Have these people never heard of e-mail? text? social and working etiquette?!?!
So, I returned home, in the vain hope that tomorrow would be better. Aye, good one Ciara! Arrived in school at 7.30 for an 8am start. I was determined to be positive and not let anything get me down. Quelle Suprise, that didnt last very long! There was no sign on my teacher in the staff room, so at 8am i made my way to class. There was a teacher there who informed me my teacher was sick and I was to take the class. I knew this wasn't right. I am not a trained teacher, and being patient and dealing with a binch of brats is not my forte! However, i knew the class so i thought, okay just this once. From 9-10 i had a break, so i made my way to the salle des profs where a fellow english teacher sat with me. In walks an office lady. She asks where the english assistant is, and proceeds to tell me i will be covering my ill teacher's classes to me, while handing me her timetable. I knew i wasnt allowed to do this, this was not part of my contract and i do not get paid buttons to be somebodies supply! While i have a frown on my face, she turns to the other teacher and says, does she speak french? To which the english teacher replies, bah not very well.....
*In My Head* HOW THE FUCK WOULD YOU KNOW IF I SPEAK FRENCH OR NOT?! YOU DONT LET ME SPEAK FRENCH TO YOU, YOU IGNORANT DICK!!!!
Of course i didn't say this, i just said No...this isn't my job and she replies, yeah but who else is gonna do it?! So i get bullied into taking this timetable. This means i miss all my own nice classes and im stuck with bratty brats!! The last class of the day were the worst. There were 28. They were 14. I was about to fucking explode! As i had no prep for these classes, i made them do presentations of themself. One smart arse stood up and said "I like Scottish girls and I like sex". Typically, the class laughed. I didnt. I gave this boy, of 14 years, what can only be described as a death glare. I mean i almost growled at him. Once he saw my face he went white, apologised and sat down.
It was literally horrible. I cried hysterically for about half an hour when i got home and phoned Chris who told me to phone my mum. She calmed me!
So, from this entry you can decipher that i hate school. However, good things are on the horizon!
I have Donna visiting in 2 weeks. Barcelona in 3 weeks, and home in five weeks! Something to keep me going!
Hope this didnt depress you that much, thought i'd keep you updated!
Love and Bisous xxxx
Tuesday 2 November 2010
Encore!
Awrite lads? Missed me? Aye, thought so!
Since my last post, beaucoup has happened...including the arrival and departure of my man!
On the saturday i took the train up to dunkerque and the plan was to meet him driving of the ferry looking absolutely fabulous. Of course in true ciara en france style, did that fuck happen! My train got me in for 11am France time, 10am british time which meant Chris hadn't left on the ferry yet! I had about 3 hours to kill before i'd see him. I took a look about and saw some boats and ports so thought all i had to do was walk five minutes to get him. Thus, i settled down with my Twlight book and a large drink in McDo and was happy as larry. I resembled a child at christmas, that was all about to change!
About 1pm, unable to take the excitement and sick of looking at my watch every 16 seconds i decided to walk to the port and wait there for him, as chris said they were slowing down and he could see France. This is where havoc ensued! His port was called Port Quest, and i walked 6 and a half miles through shitty building sites and duel carriage ways, and was still follwing signs for Port Quest! By this time, Chris was off the ferry and driving about France on the phone to me trying to find me. I was hysterical and my battery was running low. I was walking down duel carriage ways crying and noone would stop for me to ask directions, not even the police!! Eventually, we decided the best idea would be to walk back to the train station to see if he could find me. Thus i journeyed back! I eventually got to the train station, and while trying to find a street address for him to put in his sat nav, i spotted the fancy alloy wheels of a honda civic and i knew it was MY honda civic! I had found him eventually, thank fook! After our hugs and kisses i looked in the mirror and saw my tear stained face with make up halfway down it. Lovely. Looking Fabulous Ciara :|
The week quickly showed that France was not for my man. He hated it, and I think he thought i would be enjoying it much more! In the space of a week he got 3 parking tickets, as there are no signs in France to tell you wwhere you can and cant park! Also, he had brought a hefty amount of money, but as i had NONE we were running low with all the wine drinking we were doing! Also, i realised i was back at school sooner than i thought! We came to the agreement that i needed to get into a routine to try and get the most out of the experience and this going home was better for him! In hindsight, its for the best, althought on Sunday night i was a total wreck! I miss him already but know we are better than ever :)
Still no further forward with my love for french people! Still rude. Still smelly. Still sleazy. Lille is delightful though, as Rachel Ward will tell you! Went to the zoo and saw some animals for free! Tis always a sweet treat!
