Another week, gone again, time seems to be flying by! This scares me a little as deadlines are beginning to creep up but I keep putting things off, yet again it is Sunday as Eiffel still lacks the internet but seem to be too busy to worry too much.
Last weekend seems forever ago but my parents were here and we decided to go to Ypres (Ieper), which is in Belgium, where they speak Flemish, not French and where I was completely lost language wise but thoroughly enjoyed. On the Saturday we arrived late in the afternoon so we parked up (got confused by the ticket machine) and went for a wander. The town is stunning and it was a glorious sunny day so we sat in a café with a beer enjoying the view; the main square is flanked by medieval looking buildings all exquisitely restored after the First World War. The most impressive of which is the Cloth Hall which takes up half of one side sitting in front of the cathedral. On the opposite side of the square where enough chocolate shops to keep me happy for a year, waffle places and restaurants, we managed to escape all these and wander to the Menin Gate- the Menin Gate is a beautiful memorial to the soldiers of the First World War spanning the main entrance to the town along the ramparts. At eight o clock every evening the Last Post is played, we did not stay as it we would have been too late back but it is something we will do next time. It was very humbling.
Sunday we returned to see the museum, in the Cloth Hall, very much worth a visit and only 1 Euro for young people (under 25), it was saddening but informative and very tasteful. We wanted to do so much more but time was against us so we walked along the ramparts a little way before they had to head back for the ferry.
I seemed not to be in the lab enough this week, Monday was fairly productive but I quickly discovered I was ill on account of not being able to speak and despite my best efforts to care whether this molecule or that one was doing what it should be I just couldn’t find the energy. Lydie sent me home Wednesday and I spend Thursday in bed being looked after by Andrew and Rachel offering tea and sympathy. Friday I felt better though, ready for the weekend.
Japanese again this week, we were told to learn the Hiragana and Katakana- that’s quite a request… I’m planning on trying again after writing this but it’s hard to know how to memorise symbols that are so complex to me let alone actually doing it…
Friday night, feeling better, we had a small get together just Andrew, Rachel, Sarah, Rob and I, Sarah is my perpetual God send and I am also forever sorry because I managed to spill tea on (in if we’re being pedantic) her computer which she let me use for the internet. I’m sorry! When Rachel, Sarah and I are together we’re like the three witches from Macbeth, we cackle lots and have hysterics, it’s so much fun and Rachel seems to be able to make me cry with laughter every time I see her! We probably scare people with our insanity.
Thinking about it, seven weeks is not long and yet it feels like home here, I don’t walk around perpetually frightened about being spoken to in French and I’m getting better at understanding everything around me so if someone speaks to me when I’m not expecting it I can reply. You don’t really think about improving your language skills but I’m using them everyday, and not just for basic things, conversing in the lab is harder than I would have thought as some things are counter intuitive and you are so often trying to explain complex ideas. I wrote my literature survey proposal in French and Lydie is going to correct it for me, it was so difficult because the words are so specific to Chemistry so it meant reading French articles for references to the right words. It was really hard but I think worth it, I’m sure it will help in the long run. Speaking to others in conversation is getting easier too, in French class, which is always the best opportunity to practice lots (well not really practice, use is more appropriate) I love talking to people because we always end up talking about cultural differences which is endlessly fascinating.
One more week until half term, I’m actually heading back to Edinburgh for the week, tickets bought- just have to warn Lydie I’m leaving (which I am petrified about)- and collected (another palaver but that’s for next week), I’m worried that I’ll forget everything I’ve learnt…
Anyway, I have rambled enough. Time for Japanese and it’s another film night tonight, we have to get as much out of the weekend as possible. Next week it’s Rachel’s birthday, I’m planning to ambush her room with decorations…
Until next time…
