History, cakes and being a damn strong woman!

What a week it's been! This week has been and gone so quickly, it's scary! Next week it's the first of February and I don't know where the time has gone for the year abroad! After an incredible weekend at Caroline's, full of amazing food, apéritifs, RACLETTE and of course a lot of love, I was then ready for the week ahead - with a new time-table at one of my school's and The Very Hungry Caterpillar at the primary school. The primary school is always un grand plaisir of mine, the children are always so motivated for our hour together and this week was especially fun - flashcards galore and the video of Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar. I possibly may have enjoyed this more than the kids! We go from one extreme to another this week with teaching my 3èmes (14/15 year olds) swear words...ooops!

The sun rising in France - Quelle photo!

I also have been educated this week! I've visited a war memorial site! Not far from Arras is Notre-Dame-de-Lorette a fairly recent memorial site (2014 it was opened by Hollande himself).

With nearly 580,000 names written (including many nationalities) lost in WW1. It was a freezing cold day and the ambiance was a strange one. Even so, I managed to find many Rushton's in the mix of things! And also discovered the French national remembrance flower - the bleuet. I thought it was important to show the difference between this and our famous poppy!

As you can see, the plaques go all the way round and form a circle. It was icy cold and very slippy, but an interesting experience! I then saw the chapel and other war memorial placed next to it. It was HUGE. I was really grateful that the mother and daughter of the family I give French lessons to, decided to take me. 

 

This week was also a lot of fun for hair braids and the well known French plait! I felt very cliché being in France and all, but the girl I tutor has a serious talent with hair (plus I had a lot of compliments at work YAY)!




It was another great pleasure this week being part of yet another French family. I was treated to a French film "Albator" a sort of Manga/Anime styled film with lots of action, romance, fighting - you name it, it was in there. I was also given a night of CREPES! How exciting, and also got to try the famous French sugar of the North...I now have two bags of the stuff to let my family try it! Apparently people travel from around France to the North just to buy it! LA CHANCE!

Today was also another perfect "cake date" with Vanessa!

If this doesn't make you hungry I don't know what will! The eclair is also full of strawberry sweet sauce yay!

I really cannot believe I enter February next week...crazy to think that by May my job here is over...but maybe not the travelling! I had a really nice sunrise yet again on the train to work today, and realised how lucky I was (as I often do say) to be here, to be learning such a fantastic language and to be part of so many wonderful families (Lille friends included!). 

SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? This weekend we have the important birthday meal in Lille - half my friends here are born in January so it'll be a little way to celebrate and eat nice food...what else sounds better! I've also began reading a lot more - OK a lot more than I usually do - and re-reading two of my favourite Proust stories (for more vocab, comprehension and other geekness). 

My thought for the week (now I sound like WA broadcast..) is that distance isn't always a bad thing.

• Distance has allowed me to grow up, more than I possibly ever could have at home. I navigate myself round a foreign country, language, culture every day without batting an eyelid. IT ALL SEEMS SO EASY NOW!
• I've also learnt to not be too caught up on being away from home. YES the start is always hard after being home for a little while, but I seem to adapt faster here than I ever did at Nottingham...Thanks to the love of French families I think! It also makes me realise, what I have at home is the greatest family I could ever wish for, who continually support me even at such a distance. 
• Also can appreciate someone who puts in all the effort and waits for me to come home, despite being surrounded by couples who can see each other when ever they like! It makes me appreciate that maybe (he could disagree here) I could possibly be worth the wait, the distance and the time we have together. I know he definitely is. 
• Distance has also made me realise I'm far stronger than I think I am. I can take on many challenges that make me the woman I am today.  I truly believe I can now start thinking of career options involving my language, with such a strength of this year behind me!

JR

xxxx