Been feeling homesick recently but think its gradually lifting now! Got Donna coming out to visit me in 3 weeks so thats keeping me happy and then I'm home on the Eurostar on the 16th of |December! How exciting eh? You all better be grateful for my presence!
Think im rambled enough in this post! Back to school on thursday so will no doubt have some tale to tell after that!
A birntot! x
Since my last post, beaucoup has happened...including the arrival and departure of my man!
On the saturday i took the train up to dunkerque and the plan was to meet him driving of the ferry looking absolutely fabulous. Of course in true ciara en france style, did that fuck happen! My train got me in for 11am France time, 10am british time which meant Chris hadn't left on the ferry yet! I had about 3 hours to kill before i'd see him. I took a look about and saw some boats and ports so thought all i had to do was walk five minutes to get him. Thus, i settled down with my Twlight book and a large drink in McDo and was happy as larry. I resembled a child at christmas, that was all about to change!
About 1pm, unable to take the excitement and sick of looking at my watch every 16 seconds i decided to walk to the port and wait there for him, as chris said they were slowing down and he could see France. This is where havoc ensued! His port was called Port Quest, and i walked 6 and a half miles through shitty building sites and duel carriage ways, and was still follwing signs for Port Quest! By this time, Chris was off the ferry and driving about France on the phone to me trying to find me. I was hysterical and my battery was running low. I was walking down duel carriage ways crying and noone would stop for me to ask directions, not even the police!! Eventually, we decided the best idea would be to walk back to the train station to see if he could find me. Thus i journeyed back! I eventually got to the train station, and while trying to find a street address for him to put in his sat nav, i spotted the fancy alloy wheels of a honda civic and i knew it was MY honda civic! I had found him eventually, thank fook! After our hugs and kisses i looked in the mirror and saw my tear stained face with make up halfway down it. Lovely. Looking Fabulous Ciara :|
The week quickly showed that France was not for my man. He hated it, and I think he thought i would be enjoying it much more! In the space of a week he got 3 parking tickets, as there are no signs in France to tell you wwhere you can and cant park! Also, he had brought a hefty amount of money, but as i had NONE we were running low with all the wine drinking we were doing! Also, i realised i was back at school sooner than i thought! We came to the agreement that i needed to get into a routine to try and get the most out of the experience and this going home was better for him! In hindsight, its for the best, althought on Sunday night i was a total wreck! I miss him already but know we are better than ever :)
Still no further forward with my love for french people! Still rude. Still smelly. Still sleazy. Lille is delightful though, as Rachel Ward will tell you! Went to the zoo and saw some animals for free! Tis always a sweet treat!
Been feeling homesick recently but think its gradually lifting now! Got Donna coming out to visit me in 3 weeks so thats keeping me happy and then I'm home on the Eurostar on the 16th of |December! How exciting eh? You all better be grateful for my presence!
Think im rambled enough in this post! Back to school on thursday so will no doubt have some tale to tell after that!
A birntot! x
Thursday 21 October 2010
Oh yeah!
Bonjour lads!
A quicker update this week...not i have alot to tell you about i just like my own self promotion :)
Tuesday was another no-go getting into school, and I had a training day today soooo it has been a week since i've been in school! Lots could've happened in that time, though i severely doubt it! The training day today was all about techniques to promote active learning and not have the kids bored in your lesson. All sorts of games ensued, which were fun for the first 13 seconds! Was sitting throughout thinking "how the feck do i apply this to MY kids?!" The lads of Lille who look like they'd stab you if you suggested any sort of interacttive game! Sound, aye?
Anyway, pretty shattered today and got another early start tomorrow :( I do have some positives though as Chris will be here in approx 42 hours (who's counting?) and a delightful erasmus e-mail means some money will be coming my way! Yay!!
