Angeline

I met Angleline outside the post office at 11h30. It was the first time that I'd properly seen her since she'd come back from Vietnam. We went to have lunch together. We both had a pizza and then desert. Angeline had tiramisu and I had a chocolate brownie with icecream. It was a nice lunch although I discovered a dislike of Roquefort cheese. After lunch we were supposed to go shopping but Angeline had to go back home because there was some work being done. We agreed to meet again tomorrow at 14h infront of the pharmacie. I went shopping on my own. I went to H&M and bought a pink checked blouse and a black skirt. I then bought a new bag and a pair of gloves. I then went to see Rachel who was having a coffee in a cafe. I went home to prepare for my cours de conversation and she met up with Aimee and Louise. I arrived at Metro St Just at 17h25 and the mum (who's name I don't actually know...) was there to meet me. When we got to the house Dorrean wasn't there so we sat and had a drink and waited for him. He arrived and the lesson started at 18h. I got him to tell me about his week, what he had been doing. And then about what he will be doing next week during the holidays. He is going to Madrid with his parents so he won't need a lesson next week. I had taken with me the Ludlow Advertiser that I had bought from home. We talked for the rest of the hour about the floods. It was quite a good topic to talk about because he didn't know the word 'flood', it was also interesting for him to see photos of England, proper realia as opposed to teaching material. I got home at about 19h30 and had tea. Then Rachel came back with Aimee and Louise and we sat in the kitchen drinking tea and talking. Later on we walked Aimee to the tram and Louise to the metro, then came home and went to bed.

On Saturday I got up and cleaned the bathroom. I then went to the supermarket to buy the ingredients for tomato and courgette tagiatelle. I went to the post office to collect my parcel but the queue was so long. I'll go back on Monday. I went home and cooked, we had lunch and then I went to meet Angeline at 14h. Rachel came too. We went shopping along Rue Saint Fe and La Canabiere. We walked down to La Prefecture and stopped for a drink and then went to Le Centre Bourse before going home. That was about the extent of my day really. Not all that exciting. It was nice to spend time with Angeline who I haven't seen because she has been in Vietnam. I didn't buy anything, in fact, nobody did. We just window shopped. We also saw a march along La Canabiere but I don't know what it was for, none of us do. The protestors weren't french, and they were all male too. Anyway.

Winter

School this morning. I had to be there for 8am which meant another morning of walking to the metro under the stars. I had a BTS class first. 4 students. I was helping them prepare for their oral where they have to talk about their work experience. I like this group. They're nice students and their English is quite good. I took a different approach to correcting them today. I wrote the incorrect sentences up on the board and they had to try to correct them themselves. It was quite painful staring at a sentence with only 8 words in and suggesting all manner of possible mistakes but managing to miss the actual mistake. The trouble with this method is a) trying to remember all the mistakes and b) you have to be able to explain why it has to be x and not z. For example, why does it have to be 'for' and not 'during' in 'I did my work experience during two weeks'? Anyway, after this class I had another class, this time I was in the whole class with the teacher. It was with Christiane who I had tea with last Friday. They are supposed to be a renforce (complete with an acute accent over the final 'e' which my computer doesn't want to do) class but they don't seem to be particularly interested in learning. They're studying a text at the minute. It's an extract from a Ruth Rendall novel - 'an unkindness of ravens'. It's a really good text and I'm enjoying studying it even if they're not. I got a good welcome when I walked in, it's amazing how doing something as simple as speaking your own language can make you somewhat of a celebrity. I took the part of the lesson where they were looking at the text. I asked them questions, simple at first, like 'who is present at the scene?' then we moved onto attitudes expressed in the text. There was this one boy in the front row who wanted to answer every question and he began to get on my nerves because there was a group of 4 in the corner not even looking at the text, making no attempt to find out why Inspecter Wexford was at the Williams' house. I enjoyed this class even if some of them were a bit hard to motivate. It made a change from talking about work experience and describing images. After this class I had a terminale group which I hadn't met before. That meant going back to the 'my name is Gill' stage and drawing a map of the UK on the board which I thought I'd perfected until I asked them what it was and they didn't know! After I'd introduced myself I asked them questions to see if they'd understood. It was the first class I'd taken this approach with and it was interesting that although they all sit there nodding whilst your talking not all of them understand. You seem to get one or two who end up translating it into french for the rest of the class. After I'd introduced myself they all had to introduce theirselves and then we just talked about various things - their oral exam (yes, it will be yet another class where I will be describing images) and England. I am still amazed by how few of them have been to England and those that have have usually been to London as part of a one or two day school trip. Anyway, I liked this class. Because it was semaine impaire i didn't have my next class which would usually be another BTS class, nor did I have my class from 14h-15h, this left me with a 4h gap so I went home, had lunch, called the Restos du coeur people, who were not very helpful for saying I want to volunteer with them. I then went back to school for a class from 15h-16h. It was a class of secondes. The word 'secondes' is enough to send me running after the Tuesday class of secondes but this class is nice. They remembered my name! I like the teacher too and I'm in the class with her so no listening to work experience or describing images. The lesson was about the present perfect - a grammar lesson! I really enjoyed this lesson, I was going round helping the students with the exercises. Afterwards the teacher told me that we could plan grammar lessons together and that I could maybe give a lesson at some point. This is more what I was hoping to be doing. Having a certain amount of freedom with what I do with my students. Some of the language assistants here are basically given classes and told to get on with it but my school seem to be giving me specific things to do with the students. Anyway, I think I prefer Thursdays to Tuesdays - the classes are nicer. After school I went to meet Rachel and we went shopping for food and then home and it was throwing it down and I mean throwing it down. Proper rain like I haven't seen since England. It was horrible. Cold, dark, grey, wet. Urgh. Needless to say I didn't go out again that day!

