More travelling: USA

Apologies for my recent absence from blogging. It started with having little to share with you, but ended on just being too busy!

France

If you have been reading this blog at all over the last few months, you will know I have had a love-hate relationship with France. My stay there is now over and, as with any ending, I like to reflect.

There are things about France I surely am pleased to leave behind. Living in Bolbec without a car for escape is one of them. Nor will my heart ache for the bureaucracy - after seven months I still haven't been fully subscribed to social security, or received my Carte Vitale. I am perfectly happy to say au revoir to French people who do not want to make an effort to understand me when I am struggling my way through a unforeseen conversation about a topic I had never previously considered in English, let alone French - I'm not a native, apologies if I do not know the French for "supercollider". Actually no, no apologies. Equally, I am not going to miss the people who can't even put themselves out there to try to understand me because I made a tiny mistake in pronunciation. And I'm definitely not going to miss the expensive energy prices for my flat when I spent months huddled under blankets, not receiving the benefit for what I spent. I won't miss being away and unable to get home for friends' birthdays. Et en plus, Paris, je ne t'aime pas.

I will miss the community of assistants. A few of us in a certain area got into the habit of overcoming our transport difficulties to see each other as much as we could, and became much more resourceful and adaptable because of it. But probably more importantly, we made friends. Lauren and I quite possibly have a Bolbec bond for life even if we do literally come from opposite sides of the globe, and I feel able share almost anything with Tatiana - and what I can't I don't feel able to share with anyone. I will miss our evenings as a group spent discussing anything and everything, laughing and eating and - as far as I could tell - not being judged. I will miss the encouragement to go and see something new just because somebody else wanted to go, when I probably wouldn't have been bothered alone.


I will miss a lifestyle of wandering in and out of my own flat whenever it suited me. Sure sometimes boredom from solitude set in, but it is great to have your own place, and live how you want to live. Although I suspect there is more of this to come in my future, so it is perhaps not as terrible as all that.

I will miss certain foods. I was most disappointed to have discovered a great new cheese just days before the holidays - and now I cannot remember the name, but I could find it for you on the shelf in the supermarket. I will miss the habits of going into Carrefour and knowing where everything I wanted was, and never having to go back there again. I dislike immensely the thought of another assistant replacing me next year where I had fitted in, and I don't want them to replace the decorations and students' work I put up to brighten up one of my classrooms. I will miss the opportunity to speak French whenever I wanted, although it is great to be always understood and to understand. I guess it is the habits you get into that I will miss.

But I will miss my French friends. On my penultimate night in Bolbec, the teachers at my principal school had organised a drinks party, for which I was prepared, and a meal out, for which I was not. Fifteen teachers and members of staff signed up to come out to say goodbye and many more signed my goodbye card. I would never have believed fifteen people would want to go anywhere for me like that. They had collected money, and put time into considering what presents to buy me, and had finally bought me a new watch (because mine had been lost at gym class), a new purse (as mine was falling to pieces) and a new memory stick with a keychain (because I had been constantly losing one of three all year round). There was leftover money to give me because more people had contributed at the last minute. People wanted my email address and I have had to promise to countless people to keep in touch. I don't believe I have ever felt so appreciated.

I hate that this is our only photo
because I look terrible.

Most of all, I will miss my professeur référent. She is an absolute gem, and now, I can say, a friend, one that will not be losing me in a hurry (and make no rude comments, because she doesn't mind that!). And that, although my university probably would point to my language skills, I think is the main point of my French experience. People enrich your life, and it is essential to hold on to the ones you like and learn from.

Back on the exploration bug

I begin writing this as my French bank card is once again refused. Try not to start me on this topic if you ever happen upon me in real life or have means of contacting me. My bank here has a €160 limit on debit card spending every seven days. Except it isn't a Monday-Sunday limit, and it is incredibly annoying. I will not go on on that note.

What Is the Point of A Year Abroad?