Anyway, quite possibly the last update before my man arrives, and Toussaint will be fairly uneventful so don't miss me too much! Special mention to Sara Senga Webster, who wanted me to mention her in my blog! I'm pretty much a hero/icon/idol of hers, so this will be like Christmas come early! Hope i havent damaged her too much with my sarcastic abuse of France, and that she follows my lead in making the world a better place, by gracing it with our presence! Miss you lots munchkin! <3
A bientot, and some love!! x
A quicker update this week...not i have alot to tell you about i just like my own self promotion :)
Tuesday was another no-go getting into school, and I had a training day today soooo it has been a week since i've been in school! Lots could've happened in that time, though i severely doubt it! The training day today was all about techniques to promote active learning and not have the kids bored in your lesson. All sorts of games ensued, which were fun for the first 13 seconds! Was sitting throughout thinking "how the feck do i apply this to MY kids?!" The lads of Lille who look like they'd stab you if you suggested any sort of interacttive game! Sound, aye?
Anyway, pretty shattered today and got another early start tomorrow :( I do have some positives though as Chris will be here in approx 42 hours (who's counting?) and a delightful erasmus e-mail means some money will be coming my way! Yay!!
Anyway, quite possibly the last update before my man arrives, and Toussaint will be fairly uneventful so don't miss me too much! Special mention to Sara Senga Webster, who wanted me to mention her in my blog! I'm pretty much a hero/icon/idol of hers, so this will be like Christmas come early! Hope i havent damaged her too much with my sarcastic abuse of France, and that she follows my lead in making the world a better place, by gracing it with our presence! Miss you lots munchkin! <3
A bientot, and some love!! x
Tuesday 19 October 2010
en greve!
Okay, so nobody told me the strikes would be this bad!! They were fun and new and exciting to start off with but now theyre just getting boring, especially when you're in a country where you don't know anyone, there's not really loads to do since you're skint and you cant get to work coz of the strikes, and that's the whole reason you're in said country in the first place! Ahhh! Today was my fourth day off, I'm not in again until friday...strike's permitting!
Everyone keeps asking if i'm homesick yet and i don't really know what to say coz how do you know what homesick feels like?! I miss my family loads, and my man and my friends...but that goes without saying! I'd miss them even if i was on a two week holiday. The thing that's the most annoying is the boredum. I have been here a total of three weeks and have made my way through 7 seasons of Friends. I've taken to doing sit ups in my spare time. I cook. I clean. I wash clothes. I go walks. Yet i still have several hours to do...Nothing! I think at the moment, this mostly has to do with $$$ issues and hopefully by mid november i'll be rolling in it. But back home, i'd have my man or my brothers or my friends to amuse me so that's where this thing becomes difficult! I shouldn't complain as i have a mountain of visitors coming out, but yano, i'm used to being arround people all the time and y'all know I like to talk....
I have also now became a master fajita maker!! Me and Amy have ate them constantly, and although they prob have a zillion calories, i'm barely eating so its all good. I have realised that by living myself, i dont have my mama to make me things and buy food, and very often I have a serious case of CBA...ergo I just don't eat!
Been spending a lot of time e-mailing folk from home that I didnt get a chance to see before leaving...mainly friends not related to uni or work...who were dying to see me before i went but i couldnt . Just hope theyre not too pissed off to not reply, and hope they remember that i'm the one living in another country and going through this alone, and tbh i kinda need them! The lack of replies made me cry a little on the phone to my man!
On a much brighter note, Amy and I have been spending the last few days taking the piss out of every french person who annoys us. Putting on scottish accents and pronouncing words wrong make people maaaaad! awk well! I also got my new french bank card today from credit agricole...and its a Twilight one!! Oh yeahhhh! Wanted to put a pic on Fb but then realised its prob not the best idea to put my bank details online :/ silly me eh?
Tomorrow will be spent at the Zoo with Amy and our new friends, Emily, Erin and Mhairi! Want to familiarise myself before i go all tour-guide on my visitors! will also be spending the next few days trying to make the days flyyyy before i get on a train to Dunkerque to see my man!
All in all, still loving this place i call my new home! It's crazy and sometimes annoying but i am learning to love it! Speaking as much french as possible, watched a french version of come dine with me which was pretty awesommmme!
Will keep you updated on the happenings!
A bientot!
Everyone keeps asking if i'm homesick yet and i don't really know what to say coz how do you know what homesick feels like?! I miss my family loads, and my man and my friends...but that goes without saying! I'd miss them even if i was on a two week holiday. The thing that's the most annoying is the boredum. I have been here a total of three weeks and have made my way through 7 seasons of Friends. I've taken to doing sit ups in my spare time. I cook. I clean. I wash clothes. I go walks. Yet i still have several hours to do...Nothing! I think at the moment, this mostly has to do with $$$ issues and hopefully by mid november i'll be rolling in it. But back home, i'd have my man or my brothers or my friends to amuse me so that's where this thing becomes difficult! I shouldn't complain as i have a mountain of visitors coming out, but yano, i'm used to being arround people all the time and y'all know I like to talk....
