It's all fun and laughter until your heating and hot water vanish. Again.

With my missing iPod, regular lack of heat and hot water, and nigh-on two-week flu-type illness my mother is convinced I find everything simply awful here. Whilst I admit sleeping in hoodies and dressing gowns is not joyful, my mother's beliefs are not true. I just call her when I'm grumpy. So without further ado or further complaint, I move on to the marvellous aspects of my time here France...

I promised food in yesterday's post, and food I will give you. Well, cheese. And I'll tell you about it at any rate. Before I got ill and cold I swore I would not touch chocolate until Christmas. I was doing quite well, and it was during this period that out came this love of cheese. The French here in Normandy do have a cheese course in every meal which is not something I have taken on board personally, preferring yoghurts at lunch time, but I have substantially increased the number of types of cheese in my fridge at any one time. As you can imagine, abandoning chocolate did not necessarily do me much good.

If you were to open my fridge right now you would find my current favourite, Comté. It was recommended to me as a replacement for good old British Cheddar when I ran out, and whilst I can see the resemblance, it is simply a great deal of gorgeous. I have, on multiple occasions now, been not hungry and had cheese for dinner. There is also some La Vache qui rit (The Cow Which Laughs, better known as The Laughing Cow to you Brits reading over there), which basically tastes the same, and there was previously Gouda. It was so goud I finished it though. Sorry.

What else is great about France? Certainly not its bureaucracy. I know I said no complaining but that one is necessary, trust me.

Although some of the stereotypes have rung true for me amongst some of the people I have met here, I cannot possibly say the same is true for everyone. If that were the case, I would genuinely dislike all French people. As I said yesterday, I enjoy being in school. People there are interested in me, the students say hello in the corridor, and the teachers are willing to talk to me. My professeur référent is particularly great, and we can chat about anything and everything for a long time (yes a lot of it is me) and frequently do. A Spanish teacher has become one of my favourites (I have to say this, there is a chance she'll read it) and she is rather lovely. I find it incredibly hard in certain situations, but I have discerned that the Channel is enough to make a complete difference in attitude and you have to be persistent in France in a way I fail to see in Britain. I'm learning.

English assistants from across the world, here in Normandy.

And of course, a quick shout out to the Brit and the Aussie, Leanne and Lauren. We've become a bit of a trio and we're good back-up, especially for trips to accost French people not doing their jobs properly, SFR. Every other assistant in the surrounding areas are welcoming and open to invite each other round at weekends and it is fantastic to be able to say I came to France and met and befriended Australians, Canadians, Americans, Trinidadians, Jamaicans, Irish people and of course, Brits and Frenchies. Long may it continue.

Me, Lauren and Leanne at a Thanksgiving dinner made
by real Americans Tatiana, Nick and Kaylin.

French translation to follow...