Yesterday I was reading about the new smoking ban that goes into effect tomorrow in France. Smoking will no longer be allowed in places of business (like shops), schools, and hospitals. Then in January next year it will not be allowed in any public places including restaurants and bars. (They wanted to give people a year longer to adjust to the idea.)
I also read that in France about 1 in 3 people smoke. It is a large number, but I believe it after being here for 4 months. People smoke everywhere including the teachers at school. When I first started working here I was startled to see the teachers light up in the teacher’s lounge. I though it was strange to see them smoking at a school where children might see, so imagine my surprise the next day when I saw a teacher smoking on the playground while the kids were at recess! I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing!
There is one teacher in particular who is always smoking on the playground, so it will be amusing to see what happens tomorrow. He will probably have to leave campus 10 times a day to get his nicotine fix.
It is a little sad that the smoking ban for bars and restaurants doesn’t go into effect until next year. The smoke is one of the hardest things I have had to deal with here. Even if I sit in the nonsmoking area, I still go home stinking like smoke. Most times I have to go wash my hair because the smell is so strong it makes me sick.
It will be interesting to see how French culture is changed because of the smoking ban. It seems that smoking a cigarette is as French as wearing a beret.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Winter Wonderland
We ended up getting about 4 inches of snow. It made everything look so pretty. It has also been REALLY cold, so not much has melted in the last two days. The highs have only been in the 20’s. Also in Belfort they don’t shovel the sidewalks, so they have become ice rinks. I almost fell about five times going to my classes this morning. It really makes me miss Boulder, where you had to have the sidewalks shoveled by 12 pm the next day!!
We are supposed to have another chance of snow tomorrow night. I guess it is a good thing that we aren’t going anywhere this weekend. It might be a little too cold for sightseeing.
The first weekend of February we are going to Paris. We are going to Disneyland on Saturday, and then go to Versailles on Sunday because in winter the first Sunday of every month admission is free. We would be saving like 18 or 20 euros, so that sounds good to me.
Here are a couple of pictures of the snow from my bedroom window.
Just a couple of hours after it started…
This is a view of the castle in the morning.
We are supposed to have another chance of snow tomorrow night. I guess it is a good thing that we aren’t going anywhere this weekend. It might be a little too cold for sightseeing.
The first weekend of February we are going to Paris. We are going to Disneyland on Saturday, and then go to Versailles on Sunday because in winter the first Sunday of every month admission is free. We would be saving like 18 or 20 euros, so that sounds good to me.
Here are a couple of pictures of the snow from my bedroom window.
Just a couple of hours after it started…
This is a view of the castle in the morning.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Let it snow...
Well, it has just started to snow in Belfort for the first time this winter. It looks really pretty falling down in the lights.
I knew it was going to snow today because the kids were so crazy today. It was tough to get through all the lessons, but I made it. I don't have to work tomorrow, so if we get enough snow maybe I can go take some pictures. I hope it isn’t all melted by then.
Also, I have just updated my Web site with my pictures from Neuchâtel, so check them out.
web.mac.com/downinga
I knew it was going to snow today because the kids were so crazy today. It was tough to get through all the lessons, but I made it. I don't have to work tomorrow, so if we get enough snow maybe I can go take some pictures. I hope it isn’t all melted by then.
Also, I have just updated my Web site with my pictures from Neuchâtel, so check them out.
web.mac.com/downinga
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Neuchâtel, Switzerland
We had a good time in Neuchâtel. It is an absolutely gorgeous town. It sits right on Lake Neuchâtel, which is the biggest lake entirely in Switzerland. It also has spectacular views of the Alps. They are just on the other side of the lake. They were all covered in snow. I even saw Mt. Blanc for the first time!
On Saturday we decided to go on a hike to see this gorge thing called Creux-du-Van. It is located in the Jura Mountains to the west of Neuchâtel. We asked at the information place, and they said it was a little hilly and it would take about an hour and a half to get to it.
That was not the case at all. It was the HARDEST climb I have even done in my life. It had about 2100 feet of elevation gain. In the end it took up 2 hours and 45 minutes. Then we got to the top, and this is all we could see…
Here is what it is supposed to look like. Just a little different…
We worked so hard, and all we saw was fog. It was such a bummer!! At least we all made it. That night we came back completely exhausted and sore, but we went out to dinner and had fondue. It was fun to have real Swiss fondue in Switzerland, and I didn’t lose a single piece of bread in the pot!