I have also now became a master fajita maker!! Me and Amy have ate them constantly, and although they prob have a zillion calories, i'm barely eating so its all good. I have realised that by living myself, i dont have my mama to make me things and buy food, and very often I have a serious case of CBA...ergo I just don't eat!
Been spending a lot of time e-mailing folk from home that I didnt get a chance to see before leaving...mainly friends not related to uni or work...who were dying to see me before i went but i couldnt . Just hope theyre not too pissed off to not reply, and hope they remember that i'm the one living in another country and going through this alone, and tbh i kinda need them! The lack of replies made me cry a little on the phone to my man!
On a much brighter note, Amy and I have been spending the last few days taking the piss out of every french person who annoys us. Putting on scottish accents and pronouncing words wrong make people maaaaad! awk well! I also got my new french bank card today from credit agricole...and its a Twilight one!! Oh yeahhhh! Wanted to put a pic on Fb but then realised its prob not the best idea to put my bank details online :/ silly me eh?
Tomorrow will be spent at the Zoo with Amy and our new friends, Emily, Erin and Mhairi! Want to familiarise myself before i go all tour-guide on my visitors! will also be spending the next few days trying to make the days flyyyy before i get on a train to Dunkerque to see my man!
All in all, still loving this place i call my new home! It's crazy and sometimes annoying but i am learning to love it! Speaking as much french as possible, watched a french version of come dine with me which was pretty awesommmme!
Will keep you updated on the happenings!
A bientot!
Friday 15 October 2010
Bas Oui!
BONJOUR TOUT LES MONDE!!
I am ever so sorry that my last update was almost a week ago, and thus i will be unable to fill you in on every minute detail of the past few days...gutted aye?
Anywaaay, Sunday brought the arrival of Paul and Katrina, delighted to see their faces and show them the wonderful Lille. What we quickly realised as the week went on is that...there isn't actually much to do in Lille. As beautiful a city as it is, it's not really a place for tourists! I dont want anyone put off by this though, i still want hunners o visitors....please? Cheers! So after the first few days traipsing about Lille, it got a bit mundane for them i think! The only thing that really left my bro in disbelief was the lack of a Starbucks (c'est vrai!). For me, their week here was amazing...i got my dinners cooked for me, a weee bit of della casa one night and some fajitas the next, and their general chat made me feel like i was back home, so that was pretty good :). After they left, i had a wee cry, but got over it! Only 8 days until i get another visitor in the shape of my man Christophe so its all good :)
This week brought the round of French strikes and i actually felt i was in the midst of one of Dougal's translation exercises! I never thought the French strikes were as bad as this, and all i kept saying was "this would never happen back home". Basically Sarko is the French Dave, and he's said that coz money is tight he's gonna increase the retirement age, make folk pay more towards pensions but they're gonna receive less...exactly whats happening at the moment to all you lot back home! So we just sit back and take it, as my bro pointed out, aye no bother here's my money! Nah, not the French! Here we have people who distrupt every single way of live. I couldn't get to school on tuesday (gutted), but i also didnt have the bins taken out. The trams were shut off coz streets were blocked and generally people were just being rowdy; although Sarko's head on a stick did make me laugh! However, since my three weeks in French i have discovered that French people are generally crazy and its the norm!
Other examples? Ok, today i had my long day in school and i couldnt get the train til two hours after i was supposed to (see Facebook for all rants regarding this cock up). When i got to school, it turned out THE STUDENTS WERE ON STRIKE!! how the hell does this happen? The folk in my school don't give a feck about pension reform coz either a. they aint gonna live to that age; or b. they're not gonna be paying into the system coz they'll be on the brew!! so why are they not at school??
Argh! So today was probably my worst day, if i had phoned home this morning i probably would have cried my eyes out and i dont wanna do that! I have an emergency bottle of wine that ive had since day 1 in Lille and i have to say that this is one of those days where you just need to get pished!!
This weekend will bring a whole lot of nothing, j'espere, but you never know! Just gonna think about next saturday and seeing my man!
A bientot, love you all!!
I am ever so sorry that my last update was almost a week ago, and thus i will be unable to fill you in on every minute detail of the past few days...gutted aye?
