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Firstly, a brief hello from me, I haven't posted a topic for a very long time, so please excuse my absence, my mum will probably send a note in...
For the last two weeks I've been residing in France, near a town called Beauvais in the Oise department - a work experience/life experience trip to help improve French of course, anyway I won't bore you if I can help it, just skip what you don't find interesting and you'll survive.
2 weeks in a whole other country, with a completely different non English speaking family, and a work placement to bore the paint off freshly coated walls, but the working aside I had a fantastic time, although there really is no place like home!
Travelling with 26 strangers on a 9 hour combined coach/ferry journey was just enough time to get people anxious enough to meet there foreign hosts, I didn't know who I'd be staying with, but thankfully they were a really nice family.
After leaving the other English peoples, I was driven to their house - which at first seemed like something from a few decades ago, a barn style building in the heart of the countryside - luckily it wasn't as basic as I'd first thought, I did discover a washing machine next to the bath, and there was a table to eat off - a complete culture change, something that I could really do with after some complications at home just before I left.
Right, the work placement I was appointed with was in a tooth brush factory. Now it may seem boring, but believe me - it was the more mind numbingly monotonous than anything anyone can imagine until they actually do two weeks of it *menatal shuddering* imagine. 7 hours a day of waiting for boxes to be full of toothbrushes, then stacking them in a pile, occasionally sticking tickets on them. Mentally challenging I know...
From time to time I was graced with the position of actually putting the toothbrushes in the boxes, sealing them and giving them to some other poor (but nonetheless getting paid) factory cog, or maybe I would do a morning's worth of quality control. Either way, never, ever work in a factory. Although, I was told the pay was a lot better there than in most other jobs, having no skills whatsoever and getting paid a lot seems odd, but it comes at the price of respect and feeling of success, I would imagine...
"What do you want to be when you're older?"
"Ah! A toothbrush factory employee, without question!!"
I hope that will never be the case, at least I was only subjected to two weeks of it, enough time to lose my mind, and find it again - seriously, to pass the time I was coversing with myself in my head about how boring it was. Ok, aside from that, it was a good scenario to test listening skills and talking, except they didn't really talk. Most of them resembled something that had just crawled out of a swamp, not a pretty sight, or aroma *more shuddering*
As I said, apart from that, everything else was fantastic. French bread off the table every morning with butter, a bowl of coffee (yes, I contemplated whether I should be drinking out of it on the first day), all after a crouched down shower at 7am in the morning. 15 minutes to work commencing at 8, finish work at 16:45, get home, sleep, wake up, eat really nice food dinner at 20:30 - 21:00 ish and then go back to sleep, and start again.
I have an art exam for my AS course in just over 2 weeks time, so I had to do something whilst I was away - taking the theme <> I thought that something associated with skies would be great, for some reason a beautiful sunset, with a magnificent sky, really inspires me - I think one evening I ran about a mile to get a better view of a sunset, taking about 30 photographs (some are really good, if you want me to email you some then just ask), and anyway, the scenery was amazing, oh and French trees have so much more life than British ones! Anyway...
The town was quite nice, mostly all was rebuilt after the second world war, there's an incredible Cathedral there - a full of character fairly large town (60,000 people), packed with Boulangeries - oh the food...mmm.
The night life was good-ish. Myself and a mate from England saw Monsters Inc - in French of course, the screen was absolutely enormous, then went on a bar crawl...sadly one that we found had a large percentage of the town's gay/lesbian people, too much being stared at, but free drinks though! We left quickly after the free drinks...
A group of English people including myself went out to a proper bar - an Irish bar - last wednesday, much better, although I got pretty light headed, I don't usually buy everyone drinks, amongst other things...bad, bad me...
Ok, lunchtimes: food in France is delicious, even if you're a vegetarian who eats fish, you will survive tastily - loads of bread, "gratin" (potatoes/cheese plus other filling), crepe (pancakes), everything was really nice. Oh right, at lunchtime I took it upon myself to have a 2 hour lunch break, allowing a return trip of a 30 minute walk to a hypermarche where some English were working, and met them for lunch, and ate lots and lots of food.
I had a fantastic time, made some people cry (not out of violence, but because I was leaving, maybe they cried out of happiness?) and drew lots of surreal sketches. Oh, and we had a blind smelly dog at the house, called Zene. And a chicken and cockeral.
I would definitely recommend getting away from it all, even if it's not for a holiday, if only to make you appreciate the modern luxuries and conveniences you have in your own home when you return - I was stunned at my room and completely forgot I even had a computer, but I am pleased to be back, and ready for England once more...
Thanks for reading. If you read it all, got bored and feel like complaining then just think - did you have to work where I did, and with creatures from some unkind place? No...