Aix - again

I went to Aix again this week with Aimee and Louise. We deliberately left earlier so that we could get to the office at the university before it closed at 11am. I mean what kind of office is only open from 9-11? The average student is still in bed at this time, maybe that's the point... We got to the office for about 10. Although we went to the university last week we didn't find the office. We actually found it this week. The university looked really nice from the outside but inside, well, it wasn't that good. The office that we wanted was actually closed. The person was a away and there was a sign on the door saying it would be closed until the next day. So we weren't able to find out any more about signing up to do any courses, *sigh*. I remember a talk two girls gave at Sussex uni about their year abroad spent at a french university. They said it was hard to get to see people, to get anything done. That you had to have the patience of a saint and be persistant to the extreme. Now I see what they mean. I think the idea of taking french linguistic classes at the university is becoming less and less appealing as well as looking more and more impossible. After our failed trip to the university we had a walk around Aix. It's quite a nice town but I definitely prefer Marseille. After our little walk around Aimee went to meet Olga - the Russian assistant from last week, and me and Louise went back to Marseille. We did some shopping and she helped me carry it back to my appartment where I rewarded her with a cup of real english tea. Rachel then came round with her suitcase. She's going to be staying a few nights because when she rented her appartment her landlord told her he'd already let it as a holiday home for a week and so she would have to move out for that week. I said she could stay with me because Lucy was going back to England for the holidays. We then went to see Lucy as she was leaving the next day.

Floods

Getting to my school for 8am is a challenge. I was up this morning at 6am and left at 7am. The stars were out and it was dark and sooooooo cold, freeeeeeeeeezing. I got to school at about 7h45 - the corridors were still in darkness. I had to be there a little bit earlier because I had some photocopying to do for my first class. From 8am to 9am I have a Terminale class. They're quite good at English although some of the students are more willing to speak than others. Isabelle (the teacher) gave me 10 students who I took to my room (yes, I have a room, with a key that works!) I gave them a picture of a boy in Sudan entitled 'Famine in Sudan' and a picture of an anorexic model entitled 'size zero model'. Basically they just had to describe the picture, I then gave then 10 minutes or so to work in pairs to discuss their opinions of the pictures and then they had to report back to the class. The teacher had asked me to give each student a tick when they spoke. Even though I had pictures of them with their names it was still really hard to see who was who - everyone looked the same! It was my first proper class on my own where I didn't have to begin with 'my name is Gill, I come from England, I am a student,' etc etc. After that class I was free until 11am so I stayed in the Salle des Professeurs and was talking to one of the English teachers - Anne, who lives in Aix. And then the school began to flood... but it was ok, apparently, because the cleaners came round with water hoovers and cleared up. I think it was something to do with the heating which caused the flooding although I'm not quite sure why because the heating wasn't on, brrr. At 11am I had a BTS class, well, I work with 3 students at a time. They are preparing for their oral exam where they have to talk about their work experience. These are quite good students and I was able to listen to them, correct them and help them. With this class I'm actually able to have a conversation, their English is quite good and they are interesting. I think because they are a BTS class (after the bac) then they have chosen to be at Lycee. They are also, most of them, the same age or a year or two older than me, but that doesn't bother me. After this class I went back to the Salle de Professeurs for lunch (the flooding had subsided) and then I had another BTS class after lunch, again 3 students. This time they had done their work experience in accountancy firms rather than something engineering related. This group is much weaker and I spent an hour trying to get them to talk. They are supposed to write 300 words on their work experience but they had barely a paragraph. They were unable to tell me what they had done in the accounts office. It was painful trying to get them to talk to me about their work experience. All I got was 'je n'ai rien compris' I mean, it's not like I have a strong accent or talk muffedly! Argh! After this class was a Terminale class where I work one to one with students. They too are preparing for their oral exam, this time for their bac. They have an image and they have 10 minutes to prepare what they are going to say about the image. I used the same image as I had done that morning - about famine and size zero models. The two students I worked with during the hour were alot better than the ones I worked with last week. At least this week they were able to string a sentence together. I would normally have another class after this, my secondes. But Isabelle wanted to split the class into two but my room only holds 10 and so wasn't big enough for half of the class. She told me not to go this week and that we would try and sort something out for after the holiday. I was quite pleased because I get the impression this class are going to be incredibly, umm, challenging? I left Lycee at 15h and came home to make microwave flapjack. I then put myself on a tram. It was the first time I'd used the tram way. It's quite slow but because it's new it's clean, I liked it. I went to the last stop where Aimee came to meet me. We went to the supermarket and I helped her carry her shopping home. We then cooked dinner together. We had potatoes cooked with shallots, oil and water, mushroom omlette and salad. She is living in either the 10th or 11th arr, I always forget which. She has a basement appartment which is basically in someone's home. It's the old secretary of the Lycee where Rachel works. The family are really nice and the lady showed us how to make a traditional french salad dressing. Aimee's appartment, although lacking sunlight, is amazing. It's quite big for one person and the bathroom is lovely with pink and orange and red tiles and daisies too! She has the tv, internet, the only drawback is that she lives on her own and it's about 40 minutes to the centre of town. After we'd eaten we watched Hungarian tv! She has so many channels. It took us about 15 minutes to work out that it was a Hungarian channel, it was actually some kind of programme set in a school at the end of the soviet union as there was a russian lesson going on (or so Aimee informed me from what was written on the blackboard - she's studying Russian and French at St Andrews in Scotland). I left later on and got the tram back, came home, showered and went to bed.

Le Metro

Not alot to report about the weekend really. I've started researching my dissertation topic. Goodness only knows how I'm going to formulate a title but I want to write about how so much effort is being put into regenerating Marseille and turning it around but that there remains so many homeless people on the streets. I've found a charity - les restaurants du coeur, which I can only compare to soup kitchens in England. It's really interesting actually. I just hope I can find 8000 french words worth of interest to write on it! As for my pedagogic report, I haven't got a clue what to do, it's going to take some thinking about.

Today I had to go into my Lycee, even if it is my day off, inorder to attempt to sort out the keys so that tomorrow morning I will be able to get into my room for my 8 o clock lesson. I am still unable to believe french schools start lessons at 8am, as if any of the students are going to be awake enough to learn in french, let alone english! Anyway, I was given a third key for my room, I went to try it but, to be honest, didn't expect it to work. I nearly fell to the floor when it unlocked the room! It was a case of third time lucky! Hopefully the key will still work tomorrow! Agnes made me laugh today. She said she hadn't been able to find any new images for her class tomorrow (the class from last week that couldn't tell me that there was a dog on a plate with a knife and a fork) I asked her whether it would be different students from the same class, she said yes, so I said that we just use the same images as last week! Ah yes, she said, I hadn't considered that! My life at the minute does seem to be revolving around finding images, either that or keys that work! I still don't have a working key for the photocopying room, *sigh*.