Anywaaay, Sunday brought the arrival of Paul and Katrina, delighted to see their faces and show them the wonderful Lille. What we quickly realised as the week went on is that...there isn't actually much to do in Lille. As beautiful a city as it is, it's not really a place for tourists! I dont want anyone put off by this though, i still want hunners o visitors....please? Cheers! So after the first few days traipsing about Lille, it got a bit mundane for them i think! The only thing that really left my bro in disbelief was the lack of a Starbucks (c'est vrai!). For me, their week here was amazing...i got my dinners cooked for me, a weee bit of della casa one night and some fajitas the next, and their general chat made me feel like i was back home, so that was pretty good :). After they left, i had a wee cry, but got over it! Only 8 days until i get another visitor in the shape of my man Christophe so its all good :)
This week brought the round of French strikes and i actually felt i was in the midst of one of Dougal's translation exercises! I never thought the French strikes were as bad as this, and all i kept saying was "this would never happen back home". Basically Sarko is the French Dave, and he's said that coz money is tight he's gonna increase the retirement age, make folk pay more towards pensions but they're gonna receive less...exactly whats happening at the moment to all you lot back home! So we just sit back and take it, as my bro pointed out, aye no bother here's my money! Nah, not the French! Here we have people who distrupt every single way of live. I couldn't get to school on tuesday (gutted), but i also didnt have the bins taken out. The trams were shut off coz streets were blocked and generally people were just being rowdy; although Sarko's head on a stick did make me laugh! However, since my three weeks in French i have discovered that French people are generally crazy and its the norm!
Other examples? Ok, today i had my long day in school and i couldnt get the train til two hours after i was supposed to (see Facebook for all rants regarding this cock up). When i got to school, it turned out THE STUDENTS WERE ON STRIKE!! how the hell does this happen? The folk in my school don't give a feck about pension reform coz either a. they aint gonna live to that age; or b. they're not gonna be paying into the system coz they'll be on the brew!! so why are they not at school??
Argh! So today was probably my worst day, if i had phoned home this morning i probably would have cried my eyes out and i dont wanna do that! I have an emergency bottle of wine that ive had since day 1 in Lille and i have to say that this is one of those days where you just need to get pished!!
This weekend will bring a whole lot of nothing, j'espere, but you never know! Just gonna think about next saturday and seeing my man!
A bientot, love you all!!
Saturday 9 October 2010
home sweet home!
salut!
The last two days have been hectic-but hectically amazing!!!
Thursday i was up at 6am, wanted to actually die! It was pitch black outside and it was lucky i only had to cross the road to the gare coz i was like a zombie! My morning in school passed with any major difficulty, sitting watching teachers being unable to control their mental classes! At lunch i sat in the staff room, surrounded by not only english teachers and they were speaking rapid French. For the most part, i could keep up and was adding little comments and answering their questions politely...and then HE came along. Now so far, my experience of French men has been pretty shit if im being honest! They are rude, sleazy, ignorant and down-right smelly. HE, however, took the biscuit. HE came over to our wee table, sat down and started eating his lunch and listening to our conversation. Then he decided to join in, and by join in I mean completely take over and rabit on for the last half hour of lunch. He moaned about his girlfriend, his classes, his life in general. Yet the only reason I know this, is because i had to get him translated. The dick knew that my french was sketchy, and clearly loathed me being at HIS table, and so he decided to speak very northern, very harsh/rough french. I literally couldn't pick up a word he said during the phone time he was talking. Later, my teacher friend told me that he done it deliberately coz he didnt think i should be there! What a dick!!! He made me angry.
After school it was to the bank to open up a bank account, which in France is just as hard as trying to state secrets out of Sarkozy! Two hours later, and 372 signatures and I had successfully opened an account! The best thing is, that my bank card is a Twilight one...oh yeahhh!!
Friday was move in day, so it was all about the excitement! Only thing was, i had to get through my first two classes teaching the little idiots. Also, i'm not sure what the ettiquette is on correcting English teachers...in one of my classes my teacher was describing a picture where the "chimney was 'rejecting' black smoke"..i.e there was smoke coming out of a chimney. Wasn't really comfortable with the fact that she thought this was proper english, but still failed to correct her incase she set the mental pupils on me!
