Lundi 9 février

Hmmm... First of all, there is no snow here. I obviously wasn't very clear about that. Yes, it did snow and I loved it. But it only lasted about half an hour. The weather is back to being grey, wet, cold and somewhat miserable! There is a big storm predicted for tonight, so we will see what happens. I would prefer that it didn't happen, thank you all the same.
And so to this morning... Marie-Helene and I caught the Number 8 bus from the St Eloi terminus into Centre Ville. I went to the bank and drew out some money - that wot hadn't already evaporated on its way over here from New Zealand! I needed money because M-H thought I should be ready to pay for the stamps one must buy before one is able to get the C de S. Yes, I am on the homeward stretch! We went into the Prefecture and got our little ticket. Then we went to the cashier and bought 275 euros (is there a euro key on this computer I wonder?) worth of special stamps, which is what the C de S costs. The cashier was a little bit crabby because I didn't put the money in the correct tray which slides back to her side. But she got over it. (And the receipt is made out to SNOOK. That's it. No mention of Widow Kroon, which usually goes with it. Had John been alive I would have been married for 40 years last month! I like the name Snook, but using my maiden name for everything is seriously weird.) Anyway, we then waited for our real turn, which happened after only 5 minutes! We got a very pleasant young woman, but all the same it was marvellous to have M-H there. She first of all asked again for the bank attestation, translated into French, and in euros. "No," Marie-Helene said. "I have spoken to Madame P (the boss!) and she says it is not necessary to be in euros." "Oh," said the Pleasant Young Woman. And she scuttled off to check. Yes, that was fine. "You must have a Social Security number," said the Pleasant Young Woman. "No", replied M-H. "Madame Kroon has New Zealand medical insurance and Madame P says it is not necessary to have Social Security. Madame Kroon is going to get that sorted anyway, and get a number, but all the same it is not necessary for the carte de sejour." "Oh," said the PYW. And she scuttled off to check. Yes, that was fine! I have to add that all this time the Very Unpleasant Woman from the Previous Visit, who happened to be in the next door booth, kept peering round the corner at me!! Then the PYW said, "Is your address still the same?" "Oui," we replied emphatically. We had decided that it was going to be just far too complicated to go through the rigmarole of changing. "Well," said the PYW, "You will soon get a letter from the Town Hall telling you to go and pick up your carte de sejour." What? Just like that? There must be a trick - too simple!! Lol.
Anyway, that was that. M-H and I went round to the Social Security place where the Receptionist told us that she couldn't help us with our enquiries because it was Monday morning. They pretty much don't do Mondays here! (Or lunchtimes, or Wednesday afternoons at the Prefecture, or Sundays..... ) But I digress. So I shouted M-H a coffee, and then I trundled - well, got the bus - back to my pretty boring class at uni. There was no-one around to have lunch with so I ended up eating by myself and then going to the Library and reading for an hour. I found a book (in English)about rhythm and beat in Poetry. It was quite interesting! I love Poetry. Actually, once again there weren't many people at university at all, because The Strike Continues! Until Thursday at least, apparently. I'm not sure if this is happening all over France or just in Poitiers. I assume it's everywhere.
Then after uni I went to the Lycee for my Monday class. As usual I got given a group and told to go and find a room to use. The room I have used before doesn't have a TV and I had a lesson based on a DVD. So we wandered round a bit more. In the end I had to go back and ask Claudine where to go. She directed us quite a long way away. We finally got there and found a TV/DVD player in a big cupboard. My key wouldn't open it. One of the girls went back and got a key from Claudine. I got it all set up, and the DVD player wouldn't work. I was getting pretty tetchy at this point. We moved next door where there was a TV and a DVD player attached to the wall. And yes, it worked. But it had taken from 4.00 till 4.30 to get things sorted. I don't know why, but I get the feeling the the kids are used to things like that. I had my plan and Claudine knew what I was going to be doing - in her situation I would have had the equipment ready. Or am I expecting too much?
Anyway. That was today. Hilary will be a bit disappointed because she thinks my stories might dry up once I get my carte de sejour. But I'm sure there are adventures a-plenty a-comin' up!

Snow, snow, thick thick snow.

As the dancing instructor said. Well, it wasn't really thick and it didn't settle, but nonetheless, today it snowed! Anne and I had just set out on our walk and were about to meet Micheline, when it started to snow. I was VERY excited. I really don't know why, but I was! Anyway, it stopped after about 5 minutes and that was that. We had a nice walk following a slightly different route. We dropped M off and headed back to Anne's. We stopped at the big square in front of the Hotel de Ville and had a very thorough look at the Aids display there. Anne is very interested in everything, and talked to one of the young men there for ages. And meanwhile I was watching a very very graphic video!! Aimed at gay men I think. I know it was foreign territory for moi! Anyway, as we walked back to Anne's, it started to snow softly again. By the time we got inside it was swirling and flurrying like nobody's business. The first photo is of me when it snowed the first time, and the other one was taken from Anne's. It's not very good, but hopefully gives you a bit of an idea of what it's like here, where it isn't 27 degrees!! I got the bus home and it was still snowing but had stopped by the time we arrived at Nelson Mandela bus stop. Not much more to tell. I wonder if it will snow overnight, and I will awaken up to a wondrous white world?

