Ai se eu te pego!

I wouldn't reccommend you look up the translation of this title, but it seems to be the song of the moment across Europe and I can't go one day without it being played, and for lack of any other inspiration of a blog title... why not! 

En fait, this song title does kiiiinda have something to do with this blog. So basically a Brazilian singer, Michel Telo, has invaded the charts and the hearts of young Europeans with his notoriously acclaimed 'Ai se eu tu pego', and you can't escape the tune on French radio. ( I must even admit; the mp3 found itself in my amazon basket the other day...). Even one night at Zumba this song came on and we discovered that there is in fact a dance to accompany it, which pretty much mirrors the lyrics of the song in the least subtle manner! 

Where am I going with this? You may ask. Well, this weekend I spent a lovely couple of days visitng the beautiful Loire region in France. Famous for it's chateauxs ( It's known as the Chateau de la Loire region), the area is very well looked after and stunning in terms of landscape and architecture. The International Society on campus had organised a trip, and I must say it was very well organised as we had meals included in very accommodating restuarants, a coach to take us to three different castles, tours around castles and enough free time to explore Tours, where we stayed. I really loved Tours, there was a lot of character, and it was just great to be in a town which actually had shops, bars, crèperies, restaurants ( all which were open till late!) and people! Once we arrived on Friday night, we checked into our hostel, which was pretty grim, then headed out to the square where we were lucky enough to have tables especially set up for a group of 20 of us so we could sit outside, have a drink and just soak up the atmosphere. Within this group were some very cool Brazilians, who, once they heard me attempt to sing this Portuguese song quietly to myself, immediately corrected my pronounciations and then the song just kinda became the 'soundtrack' of the weekend. For some reason, we thought it would be fun to film us in the grounds of one of the castles singing and dancing this renowned song. So there we were, standing outside Chateaux de Chenonceau , the sun shining and glistening off the river, couples strolling in the blooming gardens, bref, tranquility partout, and we burst out with thrusting and proclaiming to the world 'Ai se eu te pego!' It was just so not in keeping with the étiquette of this historical site but we had such a laugh! So there we go, one theme of the weekend I decided to use in this blog! 

We had tours around Amboise, Chenonceau and Chambord castles. Each having it's own story and impressive architecture.It was a great way to see a different part of France and I enjoyed just being out of the hustle and bustle of Paris and being able to just relax and appreciate the calmness of it all. One crazy thign though, on Sunday morning walking around Tours, I bumped into two fellow Southampton course friends who were visiting the town too- what a small world!

In other news, things have been very eventful but exciting. A couple of weeks ago I went back to Nottingham for my 21st birthday weekend, during which I was very spoilt! As I don't have Easter Holidays here, it was my only chance to come back to see my friends and family, and I had a lovely Open House with lots of special people who came to see me and I had a great weekend full of suprises ( including a French Bank Man :p ), nice presents, cake, champagne and sunshine :) It was hard leaving and having to go back to work, but I had such a wonderful weekend all the same.

The campus has been pretty lively the past few weeks, with new Student's Union elections. There was music, bumper cars, trampolines, segways, sumo suits,free food, free drinks, free goodies, posters, sirens, happeneing all day and all night for about two weeks, and POWs pretty much every night! Not that I attended that many of them, but there was just so much going on across campsu that you couldn't concentrate! And what is it with French student campaigns and condoms? Chucked around like confetti! Can you imagine that in England? The French are wierd.

And equally, what is it with everything being shut ALL THE TIME in France. Theres none of this Tesco 24h convenience malarky. You want to get something for dinner at 8 pm, nope you're just gonna have to make do with what you've got in your cupboards because no food shops are open. Sunday shopping? you've got to be kidding.  Go to the ticket office because the machine is broken, no body there. Pop to the bank on monday. It's shut. Go to the post office on your lunch break. Fermé. France, you'd make so much more money if you JUST STAYED OPEN!!!!! 

Things in the library have been all go. We have migrated our email accounts over to gmail and it's cuased more stress than it's worth! Being young, you know, I can adapt quite easily to the cahnge and just get on with it, some of my colleages really are not impressed with the changeover and all I hear is ' J'en sais rien!' and 'Je comprends pas' and 'J'en ai marre!!!!' all day.