Finally, 3pm came and Amy and I were eagerly waiting at the main desk to check into our flats! Again more papers to sign, clearly France have no problem killing trees...the fascists!, and finally i was in! Appartment 101! wooo!! It really stunk of smoke, which isnt the best but after a few airfreshners i was sorted! First thing i done was put up all my pictures from home, then unpacked and tidied!
Last night was a quiet one, first home cooked meal and chilling!
Today i will eagerly be anticipating the arrival of Paul and Katrina, my first visitors to Lille. Feel under pressure to know hunners of good places to take them, so been doing my Lille research! Also, two weeks today and will see my man, so that will keep me going :)
Just going to do my washing and maybe head out for a walk....aahh the monotony is bliss <3
The last two days have been hectic-but hectically amazing!!!
Thursday i was up at 6am, wanted to actually die! It was pitch black outside and it was lucky i only had to cross the road to the gare coz i was like a zombie! My morning in school passed with any major difficulty, sitting watching teachers being unable to control their mental classes! At lunch i sat in the staff room, surrounded by not only english teachers and they were speaking rapid French. For the most part, i could keep up and was adding little comments and answering their questions politely...and then HE came along. Now so far, my experience of French men has been pretty shit if im being honest! They are rude, sleazy, ignorant and down-right smelly. HE, however, took the biscuit. HE came over to our wee table, sat down and started eating his lunch and listening to our conversation. Then he decided to join in, and by join in I mean completely take over and rabit on for the last half hour of lunch. He moaned about his girlfriend, his classes, his life in general. Yet the only reason I know this, is because i had to get him translated. The dick knew that my french was sketchy, and clearly loathed me being at HIS table, and so he decided to speak very northern, very harsh/rough french. I literally couldn't pick up a word he said during the phone time he was talking. Later, my teacher friend told me that he done it deliberately coz he didnt think i should be there! What a dick!!! He made me angry.
After school it was to the bank to open up a bank account, which in France is just as hard as trying to state secrets out of Sarkozy! Two hours later, and 372 signatures and I had successfully opened an account! The best thing is, that my bank card is a Twilight one...oh yeahhh!!
Friday was move in day, so it was all about the excitement! Only thing was, i had to get through my first two classes teaching the little idiots. Also, i'm not sure what the ettiquette is on correcting English teachers...in one of my classes my teacher was describing a picture where the "chimney was 'rejecting' black smoke"..i.e there was smoke coming out of a chimney. Wasn't really comfortable with the fact that she thought this was proper english, but still failed to correct her incase she set the mental pupils on me!
Finally, 3pm came and Amy and I were eagerly waiting at the main desk to check into our flats! Again more papers to sign, clearly France have no problem killing trees...the fascists!, and finally i was in! Appartment 101! wooo!! It really stunk of smoke, which isnt the best but after a few airfreshners i was sorted! First thing i done was put up all my pictures from home, then unpacked and tidied!
Last night was a quiet one, first home cooked meal and chilling!
Today i will eagerly be anticipating the arrival of Paul and Katrina, my first visitors to Lille. Feel under pressure to know hunners of good places to take them, so been doing my Lille research! Also, two weeks today and will see my man, so that will keep me going :)
Just going to do my washing and maybe head out for a walk....aahh the monotony is bliss <3
Wednesday 6 October 2010
All by myself
Today was orientation...a chance to get to know our fellow assistants and for all important information, on which us staying in France depends on! So, why not put us in a massive lecture theatre and speak to us in rapid french for two hours? Honestly, some times I wonder how some people make it through their day to day lives! Idiots!
So, as we had to check into the hotel after 12 but before 5, i decided the best plan of action was to ditch the meeting and check in at the hotel, leaving poor amy to suffer all by herself! Bad enough we were up at 7am, but having to attend a mind numbing french meeting was taking the piss! Needless to say, i didn't return and Amy kindly got all the relevent information needed for the next six months in France! How bon!
Still have no cooking facilities, and due to the half stone i've lost since my arrival last week, I felt a MacDo was a perfect little treat! After we scoffed our food in a typical Scottish fashion, i decided to write some cards and letters home to my folks and Christophe...then the most bizarre thing happened. Two french girls approached our table and asked, in french, if i had finished my large coke. I replied Yes (oui, actually...see how good i'm getting) and she said, ok can i take your cup and i will give you this egg in its place...and she actually produces a real egg from her pocket. I just stared at her, lost in a wave of confusion and disbeleif, and finally after an awkward five second silence said "Quoi?! Un Oeuf?!"....Turns out, it was some sort of uni freshers test thing but i left the egg in MacDo for some poor soul to wonder what the feck was going on! Have picture of said oeuf, will put in on shortly!
