Having been looking for somewhere to live for nigh on 2 months now, I've decided to go into independent halls for the time being. At the moment, I'm not sure how long I'll stay there- I am going to sign a 3 month contract this afternoon. They are fairly expensive and not particularly special, but it does mean that for the past week I have not had to look for houses, which has been so nice! Got to the stage where I was horrendously frustrated, didn't want to be looking anymore and didn't really see any new ads from one day to the next. Even if my solution is temporary, it is a solution and if you know me, this solution involved a decision....I MADE A DECISION all by myself. :)
So, apart from that, things have been good. Been going to my classes, which are interesting, but very difficult as well! I have one lecturer (for philosophy), who speaks way, way, way too fast. Had to ask her for a copy of her notes because I simply couldn't keep up. The lecture is on a friday afternoon for a start, in a big room with not many people. She doesn't have a very loud voice so some of the time I was straining to hear, and even when I did either I didn't understand or couldn't keep up! Never mind, she seems quite nice and very understanding. As regards to my translation classes, one is great, the other is dire. My english-french translation tutor is awful. He mispronounces english words and conducts the whole thing in french. I'm not saying I want an easy life and for it to all be in English, but if I was studying english at uni and my tutor spoke in French, I'd wonder what was the point. Anyway, his pronunciation actually made me laugh the other day, and for a uni tutor, that's never good! The whole class take the mick out of him, and to add to it, he has massive typos in his original english pieces, which just lead to everyone thinking that he's a bit of a joke! My tutor for french-english is, however, awesome. For a start he's english, and he's absolutely mad! Really entertaining- spent 2 hours going through 4 sentences, but somehow it was actually useful! So yeh, uni is going well, and so far so good on that score.
One thing that is majorly getting in the way at the moment is that the transport drivers are on strike. 2 days last week I couldn't get into town or uni, and it hasn't stopped there. Barely any of the lines/buses/trams are working properly, and if I want to come back here, I have to be on the bus at just gone 7pm. So basically, they're a pain in the arse, and they're talking about this strike lasting 99 days...I can't wait!!! Luckily, when I move (tomorrow), I'll be about 10 mins walk from the centre of town, which means that I can walk to places if I need to or I can use the bikes that they have to hire all over the city. That way, life will be much easier and I may be able to have a social life.
As yet, not made many friends at all. The french actually care about their uni work and with no equivalent to freshers, it's been a bit weird. There have been some erasmus outings, but due to my location, I haven't been, and I don't really want to spend all my time with english people, or with people who speak french as well as I do. I have my eyes on the prize and for now I'm just thinking that eventually I'll find some people! I'm going to meet someone I was put in contact with through a partnering scheme and hopefully she'll be nice and I'll be able to meet people that way. At the moment it's not bothering me, but in halls I'm going to be in a self-contained studio flat type thing, which means that I won't be surrounded by people like I am here. But it's halls, and there are bound to be people, so I'm thinking I might just have to knock on some doors and introduce myself! We shall see.
So far so good, I'm looking forward to having my own space and being able to come and go as I please because I'm not miles from everything. Have to make a trip to Ikea some time this week..hurrah!!!
A+
xxx
Monday, 28 September 2009
Tuesday, 15 September 2009
The first couple of weeks...
A lot has happened in the past two weeks...where to start?!?!?! OK, so having found the uni, I had to get to the first meeting. Me and the only other person from Southampton I know of here, Aisling, decided to meet before going to the meeting, strength in numbers (well 2) and so that if one of us missed something the other might have understood. We arrived and there were loads of people outside, all speaking different languages and chatting amongst themselves. When we were finally allowed into the lecture hall, we were each given a (very stylish!) bag, full of leaflets and important documents to fill out. I know how much the French love their bureaucracy but this was crazy! We then had to each be given something to say that we were allowed to enrol, where and when this would happen, and a notice about a meeting with our tutor. But being French, they distributed this in a very disorganised/weird manner. They called out each person's name and had people running to give things out. Bearing in mind there were at least 150 of us, this took some time! Whilst we were given our documents we were asked whether we had somewhere to live, and I duly said no, but in fact this did nothing. I've been here two weeks now and not a word from them regarding the fact that I am in effect homeless!
So having completed that, and feeling proud that I had understood the majority of what they said, I proceeded to look at what uni life would really be like. Lectures are at least 1 hour 45 minutes long, start at 8am and finish at 21:45. Not too long a day then... In addition, each Erasmus student has to make their own timetable. This means going to the secretary of each unit and asking for the timetable of classes and finding out if they clash with anything else. So far I have a provisional timetable, but we were also told that teachers could refuse to have us in their classes if they didn't see fit. I'm waiting to find out if someone is going to cause a problem!!