Par contre, the campus is much quieter, sun is out and it's Easter weekend which means I can eat chocolate again yaay. I will be around Paris for the three day weekend but that is all I get. I'm composing a list of 'Things to do before leaving France' so perhaps I will get to tick off some of those things this weekend. Like hiring a Vélib' or doing and actual Nuit Blanche. 

Happy Pâques to you all! And here's just a teaser of Michel and his groupies ;) 

( The girl who filmed it forgot to press 'record' for the first like minute, but I am sure you'll get the idea...)

Make way for Library Day!

The day we have all been waiting for has finally arrived. Red T-shirts, iPads, Kindles, interactive whiteboard, photo exhibition, book sale, tour guides… it’s all go for the Library Day! For the past two months the Library staff have been organising this spectacular event, to promote the Library and it’s resources ( even it’s ‘hidden’ resources) to students, professors, and staff.  It is all a bit of a show though, I have to say. The interactive white board was only installed last week, the iPads and Kindles are on loan, there are never TV screens with slide shows on repeat, and there are NEVER this amount of librarians present! But in all honesty, a lot of work has gone into this open day, and it has been great for me as I have had loads of translations to do for various posters/programmes/ info guides so I can’t complain.  There has been biscuits, tea and coffee available all day, a fabulous book sale consisting of donated second hand books in all languages, on sale for 1 or 2 euros each! I took the opportunity to buy Le Petit Robert for 2€ (! Literally, they are like 40 quid in England!) , Of Mice and Men (in French), A Midsummer night’s Dream (in French- check me out) and I have to admit… Twilight! (in French too though!) I was staring at all these 1€ Molière and Voltaire books thinking to myself , “ I really should buy these and read them, I am a French student after all” but… I just couldn't bring myself to do it.. Equally, I already have enough stuff to get back to England in suitcases; books are not going to help that! Especially not with Le Petit Robert which is HUGE!! 

Anyway, the day is going well, everyone is happy and chirpy and there are plenty of activities on offer. ( Although, like always, I am stuck at the desk hence why I am writing this!) Sadly, not many students have made an appearance, it’s been mostly staff but I think that’s due to lack of promotion, and also the fact that students here think they are too good for the library as they already know everything already.  The cocktail later might prove me wrong though. I have given a couple of tours in English and done a bit of interpreting here and there for various demonstrations. Makes a change to usual dull days here, at least I’m not doing pages of data input..

My weekend was brightened up thanks to Ella Dove, whom I visited in Le Havre for the weekend. I realised that she leaves in 5 weeks ( as if!) and I haven’t yet been anywhere out of Paris to visit someone so I had better get on that train before I have no one to see! It was a lovely weekend in Haut Normandy. I managed to see the sea! Before it started pouring it down with rain all day. Well, you’re practically in England in Normandy, so what do you expect. I didn’t mind, the weather didn’t stop us from having a nice lunch, shopping ( buy one pair of shoes, get the other for 1€!), taking a ride on Le Havre’s most thrilling attraction; the funicular, eating crèpes at a great crèperie, and enjoying the wonders of St Patrick’s day with Irish celebrations in the evening! I met her other assistant friends and we went to an organised evening of Irish dancing and beer in a very pleasant environment. Until this crazy Irish metal band came on and kinda killed the night. But it was fun all the same! Sunday, we went to a nearby village and looked around the cute market( we were inspired and have decided to buy a rabbit for our house next year) , wandered along the river and just generally admired the village. Being France, there was not much else to do that afternoon so we took a trip to the port, did a bit more shopping then chilled together before my train back to Paris in the evening. Thanks, Ella, for a lovely week end! 

So, what else. Well the only thing getting me through this week is knowing that I am going HOME on Friday , for my BIRTHDAY!! It’s only a flying visit back to Notts, but I can’t wait to see my friends and family for cake and champagne! I don’t have any Easter holidays, or any long breaks at all now so it will be one of my last trips back before the summer! During which I am hoping to stay out in France to work, so it light even be a VERY long time until I move back to England! As much as I have ahd enough of this job and am ready to leave, I am not ready to leave France! Am currently applying for various jobs in various places, but it’s so hard. If you know of anything, please let me know! My colleague got a little over helpful earlier and started phoning the tousit office in Deauville trying to find me a job…! It would be something at least.