So here i am, in the hotel room ready for bed and its only quarter to eight! Have to get up at 6am because i have a class at 8 and need to get the 6.55am train! FML i think is the appropriate expression here, oui?
bisous xx
So, as we had to check into the hotel after 12 but before 5, i decided the best plan of action was to ditch the meeting and check in at the hotel, leaving poor amy to suffer all by herself! Bad enough we were up at 7am, but having to attend a mind numbing french meeting was taking the piss! Needless to say, i didn't return and Amy kindly got all the relevent information needed for the next six months in France! How bon!
Still have no cooking facilities, and due to the half stone i've lost since my arrival last week, I felt a MacDo was a perfect little treat! After we scoffed our food in a typical Scottish fashion, i decided to write some cards and letters home to my folks and Christophe...then the most bizarre thing happened. Two french girls approached our table and asked, in french, if i had finished my large coke. I replied Yes (oui, actually...see how good i'm getting) and she said, ok can i take your cup and i will give you this egg in its place...and she actually produces a real egg from her pocket. I just stared at her, lost in a wave of confusion and disbeleif, and finally after an awkward five second silence said "Quoi?! Un Oeuf?!"....Turns out, it was some sort of uni freshers test thing but i left the egg in MacDo for some poor soul to wonder what the feck was going on! Have picture of said oeuf, will put in on shortly!
So here i am, in the hotel room ready for bed and its only quarter to eight! Have to get up at 6am because i have a class at 8 and need to get the 6.55am train! FML i think is the appropriate expression here, oui?
bisous xx
Tuesday 5 October 2010
the first week!
bonjour tout le monde!
i decided to do this blog after my hectic first week! To be honest, i wish i had started the blog earlier, in order to fill in every shitty, depressing, mind numbing thing that happened in this first week!
I arrived on the Wednesday, mum and dad in tow! In typical Fitzpatrick style, we were like the clampets...with five bags amoungst three of us. These bags contained such stupid things, like super noodles (mama's idea of course) and Friends dvd's. (mines) We checked into out hotel and set up camp for a week with Amy Dreszler, my partner in crime for the next seven months!
We thought all we had to do on the thursday was go to an estate agents and take an appartment! Man, were we wrong! Our journey from the thursday to the saturday contained a lot of tears, tantrums and stress. We went from an ideal, but unfurnished and bogin flat on the main st of Lille, to the actual Bronx! In fact, my dad, a chief inspector of Strathclyde police and well known man for you not to be messing with very often or he'll "stiffen you"...actually shoved his wallet, containing all our money down his pants...yes my friends, this place was that bad! It wasn't so much the skanky area, with people's skanky yellow y fronts drying out the (very dirty, as noticed by ge) windows, but the fact there were many young arab men, standing in door ways staring at us and generally intimidating us! The flats were glorious, but the area was not!
The Saturday was more productive; Amy's mum had to leave, and it was becoming increasingly obvious as the days went on that were not gonna have it easy with many of the French. Don't get me wrong, one colleague of mine has been more than helpful and shown us kindness that is unknown at home by helping us set up our bank account and social security. However many times, no matter how much i tried my best french, i was hitting a wall! Eventually on the saturday we came across an Appart'hotel. This was, as in the name, housing for students that also could turn into a hotel! Finally, we had found something! It was trop cher, but at this point money was not an issue...whether i was going to be able to get my degree was the main focus point, thats how bad things were getting! Alors, for 600euro a month, Amy and I found ourselves our own wee self contained flat...but again we were faced with a problem...it wasnt available til the 8th, three days after we checked out our hotel and i said au revoir to mama and daddy!
Many suggestions were thrown about, and the most cost effetive was to stay at Amy's school, where i was going to be "snuck" in! Ahh us scots always find an illegal way somehow! Donc, on Monday we decided to drag our cases up in time for check out the next day! We arrived, and someone elses things were in amys room! Merde, what to do now? Today, tuesday, was a hassle! What shouldve been a delightful day with my parents turned into hell. We needed a place to stay tonight and Lille was fully booked...bitch that she is!After much begging and phoning and, quelle suprise, me speaking french we found a b&b for one night and a hotel for the other nights! Better than living on the streets, or as was even suggested by daddy, coming home for three days! Donc, now we could rest right? WRONG!