Dan
For the last two weeks I've been residing in France, near a town called Beauvais in the Oise department - a work experience/life experience trip to help improve French of course, anyway I won't bore you if I can help it, just skip what you don't find interesting and you'll survive.
2 weeks in a whole other country, with a completely different non English speaking family, and a work placement to bore the paint off freshly coated walls, but the working aside I had a fantastic time, although there really is no place like home!
Travelling with 26 strangers on a 9 hour combined coach/ferry journey was just enough time to get people anxious enough to meet there foreign hosts, I didn't know who I'd be staying with, but thankfully they were a really nice family.
After leaving the other English peoples, I was driven to their house - which at first seemed like something from a few decades ago, a barn style building in the heart of the countryside - luckily it wasn't as basic as I'd first thought, I did discover a washing machine next to the bath, and there was a table to eat off - a complete culture change, something that I could really do with after some complications at home just before I left.
Right, the work placement I was appointed with was in a tooth brush factory. Now it may seem boring, but believe me - it was the more mind numbingly monotonous than anything anyone can imagine until they actually do two weeks of it *menatal shuddering* imagine. 7 hours a day of waiting for boxes to be full of toothbrushes, then stacking them in a pile, occasionally sticking tickets on them. Mentally challenging I know...
From time to time I was graced with the position of actually putting the toothbrushes in the boxes, sealing them and giving them to some other poor (but nonetheless getting paid) factory cog, or maybe I would do a morning's worth of quality control. Either way, never, ever work in a factory. Although, I was told the pay was a lot better there than in most other jobs, having no skills whatsoever and getting paid a lot seems odd, but it comes at the price of respect and feeling of success, I would imagine...
"What do you want to be when you're older?"
"Ah! A toothbrush factory employee, without question!!"
I hope that will never be the case, at least I was only subjected to two weeks of it, enough time to lose my mind, and find it again - seriously, to pass the time I was coversing with myself in my head about how boring it was. Ok, aside from that, it was a good scenario to test listening skills and talking, except they didn't really talk. Most of them resembled something that had just crawled out of a swamp, not a pretty sight, or aroma *more shuddering*
As I said, apart from that, everything else was fantastic. French bread off the table every morning with butter, a bowl of coffee (yes, I contemplated whether I should be drinking out of it on the first day), all after a crouched down shower at 7am in the morning. 15 minutes to work commencing at 8, finish work at 16:45, get home, sleep, wake up, eat really nice food dinner at 20:30 - 21:00 ish and then go back to sleep, and start again.
I have an art exam for my AS course in just over 2 weeks time, so I had to do something whilst I was away - taking the theme <
The town was quite nice, mostly all was rebuilt after the second world war, there's an incredible Cathedral there - a full of character fairly large town (60,000 people), packed with Boulangeries - oh the food...mmm.
The night life was good-ish. Myself and a mate from England saw Monsters Inc - in French of course, the screen was absolutely enormous, then went on a bar crawl...sadly one that we found had a large percentage of the town's gay/lesbian people, too much being stared at, but free drinks though! We left quickly after the free drinks...
A group of English people including myself went out to a proper bar - an Irish bar - last wednesday, much better, although I got pretty light headed, I don't usually buy everyone drinks, amongst other things...bad, bad me...
Ok, lunchtimes: food in France is delicious, even if you're a vegetarian who eats fish, you will survive tastily - loads of bread, "gratin" (potatoes/cheese plus other filling), crepe (pancakes), everything was really nice. Oh right, at lunchtime I took it upon myself to have a 2 hour lunch break, allowing a return trip of a 30 minute walk to a hypermarche where some English were working, and met them for lunch, and ate lots and lots of food.
I had a fantastic time, made some people cry (not out of violence, but because I was leaving, maybe they cried out of happiness?) and drew lots of surreal sketches. Oh, and we had a blind smelly dog at the house, called Zene. And a chicken and cockeral.
I would definitely recommend getting away from it all, even if it's not for a holiday, if only to make you appreciate the modern luxuries and conveniences you have in your own home when you return - I was stunned at my room and completely forgot I even had a computer, but I am pleased to be back, and ready for England once more...
Thanks for reading. If you read it all, got bored and feel like complaining then just think - did you have to work where I did, and with creatures from some unkind place? No...
Dan
Most times when I go to France its to Paris, so I don't really get a culture shock like you. Although their way of life, food and general attitude is different, big cities are fundamentally the same nowadays. You don't have to look hard to find english speakers be it in cafés, shops or restaurants.
Luckily once a year I get to experience the other side of the coin. There's a tiny cove in north Britany called Trebeurden and its here I gain most of my experience of a different culture.