No POW tonight as I am getting up at 5 (on my actually birthday- dedication!) to get to the airport, but I think I’ll go to the cinema as France has an offer on at the moment where all cinema tickets are 3.50€. Which is a bargain in Paris. 

The weather is very sunny, yay! It sucks that I have to be stuck at a desk all day during it though, but it makes running in the evenings more pleasant. I hope it stays this nice for this weekend! 

Nottingham here we come! So glad I only worked a 4 day week this week. Really have had enough! However, there is currently a debate going on between my colleagues as to whether I should put 'très bon niveau de français' or 'bilingue' under the Languages section of my CV... quite a compliment!

Run, Ruth, Run!

It's DONE! I ran my little legs off, crossed the finish line with a crowd of people to meet me, recieved my boquet of flowers and went straight to my TV interview. 

Ok, so maybe not. All of the opposite in fact!! The whole event was just a whirlwind. As I was in the last category of runners to leave ( the slowest category) I was hanging about in my 'pen' for about 45 minutes after everyone else had began ready and raring to go, getting very cold and more and more anxious- and hungry! I was expecting to get more energy and motivation along the route though, because there would be hunderds of spectators there to cheer us on, with banners and chanting etc... But no. Apparently Paris doesn't do support! I was so grateful to have my Dad, family friends, boyfriend, Godparents and friends from here come to cheer me on, I saw them just a couple of times but it definitely helped! Seriously, the streets were pretty bare and I was relying on people to be encouraging me to go on! But anyway, I had a nice run through the park at Chateau de Vincennes, and saw Hotel de Ville, Notre Dame, Bastille... and a lot of people peeing haha. 

BUT, I crossed the finish line. Eventually. 21km is quite a long way; after each km I kept thinking ' what, that was ONLY a km??!' . It was a great experience, I don't know how much of it I actually enojyed (probably the Snicker bar at the end was the best bit!) but I can say I have done the Paris Half Marathon as my first. And mayybbeee it will be the first of many, but I want to go back to running for pleasure now as opposed to it being a chore! I had the most wonderful reception at the finish line though I must say, my mum had waited for me, and my family, friends and boyfriend were there which really brought tears to my eyes! (But I cry at everything). So thanks to everyone for their support, even if you weren't there on the day you helped by asking how my trianing was going and I know a lot of you listened to me moaning about hurting and being tired and whiney.. It's over now! What AM I going to do with my free time?! 

Well, part of this eventful weekend included a day in Disney Land!! I had booked Monday off work thinking that I would be pretty dead. (I wasn't , thankfully, clearly didn't run hard enough! ) and my parents, godparents and their children and I had a wonderful trip to see Micky and the gang :) It's about 15 years since I last went, and despite the cold it was a fun filled day enjoyed by all! I don't really remember much from when I first went, lots of colours and happy songs and charatcters everywhere. Was slightly different this time though! Cold, not as colourful, the haunted house definitely wasn't as scary as I remembered! And I was disappointed with the lack of costumed characters around! The parade didn't seem as spectacular, no fireworks or lights or anything. But I enjoyed the day quand même. I even went on rides! For me, the girl who won't even go on fair ground rides, this was quite an achievement! Ok, so I didn't conquer Space Mountain, but I did Le train de mine and Indiana Jones, twice! Nothing beats the teacups though, and obviously It's A Small World, just classic :) 

So it was un week-end très chargé, as my parents arrived on Friday, I organised dinner for 14 on Saturday night, did the run on Sunday, watched the rugby, Disney Land.. Well, I say I organised dinner for 14, there is actually a story behind that. I used a French website called La Forchette to help me find an Italian restuarant which I could book for us all. So I went ahead and booked and they rang me several times to confirm. Found the map on google, printed it off and got directions etc. Managed to get everyone to meet at the nearest métro point and take them to the resaurant. Only to arrive and be told that this wasn't the right Pane et Vino I had booked.... that one was in Clichy and we were in Paris. Woops.  But thankfully they had space for us at this restuarant and we suceeded in having a very pleasant dinner, although I did notice the waitress kept coming in and out with supermarket shopping bags... It's almost as though they were literally making everything to order!