Anyway, as I was sat on the metro this morning on my way to sort out the key fiasco I suddenly thought 'whatever possessed the designers of the metro to choose this colourscheme?!' It's brown, yellow and orange! What a combination! It's awful! Nobody puts brown, orange and yellow together! Anyway, this afternoon I'm cleaning and image hunting.

Cours de conversation

I text Rachel this morning to see how she was. I then went round armed with a tin of spaghetti hoops and made us both spaghetti hoops on toast. She was feeling better but she still looked not her normal self. At 12h30 I went to Vieux Port I went to meet Jessica at Vieux Port, we were going to go to le musee d'art contemporaire but her students had told her it wasn't very good so we decided to go to Le Palais Longchamps instead. At about 15h I went back to see Rachel, we had a cup of tea and then I went home to get my things before going to give my first cours de conversation. It's the son of one of the neighbours of one of the teachers at my school. The mum picked me up from the metro station and drove me to their home. Her son is 16, he is preparing his bac, an economic and social bac. I'm not sure why his mum wants him to have extra lessons, he certainly doesn't need them. His English is far better than any of the students at my Lycee who are his age. I stayed an hour and then his mum would normally take me back to the station but I went to the house of one of the teachers from my Lycee for diner - Christiane. I was worried incase she wouldn't remember I was vegetarian but she did! We had a salad for starter (tomatoes, sweetcorn, egg) and then rice and sauce with bread and then I had a yoghurt. She lives in a really nice house in a nice area. It was interesting that when she spoke with her neighbour they both used 'vous' and that the family where I taught used vous to me. I used vous to the mother but tu for the son (who, by the way, is called Dorrean). Christian has lent me a couple of leaflets on Marseille and a map showing how to get to Les Calanques and Cassis. She also said that she often goes walking and that I can go with her sometime. She then drove me back to the metro station and I went home.

Nurse Gill

Today was the day of the strikes. My school had told me not to go in because the metro and buses wouldn't be running. At about 11h Rachel text me to ask if I wanted to go for coffee. I met her outside her appartment and we went to Le Vieux Port for a drink. She looked awful. Not meaning to be rude but she did. Like she should be in bed. She said she wasn't feeling that great... We went to Rond Point de Prado together on the metro... it turns out that the metros were running normally. She went to her Lycee and I went to meet Lucy on the beach. We sat on the beach in the sunshine and then went to Patacrepe for lunch. Rachel text me whilst I was eating to ask where I was. We decided we were going to go to Parc Borely to feed the ducks and asked her whether she wanted to come. She said she would just go home and sleep. I went with Lucy to feed the ducks and then left her reading a book in Parc Borely whilst I went back into the centre of town to meet Louise. I was going to show her where the centre de jeunesse was so she could look at the accommodation adverts. She hasn't yet managed to find anywhere to live. We went for an orange juice and Rachel text me asking whether I was going to the supermarket and if I was whether I could get her some tissues, fruit juice and soup. Louise and me went to the supermarket and got the things for Rachel and I got a few things I needed too. We then went to Rachel's and she looked even worse than she had done this morning! She said she'd just been violently sick, even though she had had nothing to eat all day. She bought a pain au chocolat at Rond Point but hadn't been able to eat it. Whilst we were there she was sick again and again. We gave her a slice of toast and she ate a couple of mouthfuls but she just brought it back up again. I went back to my appartment for some teabags and made her a nice pot of tetley, we then put her to bed and left her to. I'll go back tomorrow to see if she's any better.

Aix

Top - Aimee and Louise

Middle - Cours Mirabeau

Bottom - La Rotonde

Yesterday morning at 11am I met Aimee and Louise outside Gare Saint Charles. We walked to L'arc de triomphe - yes, Marseille has it's very own L'Arc de Triomphe, or at least I think that's what it's called. We couldn't decide whether L'Arc de Triomphe and La Porte d'Aix were one and the same thing or whether La Porte d'Aix is a bit further along... Anyway, we got the Navette to Aix. It only takes about 20 minutes. Trouble was we didn't know where to get off and then when we finally did get off we didn't have a clue where we were or were to go. Our reason for going to Aix was the go to the university to find out about enrolling for some classes. Aimiee's studying Russian as well as French at her university at home and actually has a scholarship to study Russian here. I thought too that to sit in on a few French Language lectures might be quite interesting. Trouble was the secretariat closes at 11h. It took us quite a while to find the university and we stumbled across the tourist information centre on the way and stopped to pick up a map. There was also a leaflet on a Russian exhibition and Aimee got talking to a girl who turned out to be Russian but she spoke French. Aimee took her mobile phone number and apparently there was another Russian working as an assistant at a Lycee who we could meet. We left the tourist information and went to the university which turned out to be a bit of a wasted trip. We headed into the centre of Aix to find somewhere to eat. I took a few photos of Aix but we didn't really have alot of time for sightseeing. We mainly spent our day around La Rotonde and Cours Mirabeau which was beautiful. For lunch I had 3 cheese pasta, orange juice and chocolate cake - delicious. I would go to that restaurant again. After lunch we got on bus number 4 to Lycee Cezanne to meet the second Russian assistant. She is living and working at Lycee Cezanne. Her name is Olga. Her french is fluent. She gave us tea (the vert) and chocolate and was really nice. We sat and talked to her. She showed us pictures of Russia - Moscow and Saint Petersbourg. I now want to learn Russian and go to Russia. We also randomally met 2 other assistants - one from England and one from Ireland who didn't speak French. Kelly, from Ireland, is working at Lycee Cezanne, Lucy, from England is based in quite a few places but she lives in Aix. We stayed chez Olga at the Lycee for quite some time and then walked back to the centre to get the Navette back to Aix. Aix is beautiful, the complete opposite of Marseille - no grafitti, no litter. We are going back next Wednesday to do sight seeing!

