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 :) 

Lukewarm potatoes, 5.30am metros and... sliced bread?!

Yes. Sitting on my balcony ( who needs a fridge when its -5° OUTSIDE!!!)  is the most delicious wholegrain, organic, SLICED, loaf of bread. Something us Brits take for granted, but which seems to have only just made an appearance in French supermarkets. I had a JAM SANDWICH the other day. Simple pleasures. Now for peanut butter to find it's way onto the shelves...

Paris life has been very good recently. I was blessed with the presence of Southampton's past and present Frensoc members for a brilliant reunion in Paris last weekend! It was great seeing some friendly and familiar faces and being able to share 'Year Abroad' stories. The best part of the weekend was ACTUALLY completing a nuit blanche in Paris, without getting stressed or angry at the world. Yes, we stayed out partying until 5am, and since taxi's were just not available,  we got the first metro at 5.32 am. I am officially hard core! What's funny, I have been here almost 5 months now and I haven't yet done a night out in Paris. Although I was on form with which métro lines to take to where, whenever the girls asked me where was good to go out, I simply had no idea because I had never done it before! Shameful. I could have made my way back to Jouy en Josas at that hour of the morning, but since I was hanging out with the girls on Saturday too I decided to stay in the hostel with them, which just made all the difference. We got in about 6am, Ella's famous last words before hitting the pillow being "I'll see you in 2 hours and 46 minutes!" . Such a fun night, hat's off to the DJ who kept playing tune after tune, not even funky wordless french techno stuff, ACTUAL normal club songs! It's definitley not something I could hack every weekend though. And with regards to the lukewarm potatoes, it was a bad translation which we found on a menu in a pizzeria, which at the time we found hilarious, but now i'm thinking it was one of those ' you had to be there moments'.

Campus has been taken over with new International Exchange Students. Ther are lots of fun evens going on to welcome them, not many of which I have taken part in unfortunately (it would just be English speaking anyway) , but I did go Bowling on Monday. I forget how much fun bowling is, and how competitive it can get haha. I'm thinking an old school kids bowling party for my 21st? It was good to have a free coach ride to a place off campus for one night. At the start of the year I was really eager to be getting involved with all the events like this, but now I am not so fussed just simply because it doesn't help my French in any way. I know it's fun and sociable, but it's getting to the point now where I just think to myself, if it's not practising my French, is it worth it? ...Wow, listen to me!! 

So this means two weeks of new arrivals turning up at the library looking completely lost, asking where they can 'rent' a book, if I can fix the scanner, and then there's the dreaded "oh, you're not an exchange student here then? So what do you do?" conversation. ("You mean, you don't study here? But you live on campus? And you can speak French?!").

As I hear in England and in most parts of Europe, the temperature here has significantly dropped. I hate to admit it, but even for a Brit, il fait froid!!!! I am currently sat hugging my little hot water bottle at the desk!! (Ok, its no't actually that cold IN the library itself, it's more for my sore legs- all this half marathon training is exhausting my limbs!) Snow has been forecast for this weekend, and it wouldn't suprise me because it is bitterly cold outside! Which is going to make access on and off campus impossible, considering it's on top of a hill in a forest. Should have stocked up on canned food!

It's french pancake day today! Kown as Chandeleur. (Which I found hilarious, it sounds like Chandler!!) so pêrhaps the canteen will have some yummy crèpes, or perhaps we'll go out for crèpes sometime this weekend. If only we could make them ourselves without blowing the fuses. It's not actual pancake day though in England, right? I don't have to give up chocolate for lent just yet, right?

I can't think of any interesting things left to say so instead of rambling on i'll just say au revoir.

Quoi. (That was for you, Ella).

'Bonjour, la bibliothèque HEC Paris; Lily Speaking'

So here I am trying to think of something witty and enticing as my title for this week, and not really suceeding. Then the phone rings at the desk. And I anwser, as standard, with the usual greeting, and then for some reason unbeknowns to me, I  tagged 'Lily Spekaing' on the end... Luckily she had the wrong number and the conversation was left there, but I literally went as purple as a plum with embarassment for my stupidity! So voilà, the title for this blog was born!

I must say I have been doing quite well in the 'silly errors' department of speaking French recently. I just find myself replying to questions like 'What time is Mass tonight?' with ' Twenty hours', and explaining to my parents that I saw someone 'by hasard'. Ah, I geuss this is the first step towards thinking and then  dreaming in French! I have just purchased myself a book called 'D!rty French' and its brilliant. Here's a taster : 'Tu t'es coiffé avec un balai?'. haha. 

So, whats new to blog about. Well as I mentioned, I went to Morocco a couple of weekends ago. It was a  very intense weekend with three French guys, who were banterous and spoke so much slang that I was totally lost half the time! A big challenge, but still a good experience all the same. We went Jetski-ing ( SO much fun!) Although I didn't know how to actually turn so I just ended up whizzing off into the horizon, quite carefree! I also took advantage of the Suk and stocked up on Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren goodies ( you know what I'm like) and was even brought and Ice Watch ( didn't realise they were so cool!). It was interesting going on holiday to a French speaking place, insetad of the usual Anglophone infested European resorts, good to have more French practise. And I did't get as harassed as much as I was warned. Perhaps being the only young girl with three guys around me, they got the idea, even if it was the wrong one! One guy said to me 'I though it was only men who were allowed several partners!'

Not much else has been happening in Jouy en Josas recently. Last week was fairly quiet and uneventful, for me anyway. I went to Paris to 'faire les soldes' which have just started, but found nothing much. It wasn't like British sales, I can tell you that! Much less busy and mean!  But I didn't really find anything!