Work has actually been fairly productive this week. We are organising a 'Library Day' soon which everyone is getting rather excited about, which means lots of translations for me to do. I can't complain, and I actually have enjoyed doing them as I get to see what we will have on offer and stuff. Plus it gives me something to do! I was also given the responsability of contatcing several database companies to ask them for samples of user guides, so that was quite good.

Have had the second vist from a Southampton professor as part of this language study so that has taken up some of my time this week. He shadowed me on wednesday morning- at least he tried, my colleague kept chatting to him about the elections!We did some language tests and he stayed to observe my evening activites too. I had some positive feedback from him which was nice. Like I have said before, it's hard to actually know how well my French has come on. My parents said they were very impressed too, so I think it takes being around those who don't speak French that well to realise that you are better than you think.Even if I do still continue to confuse 'pleurer' and 'pleuvoir' !!

A colleague has invited me to a comedy/theatre/improvisation thing tonight near her. I'm not quite sure what I have signed up for, but it looks fun and you get a bowl of soup included in the ticket price- winner! I am going to meet her in Versailles and her friend will give us a lift to the event, and depending on what time it ends she has kindly offered that I stay the night at hers if there are no trains. I don't have anything else planend tonight, and one thing I have learned from this year is to just take opportunites when you can, and it will be a good exercise for my French so I though, why not?! Other than that, nothing planned this weekend, but I should crack on with my project so you now... there is always that!

A trip to Le Havre and back home in the next couple of weeks to look forward to. Otherwise it's now back to putting magnetic strips into periodicals and then putting them on their respective shelves... yay. 

Straight to the point.

I realise it has been a while since my last blog, so I do apologise for that! I am reading from fellow student's blogs that those doing British Council placements have something ridiculous like 8 weeks left of their year abroad, whereas I on the other hand am only half way through my internship and have another 5 months to go! Oui, la vie est dure... But I guess the more time in France, the better? Let's evaluate.

 

So since I am half way through my year I have asked myself  'what have you learned so far?' and 'what can you expect from the next 5 months?'. Well in all honesty, I feel like I have come to a bit of a standstill in terms of what I am getting out of this experience. I don't feel like each day bring exciting/new experiences anymore, and work is definietley not a challenge. There is nothing I can do that will bring my French to a better level I don't think. It seems like since Christmas I really haven't advanced, and it's just because evry day is the same and I am not doing challenging tasks or anything. I am trapped in the campus bubble, not getting insight into the 'real' world of France/Paris. Ok, I am at an advantage by having a French boyfriend, with whom I can watch French TV, listen to French radio in the car, talk to on the phone and in general just about n'importe quoi, but otherwise my conversations at work are not that rich and the evenings are spent gossiping in English with the girls!! I have really had enough with this library placement. In terms of having tasks and things to do, well, I don't have any! Yes, each day I have to spend 20 minutes putting magnetic strips into reviews and then putting them in their correct place but that's hardly using  my French! There are sometimes students who email and ask for a book to renewed which is my job to do for them ( they are not clever enough to do it themselves online) so i'll respond to a few messages in French or English, but it's always the same phrases so no real extention to my vocabulary there. And since I am not qualified on data base research or book covering/preparation, it's always down to me to be left as the person at the welcome desk. Sat on my bum having nothing interesting to do. Sure I can read French magazines and stuff but come on, would you want to do that all day? I need to make the effort myself to do more grammar and vocab learning, and to just strike up conversations myself with students/my colleages. I do tell my colleageus that I am here for anything they need help with. But that doesn't stop them putting up a bad translation on the English website because they didn't get me to check it first!! Of course, the students never cease to amuse me and brighten up my day when they come up to complain to me that the colour printer has printed thier documents in colour...