Today we saw some more of the town. There is a really beautiful castle, but we could only see it from the outside because it is closed in the winter. (It is hard to travel in January, I guess) I still got some neat pictures of the outside though. We also walked down to the lake on a little promenade. It was a nice weather the entire time, cool but sunny.
I really liked Switzerland. Before this trip I had only passed through it a few times in Bâle. This was the first time I had spent any real time there. The Swiss people are all really nice and friendly, and they keep everything so clean. Plus they actually stop to let you cross the road, which is nice.
Even though we didn’t get to see the gorge it was still a fun trip. Now I have to go back in to work mode. This week I will be teaching all the kiddies about animals. Good times!
I will put up pictures on my Web site soon.
On Saturday we decided to go on a hike to see this gorge thing called Creux-du-Van. It is located in the Jura Mountains to the west of Neuchâtel. We asked at the information place, and they said it was a little hilly and it would take about an hour and a half to get to it.
That was not the case at all. It was the HARDEST climb I have even done in my life. It had about 2100 feet of elevation gain. In the end it took up 2 hours and 45 minutes. Then we got to the top, and this is all we could see…
Here is what it is supposed to look like. Just a little different…
We worked so hard, and all we saw was fog. It was such a bummer!! At least we all made it. That night we came back completely exhausted and sore, but we went out to dinner and had fondue. It was fun to have real Swiss fondue in Switzerland, and I didn’t lose a single piece of bread in the pot!
Today we saw some more of the town. There is a really beautiful castle, but we could only see it from the outside because it is closed in the winter. (It is hard to travel in January, I guess) I still got some neat pictures of the outside though. We also walked down to the lake on a little promenade. It was a nice weather the entire time, cool but sunny.
I really liked Switzerland. Before this trip I had only passed through it a few times in Bâle. This was the first time I had spent any real time there. The Swiss people are all really nice and friendly, and they keep everything so clean. Plus they actually stop to let you cross the road, which is nice.
Even though we didn’t get to see the gorge it was still a fun trip. Now I have to go back in to work mode. This week I will be teaching all the kiddies about animals. Good times!
I will put up pictures on my Web site soon.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Life in France
We finally got our heating back last night. I guess our landlady forgot to put something in the main boiler thing downstairs, so all four apartment in the building didn’t have any heat. Somehow that just isn’t too surprising…
Yesterday we went to an exposition on the city of Belfort. This year the town is celebrating its 700th birthday, so the exposition was about the history of the town. It is hard to believe this town is 700 years old. There is just nothing in the States that is that old!
Also Sarah writes a short article for her college newspaper about her adventures in France. This time she wanted to write about some of the differences in everyday life we have noticed. The three of us brainstormed. We came up with a lot of funny things, so here is a copy of the article. Sarah wrote it , but the ideas are all of ours. I left it just how she wrote it because the phrases in “real” England English are also amusing. Here are some translations:
1.Chave = the best translation I have come up with for this word is a person who is a “tool”
2. Zebra crossing = cross walk
3. brollies = umbrellas
Pourquoi…?
Pourquoi do the French male chavs all follow the fashion of having either a
burberry handbag (no really) or a pastel coloured bumbag (or fanny pack as my housemate calls it) with some kind of animal depicted on it.? (the baby blue kangaroo is the best we’ve seen)
Pourquoi is there poo everywhere?
Pourquoi do the French dance with their hands facing down whilst clutching said pastel elephant handbag?
Pourquoi is it necessary to say “Bon appetit” anytime you see someone (usually a stranger) eating anything, however small (on the train, sitting on a bench, walking down the street on your own…)
Pourquoi is it fashionable to have one trouser leg rolled up to your knee and the other tucked into your sock?
Pourquoi do the French always feel the need to push in the queue?
Pourquoi do the French have no concept of time e.g. discussing their husbands’ hemorrhoids with a stranger when buying tickets at the train station, despite knowing there are 27 people behind them who want to catch the train leaving in 34 seconds. E.g.2 stopping the bus when I need to get to work so that a little old lady can get off to buy the bus driver breakfast.