There will be a new arrival of international students this week, which will be nice to have some new faces and partcipate in socials to get to know people. But it equally means the library will be filled with students who can't speak French, asking if  they can 'take this book on loan'. Seriously,  you did just get accepted into the worlds highest ranked Business School, right? While I am on this, I must be coming a true impatient frenchie, as it really annoys me when students come to the desk and just start talking at you in English in straight away! They don't even ask whether we speak English or not, it frustrates me that people don't even try. Why chose to come and live in France if you can't even have a stab at the language!!

Sorry, rant over.

This weekend I will be blessed with Southampton's FRENSOC as they are having a weekend in Paris, so I will be reunited with some language buddies, and I THINK, I am actually going to GO OUT in Paris on Friday night!!! Is this actually true?! Then on Saturday I will have my frist taste of French Theatre, seeing 'Les Belles Sœurs' in the local village. I'll let you know. Ella Dove, watch this space!

Really nothing much else to say. Sorry for the lack of fun stuff in this blog! 

A bientôt 

Il y a une mouche dans mon soupe.

Champagne and Oysters. Not a bad start to 2012!

Bonjour! And Bonne Année, Meilleurs Vœux to you all.

I have been back almost two weeks now, but last week I didn't really have much to blog about, so didn't bother! But now it's the second week in, things are starting to get back into flow. Everyone on my corridoor is back so it has been nice catching up with them, and gradually more students are showing their faces in the library- so there is life about unlike most of last week! I was expecting my first week back to be totally dull, but actually when I arrived at work last Tuesday morning, there was a jolly atmosphere around , my colleagues wishing each other 'Bonne Année' and 'Bonne Santé' etc. The welcome desk looked a bit like a Press agency with boxes of mail everywhere, envelopes here, plastic there. Obviously we had a backlog of mail which meant that it all meant sorting, but at least it was something to do. I have actually had quite a few little jobs to be doing which is better than nothing. I have had to most of the 8.30 starts though, as we are a colleague down for two weeks so the early and late shifts are supposed to be 'equally split' between me and Lionel, but he seems to have conveniently given himself all the later starting shifts! Buts its ok, I quite like finishing at 4.30 as then I have the whole evening to 'be productive'. Hm.

I would say that I have settled back in well. I wasn't dreading coming back like I would have felt a few months ago.The next 7 months are going to fly by, but I know i'll make the most of it and be more positive than I was last year. I feel way more comfortable being here now, and I know my way around, get on so well with my friends here, love my colleagues, aaannddd.. well I guess I should probably mention that I have myself a French fella'! :p ... So it's nice seeing him when we can. Even if he drags me to see Mission Impossible 4 in French on a Sunday night! It works well that he lives and works so close to campus, and we work similar hours too, but it's still a bit strange having this new commitment now! Anyways, enought of that. 

The main excitement this week was the HEC annual 'Diner Cocktail' to celebrate the new year. As  interns, we were so excited over it! We dressed up, despite being warned that it was not a classy event, and we headed out for our free champage and buffet! Ok so I felt a little overdressed, considering most people had just come straight from work, but the hall was decorated to the full with flowers, trees (!) , lights, a podium for a band, a DJ set, and of course bars and buffets tables! If I wasn't on an alcohol ban from my mum ( half marathon training based, supposedly) I would have DEFINITELY taken my fair share of the free champers!! But, the smoked salmon, cheese board and oysters ( first time I have tried them- seriously I'm not sophisticated enough!) were just as good to take advantage of, and the chocolate tart for pudding... just wow! So, after a very nice speech from the Direteur Général de HEC, it was time to party! And party we did. I tell you, it was better than any POW, more classy for sure! It was quite bizare dancing with my fellow colleagues, but we had fun none the less! There was a great range of music, and it was great seeing all these HEC workers letting their hair down. I was tempted onto the podium at some points too! As the night had commenced aboutn 8, by 11 I was already shattered and ready for bed! But the DJ just kept playing more and more Rhianna, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry..(requested by me, obviously) so I forced myself to stay juuust that little bit longer after each song! But I was still in bed by midnight! I had work at 8.30 the next day! I can't believe one of my colleages even outstayed me. But yeah, it was a great night with eveyone having fun and lots of free swanky goodies!

I have no real resolutions for this year. Just more things on the list. The Paris Half marathon being one of them. Although thats going to be more of a fail than an achievement I feel :S 

No, I CAN run 13 miles...

Get near fluent in French, read more, do my research project, stay in France over the summer, save money, LEARN the words on my vocabulary list instead of just writing them down and forgetting them... that kinda thing.

I have started listening to French radio whilst at work. I can easily sit with one headphone in while I work and if someone approaches me I just whip it out! It's great listening practise, but also the music is great! Although, they do play like the same 5 songs repeatedly which gets a bit tedious! But hey, at least I can add knowledge of French Rap to my CV... haha. 

I'll be in Marocco this weekend which I am really looking forward to! Just for a long weekend, have taken Monday off work and I am defs ready for a bit of sunshine! I got a new camera for Christmas so you can expect lots of ncie quality photos for this years blogs! 

Not really much else to blog about. First POW back tonight. woop. But to be honest, nothing will beat Monday's cocktail, and I'm not drinking so, we'll see how the night goes!

Have a good week, and until next time! 

^^ xx

I have a new phrase to add to the list

'Je ne l'ai pas fait exprès!', meaning 'I didn't do it on purpose!'

How did I learn it? Because there is a possible chance that my iPod may have fallen in the toilet...