During all the stress, i forget the important fact that mama and daddy were getting on a plane to go home, as they had three other, slightly less talented, children eagerly awaiting their return! Feck! Now im not the most emotional person, and probably saying my goodbyes to chris last week were probably the worst ive ever been in my life...but today i realised..man i can cry! some might call my reaction almost hysterical :( was sad but i knew it had to come! I phoned chris after they left, totally sobbing! The poor soul has had to listen to my moans all week when i know he cant do anything to help as hes in Scotland and he's been truly amazing, which makes me miss him even more! thank god for bbm :)
So, here i am, in the hotel with Amy and im ready for bed as its 23.41 here and im up at seven for more moving and then a stupid orientation meeting! i hope it will be fun but who knows!
i hope to keep everyone updated on a regular basis, though hopefully after this week it wont be as stressful and moany!
bisous!
i decided to do this blog after my hectic first week! To be honest, i wish i had started the blog earlier, in order to fill in every shitty, depressing, mind numbing thing that happened in this first week!
I arrived on the Wednesday, mum and dad in tow! In typical Fitzpatrick style, we were like the clampets...with five bags amoungst three of us. These bags contained such stupid things, like super noodles (mama's idea of course) and Friends dvd's. (mines) We checked into out hotel and set up camp for a week with Amy Dreszler, my partner in crime for the next seven months!
We thought all we had to do on the thursday was go to an estate agents and take an appartment! Man, were we wrong! Our journey from the thursday to the saturday contained a lot of tears, tantrums and stress. We went from an ideal, but unfurnished and bogin flat on the main st of Lille, to the actual Bronx! In fact, my dad, a chief inspector of Strathclyde police and well known man for you not to be messing with very often or he'll "stiffen you"...actually shoved his wallet, containing all our money down his pants...yes my friends, this place was that bad! It wasn't so much the skanky area, with people's skanky yellow y fronts drying out the (very dirty, as noticed by ge) windows, but the fact there were many young arab men, standing in door ways staring at us and generally intimidating us! The flats were glorious, but the area was not!
The Saturday was more productive; Amy's mum had to leave, and it was becoming increasingly obvious as the days went on that were not gonna have it easy with many of the French. Don't get me wrong, one colleague of mine has been more than helpful and shown us kindness that is unknown at home by helping us set up our bank account and social security. However many times, no matter how much i tried my best french, i was hitting a wall! Eventually on the saturday we came across an Appart'hotel. This was, as in the name, housing for students that also could turn into a hotel! Finally, we had found something! It was trop cher, but at this point money was not an issue...whether i was going to be able to get my degree was the main focus point, thats how bad things were getting! Alors, for 600euro a month, Amy and I found ourselves our own wee self contained flat...but again we were faced with a problem...it wasnt available til the 8th, three days after we checked out our hotel and i said au revoir to mama and daddy!
Many suggestions were thrown about, and the most cost effetive was to stay at Amy's school, where i was going to be "snuck" in! Ahh us scots always find an illegal way somehow! Donc, on Monday we decided to drag our cases up in time for check out the next day! We arrived, and someone elses things were in amys room! Merde, what to do now? Today, tuesday, was a hassle! What shouldve been a delightful day with my parents turned into hell. We needed a place to stay tonight and Lille was fully booked...bitch that she is!After much begging and phoning and, quelle suprise, me speaking french we found a b&b for one night and a hotel for the other nights! Better than living on the streets, or as was even suggested by daddy, coming home for three days! Donc, now we could rest right? WRONG!
During all the stress, i forget the important fact that mama and daddy were getting on a plane to go home, as they had three other, slightly less talented, children eagerly awaiting their return! Feck! Now im not the most emotional person, and probably saying my goodbyes to chris last week were probably the worst ive ever been in my life...but today i realised..man i can cry! some might call my reaction almost hysterical :( was sad but i knew it had to come! I phoned chris after they left, totally sobbing! The poor soul has had to listen to my moans all week when i know he cant do anything to help as hes in Scotland and he's been truly amazing, which makes me miss him even more! thank god for bbm :)
So, here i am, in the hotel with Amy and im ready for bed as its 23.41 here and im up at seven for more moving and then a stupid orientation meeting! i hope it will be fun but who knows!
i hope to keep everyone updated on a regular basis, though hopefully after this week it wont be as stressful and moany!
bisous!
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