Keys

I got up this morning at 6am in order to arrive at my Lycee for 7h50. I had a class from 8h to 9h where I had to talk to them about a cartoon strip of 2 men on a bench- one man telling the other man to 'get out' and then that man falling onto the floor. I then stayed with the teacher to introduce myself to her next class who I would usually be with from 15h to 16h on a Tuesday afternoon. They are all boys and are quite a challenging group but they seemed intrigued by me - the fact that I hadn't spend my whole life living in France and that I spoke English seemed enough to please them. This class were clearly besotted with me even if I do say so myself. I only stayed the first 15 minutes or so, just to introduce myself. I then had a break. During the break I had to go to get the keys to the rooms. In France each teacher has a set of keys for the rooms in which they teach. I was given keys for G01 and G assist. The G01 key was to be returned at the end of the day as a copy of it hadn't yet been made for me. I went at 11h to G assist with my key. Olivia was sending me 3 BTS students to work with. I was to help them prepare their oral exam where they have to talk about the work experience they've done. The key for G assist didn't work. Hmm. I went back to where I'd got the keys from and she gave me a second key, which, I might add, looked completely different from the first key she'd given me. I went back to my classroom and there were 3 students waiting for me. The second key didn't work either so we took it back. We then went to the secretariat to ask if there was a spare room anywhere as it appeared that no one in the school had a key that worked for G assist! We were sent to another office and, 25 minutes into the lesson, were finally allocated to a room. After that lesson I was supposed to have a class with Astriks but when I got to the room it was locked and the students were all standing outside. They told me she wasn't here today. I thought maybe they were just saying that because she was late and they didn't want a lesson but thinking about it, I realised I hadn't seen her yet today. I went to the staff room but none of the English teachers were there so I randomally asked another teacher what I should do. She said to go to the secretariat who would be able to tell me if Astriks was in the building. I did and Astriks was supposedly in the building. I went back to the class room, some of the students were still waiting. One of them said to me that I could speak to him in English so I did to which he replied 'oh, putain' as he hadn't got a clue what I'd said. I therefore reverted back to the french. I went back to the staff room for lunch and explained my somewhat disasterous morning to the other English teachers. Oh, yes, and I forgot to mention my key to the photocopying room didn't work either... After lunch I had 2 classes. The first was with another BTS group and the second was preparing students for their oral exam. As there was no key to my room I had to just use a free room. For the second class the students had to choose between two pictures and then talk about it. They couldn't do it. The couldn't even tell me that there was a picture of a dog on a plate with a knife and fork let alone explain to me that it was an advert by the vegetarian society to try and persude us to not eat meat. I felt like I was bullying them but they were so reluctant to speak! Argh! I went to write on the board, I got one of the boardmarkers out that I'd been given the day before and couldn't get the lid off. The thing was wrapped in selophane! When the bell went at 15h I was so ready to go home. I texted Rachel and we met at Vieux Port with Louise - an assistant I hadn't met before from Ireland, and Aimee. We went for a jus d'orange and then to the credit agricole where we bumbed into Mairead. We went to the library and then all went out separate ways. I went with Rachel to the supermarket where we bought pasta and tomatoes, pepper, courgette, cheese and carrot. We went back to her appartment to make pasta and sauce with cheese and crakers. Delicious. After we went out to meet Lucy and John and then I went home.

Board markers and a new flat

I was asked to go into my Lycee this morning even though I don't work Mondays. I arrived at 11 only to discover that the only reason I had been asked to go in was so that I could be given some boardmarkers! Yes, that's right, I'd made the 45 minute journey for some boardmarkers! I already had boardmarkers of my own! I was at the Lycee for about 15 minutes, I did some photocopying as well whilst I was there. I then went home for lunch and then went to meet Rachel at Vieux Port to help her move into her new appartment. It's in the same arrondissement as mine - 2ieme arr. It's on the second floor but it was ok as there is a lift. Her appartment is amazing. The view over le vieux port is impressive and she has an oven! After we'd arrived at the appartment an deposited the suitcases we had to go to get a photocopy of her passport, the deposit and fill in the contract. The photocopier at the post office was out of order and we went to about 5 cashpoints but there appears to be a rather low limit on the amount of cash you can withdraw within a day. So, several cards and umpteen withdrawal attempts later we returned to the flat. I then went home to eat and shower before going back out to meet Rachel to feter her new appartment. I think it's fair to say that the apres midi was slightly more productive than the matin!

The view from the terrace

Top - the view of the square from my terrace

Second from top - view towards the sea over le panier with the cathedrale major

Second from bottom - view down the street to the left of my terrace

Bottom - Over the other appartments

Complete exhaustion

Saturday. My alarm clock went off at 8am but it took me until 8h20 to crawl out of bed. I had to go out to La boulangerie to buy the croissants for breakfast. They were extremely fresh, much better than when you buy them the day before. At about 9h20 we left for the metro from Colbert to Saint Charles where we changed to the red line to go to Rond Point de Prado. I don't know why but that station was really busy, there were crowds of people around the barriers where you get out. And I think someone fell down the escalator. I don't know, it was just really busy. We got on the number 19 bus to Parc Borely and walked around there. We then got back on the bus to go to the beach. We walked along and sat for a bit watching the sea and the boats. Then, at around 12h30 we had lunch at Patacrepe. A ratatouille crepe followed by dessert (which really wasn't necessary) mint icecream and chocolate chips and sauce with fresh cream. Delicious but I was so full afterwards! After lunch we got back on the bus to Rond Point de Prado and then on the metro to Saint Charles where we changed to go to Cinq Avenue Longchamps to visit Le Palais Longchamps. There were 2 sets of brides and grooms there having there photographs taken. We went in the cafe there for a caffe au lait and un jus d'orange and then back on the metro to Colbert and home. It was about 15h30 when we got back. I was completely exhaused, I think we both were! After recovering slightly we went for a walk around Le Panier and saw the Cathedrale Major. Then we bought a baguette and went back home. For tea we had bread and cheese - a selection of french cheeses, followed by the flan I'd bought the day before. Later on we watched the rugby. I'd never watched a full rugby match before and well, I don't think I'll ever watch another one ever again! If it hadn't have been for the score in the top left hand corner of the screen or the jumping around of the English fans, I would never have known England had won. They beat France and are now in the final - yey! I thought in rugby you had to get the ball over the line but all the players did was jump all over each other and keep repeatedly kicking the ball out of play. Confusing. I didn't understand at all.

Oh, and the most hilarious thing of the weekend, I've just thought of it, is that I'd asked for a roll of sellotape and a tin opener to be brought for me. I had all these tins of baked beans and spaghetti which had been sent through the post but none of them had pull rings on and we didn't have a tin opener in our 'fully equiped' kitchen. Well, the suitcase was searched at Birmingham airport as it was hand luggage only. The tin opener wasn't a problem, it was the roll of sellotape that was confiscated! Ha! Apparently the man said that you are not allowed sellotape or masking tape in your hand luggage incase you tie someone up! But it is ok to have a tin opener - you could begin cutting the side of the plane out! Brilliant!

