Bonjouuurrr
Oct 6th, 2009 by Soph
Hello from France! That’s right, I’m here and it’s craaaazy. Actually the thing that is most crazy right now is this really annoying French keyboard. I’m afraid this post might not be very long or detailed because it takes me ages to type – everything is in the wrong place!! Also I’m in an internet cafe at the mo and I only have 20 mins left.
So yeah, everything’s fine so far and that’s all there is to say really ^^ I have no internet in my accommodation but we’re doing our best to sort something out… most practical solution would seem to be buying a key (?) so that we can access the school’s internet ( or I think that’s what it does anyway…). If anyone has any advice about this, that would be awesome. COUGHJohnCOUGH. Unfortunaely we can’t get a router because our accom is actually within the school and apparently it’s not allowed. And there’s no wifi. So yeah, help please would be grand if anyone can suggest anything 
France is HOT. I know I’m on the mediterranean and everything but I really didn’t expect it to be quite so summery here in October! It’s great, I’m getting a tan already! The town I’m living in is very nice, though a bit quiet and there’s not much to do in the evenings (though there is an Irish pub!). I think we just need to explore a bit to find out that kind of thing. During the day it’s very nice here, there are plenty of shops with everything you might need – although it turns out the French really don’t like to work that much. Absolutely everywhere (apart from cafes etc) close for lunch between 12:30 and 2pm, and on a Sunday nothing is open at all apart from, again, eateries. But the people at the eateries seem to like to make it very clear that they do not want to be there, and can be quite rude. That’s the French I suppose!
I haven’t started teaching yet, and don’t really know yet anything to do with my timetable etc. I have about a week of observation and then I think I begin classes sometime next week or the week after. And then a few days after that it’ll be half term – whey!
So, I should pop off now. Hope everyone is having a great time doing what they’re doing :] A bientot!
Bloody French keyboards, with their shift-pressing for numbers and punctuation in the wrong places.
Buying a key to access the internet? Well if there’s a wireless school network and it’s secured you could ask them for a WEP key (just a password really) to access it =] Them selling it to you seems pretty pikey though. Bloody French. Does that help?
Glad you’re there safe n’ sound and enjoying it. Have fun exploring and whatnot =] Are you staying with anyone from uni, or new friendlies?
Funfunfun!
Hi Soph!!! Great about the weather, glad you’re getting a tan; it poured down the whole time I was commuting today; good old London, eh? That sounds a bit mad with thekeyboards….I just assumed they’d be universally standard. I learn something new everyday.
Apart from despondent shop peeps, how’s the people over there? Are you nervous about starting to teach?
Hugs
I tried to reply a couple of times before when I was in an internet cafe, but the posts disappeared, so I’m hoping it’s going to work now that I’m using my own laptop! (in good old maccy d’s, wahey for free wifi)
john: the school’s network isn’t wireless unfortunately, that’s the problem, and there isn’t anywhere in the appartment to plug in an ethernet cable. I think I am going to buy the key once I get my bank stuff sorted out, still going to be a little while though!
nope, there aren’t any other uni peeps living around here, I’m in accommodation within my school with two of the other assistants (and possibly one more still to come). all the other assistants here are really nice, have made a good group of friends and we see each other pretty much every day (obviously the ones I live with but also the other 3 who live in the same town), even if just for lunch / a trip to mac do for internet use, etc
tammy: hehe, poor you! it’s not rained much at all here so far, just a couple of times very lightly and briefly – but the wind has started to arrive now and it’s bringing much colder weather along with it. bought a new coat today though, so I’m prepared for a french winter
yeah the keyboards are really different! in fact I’ve got quite used to the french ones now, so now that I’m on my own laptop again I keep going to press the wrong keys…wahh!
yeah the other assistants are lovely so that’s good :] and all the teachers at my schools have been really friendly and welcoming too. though I had another encounter with a really grumpy french worker today, this woman at the station…I just don’t understand how they can be so rude to their customers/clients…anyway, nevermind! apart from that everyone else is really nice!
I’m kind of nervous I suppose…I’m just not sure exactly how it’s going to go the first few times, but it should be fine! for my first lesson I’m doing a jason mraz song with them (because I <3 jason mraz) and it involves a game and stuff, so hopefully they’ll take to it well!
speak soon peeps :] xxx
wow that was long. sorry
Hmmn! No wireless and no ethernet cable? Then I haven’t a cluee sorry =]
Good luck with it starting soon! As for the grumpy French, I charge you with a mission to cheer them up, somehow. Maybe present them with some extra-smelly cheese? There is some ungodly skeezy cheese in our fridge (which I really can’t describe), courtesy of our resident Frenchard.
Sounds like you’re having fun though, hoorah ^_^