La fête du Lycée Artaud

Above - the 30m long cake is being assembled.

Above - l'abre d'amour - everyone was invited to write a birthday message. I, of course, left mine in English.
Above - le spectacle.

Above - le spectacle encore.

This year is the thirtieth birthday of my Lycée so yesterday I went to Lycée for the celebrations. There were lots of the students there. I was quite impressed with the number of students who were participating. Some danced, others sang or played music. Some of the teachers took part too. And there was a 30m long cake too - 1m for every year the Lycée has been open.

In the evening I went to a restaurant with two of the English teachers from Lycée - Christiane and Marie José.

Maroon 5

Above - Maroon 5!

Above - Martin Solveig

Rachel's friends from uni came to stay over the weekend. They arrived on Thursday night from Paris where they'd been seeing another friend. On Saturday Laura came - she's another friend from uni but is studying French so is spending her year in France. She got the train down from Valance. They left on Sunday.

On Monday I went out for a meal with Angéline. We went to La Galiotte and I had the chevre chaud salad and tart citron for dessert as part of the set menu for €8,50 - bargain! Angéline didn't have the set menu. the waiter was really funny. At first we thought he was quite rude because it was really windy and he said 'move over there (points vaguely in the direction of about 5 different tables) it's less windy'. We stayed where we were because he hadn't made it clear where he wanted us to move to. It was really really windy (we were sat outside) even if it was sunny too. We were having to hold the glasses down so they didn't blow away that's how windy it was! A bit later on after he'd taken our order he told us to move again because it'd be less windy. He then said 'I told you earlier to move!'. Anyway, we moved. When it came to ordering dessert the choice was between gateau chocolat, tart citron or salade de fruits. I had the tart citron and Angéline asked whether there was a tiramasu (as she could have any dessert as she hadn't taken the set menu). The waiter said 'but that will cost you €5!! Angéline was like 'I don't care, I have les tickets restaurant (restaurant vouchers rather than paying). He went to get a tiramasu but came back and said 'I've tried my best but there aren't any left' so she had the gateau chocolat. He then said he would do it at the price of the set menu for her. He was nice, a bit odd, but definitely funny. It was a nice meal too.

On Tuesday morning I had my second French class. I'm enjoying it. It's something I'd try and do next year if I get to stay. On Wednesday I had a private lesson at 14h with Doréan. It was my last lesson with him. He has an exam on Friday and then is on holiday before going to England to spen 2 weeks with a family and studying at a school. It was sad to say goodbye. Maybe I'll see him next year. He told me that if I get to come back to Marseille he'd like me to carry on giving him lessons. In the evening there was a free concert at Vieux Port - Maroon 5, which I went to with Angéline. It rained a bit at the beginning so there was a sea of umbrellas but thankfully it stopped before the concert had really started. Today is Thursday, I have Madison at 17h and I think I'm going to go into Lycée too.

Below - Video of Maroon 5

Thinking aloud

So, it's nearing the end of my year in Marseille. I have just 3 weeks left until everything I brought with me last September, everything I've collected over the year has to some how be packed into a suitcase to be taken back to the UK. Thinking back to September 14th last year when I arrived in Marseille seems a lifetime ago but at the same time the year has gone by really quickly. Too quickly infact. It's difficult to come and live abroad and be asked to make a life in a foreign country when you know that at the end of the year you're going to have to leave it all behind. We have the option, as language assistants, of renewing our contracts for next year. Another year in the sun of Marseille, another year of speaking French, of working in a Lycée. Tempting eh? I've asked to renew my contract. To come back next year. I'm not actually fussed whether it's the same Lycée, whether it's even a Lycée, just as long as it's in Marseille. The Académie of Aix-Marseille is huge and when you apply for a placement you apply to the Académie and then they place you within the Académie. Even if you specify Marseille there's no guarantee they'll place you there. I should hear by the end of June whether they'll have me again next year (I'm 99.9% confidient they will) but as to where they'll put me I'm not so sure. My lycée have asked to have me back again so hopefully, fingers crossed... I know I had problems with my Lycée - students not turning up, teachers forgetting me, not telling me when they wouldn't be needing me etc, but since all that got sorted out I enjoyed working at the Lycée. I know the staff, I know the students. I liked my job. A lot. But as the French say 'laisse faire le destin'. Watch this space...