Pourquoi does a green man mean nothing on a zebra crossing?
Pourquoi do they not sell salt and vinegar crisps/peanut butter / baked beans/ bacon/ decent chewing gum?
Pourquoi do the French tramps prefer to hold their brollies over their dogs rather than themselves in the pouring rain?
Pourquoi does a baguette only last for one day before the only thing left to do with it is to throw it off the balcony to see how far it will go?
Pourquoi is everything shut for 2 hours every lunchtime and all day Sunday and Monday when this is the only time anyone has off work?
Pourquoi have I not seen anyone wearing a beret or with a string of garlic round their neck?
Pourquoi do the French never smile when the sky is blue most of the time? They are probably trying not to step in the poo!
Yesterday we went to an exposition on the city of Belfort. This year the town is celebrating its 700th birthday, so the exposition was about the history of the town. It is hard to believe this town is 700 years old. There is just nothing in the States that is that old!
Also Sarah writes a short article for her college newspaper about her adventures in France. This time she wanted to write about some of the differences in everyday life we have noticed. The three of us brainstormed. We came up with a lot of funny things, so here is a copy of the article. Sarah wrote it , but the ideas are all of ours. I left it just how she wrote it because the phrases in “real” England English are also amusing. Here are some translations:
1.Chave = the best translation I have come up with for this word is a person who is a “tool”
2. Zebra crossing = cross walk
3. brollies = umbrellas
Pourquoi…?
Pourquoi do the French male chavs all follow the fashion of having either a
burberry handbag (no really) or a pastel coloured bumbag (or fanny pack as my housemate calls it) with some kind of animal depicted on it.? (the baby blue kangaroo is the best we’ve seen)
Pourquoi is there poo everywhere?
Pourquoi do the French dance with their hands facing down whilst clutching said pastel elephant handbag?
Pourquoi is it necessary to say “Bon appetit” anytime you see someone (usually a stranger) eating anything, however small (on the train, sitting on a bench, walking down the street on your own…)
Pourquoi is it fashionable to have one trouser leg rolled up to your knee and the other tucked into your sock?
Pourquoi do the French always feel the need to push in the queue?
Pourquoi do the French have no concept of time e.g. discussing their husbands’ hemorrhoids with a stranger when buying tickets at the train station, despite knowing there are 27 people behind them who want to catch the train leaving in 34 seconds. E.g.2 stopping the bus when I need to get to work so that a little old lady can get off to buy the bus driver breakfast.
Pourquoi does a green man mean nothing on a zebra crossing?
Pourquoi do they not sell salt and vinegar crisps/peanut butter / baked beans/ bacon/ decent chewing gum?
Pourquoi do the French tramps prefer to hold their brollies over their dogs rather than themselves in the pouring rain?
Pourquoi does a baguette only last for one day before the only thing left to do with it is to throw it off the balcony to see how far it will go?
Pourquoi is everything shut for 2 hours every lunchtime and all day Sunday and Monday when this is the only time anyone has off work?
Pourquoi have I not seen anyone wearing a beret or with a string of garlic round their neck?
Pourquoi do the French never smile when the sky is blue most of the time? They are probably trying not to step in the poo!
Monday, January 15, 2007
Football in France
Last night I watched my first live American football game in France. They had the live feed from FOX for the Bears and Seahawks game with French commentators. There are a lot more commercials in America, so we got to look at the crowd when FOX went to a commercial in the US.
It was interesting to hear what the commentators were saying. They didn’t do any play by play because they spent a lot of the time explaining everything for the people who don’t understand the game, which is pretty much everyone in France. Sarah joked that I was probably the only one watching the game in the entire country of France. I told her that Matt, the other American assistant in Belfort, was probably watching it too, so it wasn't a complete loss.
It was really the best of both worlds because I was able to watch football and practice my French at the same time. It doesn’t get much better than that!!
I am still working on the roomies. They didn’t want to watch the game. Maybe in a couple of weeks when the Super Bowl is on they will realize how great football really is. There is still time!