Anyway, it's now Sunday, it's 9h50 and I feel like I've been up for ages. I have been to Gare Saint Charles and back, I had swept the appartment (it gets so dusty) and I have written my blog... what's next? Oh, I guess I could do the ironing so that when I get up in the morning I don't have to iron whatever I want to wear before I can wear it.

Guess who

Friday, now what did I do on Friday? Oh yes, I got up and cleaned. I cleaned the bathroom, I cleaned the kitchen, I cleaned my room. I swept, I put some washing in the washing machine, I went to the supermarket and bought deux tranches de flan, then I had lunch. It took me most of the morning to clean. I have been here for 4 weeks and I have cleaned the bathroom 4 times. After 1 week I decided to clean it because Auriane had already been here for 2 weeks so I presumed she'd already cleaned it. After having been here a month I now realise she never cleans anything. She isn't messy, she does her washing up (ok, so most of the time you get something out of the cupboard and if she's 'washed' it you might have to do it again before you use it...) but she never seems to clean or sweep up. Anyway, after my morning of cleaning I made my way to Gare Saint Charles, I was having a visitor for the weekend. We took the metro back to Colbert and then went in La Poste as I had a parcel to collect. Afterwards we went back to my appartment to unpack. I am now the proud owner of an advent calender, a times newspaper, a christmas pudding, some mince pies, a bar of cadbury's chocolate and some ginger biscuits. I am also now in possession of my wallace and gromit dvd and accompanying book, my teaching tenses book, my chicken run dvd and some recipes for the microwave. After unpacking we went to Le Vieux Port to Notre Dame de la Garde on Le Petit Train. Later on in the evening we went out for a meal in a restaurant on Le Vieux Port. I had an italian salad and a chocolate sponge dessert with a glass of wine. In fact, we both had the same. Delicious. So, have you guessed who it is yet?

Wednesday, Thursday

I wasn't at school yesterday. I went with Rachel to meet Lucy at 13h to go and look at an appartment. Afterwards we went for lunch and bumped into John, he's still looking for an appartment, he's staying with Liz at the minute. Mt English is really suffering... random french words are creeping into when I'm speaking English, it's happening to everyone. It's so funny because we don't realise we're doing it and we all understand each other! 'It isn't meubleed' said John. 'You can always meuble it yourself' replied Lucy. Ha! Later on I went to the supermarket and then home.

Today I have been to school. I was in a class this afternoon and the teacher basically left me with the students on my own, no warning. Ok, so there were only 11 of them but I didn't have a clue what to do - a bit of warning would have been nice! We talked about America, England, French music, football, rugby, a bit of everything really. They teacher then gave me a cartoon strip of the beginning of Macbeth and asked me to go through it with the class. Considering I don't actually know the story of Macbeth and had never seen this cartoon strip before it wasn't exactly the most easiest of tasks! It would have been fine if she were to have given me the sheet beforehand to look at. I got the impression she was using me to take her class whilst she just sat there, hmm. I stayed at the school until about 15h and then headed home. Rachel called me, whilst I was on the metro, and I went to meet her at Le Vieux Port. We had a coffee and then went back to mine to get my library books which had to be returned today. We went to the library and just walked around. James, who I worked with at Oxfam in Hove and who also works for BA, was flying from Gatwick to Marseille (he's cabin crew). He called to say he was coming into Marseille - he had brought me a tin of spaghetti, a tin of baked beans and a jar of pickle - yummy! The three of us went for something to eat and they James had to go as the flight back to Gatwick was really early the next day. Rachel and me walked around taking photos of Le Vieux Port by night and then went home, branston pickle in tow. That's about all really.

Work

I went to my Lycee yesterday morning at 10am. My time table is very nearly complete and it looks like I'll be working Tuesdays and Thursdays - pretty full days. At the moment I only have 8 timetabled hours, I expect that to change considering I'm being paid for 12! When I arrived the gate was closed so I pressed the buzzer but the lady wouldn't let me in! 'Vous etes une eleve' was all I got. 'Non, je ne suis pas une eleve, je suis l'assistante d'anglais!'. I got in eventually. I like sitting in the staff room talking to the English teachers. I think I've met all 12 of them now although it will take some time for me to remember all their names. It's surprising how the level of English varies between the teachers. Some of them are much much better than others. I sat in on 2 classes, introduced myself, answered questions. Like last week really. I left the school at about 12 to go and meet Rachel and Lucy at Le Vieux Port as Rachel had a viewing for a flat. I wasn't there in time so they left without me. I did my food shopping and then met up with them. We went around some of the shops, for a coffee, to an internet cafe. Later on we went to see a flat for Lucy up by the station. After that we headed back to Le Vieux Port to meet up with Mairead, John, Sarah, Sara and Liz. Then it was home time.

This morning I went back to my Lycee for 10am. I went into 4 classes today. The first teacher, I got the impression her English wasn't very good, she couldn't write the word 'Ludlow' on the board correctly even though I spelt it for her. Her lessons were also a bit boring. I stayed with her for 2 hours - 2 separate classes. In both classes I introduced myself and the students were allowed to ask me questions. In the first class I went round and helped them correct some of their mistakes in a test they'd just been handed back and in the second I sat and listened to the lesson on New Orleans. It wasn't a very interesting lesson for the students I don't think because they had to listen to the teacher read. Although I don't think this teacher is particularly good she seems nice enough. At lunch I went to the Artotheque, I'm still trying to figure out what this is. It's apparently rare for a Lycee to have one and it seems to display art... hmm. After lunch I went to 2 classes. I really like both the teachers. The first class, the time went really quickly, we were talking for the whole hour! They were very talkative and there was one girl, who I'd been forewarned about, she just talks and talks and talks! I didn't stay for the whole of the second class. Only until I'd introduced myself and they'd asked me questions. In several classes today the students were allowed to ask their questions in french. Particularly with the first teacher in the morning. She then translated my answers into french. What was the point of me speaking English?! Anyway. I spoke a bit of french with my last class and one of the first classes of the day. Simply because their English wasn't particularly good. I was at school until about 15h, I then came home, completely exhausted - I'm not quite sure why, and started to look for a text to use with some students next Tuesday. For one of the groups, I have to help them prepare their oral exam - they have to talk about their work experience, then I have to provide texts and do reading comprehension. Another class has to talk about a picture that they are given but I am going to be given the pictures by the teacher. Then I have a student who is going blind, he is repeating his final year, but just some subjects. He wants to keep up his English. I have him for one hour a week and am pretty free to do whatever I like. As for my other classes, I'm not yet sure what I'll have to do. I need to get a username and password sorted out for the computer so I can print. I have a key which opens the photocopying room as well as various others and I have a photocopying code. All I need to do it get the room number of the room that is especially for the language assistants. There's 3 of us. I haven't met the other 2 yet. They are Spanish and Italian. We share the classroom between us. Yes, so, I'm really loving working at the school. I'll be glad when I start properly next week.