It does however leave things a little complicated. The Académie d'Aix-Marseille are notorious for their bad organisation skills and bad administration. So although I'm supposed to hear by the end of June whether they'll have me again and where they'd like to put me there's no guarantee that I will do. If it's anything like the administrative nightmare from last year where they placed me in 2 primary schools (which a part of me wishes I'd have accepted...) and then realised they'd made a mistake and put me in a Lycée then well... At least I found out during June I had been placed in 2 primary schools... So maybe if they don't mess it up again this year I will hear in June. It would be wonderful to hear before June 15th (when I go home) because then I could leave some of my things here rather than carting everything back to the UK only to bring it all back again. I also need to find out by the end of June because of telling the uni about housing for next year on campus. Because I didn't think I'd have time to find somewhere to live in Brighton I applied for on campus accommodation. I have until the end of June to decide whether I want it or not and if I decided no would still get my deposit back. I have no desire whatsoever to live on campus, never did do, it was just a safety net to avoid being homeless! Then there is renewing the contract on my appartment. It isn't a problem the landlord said he'd be quite happy for me to stay another year. I can't renew it though until I have my attestation (document which tells me which school I'm in) because although I'm confident they'll place me somewhere I need to know where that somewhere would be. But to be honest if it wasn't in Marseille I think I'd reject it. I don't want to go anywhere else in the Académie. I know Marseille. I don't want to start completely from scratch again! The people will change - ie they'd be a new influx of assistants. None of my close friends in Marseille are staying although I think a couple of the Americans are. But Angéline would still be here. My private students would still be here and I would have more time because I'd have no uni work to do so I could get more private students, maybe even work in a language school here teaching English. I have Les Restos du Coeur, my french classes which I've only just started and the people I've met there. I could enroll at Aix to follow classes there. Something that Aimée did and seemed to get an awful lot out of and something I'd like to do. So there would be the familiar - the same appartment, same city, a few familiar faces and activities, and the new - new assistants, maybe a new school, new activities like classes at Aix.

But whilst I'm sat here dreaming about how I might be lucky enough to stay in this beautiful city for another year I have to realise that a lot is still to be decided. Even if I do get to stay there's no guarantee I'd be placed in Marseille. And if I wasn't I wouldn't accept the post I don't think. It's all very far from sorted, very far from sure.

But as the French say 'laisse faire le destin' and in the meantime make the most of the 3 weeks that I have left in Marseille.

Et voilà, un petit peu de ce qui se passe dans ma tete en ce moment...

Last week

Last weekend I spent with Cat and Rachel in the sun. But before that Aimée stayed over and we spent the next day together. It was probably going to be the last time I saw her before she left. We went round Le Panier and stopped for coffee right next door to where I live. It was strange drinking coffee when I could see my bedroom window! We went shopping although I didn't buy anything. In the afternoon Aimée had to go to Aix for her last university seminar. I remember I went shopping and bought a pair of black three quarter length cropped trousers. It was also the day Rachel came back from the UK and I had a cup of tea with her. On Saturday I went to Maelle's - she's one of my private students. I was supposed to be working with Les Restos du Coeur in the evening but it was cancelled so I went to watch the last football game of the season with Rachel and Cat - OM Strasbourg. OM won 4-3, it was a brilliant game and because OM won it meant that they finished third in the league and so will be in the Champions League next season! Yey!