 

I have learned that the French are very laid back. I know that seems cliché, but it's so true! 'Coffee after lunch? I've already had an hour and a half break but sure, why not?!' 'This book was due back last monday, but I'll just bring it back the next month, no bother'. 'I'll meet you at 8' and they arrive 20 mins later. 'I'll respond to your email when I get back'. 'I'll just send it to them when I'm ready'. 'Excuse me while I take this phone call instead of serving you'. 'We'll give you full details the night before' 'I'll come and get you later sometile'... I could go on. I have also learned that Gare du Nord is a hotbed for weirdos and teethless men. The same man approched me three times at three differnent places of the station when I arrived yesterday, and I coudn't tell you even what he was asking me because he was talking jibberish.  I have equally learned that France are just a little bit behind the times. You can't scan barcodes on library cards, you have to type in the number manually. Online banking is about a week behind date, and equally you can only check your bank balance at your actual bank cash machine, not another bank. Finally, train timetables are not to be trusted! So these all seem like negative observations, huh? Well I have to say that  despite what we say I find the French verys honest people. They are just open and will tell you the truth. Perhaps this is where we get the idea that they are 'rude'. I would say differently. Not rude, just honest. I ask my colleague how she is, and she tells me exactly how she is. Even things like emails and texts. Naturally as a female I tend to elaborate and write everything out in full with terms of endearment, hearts and smileys and kisses, whereas the French will literally just respond to the question you asked using as little words as possible, followed (if you're lucky) by a full stop. No messing about with the French! Moreover, greetings and introductions are very important to the French. Everyone you pass around campus is likely to wish you a 'bonjour' whether you recognise each other or not, and also I have found that when you arrive at work in the morning, colleagues make a big thing about saying 'Bonjour' to each other, and on some occasions some of my colleagues have evn sought me out just to say 'I realised we haventt said hello yet today!'. It's nice :) And then there's the whole bisous, a kiss on each cheek even on the first meeting of someone. How is that being rude?!

 

Anyways, I am SURE that the next 5 months will be great and that things will come up to keep me going. I already have lots of exciting things to look forward to before Easter. I was in London this weekend for a flying visit to spend with the family and we went to see the stage performance of War Horse which was just fantastic. And this weekend my parents, godparents and other family friends will be in Paris for this bloomin' half marathon- and DISNEY LAND!! Quite exciting. I WILL go to both parks, even if I have to do it in a wheelchair following my run aha. Once the half marathon is over I don't know what I am going to do to fill my time with! (The words 'year abroad research project' keep flying around my ears!). Then at the end of March I will be in Nottingham celbrating my 21st Birthday (old, much) and the weekend after that I am going to Château de la Loire with friends here, then I'm seeing Drake in Paris, not sure what I am doing over Easter week end yet but perhaps something fun will come up then too! Am also looking to try and get tickets for Mamma Mia in French in Paris! I don't get any more 'official' holidays until July now. No easter, no half terms. It is currently French holidays and despite the lack of life on campus the library has still decided to stay open. Its almost one o'clock and so far ONE student has walked in the library... This week is going to drag I can tell. I have 7 days worth of congés left to take before I leave, so I need to think of how wisely I can use them. There are an insane amount of Bank Holidays in April/May which I could make use of for long weekends so I'll have to see. I feel like I am not making the most of being in France to travel around and visit people around Europe- I need to get my act together! One of the restraints of working full time is that come the weekend I just want to relax as I only have two days to turn arund and recover and prepare for the next week! But time is going so fast, there soon will be no more weekends left!

 

 

The sun has got his hat on again at least in ol' JouY en Josas which naturally lightens the mood of things. I am pleased that cold spell is out of they way, now we can move into spring and Easter and happy bunnies prancing everywhere :) I kid you not, there are rabbits on campus! And the FATTEST cat you have ever seen. And ladybirds everywhere. And ducks. And green parrots. And red squirrels. Quite the nature park HEC campus!

 

Clearly I am running out of things to say as I have started rambling on about the wild life here. Time to call it a day and say bye , to be honest ( see what I did there).

 

Bye.

 

(And again)

La meuf à la bibliothèque!