In other news every radiator in our apartment has decided to stop working, so it is getting quite cold in here. We pay 150 euros a month just for heating, so it is really annoying that they are not working. Our landlady is coming by tomorrow, so hopefully we can get them working. Right now we are just bundling up as much as we can, but it is still really bad when you have to get up early and to shower!!
It was interesting to hear what the commentators were saying. They didn’t do any play by play because they spent a lot of the time explaining everything for the people who don’t understand the game, which is pretty much everyone in France. Sarah joked that I was probably the only one watching the game in the entire country of France. I told her that Matt, the other American assistant in Belfort, was probably watching it too, so it wasn't a complete loss.
It was really the best of both worlds because I was able to watch football and practice my French at the same time. It doesn’t get much better than that!!
I am still working on the roomies. They didn’t want to watch the game. Maybe in a couple of weeks when the Super Bowl is on they will realize how great football really is. There is still time!
In other news every radiator in our apartment has decided to stop working, so it is getting quite cold in here. We pay 150 euros a month just for heating, so it is really annoying that they are not working. Our landlady is coming by tomorrow, so hopefully we can get them working. Right now we are just bundling up as much as we can, but it is still really bad when you have to get up early and to shower!!
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Shopping French Style
Every January in France there are nation wide sales, les soldes. All stores have huge sales on their clothes, shoes and other accessories, and everyone goes crazy.
Sarah, Mandy and I decided today that we were going to hit up some of the sales, so we went to the town of Montbéliard, which is about 15 minutes by train. We went there for a Christmas market in December. While we were there we noticed they had a lot more shops than Belfort, so we wanted to give it a try.
There are some really good deals out there. Almost everything is at least 30 percent off and some stuff is as high as 70 percent. In the sales I bought a two purses for about 17 euros because they were 50 and 70 percent off. It is amazing how cheap things were.
I think everyone in France just waits until January to buy their clothes for the whole year. Every store is so crowded, but I guess you can’t blame them. They just want to save a little money like me!
I think I read somewhere that it is actually a government-mandated sale, and it goes on for about 6 weeks! I wish the US had something like that every year. It was so exciting to see how much money you were saving (but I guess you aren’t really saving much when you buy more stuff ☺).
It was a nice way to spend the afternoon because this morning we had another meeting with the other language teachers. They are so bad because we have to meet at 8:30 in the morning on a Saturday, and sit around and do nothing. It would be really nice if we actually learned or discussed something. O-well, at least it is only once a month.
I think next weekend we are going to go to Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Someone recommended it to me, and when I looked it up it looked really nice. It isn't far from here. Just a little south of Bale. I guess I will spend my Sunday doing some more research on the Internet. It should be fun!
Sarah, Mandy and I decided today that we were going to hit up some of the sales, so we went to the town of Montbéliard, which is about 15 minutes by train. We went there for a Christmas market in December. While we were there we noticed they had a lot more shops than Belfort, so we wanted to give it a try.
There are some really good deals out there. Almost everything is at least 30 percent off and some stuff is as high as 70 percent. In the sales I bought a two purses for about 17 euros because they were 50 and 70 percent off. It is amazing how cheap things were.
I think everyone in France just waits until January to buy their clothes for the whole year. Every store is so crowded, but I guess you can’t blame them. They just want to save a little money like me!
I think I read somewhere that it is actually a government-mandated sale, and it goes on for about 6 weeks! I wish the US had something like that every year. It was so exciting to see how much money you were saving (but I guess you aren’t really saving much when you buy more stuff ☺).
It was a nice way to spend the afternoon because this morning we had another meeting with the other language teachers. They are so bad because we have to meet at 8:30 in the morning on a Saturday, and sit around and do nothing. It would be really nice if we actually learned or discussed something. O-well, at least it is only once a month.
I think next weekend we are going to go to Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Someone recommended it to me, and when I looked it up it looked really nice. It isn't far from here. Just a little south of Bale. I guess I will spend my Sunday doing some more research on the Internet. It should be fun!
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
The New Year in France
Yesterday was a really hard day because I have been suffering from some really bad jet lag. Sunday night I couldn’t fall asleep until about 5 am, and I had to get up at 7 am. Then I had to teach six classes and tutor on two hours of sleep. I was pretty tired. I wouldn’t allow myself to rest at all during the day, so last night I went to bed at 10 pm and slept until 8 am. It was so nice. I felt a lot better when I woke up. It is also good to know that the worst of it is over. It is definitely easier when you travel west because you just get up earlier. Instead of just being in bed thinking that you should be asleep.
