Mood:  cheeky
Topic: Ow
Raaaa I just wrote this, but my it has got lost in the world of cyberspace.

It has been a good week, with plenty of fun.

Monday / Tuesday ? I think we just went to lectures and the supermarket and stuff, not hugely exciting. We did however pick up Ellie?s English friend Kate from the station on Tuesday evening, who we then spent a couple of days entertaining.

Wednesday ? We did plan to go on a boat trip, but apparently not too many people want to do this on a rainy October morning, so it didn?t happen. We did however manage to find a boat that would have us ? one which was a Creperie, hooray! We had the full boat experience because it rocked slightly, which made us feel a little ill!

We then went to see ?Gang de Requins? ? ?A Shark?s Tale,? the new kiddy flick. Thankfully I understood 98% of the French, which was comforting seeing as it is aimed at 7 year olds! It was gutting that we didn?t have the real voices because there were some big names in it!

I had my second Judo experience in the evening, I got thoroughly beaten up, again. I had to tell Ellie when to fall over so that it looked like I was strong! How pathetic am I???

Thursday ? I do believe we had a lesson, wow. We went to the famous (apparently) brasserie ?La Cigale,? for a ?pause chocolate,? it was very nice, we had such treats as pink meringue and miniature sweet Yorkshire puddings. It was good, honestly!

In the evening we went to a slightly dodgy looking bar ? the boys/men in the window playing card adventure games aren?t scary at all? It was run by a very nice French man called Maurice, (Boris to us) who served an electric blue drink called a ?Schtrumph,? which is actually French for smurf. They did however give out free glow sticks and serve green tea, which is enough to keep everyone happy!

Friday ? I bought a Narnia book in French, hooray. I did some work too, which was highly necessary.

Saturday/Sunday ? I went to my first French Frisbee Tournament. Not too scary, no more so than any in England. We played in a stunning orange, which was reminiscent of Up the Brum. We didn?t exactly do well, but it was fun which is all that matters. I do hurt though, ow, someone massage me.

Voila my week,

Lots of love
Lizzy
xxxx

Shattered
Mood:  chillin'
Hey Up Tout le monde,

This week in France has been fun. Ellie's friend Kate visited from England, so we spent time entertaining her. We had wanted to go for a boat ride along the rive (Erdre/Loire), but the French don't like to do that on Wednesdays, so we couldn't. We did however manage to go to a Creperie on a boat, it rocked a bit in the water, so it was like going for a real boat ride, sort of.

We also tried to go ice skating, but we went to the wrong place so decided to go and see "Gang de Requins" or "A Shark's Tale." I understood the French (!) which was comforting, especially as it's aimed at seven year olds!

I went to my second Judo session, I got thoroughly beaten up and my body throbbed afterwards. I was too weak to push Ellie onto the floor, so I just wispered her to fall, so it would look like I pushed her!

We went to a semi dodgy bar on Thursday night, ran by a man called Maurice. Boys go there to play scary card games and they serve an electric blue cocktail called "Schtrumph," which is French for Smurf. They do however give out free glowsticks and serve green tea, which is enough for everyone to be happy.

I did some work (shock) on Friday. It hurt.

I had my first French Frisbee tournament this weekend, we didn't exactly do well, but we wore a lovely orange, just like Up The Brum. Now my body aches from running around, I'm finding it hard to stay awake!

Hungry Again
Topic: Life continues
Salut,

After a rough patch with some "maladie du pays" (home/country sickness) over last weekend, the week went just fine.

I managed to do some work for my courses, to convince myself and others that this year abroad is not just a holiday in France for the year.

I'm getting into Ultimate Frisbee again here, it is very strange to play with people that aren't from Brum, I get little sad feelings from time to time. However, it is good to play with new people as they are quite happy to point out all my frisbee faults that other people got tired of pointing out.

I gave salsa a whirl on Tuesday, it wasn't hugely exciting, as I just had to learn the basic steps, but it's very important to do that though.

I then gave Judo a whirl on Wednesday. I really had no idea what to expect other than lots of people dressed in white. Sure enough, there were people dressed in white. I spent most of the session curled up on the floor and being pushed and pulled over. I failed to genuinly push/pull people over, I appear to be a thorough weakling girl. I'll get my muscles up to strength though and I'll be able to take anyone on.

I went to my first Gay Bar on Thursday, I merrily drank Martini with colour changing straws and pretty cocktail stirers.

Saw a random French film on Friday, something about Corsica. I think some of the French/Corsica jokes were lost on me.

Hmmm, anyway, I'm busying about. Very slowly improving my french.

lots of love for now

Lizzy
xx

I'm here now
Mood:  hungry
Well, she writes a month later. I've been here in Nantes two weeks now and am beginning to settle into the French life, having started lectures, sussed out the road system (just walk out into the road and the cars WILL stop)and managed to do some things without the support of the other English girls.

Saying that, I did fail to come across as "French" in the hypermarket yesterday. I went to the checkout not having realised that I had to weigh my potatoes beforehand, hence had to run through the shop, back to the veg, to get a sticker put on them. On returning to the cashier, I handed her my card, forgetting that the French put their cards in the machine themselves. As my bank card is "French", I do believe I appeared stupid, as oppossed to foreign. Smooth.

However, I am also learning that the French do not necessarily see a difference between foreign and stupid, if you don't speak their language perfectly, you must be stupid. Actually, that only really goes for disgruntled workers, many many French people have been very friendly and welcoming.

OWWWW I just hit my funny bone on my chair, wonder what the French for funny bone is, hmmm.

Well, I've waffled enough for today, ta ta

Lizzy
xx

My first blog
Mood:  not sure
Topic: Confusion
Hello,

Not sure why I want to do this, but why not give it a whirl!
Summeris drawing to an end, I have two weeks left in England before I go off to France to study for the year! I'm a little apprehensive, I have just had a wonderful year at uni in Birmingham and it seems crazy that I'm not doing that again. Stuff has to change though.

I am looking forward to it however, it should be awesome. That's all I have to say for the time being, smile,


Lizzy

xx