Had another meeting followed by a tour of the Campus. There are actually 2 campuses, one in the centre of the city and the other about a 40 minute tram ride away. My challenge, to make sure all my classes are at the one in the city! 40 minutes is ok, but if a lecture is at 8am, that means a very early start! The campuses are, however, very confusing. The one in the city is a bit of a maze, but the buildings are very old, and it is almost beautiful. The other campus is, well, not anywhere near as nice. The buildings must have been built in the 70s or something and are not very well cared for. So good plan to avoid Bron at all costs! So after being lost in the campuses, I wonder how I'm going to find anything!
Then met my tutor, who teaches English, which means meeting in English...SCORE!!! Aisling and I have our meetings together, and it was then that we realised we actually had to get on with our timetables. Pierre took us to some of the secretairies and he made sure that we had at least some of the info we needed to get on with it. It was up to us to find out about the other courses we may want to do, because some of the secretaries are at the other campus. He is, however, very, very helpful, and wants to know exactly what we're doing.
Enrolment was an interesting process, typical French making it more difficult! Arrived and someone checked my form, then had to take a ticket and wait for someone else who would put the details (incorrectly) into the computer. Yes, for about 15 mins I was registered at the university as Sarah Balliston-Ticke. Clever. So having got that changed, in everything but my email address, which still holds the mistake, we then had to join a queue for student cards. I wasn't sure how this would be done, as we had not given in any passport photos for the card, so goodness knows what was going to happen. In fact, they take the photo with you there, and you have to wait for the card to be made. As a result, my photo is awful as I didn't know the photo was going to be taken that day!
So, I have a provisional timetable. I have monday and tuesday off, which is great. It means that I can get on with stuff those days, and that if I want to go anywhere for the weekend, I can. :) 8am start on a Wednesday though...ouch! So currently, I'm doing English, well translation, a philosophy unit I found (the uni doesn't actuall have philosophy as a course), a classic french literature course (which I may give up...) and a course in French for Erasmus students. Hopefully everyone will let me do what I want and then it'll all be sorted, watch this space!
The weekend just gone, the Bridgers (friends from home, sort of like adoptive grandparents) came here, it is through them that I met the family I am staying with. We ate a lot, including various sorts of cheese, and went to Beaujolais (how French is that?!!?). Beaujolais is really, really pretty. Saw all the vines for wine making. Was veritably French. Then went to a maze on Sunday, which was fun, for about an hour!!! When they left I was a bit down, but I don't think it was just the fact that they'd gone. I'd been thinking of this weekend as something to look forward to and now I guess I know that I'm not likely to see anyone from home for a while, which makes things harder. But it's all good, I'm trying to think of it like I'm in Southampton, and that it's not as far as it feels.
As regards to housing, progress is slow. I'm so lucky that the Mouillets are so so generous. I have been to see some places and 2 of them I really liked, but there are lots of people looking and it's down to the people with the flat to pick between at least 4 people. I think it's just hard to find somewhere, but hopefully I'll get there soon. I'm going to have to!
So, end of the essay, had a lot to write about as a lot has happened recently!
Hope you are all well.
A +
xxx
So having completed that, and feeling proud that I had understood the majority of what they said, I proceeded to look at what uni life would really be like. Lectures are at least 1 hour 45 minutes long, start at 8am and finish at 21:45. Not too long a day then... In addition, each Erasmus student has to make their own timetable. This means going to the secretary of each unit and asking for the timetable of classes and finding out if they clash with anything else. So far I have a provisional timetable, but we were also told that teachers could refuse to have us in their classes if they didn't see fit. I'm waiting to find out if someone is going to cause a problem!!
Had another meeting followed by a tour of the Campus. There are actually 2 campuses, one in the centre of the city and the other about a 40 minute tram ride away. My challenge, to make sure all my classes are at the one in the city! 40 minutes is ok, but if a lecture is at 8am, that means a very early start! The campuses are, however, very confusing. The one in the city is a bit of a maze, but the buildings are very old, and it is almost beautiful. The other campus is, well, not anywhere near as nice. The buildings must have been built in the 70s or something and are not very well cared for. So good plan to avoid Bron at all costs! So after being lost in the campuses, I wonder how I'm going to find anything!