28*C

I spent the morning watching old episodes of Only Fools and Horses on TV Links before having lunch and heading out for the beach. The metro was really busy - les touristes anglaises partout. I got the bus from Rond Point du Prado to La Plage and sat on the wall looking out over the Mediterranean for a while. There was a sign displaying the outdoor temperature - 28*C! There were lots of yatchs, I don't know why. My phone was being bombarded with text messages but I couldn't reply to any of them because I'd ran out of credit. People probably thought I was ignorning them, oh well. I didn't think there was much chance of me getting credit today as it's Sunday but luckily one of the little paper stands was open near to the metro station so I was able to get credit there. I text Jessica, who has asked if I wanted to meet up, to say I was on my way. I met Jessica, Lucy, Rachel and Sarah Ohio at Le Vieux Port, Aimee joined us later. Afterwards we went to try and find an internet cafe as both Rachel and Lucy needed the internet. Aimee and I went home but I was meeting Lucy at 19h to go and look at an appartment with her. I went home and ate and then headed back out again. We walked to the appartment, it wasn't far, maybe 20 minutes. But it was small and well, Lucy decided to take the appartment she saw yesterday near the main station. It will work out better I think. I took a few photos of the port and then went home, showered, that's about all really. Nothing amazing today. I'm going to my Lycee tomorrow but not until 10am. I don't know how long I'm staying for, I still don't have a timetable, hopefully they'll sort that out this week for me. If I'm free at 13h tomorrow I'm going to go with Lucy and Rachel to look at an appartment, if not then nevermind. I also need to go to the supermarket too. Right, well, off to bed now. A demain! x

Lost

Top - English and Australian rugby fans everywhere

Middle - The music stage at Le Vieux Port

Bottom - People watching the rugby on the big screens

Lucy called this morning to see if she could come and use my internet. I went to meet her at the metro station and helped two random English rugby tourists on the way. Lucy used my internet and we had lunch together - nothing fancy, just cheese and tomato sandwiches with salad, that I'd rustled up in the kitchen. Towards 14h we left for Place Castellane to meet Rachel. We were going to Accueil Marseille. They had called Rachel yesterday to ask if we could go in to discuss us giving English classes. There had obviously been some breakdown in communication because when we got there they were ready to give us a French lesson... Anyway, we left about an hour later and went to Le Vieux Port to a cafe, we then hung around for a bit as there was a concert on inbetween the rugby matches. There were English and Australian rugby fans everywhere. England won the Rugby 12-10 against Australia. The English rugby fans were being awful to the Australians and well, you could have been in England, there were no french voices to be heard anywhere. No wonder the French hate the English. I was actually ashamed to be English. It's people like these rugby fans that give the English a bad name abroad. We left the cafe and went to join some other assistants. I was sat in amongst the English rugby fans so fed up of making polite conversation with complete strangers. If one more person asks me my name, where I'm from, which uni I'm at, what I'm studying, where my school is, how long I've been in Marseille, I swear I'll scream. I've had enough. There are only so many new people you can meet before you start to get a bit fed up. Rachel was supposed to be looking at an appartment at 19h so I went with her and Lucy to look at it. The trouble was the landlord hadn't got back to her about it so she presumed not to go. We went down towards La Prefecture to get something to eat. There were English speaking people everywhere and every restaurant had tables of rugby fans. We found somewhere and sat down but the menu wasn't all that impressive. The rugby fans on the table next to us presumed we were french but then, when they realised we were English, they started asking us where we were from, why we were in Marseille. I was so fed up. What's the point? I just said to Lucy and Rachel when they asked me what I was going to order that I was going to go home. I'd had enough. I didn't want to sit making idle conversation about all and nothing. I didn't want to sit and pick at some meal that I didn't want. I didn't want to go back to see the other assistants after we'd eaten. I wanted to go home, have a shower and something to eat and go to sleep. Today has been a hard day - apart from the first weekend, this has been the first time I haven't wanted to be here. Can I go home now please?

The mundane

Well, yesterday I finished le Stage. It was quite pointless really. I didn't learn anything. We were given a quick, and I mean quick, overview of the French education system, it didn't teach me anything I didn't already know. I did pick up though that my region has 2,720,047 inhabitants which is the equivalent of 4.5% of the total population of Metropolitan France. After standing outside for about an hour and a half trying to make sense of all the forms we were having to fill in we went into a lecture theatre, it was there that I learnt that 4.5% of France's population live in this region. We were in there until lunch time and then I went home. That was my day really, I didn't really do anything worth mentioning. Today I have been shopping, posted a birthday card and finally, at long last, got some kind of metro pass. I was standing in the queue to get my pass and a girl stops infront of me and is staring at me. She said 'Bonjour' so I said 'Bonjour' back. She said she saw me at Lycee Artaud, that I'd been into one of her classes. I didn't recognise her! Ha! Well, come on, I have met 6 classes each with about 35 students in - I can't be expected to remember every face! It was nice of her to stop and say hello though. Anyway, the metro, I have decided to do it monthly, I cannot be bothered with le prelevement automatique. So I am now in possession of a carte perso which gives me unlimited access to the metro for a month. I'll keep track of how much I would have spent if I were to have been buying individual tickets for each journey to make sure it is worth buying a months worth at once. I expect it is though. Everytime I go to my school it will cost 3 euros 40. I only need to go 12 times in a month and it's paid for itself. Plus if I use the metro at any other time other than to and from school. Yes, so that's been my last couple of days. Not alot to report really. I might go somewhere tomorrow, visit something. I don't know what though. I'll have to get the tourist leaflets out and see what I fancy doing.

Oop, la!