Roughly translated as 'That library chick'. Yes, that is what I am often reffered to as by drunken HEC students at parties and events.  The HEC annual Gala being no exception to this, literally every other guy that past me would suddenly stop (and stumble slightly in the process), squint, and wave their finger at me while they tried as hard as they could to figure out where they know me from... I wait patiently for the realisation to kick in. And then it hits them like a snowball:  'LA BIBLIOTHEQUE!'. Still could be a worse nickname, at least they are not shouting out 'RUT' every time they see me!

The 2012 edition of the Gala HEC took place in Hotel Intercontinenta, a very swish hotel next to the Opéra in Paris. An evening divided into two parts, the first being for those rich enough to afford the'exquisite'three course meal ( which I am told consisted of a tomato, piece of lamb and chocolate mousse) and unlimited wine and the second part for those who want to pay to dress up and join the party just for laughs. The latter of which we attended! (A very last miute decision for me in fact, I only reserved my ticket at midnight the night before!) It would have been nice to have been able to participate in the round tabled, chandeeller-lit (how do you spell that?) dinner but we really don't have 90€ to do that! So instead us girls opted for the 'soirée' at less than half the price and spent a (very) long time getting ready here, taking the train into Paris wearing leggings and boots under our dresses, splashing out near the Opéra on a two course meal + martini for 20€, and then transforming into belles of the ball in the toilets and running into the hotel to avoid freezing our bare legs off in the cold! Such a fun start to the night. We arrived at 11pm and already the Gala was well under way. A night with lots of champage consumption ( not so much on my part, I must say!), suits, dresses, and of course, drunken HEC students! 

Sunday felt like a dream. It was one thing hitting the pillow about 5am, but another waking up to a winter wonderland a few hours later! The whole day was a write off, we all slobbed about not really knowing what to do with oursleves, not being able to go out, and just generally being tired and recovering from the gala! The snow hasn't put the world on hold like usual thankfully. Apparently last year at Christmas it was so bad that staff actually slept in their offices over night! So at least it's not that bad. We had one lot of snow fall and most of it is pretty much cleared now, apart from on the little countryside paths around campus. It has made campus quite pretty, especially when the sun shines and bounces off the white snow, it's dazzlling. 

Work has been pretty slow recently. I wish my days were more eventful! The only exciting thing which happened the other day was making a phone call to the USA, which bought me back to my A level interpreting oral exam where I had one person speaking French to me in one ear, and one person speaking English to me in another ear, and me being the interpreter between the two! But otherwise, I'm not gonna lie, I have managed to catch up on Glee and Desperate Housewives whilst manning the front desk! ( My colleagues randomly disappear for about 20 minutes at a time, and leave me. I have no idea where they go!). And I sometimes add a paragraph or two to my Year Abroad Research Project when I run out of people to facebook stalk..

I disciplined myself not to go to POW last night. Despite it being the  event of the week. Named ' La Luxure' and tied in with HEC Fashion Week, it was a big POW open to all students from whereever. I think the facebook even description explains it all really : Because debauchery is our motto, concupiscence is our way of life... and itemperance is our deep nature. For this party, you will find to rooms and to atmospheres, but only one goal : the LUXURE!

The program of these Bacchanalia: strip-teasers, chipendales, erotic show, massage room, open condoms, open bar, and goodies... And that is just the begining of a long list of even crazier surprises... all night long!

I'll say no more. Other than, would you ever find this in England?? Scandelous.

On a less controversial note, I have my first visitors from Souhampton coming this weekend which will be nice. I stress the word FIRST. Friends, are you coming?!

The Half Marathon is three weeks away and I am already fed up of running. I got to a peak in my training and I just wish the race had been like last week so that it was done and over with, because now my legs are aching and getting tired and the thought of this 13 mile run in 3 weeks is not exciting for me at the moment. I just want the event to come so I can stop running in this icy weather!!

Another slow day at work today I imagine. Post POW Friday's are always dead! But made day just got ten times better as my colleague has just walked in wearing.. Leather pants!! ( Any 'Friends' fans out there want to share a giggle with me?!)

Bisous mes amis :)