On Monday I went to Lycée as I had some forms to fill in. I then met Cat at 10h30 for coffee. On Tuesday I had Madison at 17h and then I went out for a meal with Rachel and Cat - we went to La Galiotte at Vieux Port and I had Ravioli à la Bastiase which is basically brousse filled ravioli - delicious. On Wednesday Rachel came round for tea, we then went shopping and in the afternoon we went to the CAF office because Rachel is still waiting for her CAF. Afterwards I went home to work on my dissertation, opened my book to read it and ended up falling asleep. Ha! Goes to show how interesting this dissertation is! In the evening we went to watch the champions league final - brilliant game. I was convinced Chelsea were going to win (even though I wanted Manchester United to win). In the second half Chelsea had the upper hand and it just seemed a matter of time before they scored. Then when it went to penalties and Ronaldo missed - I was convinced that Chelsea would win but Terry missed and United won as Van der Saar saved Anelka's penalty - yey! Everyone in Marseille was supporting Chelsea (because of Drogba who played for Marseille il y a longtemps). Thursday saw a typical french day - strikes. No public transport and the library was closed too. *sigh*. I had a lovely lunch with Angléline in the sun - bruschetta followed by chocolate mousse. We then went shopping. I bought 2 necklaces and because there was no transport Angéline couldn't get to her private student and I couldn't get to mine either. Nevermind! After shopping I had a cup ot tea with Rachel and then went home. In the evening I went back to Rachel's and we watched 'Shall we dance' - a film on tv. I'd seen it before although not in french! And that brings us to today - Friday. I have Doréan - one of my private students tonight but apart from that I have no other plans for the day. I've just written a couple of postcards and am doing some research for my dissertation.

An update

Hello!



I haven't posted for a while but that's because I don't have anything of any interest to say. The weather's been a bit mixed of late. We had a whole day of heavy rain the other day! That never happens in Marseille! Today I'm glad to say is warm and sunny - how it should be.



I still have my private pupils - Madison, Doréan, Camille and Maelle. I'm starting french classes on Tuesday. I'm just going to be doing 4 hours a week. I went last week to do an evaluation test so they knew which group to put me in. It was really easy. Even though they've put me in the advanced group I'm a bit concerned it might be too easy but we'll see.

Je suis rentrée à Marseille

Above - me in Costa Coffee, Ludlow, completely oblivious to the nightmare that awaits me.

Above - Ludlow train station.

Above - Ludlow train station.

Above - Manchester Piccadilly - I wasn't originally scheduled to change here.

Above - Manchester Piccadilly.

So, Wednesday. Time to go back to Marseille. I was quite convinced the return journey would be better than the outward journey - I mean, could it really be any worse...? Yes! It was! My train was supposed to leave Ludlow station at 10h20, I was supposed to change at Crewe to go to Manchester Airport for my flight at 14h45. Plenty of time as it (theoretically) only takes an hour and half to get to Manchester by train... At 11h I was still at Ludlow. They train wasn't coming. A freight train had broken down on the line so nothing could get through. The man at the station said it could take a couple of hours to fix. But I don't have a couple of hours! I have a plane to catch. They were putting on taxis to take us to Shrewsbury. I asked what I'd do when I got to Shrewsbury. He said to ask at Shrewsbury. I told him it was no good me being stuck at Shrewsbury. I had a plane to catch. Would I be able to get from Shrewsbury to Manchester Airport. He did a bit of searching on his computer and said yes, you should get to Manchester Airport for 14h11. But that's only half an hour before my flight takes off - I'll miss it! There was a woman next to me who was wanting to go to Shrewsbury. She was told there was either a bus or they would put her in a taxi. She was being extrememly awkward. "I won't go in a taxi, I'm not going on the bus" she said. When she was asked why it was so urgent she got to Shrewsbury she explained that she had an appointement at the hairdressers! I could have hit her! You can take the bus! It's not like you can't get to Shrewsbury and besides, even if you can't, you're hair appointment can wait. You can go tomorrow, next week. My planw will not wait and I don't seem to be able to get to the aiport. Grr, she annoyed me. Then, as we're all standing in the train station waiting for taxis someone goes (pointing out of the window) "what's that?" and one of the men who works at the train station goes "a train" and everyone rushes out to get on the train. Trouble was we caught the freight train up and ended up sitting somewhere between Craven Arms and Church Stretton going nowhere. I asked the ticket man on the train and he told me even though with my ticket I was to change at Crewe that I could carry on this train to Manchester Piccadilly and change there for the airport as the trains from Manchester Piccadilly to the airport are a lot more frequent than from Crewe - where they're only once an hour. I had hope, I thought I might not miss my flight after all. That is until they announced that the train was going to terminate at Crewe because it was running so late. Now I had to change at Crewe. I missed the one train an hour to the airport so had to get on one to Manchester Piccadilly. I arrived at Manchester Piccadilly and had to change to get to the airport. When I finally got to the airport I didn't had a lot of time. I didn't know which terminal I wanted. I went to terminal 1 and there was no one to ask. I was frantically asking other passengers. Someone told me terminal 1 was international. So I went all way back to terminal 2 where there was someone there to ask. He couldn't have spoken any slower if he'd have tried! Could he not see I was in a bit of a hurry! Ryanair close check in 40 minutes before departure. It was 40 minutes before departure. I checked in and had to run to the gate that was flashing red and making it's last call. It was so close. So very very close. When I arrived in Marseille it was warm and sunny and the rest of the journey went smoothly. I don't think I've ever been so stressed in my life! I'm never flying to or from Manchester ever again!