Luckily once a year I get to experience the other side of the coin. There's a tiny cove in north Britany called Trebeurden and its here I gain most of my experience of a different culture.
Well I didn't notice the spelling mistakes, to be honest!
Did it improve your French?
I agree, getting away certainly helps give you some perspective.
Did it improve your French?
I agree, getting away certainly helps give you some perspective.
Firstly, a brief hello from me, I haven't posted a topic for a very long time, so please excuse my absence, my mum will probably send a note in...
For the last two weeks I've been residing in France, near a town called Beauvais in the Oise department - a work experience/life experience trip to help improve French of course, anyway I won't bore you if I can help it, just skip what you don't find interesting and you'll survive.
2 weeks in a whole other country, with a completely different non English speaking family, and a work placement to bore the paint off freshly coated walls, but the working aside I had a fantastic time, although there really is no place like home!
Travelling with 26 strangers on a 9 hour combined coach/ferry journey was just enough time to get people anxious enough to meet there foreign hosts, I didn't know who I'd be staying with, but thankfully they were a really nice family.
After leaving the other English peoples, I was driven to their house - which at first seemed like something from a few decades ago, a barn style building in the heart of the countryside - luckily it wasn't as basic as I'd first thought, I did discover a washing machine next to the bath, and there was a table to eat off - a complete culture change, something that I could really do with after some complications at home just before I left.
Right, the work placement I was appointed with was in a tooth brush factory. Now it may seem boring, but believe me - it was the more mind numbingly monotonous than anything anyone can imagine until they actually do two weeks of it *menatal shuddering* imagine. 7 hours a day of waiting for boxes to be full of toothbrushes, then stacking them in a pile, occasionally sticking tickets on them. Mentally challenging I know...
From time to time I was graced with the position of actually putting the toothbrushes in the boxes, sealing them and giving them to some other poor (but nonetheless getting paid) factory cog, or maybe I would do a morning's worth of quality control. Either way, never, ever work in a factory. Although, I was told the pay was a lot better there than in most other jobs, having no skills whatsoever and getting paid a lot seems odd, but it comes at the price of respect and feeling of success, I would imagine...
"What do you want to be when you're older?"
"Ah! A toothbrush factory employee, without question!!"
I hope that will never be the case, at least I was only subjected to two weeks of it, enough time to lose my mind, and find it again - seriously, to pass the time I was coversing with myself in my head about how boring it was. Ok, aside from that, it was a good scenario to test listening skills and talking, except they didn't really talk. Most of them resembled something that had just crawled out of a swamp, not a pretty sight, or aroma *more shuddering*
As I said, apart from that, everything else was fantastic. French bread off the table every morning with butter, a bowl of coffee (yes, I contemplated whether I should be drinking out of it on the first day), all after a crouched down shower at 7am in the morning. 15 minutes to work commencing at 8, finish work at 16:45, get home, sleep, wake up, eat really nice food dinner at 20:30 - 21:00 ish and then go back to sleep, and start again.
I have an art exam for my AS course in just over 2 weeks time, so I had to do something whilst I was away - taking the theme <> I thought that something associated with skies would be great, for some reason a beautiful sunset, with a magnificent sky, really inspires me - I think one evening I ran about a mile to get a better view of a sunset, taking about 30 photographs (some are really good, if you want me to email you some then just ask), and anyway, the scenery was amazing, oh and French trees have so much more life than British ones! Anyway...
The town was quite nice, mostly all was rebuilt after the second world war, there's an incredible Cathedral there - a full of character fairly large town (60,000 people), packed with Boulangeries - oh the food...mmm.
The night life was good-ish. Myself and a mate from England saw Monsters Inc - in French of course, the screen was absolutely enormous, then went on a bar crawl...sadly one that we found had a large percentage of the town's gay/lesbian people, too much being stared at, but free drinks though! We left quickly after the free drinks...
A group of English people including myself went out to a proper bar - an Irish bar - last wednesday, much better, although I got pretty light headed, I don't usually buy everyone drinks, amongst other things...bad, bad me...
Ok, lunchtimes: food in France is delicious, even if you're a vegetarian who eats fish, you will survive tastily - loads of bread, "gratin" (potatoes/cheese plus other filling), crepe (pancakes), everything was really nice. Oh right, at lunchtime I took it upon myself to have a 2 hour lunch break, allowing a return trip of a 30 minute walk to a hypermarche where some English were working, and met them for lunch, and ate lots and lots of food.
I had a fantastic time, made some people cry (not out of violence, but because I was leaving, maybe they cried out of happiness?) and drew lots of surreal sketches. Oh, and we had a blind smelly dog at the house, called Zene. And a chicken and cockeral.