Then met my tutor, who teaches English, which means meeting in English...SCORE!!! Aisling and I have our meetings together, and it was then that we realised we actually had to get on with our timetables. Pierre took us to some of the secretairies and he made sure that we had at least some of the info we needed to get on with it. It was up to us to find out about the other courses we may want to do, because some of the secretaries are at the other campus. He is, however, very, very helpful, and wants to know exactly what we're doing.
Enrolment was an interesting process, typical French making it more difficult! Arrived and someone checked my form, then had to take a ticket and wait for someone else who would put the details (incorrectly) into the computer. Yes, for about 15 mins I was registered at the university as Sarah Balliston-Ticke. Clever. So having got that changed, in everything but my email address, which still holds the mistake, we then had to join a queue for student cards. I wasn't sure how this would be done, as we had not given in any passport photos for the card, so goodness knows what was going to happen. In fact, they take the photo with you there, and you have to wait for the card to be made. As a result, my photo is awful as I didn't know the photo was going to be taken that day!
So, I have a provisional timetable. I have monday and tuesday off, which is great. It means that I can get on with stuff those days, and that if I want to go anywhere for the weekend, I can. :) 8am start on a Wednesday though...ouch! So currently, I'm doing English, well translation, a philosophy unit I found (the uni doesn't actuall have philosophy as a course), a classic french literature course (which I may give up...) and a course in French for Erasmus students. Hopefully everyone will let me do what I want and then it'll all be sorted, watch this space!
The weekend just gone, the Bridgers (friends from home, sort of like adoptive grandparents) came here, it is through them that I met the family I am staying with. We ate a lot, including various sorts of cheese, and went to Beaujolais (how French is that?!!?). Beaujolais is really, really pretty. Saw all the vines for wine making. Was veritably French. Then went to a maze on Sunday, which was fun, for about an hour!!! When they left I was a bit down, but I don't think it was just the fact that they'd gone. I'd been thinking of this weekend as something to look forward to and now I guess I know that I'm not likely to see anyone from home for a while, which makes things harder. But it's all good, I'm trying to think of it like I'm in Southampton, and that it's not as far as it feels.
As regards to housing, progress is slow. I'm so lucky that the Mouillets are so so generous. I have been to see some places and 2 of them I really liked, but there are lots of people looking and it's down to the people with the flat to pick between at least 4 people. I think it's just hard to find somewhere, but hopefully I'll get there soon. I'm going to have to!
So, end of the essay, had a lot to write about as a lot has happened recently!
Hope you are all well.
A +
xxx
Thursday, 3 September 2009
I'm here!!!
Well, I made it! After several hours of travelling, feeling ill from the turbulence of the plane and working out how to get through Lyon in the rain, I managed to make it here. Been here two days now and I have found the university, and the relevant places for meetings and stuff. Success!!!
Took a taxi to get to the Mouillet's, friends I am eternally grateful to for having let me stay here while I still don't have a permanent place to live, and remembered that the French are crazy drivers. When your taxi driver spends more time looking at the radio than the road and uses the handbrake to stop the car, you remember what driving in this country is like. But hey, I made it here alive and all will be well! I've managed to suss out some of the public transport system now, which is a bonus, I may not have to get in a taxi with a driver like that again!
I'm gradually getting used to this whole language thing, and it's good living with French people because you realise that you actually have to use it from first thing in the morning. It's all good. Feel very tired at the moment simply because there is so much French and other information to take in, but I'm getting there. Now armed with a map of the town, a trusty French dictionary and a French phone, I have a feeling that I have all the equipment needed to survive in this city, as long as it doesn't demand too much of me!
A +
xxxx
Took a taxi to get to the Mouillet's, friends I am eternally grateful to for having let me stay here while I still don't have a permanent place to live, and remembered that the French are crazy drivers. When your taxi driver spends more time looking at the radio than the road and uses the handbrake to stop the car, you remember what driving in this country is like. But hey, I made it here alive and all will be well! I've managed to suss out some of the public transport system now, which is a bonus, I may not have to get in a taxi with a driver like that again!
I'm gradually getting used to this whole language thing, and it's good living with French people because you realise that you actually have to use it from first thing in the morning. It's all good. Feel very tired at the moment simply because there is so much French and other information to take in, but I'm getting there. Now armed with a map of the town, a trusty French dictionary and a French phone, I have a feeling that I have all the equipment needed to survive in this city, as long as it doesn't demand too much of me!
A +
xxxx
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