Oui, alors, Lucy m'a envoye un sms et je suis partie pour regarder le foot. C'etait un peu difficult parce que tout le monde voulait que L'OM gagne mais nous, nous voulons que Liverpool gagne! En fait le match etait nul et Liverpool n'a pas bien joue, pas de tout. Ils ont perdu 1-0. J'attends avec impatience le 11 decembre parce que Liverpool joueront au Stade Velodrome. Il faut qu'ils marquent plus qu'un but et qu'ils n'accordent pas un but. Je crois qu'ils peuvent le faire! Allez les rouges!

Le stage

8h30 Gare Saint Charles. We had to ask a random woman for direction to Boulevard d'Athenes which was where we were supposed to be for our formation pedagogique. I stood with Rachel and Lucy and we met another assistant called Kirsty from Bromley - where my Lycee are considering doing an exchange to. The 'training' was extremely boring and completely pointless. It was all given in French and I was quite pleased and somewhat proud that I understood every thing we were told. It was basically my CELTA course crammed into a couple of hours but time went so slowly. I was so pleased when we were released for lunch. We were given a free lunch at the university canteen, I guess to reward us for what we'd been subjected to all morning! I was surprised to find something vegetarian and was relieved it was slightly more impressive than the french school dinner I'd experienced in Monday. At lunch I sat with Rachel and Aimee and randomally bumped into Sarah New Orleans - it was really nice to see her, I hadn't seen her for quite a while. I also saw Andrew and Sarah Ohio. We met 3 other Americans at lunch too from Boston, California and Chicago, I think. After lunch I went back to Le Vieux Port with Aimee and Rachel for a coffee and Lucy came to join us. Aimee and Rachel left to go and open a bank account with Credit Agricole. I was just walking home when Jessica called me to see what I was up to. Not a lot. I met her at Colbert metro station and we went, on the metro, to Le Vieux Port when Rachel called. She came to meet us too. We went shopping - Jessica wanted a bathmat which I took to mean something for in the bath so that you don't slip but what she actually wanted was something for outside the bath so that you don't wet the floor when you get out of the bath. We randomally met another English Assistant in fnac whilst browsing through the diaries and calenders. She was called Lizzie, she's from Lancaster and is at university in Edinburgh. Her school is in Orange, so quite a way from Marseille. She came around with us for a bit and then left. Jessica and me went down towards La Prefecture whilst Rachel went to buy a diary. We stopped for a drink (and a chocolate crepe) and then Rachel came to join us. Then Aimee called to ask if we were still in town and could she join us. So she came. At arount 18h we each went out separate ways. I'm currently waiting for Lucy to text me - we're going to watch the Liverpool v L'OM champions league game...

Laugh until you cry

This morning I went to my school. I met 2 more classes. It was basically the same as yesterday. I had to introduce myself to them and then they got to ask me questions. I sat in on the rest of one lesson where they were looking at a scene from the film Bend it Like Beckham. I went to see the paperwork lady and sorted out all my paperwork. I'm quite relieved to have got it all out of the way. I still maintain that it is all totally ridiculous. I left the school at lunchtime and went home for lunch - yes! I wanted to avoid another french school dinner experience! On my way home I stopped at the metro office to get a metro pass. I had all my paperwork, it was going to be simple, right? Wrong. I went in and filled the form out. I handed the man the photocopy of my passport, my proof of address, my RIB and my passport sized photograph. He told me that I couldn't set up a prelevement automatique for 30 euros a month. What?! Auriane had done it the day before so I knew it was possible. A woman appeared and asked whether I had a french passport. I said no, British. She said I couldn't use that. I asked what I needed. She said a french passport, French carte d'identite or a Carte de Sejour. I know 100% that she is wrong! I am European. Europeans do not need a Carte de Sejour. I reached into my bag and produced some paperwork the British Council had sent me. I showed her. I even translated it for her as it was in English. It says that BY LAW European citizens do not require a Carte de Sejour and that a European Passport will suffice. She was having none of it. So I couldn't get my metro card. GRR. I was not impressed. I swear she was being deliberately awkward. I intend to try another metro station. Rachel text me to ask if I minded going to look at appartments with her, she didn't want to go on her own. I met her at Le Vieux Port at 15h30 and we headed towards La Joliette where the first appartment was. We were walking down the side of the Vieux Port and I suddenly wondered where we were going! This was not the way to La Joliette! We made a right turn and I navigated our way through Le Panier out onto La Rue de la Republique and left towards La Joliette. It was a bit of a long way round but nevermind. When we got to La Joliette it took us a while to find the appartment. When we did the landlord came to meet us. It was right next to the motorway thingy on a not-too-nice road. The appartment was also on what felt like the millionth floor with no lift. It had a good view over the Ports though. It was in a weird location, it was all closed in. A bit like Le Passage Lorette. Rat heaven at night I imagine. We decided we didn't much like it so, quite disheartened, navigated our way back through Le Panier to La Canabiere where we looked for bus 41... which, it turns out, doesn't exist. What we actually needed was bus 81! We got on the bus but of course didn't know when to get off of it! It was only by chance that I saw the bus stop sign and realised that this was the stop we needed so off we hopped. The appartment was quite nice, trouble was it's such a hike to get to the 8e arr which is where her school is. She would have to go into the centre of Marseille and out the other side. It was not realistic. Shame as the appartment was ok. We got back on the bus and went for something to eat. I think we sat down to eat at about 18h30. We had the set menu - main course and dessert. I had a pizza and creme brulee which, I have to say, I really enjoyed, but then again, I was kind of hungry. We were there for ages, infact we were there for so long that by the time we left the metro was closed. It closes at 21h, it was about 21h30 when we left. How we had managed to spend the best part of 3hrs in a restaurant is still beyond me, but we did. We looked at the bus times because Rachel needed to get back to the 8e arr where she is staying. She usually takes the metro and then a bus... It was not going to be possible. It was, quite possibly, the most hilarious thing ever. It all started with a cheese pizza... writing about it now it doesn't seem that funny but at the time we couldn't stop laughing. We were in tears. Hysterics. I told her she could stay at mine. I mean, I couldn't leave her stranded homeless at Le Vieux Port! We bumped into a few other assistants, alot of who I hadn't met before. Although there was one girl who introduced herself as 'Cat' and I think I kind of freaked her out when I said 'Hunter'. 'Moscow'. She was like 'yeah... how did you know?' I said I was Gill and that we had emailed back and forth a few times. We went home, showered, went to sleep. We had to be up at 7h25 the next morning to get to Gare Saint Charles for La Formation Pedagogique.