There is lots of discussion about years spent abroad during your degree; lots of thought about great work experience, improvement of your foreign language skills and an amazing CV on your return home. All of this is true - although you may not be taking a year out in a country which speaks another language - but I cannot help feeling that these people are missing some other, equally valuable, points which are worth considering in conjunction with your employability.

'Tis the season!

And thus I will be spreading the happiness this time around! Do not expect the same soon, I have some serious real world issues floating around my head that I wish to discuss.

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...

Appreciation and anticipation

Either because you enjoy these posts, or because you haven't seen my constant plugging on various social media sites, you may have noted my absence of late. Two and a half weeks, in fact. I do apologise.

I'm still alive.

It's felt touch and go at times. No, I jest.

L'Anglaise. The English Girl. ("Imogen" is hard.)

When I get round to posting this, it will no longer be, but it is currently Tuesday 9^th October, and I am in the dressing gown that I scoffed at my mother for bringing to me, eating Lays Barbecue flavoured crisps. I am the epitome of sophisticated, I am sure you will agree.

Where to begin...

Well it's been a busy few days, that I cannot deny. Yesterday was the first day I haven't gone outside, and instead I filled it with paperwork that is so typical of France, I just can't explain it. If any other assistants here are reading this, I'm sure you feel my pain.

"Ça va, mademoiselle...?"

I know I only updated yesterday afternoon, but even a few small tasks can provide enough entertainment for a blog post (or probably more).

Arriving in France

Journeying to France was not as easy as I thought it would be. There was me telling my mom I'd rather get trains than fly because it would be a simple trip...

On the eve of my departure...

I sit here listening to the most British music I own. It's not on purpose.

I promised this post a little while back.

Alright, what am I doing?

This is a massive question. And I'm not even talking in a philosophical, what-am-I-doing-with-my-life sense.

I am down to a single digit number of sleeps (eight) until I leave for France and although I have sent forms to a few places for other people to sort out for me I have yet to do almost anything productive towards properly preparing to move to a foreign country.

Wait, I lie. Today I bought a few necessary toiletries and cosmetics in the supermarket.

In which I have a positive frame of mind.

Sometimes, you get stuck in a rut.

Now I know that not everybody sees the world the way I do; but for all my faults I’m trying hard to see it as an opportunity. The world that is, not the rut.

In which all travel is finalised, and I chat about Cardiff.

Above lie two of the tickets which will seal my fate.

I jest. I'm looking forward to it now. Towards the end of the next five weeks, I'll post about why.

"Above lie the two tickets which will transport me across France," would be a better description. So that's it! This evening I bought my final train ticket from Paris Saint Lazare to Bréauté-Beuzeville for the sum total of €15 (you have no idea how long it took me to find that euro sign - just one of the ways in which I'll change during the next twelve months!).

However, now I've shared that, I am going to discuss something else.

L'herbe est toujours plus verte...

Travel between countries on the mainland continent seems to be so much cheaper than from the United Kingdom. It's almost as if the rest of Europe has gone, "The UK? They don't really want to be in Europe so screw them, they can pay twice as much to get around here." I mean 180 euros from Paris to Moscow via Geneva? Really? I'd be mad not to take it.

Year Abroad: What scares me most.

I promised you fears, and as I'm feeling the fear right now, fears you'll get.

In the last couple of days I have filled in some of the many essential forms from both my university and British Council, bought travel insurance, a train to London and a Eurostar ticket from London to Paris. Everything is beginning to seem far too real and, with that, far too scary.

And today is the day this blog goes French.

Well, at least a little bit.

And I'll probably blog in English on the whole, so please don't fear. I'd frighten an awful lot of people away if I declared that this will be a French-only zone from now on.


But hopefully soon I can adjust my header, the flag will reattach itself to the White House and somehow I'll recognise France up there as well. At least the French flag isn't too hard to draw.


Why? Well if you weren't already aware then I suppose I'd better enlighten you...

The Potter Tour

Although I haven't shown a lot of the tour (footage was banned...), I made a short vlog about our trip out. If you're into Harry Potter at all, then you really should go and visit. The £28 entrance fee might seem steep but for what you're getting and seeing I don't think it's overpriced at all!