Ludlow

Above - The Buttercross.

Above - De Greys and Broad Street.

Above - Castle Square.

Above - A typical Ludlow street.

Above - Ludlow town centre.

Above - Castle Square complete with red phone box and post box!!

Above - Castle Square.

Ludlow - the complete opposite of Marseille!

Je suis allée en Angleterre

Above - taking off from Marseille - the view from the aeroplane.

Above - flying over the south of France.

Above - Flying over France.

Above - welcome to England.

Above - landing in Manchester - look how green it is (and wet!)

Above - Wilmslow train station.

Above - the train to Crewe that I didn't get because it was going to be late.

Above - the train to Plymouth that I did get (but I got off at Crewe)

Above - Crewe train station.

Above - the final train of the day from Crewe to Ludlow (the Hereford train) that was late.

Last Saturday evening I volunteered with Les Restos du Coeur feeding les sans abris of Marseille. I didn't get to bed until about 3h. At 7h my alarm clock went off. At 9h Rachel arrived to help me with my suitcases to the métro. I was going to England! We left mine at 9h and walked to Joliette in the glorious sunshine to take the métro two stops to Saint Charles. We just missed one métro so had to wait for the next. When we arrived at Saint Charles the ticket office had moved so we had to find the new one. I then got on the bus to go to the airport. I arrived at the airport and damaged my knuckle whilst getting my cases off the bus. It's still sore now!! Never mind. I checked in and went to the departure lounge to wait. I got on the flight and everything was going fine. I got off at Manchester airport and got my case. Everything was still going well (although I did break a nail somehow... nevermind.) I went to the toilets and when I was washing my hands I took my ring off and put it beside the sink so it wouldn't get soap in it... I then got my two suitcases and left, I took the lift and began walking the long walk to the train station. Even though it is inside the airport it's a long way. After about 5 minutes I realised I didn't have my ring. So back I went. Me and my two cases, back in the lift, back to the terminal, back to the toilets. I was lucky; it was still there. I then started going all the way back to the train station. When I got to the train station there were no trains leaving. They were doing engineering works and had replacement buses instead. I had to wait and get a bus to Wilmslow train station where I'd be able to get a train to Crewe. The driver put my cases on the bus and then I thought to ask where he was going - 'Manchester Piccadilly' he replied. Ok, I said, in that case, can you take my suitcases off please, I want to go to Wilmslow! He took my cases off and I sat and ate my lunch whilst waiting for the bus going to Wilmslow. When it came a boy who could have been no older that 12 put my cases on the bus. What is a child doing working for Network Rail on a Sunday??! How England has changed since the last time I was there! I got on the bus and we drove through green countryside, through the borough of Macclesfield and to Wilmslow train station in the rain. I then went to platform 2 for the train to Crewe. The platforms at Wilmslow are accessed up a ramp so I had to drag my cases up a ramp only then to listen to an announcement saying all passengers wanting to go to Crewe were advised to take the Plymouth train from platform 4 rather than the Crewe train from platform 2 as it was going to be late. So down the ramp I went only to lug my cases up another ramp to platform 4. I then got on a train heading to Plymouth but luckily remembered to get off at Crewe where I got a bit confused by the station. It appeared to be on 3 levels... I eventually found platform 6 for my last train of the day. A train that was running late so I had the best part of an hour to wait at a wet and cold Crewe. When I finally got to Ludlow at 17h55 it was at least sunny although my arms were beginning to ache after all the pushing and pulling of suitcases.

