L'Aigle continued...

Well, I’m writing this and have just finished stewing some apples and some pears.  Normandy is known for growing lots of apples and pears and now is the season – autumn.  They are everywhere and everyone is trying to give them away, there are so many.  That’s why Normandy is famous for its cider and apple and pear liqueurs, one of which, Calvados, is very famous.  Haven’t tried any yet but it will probably be the next aperitif purchase.  I’ve cottoned on quickly that we need to stock up our aperitif cupboard as it was empty and people always start their dinners here with an apero, so if I’m to have people around for dinner I will need to be able to offer them something.  Our first purchase was Pommeau another apple based liqueur from the region.  Seriously, I am eating enormous meals here it’s crazy.  Nonetheless, my clothes are getting looser not tighter, which probably has to do with the fact I don’t have a car and have to walk EVERYWHERE! Plus, our apartment is on the fourth (and top) floor of the building and I am up and down those stairs several times a day.  I’m loving the cheeses and the bread and am indulging; I’m saving the pastries for the weekend for a special treat.

This weekend just been was my friend Laure’s birthday so I headed back to Paris for the Sat night/Sunday.  It was a surprise that her sister had organised.  She was performing in a little show and all her friends turned up to watch it and then we went out for dinner afterwards.  The show was at 9pm and the dinner 11pm so it was a late night.  The next day I headed off to Hillsong Paris to check it out.  I was meant to be meeting up with a friend of a friend afterwards and I did see them briefly but then there was a bit of a mix-up and to cut a long story short I ended up having lunch with a group of complete strangers and not with the person I was meant to be meeting.  It was quite hilarious and the people I had lunch with were lovely and really friendly.  There was a kiwi girl and her Fijian husband and we hit it off well, and some American couples.  While in Paris I was a bit disappointed that I hadn’t been placed in Paris, where there are people I know, always something to do, a church I think I could have seen myself getting hooked in with, but I was thinking that things never happen by chance and I was placed in L’Aigle for a reason, and then while I was having lunch with these people, speaking English the whole time I realised that that’s exactly how it would have been if I’d been in Paris, I would be speaking a lot more English and not immersed in French as much as I am here in L’Aigle and one of the main reasons I am here is to improve my French.  I have met some great people here in L’Aigle, and who knows what I will do with my weekends (no probs socially during the week, the problem is the weekends when all the teachers who live at the school go back to their home towns) but this is where I am and it’s up to me to make the most of it.

I have things planned coming up in the near future (visit to Paris with Janet late Oct, Miriam in Paris in Dec and Christmas/New Years in the south of France with Miriam and Laure’s family) and I’ll probably invite people around to watch the rugby this weekend (always a good conversation starter for me in the staffroom – thank you world cup!).  I think I’m going to a movie with people Wed night. So that’s all good.

Last week my roommate arrived from Scotland so it’s good to have someone else around.  So far I’ve been able to understand what she is saying except for one time, so that’s pretty good.  I started my lessons, introduction of myself so they could get to know me, and week 2 starts tomorrow.  The staff I work with in the Language department are great, one has even lent me a coffee machine.   I’m feeling good about the work I need to do.  I may have picked up one or two students to tutor and am looking into an exchange of my receiving French lessons in exchange for me giving English lessons.  The normal weather for this time of the year has returned and I haven’t seen the sun in days, and I had to go buy an umbrella.  It’s a lot colder and the heating hasn’t been turned on yet, not until this weekend, so my flatmate and I have been wrapping up with extra layers, I had to go buy some slippers.  J  Still working on getting the internet set up so by the time I post this it will probably be a week old, hoping to have it sorted by the end of the week.  It will be great once I do as I will have unlimited phone calls to NZ (will just have to get a phone!!)

Next Monday I have my orientation in Caen which is proving harder than I thought it would be to get transport there – fortunately it will be reimbursed but just trying to work out when and how to get there is a challenge.  It will be good to get ideas for class activities and to meet other assistants, especially those I’ve been in touch with via the Facebook group.

While in Paris I also went up the tallest building in Paris, Montparnasse Tower.  Here is a pic of the view.