I would definitely recommend getting away from it all, even if it's not for a holiday, if only to make you appreciate the modern luxuries and conveniences you have in your own home when you return - I was stunned at my room and completely forgot I even had a computer, but I am pleased to be back, and ready for England once more...
Thanks for reading. If you read it all, got bored and feel like complaining then just think - did you have to work where I did, and with creatures from some unkind place? No...
Dan
For the last two weeks I've been residing in France, near a town called Beauvais in the Oise department - a work experience/life experience trip to help improve French of course, anyway I won't bore you if I can help it, just skip what you don't find interesting and you'll survive.
2 weeks in a whole other country, with a completely different non English speaking family, and a work placement to bore the paint off freshly coated walls, but the working aside I had a fantastic time, although there really is no place like home!
Travelling with 26 strangers on a 9 hour combined coach/ferry journey was just enough time to get people anxious enough to meet there foreign hosts, I didn't know who I'd be staying with, but thankfully they were a really nice family.
After leaving the other English peoples, I was driven to their house - which at first seemed like something from a few decades ago, a barn style building in the heart of the countryside - luckily it wasn't as basic as I'd first thought, I did discover a washing machine next to the bath, and there was a table to eat off - a complete culture change, something that I could really do with after some complications at home just before I left.
Right, the work placement I was appointed with was in a tooth brush factory. Now it may seem boring, but believe me - it was the more mind numbingly monotonous than anything anyone can imagine until they actually do two weeks of it *menatal shuddering* imagine. 7 hours a day of waiting for boxes to be full of toothbrushes, then stacking them in a pile, occasionally sticking tickets on them. Mentally challenging I know...
From time to time I was graced with the position of actually putting the toothbrushes in the boxes, sealing them and giving them to some other poor (but nonetheless getting paid) factory cog, or maybe I would do a morning's worth of quality control. Either way, never, ever work in a factory. Although, I was told the pay was a lot better there than in most other jobs, having no skills whatsoever and getting paid a lot seems odd, but it comes at the price of respect and feeling of success, I would imagine...
"What do you want to be when you're older?"
"Ah! A toothbrush factory employee, without question!!"
I hope that will never be the case, at least I was only subjected to two weeks of it, enough time to lose my mind, and find it again - seriously, to pass the time I was coversing with myself in my head about how boring it was. Ok, aside from that, it was a good scenario to test listening skills and talking, except they didn't really talk. Most of them resembled something that had just crawled out of a swamp, not a pretty sight, or aroma *more shuddering*
As I said, apart from that, everything else was fantastic. French bread off the table every morning with butter, a bowl of coffee (yes, I contemplated whether I should be drinking out of it on the first day), all after a crouched down shower at 7am in the morning. 15 minutes to work commencing at 8, finish work at 16:45, get home, sleep, wake up, eat really nice food dinner at 20:30 - 21:00 ish and then go back to sleep, and start again.
I have an art exam for my AS course in just over 2 weeks time, so I had to do something whilst I was away - taking the theme <
The town was quite nice, mostly all was rebuilt after the second world war, there's an incredible Cathedral there - a full of character fairly large town (60,000 people), packed with Boulangeries - oh the food...mmm.
The night life was good-ish. Myself and a mate from England saw Monsters Inc - in French of course, the screen was absolutely enormous, then went on a bar crawl...sadly one that we found had a large percentage of the town's gay/lesbian people, too much being stared at, but free drinks though! We left quickly after the free drinks...
A group of English people including myself went out to a proper bar - an Irish bar - last wednesday, much better, although I got pretty light headed, I don't usually buy everyone drinks, amongst other things...bad, bad me...
Ok, lunchtimes: food in France is delicious, even if you're a vegetarian who eats fish, you will survive tastily - loads of bread, "gratin" (potatoes/cheese plus other filling), crepe (pancakes), everything was really nice. Oh right, at lunchtime I took it upon myself to have a 2 hour lunch break, allowing a return trip of a 30 minute walk to a hypermarche where some English were working, and met them for lunch, and ate lots and lots of food.
I had a fantastic time, made some people cry (not out of violence, but because I was leaving, maybe they cried out of happiness?) and drew lots of surreal sketches. Oh, and we had a blind smelly dog at the house, called Zene. And a chicken and cockeral.
I would definitely recommend getting away from it all, even if it's not for a holiday, if only to make you appreciate the modern luxuries and conveniences you have in your own home when you return - I was stunned at my room and completely forgot I even had a computer, but I am pleased to be back, and ready for England once more...
Thanks for reading. If you read it all, got bored and feel like complaining then just think - did you have to work where I did, and with creatures from some unkind place? No...
Dan