Lycee Artaud and red tape.

I didn't know how long it would take me to get to the school this morning. In fact, I didn't even know where it was. I kept meaning to do the journey in advance but I just never quite got round to it. I had to be there at 8am so I left at 7am - it was still dark! I learnt something about Marseille though - there are still rats around at 7am and also, people in flurescent jackets come out in force with huge hosepipes to wash the streets! France has clearly never heard of a hosepipe ban and doesn't concern itself about conserving water. These were not your average hosepipes but more the sort a fireman might use in a country's worst fire for years! Anway, I got the metro at Rue Colbert to the final stop - La Rose. I then followed the signs for the bus. There were students everywhere. I thought I needed bus 3 but I didn't know where to get bus 3 and I also wanted to make sure that bus 3 was the right bus. I didn't want to ask a student so I found a man and asked him. He said I could take either bus number 3 or 5. I got on a number 3, as did the man, and as many of the students that could possibly cram onto it. The phrase 'packed in like sardines' suddenly took on a new meaning. I had to stand, I don't think I've ever sat down on a french bus. As I was standing I realised I didn't have a clue where to get off. It was ok though as most of the students got off at Lycee Artaud and I saw the signpost too. It isn't far from the station, I could easily walk it if ever I didn't feel like becoming a sardine. When I got there I was a little on the early side, I guess that's what you get for not doing a dummy run - I could have had an extra 15 minutes in bed! For saying my school had only emailed me 2 days before I was due to start I was amazed at how organised they were. They had all the paperwork I needed to fill in ready and waiting for me. There was someone to give me a guided tour and introduce me to the other English teachers - of which there are 12! I stayed until about 14h, during that time I sat in on 4 classes. I introduced myself to each class - I wasn't allowed to speak french to the students. I basically said the same thing 4 times - my name, where I was from, that I was a student studying English Language and French and that I would be their English assistant for the year. The students were then allowed to ask me questions. The questions were really similar bewteen all the classes - what are your hobbies, how old are you, can you speak french, how long have you been learning french for, what sort of music do you like, do you have any pets, do you like Marseille, how long have you been here for etc. I asked each class how many of them had been to England, surprisingly not that many. The level of their English varied tremendously. I was really impressed with one terminale group (so they were 17, 18 years old) they were translating from English to French and they were good. A complete contrast was a primaire group that I met who struggled to understand the very basics. I mean, it isn't as if I have a strong accent and I wasn't talking that quickly either! After 2 classes I went with one of the teachers for a french school dinner... there was no choice, it was a set meal. And not eating meat meant that I could only have a plate of peas and a cheese and onion sausage roll (I suppose I should be grateful it wasn't a sausage sausage roll!) There was a choice of fruit - grapes, apple, pear or melon. I went for an apple. Oh yes, and bread and cheese! What a surprise! There is a sandwich shop too, maybe I'll try that tomorrow - can't say as I was overly impressed with the school dinner. Jamie Oliver would be disgusted! I was surprised that, if students forget their text books, they are made to leave the class. In effect, they are thrown out! So, if you particularly hate one subject, just leave your book at home! I stayed at the school until about 14h. Getting out was a bit of a problem. Ok, so I didn't know my way around, but that wasn't the problem. Things are well signposted, I found the gate out onto the road no problem at all. The thing was that it was bolted. Umm... apparently the gates close at the beginning of the day until the end of the day opening for an hour at lunch. When you bear in mind that the school day runs from 8am to 6pm I'd say that is about the equivalent of being in a prison. There is absolutely no way in or out between 8 and 6 except at lunchtime. So, being inquisitive, I wondered what would happen if a student were to be late one morning. Well, it turns out that they have to sit outside the school gates until next lesson! (The lady on reception lets late comers in inbetween lessons if she feels like it) So, if your bus is late and you arrive at 8h01 you have to stay sitting outside (in all weather) until at least 9h. I have never, in my whole life, heard of anything so ridiculous. So, where was I? Oh yes, trying to work out how to get out of the school. As I am a member of staff (although the lady on reception took a bit of convincing - I just look like a student) they will open the gate for you, if you ask, to allow you to escape, sorry, I mean, leave. When I'd escaped, sorry, left, I went to Le Vieux Port to meet Rachel and we went for a coffee and discussed our first days at school. At 16h we went to Castellane to meet Lucy and then to Acceuil Marseille to ask about lessons for learning French as a foreign language. The woman seemed more interested in signing us up to teach English rather than learn French. That didn't bother me in the slightest and it's something I want to do. She did however, take an hour to say something that could have been said in 5 minutes. After Accueil Marseille we went to eat. I then went home and Rachel and Lucy went to an Internet Cafe. When I got home I called my landlord, he came to collect the rent. I then showered, ate and began filling in all the forms for my school. The amount of paperwork is a joke, it's ridiculous. People warned me in advance that there was a lot of paperwork for anything you wanted to do in France but never in a million years did I imagine that a supposedly civilised, developped country could be so addicted to forms. Not only are there forms that are pages and pages long but you have to have photocopies of other documents to go with the forms. Everything I have done has required a photograph of my passport, my birth certificate - both in English and translated into French (even though that isn't supposed to be necessary anymore) I need photocopies of my arrete de nomination to show I'm employed at a school and everything requires a RIB - the french are obsessed with them. When I opened my bank account with La Poste, one of about 15 letters (an no, that is not an exaggeration) that they sent to me included about 10 copies of my RIB - releve indentite bancaire. At the time I didn't have a clue what they were or why on earth I might possibly need so many of the things, now I understand. You cannot step foot outside the front door without someone demanding your RIB! When I'd finally filled in all the forms and made sure I'd got copies of everything I started looking into getting a metro card for the year. Now, in Brighton, to get a year's bus pass I needed a passport sized photograph and the money to pay for the thing. Not here. Something as simple as a metro pass requires not only a passport size photograph but also une piece d'identite - that'll be my passport, again. My RIB in order to pay for the thing (they want you to have a french bank account) and proof of address - apparently you can only get a Marseille metro card if you can prove that you live in Marseille! I finally had everything I needed and would go to Le Vieux Port metro station tomorrow to get it... yeah right, nothing could be that simple, could it?!