La Ciotat

Last Sunday I went to Saint Just to meet Christiane. She took me to La Ciotat. But I forgot my camera. Christiane had hers and took photos for me but she isn't very technologically minded so I'm not sure I'll ever get them.

We went in the car - it wasn't far and it was beautiful, warm and sunny. Good job I put my sun cream on! We went walking around the coast and in the town. We looked around the market and stopped for a coffee. It was beautiful. I got home at about 16h and then went to Sainte Margeurite to meet a lady and her daughter. Yep, a new private student! The girl, Maelle, is only 3 and a half so I'm somewhat limited as to what I can do with her. But she's lovely. I'm going to be seeing her for 2 hours on a Saturday morning. Her mum speaks fluent English and has spent a lot of time in England. She really wants Maelle to speak English, she already has English books - 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' and a picture dictionary and she knew the word 'socks'!

On Monday I had lunch with Rachel - nothing fancy - just paninis. It rained. I went to give Madison a lesson. I also went on Tuesday as well after having working my last day at Lycée. We were making up for lost time - I didn't go last week. I met her mum for the first time! Every week her mum calls me and she always says 'Bonjour Gill, c'est Patricia la maman de Madison, je vous derange?' but I'd never met her. Now I have! In the evening I went to watch Manchester United play Barcelona. On Wednesday I went to watch Liverpool play Chelsea. I was quite upset that Liverpool lost. Now I want Manchester United to win the final. I don't like Chelsea!

And today, Thursday, is a jour ferié which basically means the whole of France stops. Not even the metro is running. It's warm and sunny.

A bientot!

My last day at Lycée

Tuesday was my last day at Lycée. It was quite sad to teach my last classes and say goodbye to the students. I didn't have all my classes because there was a big manifestation at Vieux Port contre la suppression des postes from the start of the next academic year. My Lycée is losing 2 English teachers. It just so happens that 2 of them are retiring anyway so just won't be replaced. Other departments aren't so lucky and people are being made redundant. On my last day I saw my 2 terminale girls for the last time and I also saw my BTS for the last time. One of my BTS I saw for the first and last time all at once! I doubt whether she will get le moyen because she hasn't been coming to see me, her pronunciation was very bad and well, what she'd written wasn't that good either.

I'll be seeing the teachers again and going back to the Lycée again. It's the Lycée's 30th birthday on May 30th and they're having a fete so I'll be going back for that. Also I often go walking with Christiane and Marie José hasn't yet had the meal for her birthday. My contract my be over but my contact with the school isn't.

Last Friday I went to give a cours particulier to Doréan and his mum invited me out to dinner. They were going to the theatre and asked me to join them for a meal beforehand. We went to a nice little restaurant near Lycée Thiers, next to the theatre just off La Canabiere. I had an italian salad. Dorean's mum had something with pigeon in it...

On Saturday it was beautifully sunny (the temperatures have been around 25*C) and I put on my suncream and sunglasses and went to watch Chelsea play Manchester United with Rachel and Cat. I also popped round to Lucy's to say goodbye as she was leaving on Wednesday.