I know it wasn’t this bad when I came out in September. My friend, Tamar, said it was because we were both in survival mode when we arrived in France the first time. Now I am used to being here, so my body is not so shocked.
Yesterday I must have been whished happy New Year by about 25 different people. I was really amazed so many people said it to me even a week into the New Year. I asked the lady I tutored about it, and she told me that it is the custom in France to wish all your acquaintances “Bonne Année” up until the end of January. If you don’t, some people might see you as being rude. She is a hairdresser, and she said she only says it for the first two weeks because it starts to get annoying after a while. I think this is a really interesting custom because in the US you really don’t hear the phrase uttered past January 3.
I will have to remember to say it to everyone, so I won’t be seen as the rude American.
So…Bonne Année everyone!!
I know it wasn’t this bad when I came out in September. My friend, Tamar, said it was because we were both in survival mode when we arrived in France the first time. Now I am used to being here, so my body is not so shocked.
Yesterday I must have been whished happy New Year by about 25 different people. I was really amazed so many people said it to me even a week into the New Year. I asked the lady I tutored about it, and she told me that it is the custom in France to wish all your acquaintances “Bonne Année” up until the end of January. If you don’t, some people might see you as being rude. She is a hairdresser, and she said she only says it for the first two weeks because it starts to get annoying after a while. I think this is a really interesting custom because in the US you really don’t hear the phrase uttered past January 3.
I will have to remember to say it to everyone, so I won’t be seen as the rude American.
So…Bonne Année everyone!!
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Back in France
Well, somehow I made it back to France. It was another long 24-hour trip. I guess it takes me exactly one day from door to door.
This time I had a layover in Detroit. It was only about an hour, so it wasn’t too bad. We also had a really good tailwind on the trip to Paris, so we landed about an hour early.
Even though I was early I barely made the train to Belfort. First it takes forever to get off the plane because they put you on a bus to take you to the terminal. I was in the back of the plane, so I had to wait even longer. Then after getting my luggage I had to take the train into Paris. Then I had to take the metro to another train station, and by the time I bought my ticket and got on the train I had 6 minutes to spare. At least I made it. I really didn’t want to wait another 3 hours for the next train!
There seemed to be a lot of people everywhere I went yesterday, so it was really hard to move with all my luggage. When I came back to California I only brought Christmas presents, so I could bring some more clothes back with me. I had a lot of stuff, and I must have looked pretty funny because everyone was staring at me.
Sarah gets back today and Mandy comes in on Sunday. I am looking forward to seeing them. I go back to teaching on Monday. Right now I really don’t want to think about planning lessons, but I will probably just do review the first week. I am sure the kids will need it after having 2 weeks off.
It was a lot of traveling but well worth it. I had a good time, and I am happy to be back in Belfort speaking French again!
This time I had a layover in Detroit. It was only about an hour, so it wasn’t too bad. We also had a really good tailwind on the trip to Paris, so we landed about an hour early.
Even though I was early I barely made the train to Belfort. First it takes forever to get off the plane because they put you on a bus to take you to the terminal. I was in the back of the plane, so I had to wait even longer. Then after getting my luggage I had to take the train into Paris. Then I had to take the metro to another train station, and by the time I bought my ticket and got on the train I had 6 minutes to spare. At least I made it. I really didn’t want to wait another 3 hours for the next train!
There seemed to be a lot of people everywhere I went yesterday, so it was really hard to move with all my luggage. When I came back to California I only brought Christmas presents, so I could bring some more clothes back with me. I had a lot of stuff, and I must have looked pretty funny because everyone was staring at me.
Sarah gets back today and Mandy comes in on Sunday. I am looking forward to seeing them. I go back to teaching on Monday. Right now I really don’t want to think about planning lessons, but I will probably just do review the first week. I am sure the kids will need it after having 2 weeks off.
It was a lot of traveling but well worth it. I had a good time, and I am happy to be back in Belfort speaking French again!
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