Bandwagon!

Ok, I'm on a bit of a roll now! Just thinking about the NZ government scrapping the healthy food requirement in school canteens...... Today I ate lunch in the Alienor d'Aquitaine Lycee cafeteria. I had marinated mushrooms, crusty bread, salmon, potatoes in butter and parsley, baby carrots, a green salad with a choice of dressings, rice pudding and an apple. There were other choices. It was great, and inexpensive. A bit of a step up from the bread roll I usually have at home. I actually believe that we should have meals like this in NZ for the students. I know it would be almost impossible to implement, just building the cafeterias being a huge issue to start with, but I seriously believe that it would be a wonderful way of getting some good food into the kids. It wouldn't matter then if they didn't eat much for tea. And because they have eaten well at midday they would function well in the afternoons. In fact I was just thinking about today and the class I have on Friday afternoons. They are mildly disinterested, in a teenagery sort of way (but actually quite nice and we get on well), but on the whole they are NOT totally wiped out with fatigue, and I think it's because they have eaten well beforehand. I just thought of that! The cafeteria at Alienor also does breakfast and an evening meal for those who want those meals. Hmmm.... Food for thought...... We need to realise that the times they are a-changing and we need to respond accordingly. There is an obesity epidemic, and it isn't because kids are eating rice pudding, it's because they don't eat much at all at the right times, and then they pig out on rubbish.
Well, that's got that off my chest. Do you think I should email the Minister of health? :-)

Strike one, strike two.....

....strike three and you're out. (So it was from France that softball/baseball got that idea.) There was another strike today. I arrived at university to find all the doors locked and signs saying that the buildings were "occupied". I went round to the main entrance and there was a medium sized gathering of students inside having a demonstration. Big banners, students with dreadlocks sitting on tables playing guitars, (not a judgemental statement, but fact - for some strange reason the three guys playing the guitars all had dreadlocks), people handing out leaflets.... I didn't know what to do really. They had blocked the way down the corridor I needed to go down. I don't have a problem with them striking as such, but I felt very uncomfortable being in the middle of it. Had I known about it beforehand, I would have stayed away in support. Although left-wing and all as I am, I suspect that the strikes have a somewhat diluted effect when used so regularly. Anyway, it eventually transpired that the head of our FLE department (French Language for Etrangers (foreigners)) had negotiated with the students' union and had an agreement that our classes could continue as we had paid and were not in a position to do catch up classes in June/July, as the other students are apparently. So we were allowed through the blockade. It was very eerie doing our classes in an almost empty university and I didn't really like it. I guess it's just part of the French culture, but I felt like I was put in an untenable position.
Anyway, I hope that M Sarkozy listens to what people want! I believe he is talking about the issues on television tonight, but I don't have a tele. The issues incidentally, as far as education goes, are reforms that people are unhappy with. I googled the question "Why are students on strike?" and it was funny because there were entries for every year. Anyway, I have copied something from November last year.
***Students across France are voting to strike to protect their right to an education and to demand improvements.
In the last two weeks 48 general assemblies have been held in French universities, 33 of which had more than 100 students and 7 more than 500. The main focus of the students' anger is the Pécresse law (on 'autonomy') which is seen as the first step towards privatisation of universities.*
Students also have many other demands mainly relating to increased budgets for universities, more bursaries, more student housing, removal of campus security and amnesties for militants, some of whom are being punished for action during the anti-CPE movement***
I presume it's still the same.
So that was today. A strange day, but interesting. Actually, I would be happy to go out on strike to show my anger at the NZ government abolishing the "healthy food" requirements in school canteens. They obviously live on another planet and haven't seen the awful results of endless very unhealthy eating. I know people will talk about choices, but as Sue Kedgeley said, we don't give students the choice of buying cigarettes at school, and I think we shouldn't give them this choice either. I know the healthy food requirement was really difficult to implement, but the catering people seemed to work very hard to make it possible. And now.... But I digress! :-)
A bientot, tout le monde. xxx

Is that a tunnel? Is that a LIGHT??

Salut! Today was my medical day. I had received a letter from the Prefecture telling me of my appointments, which I knew was coming because of Guy's connection with his new best friend at the Prefecture. I had to go for an x-ray this morning - yes, another one but what the heck - and back again for a medical this afternoon. I had to get a different bus from what I am used to, and get off at Parcobus St Gervaise. I almost came to grief before even getting to the bus stop. There had been a frost and then it had rained - or the other way round. Anyway, the footpaths were treacherous! It was really scary tottering and trying not to fall. However, I made it with all limbs inact, and caught the number 4 bus. (Vanessa, I thought of you and your skating abilities. I could have used your talents!) When I got off I plucked up courage and asked a young woman for directions. Just as well. It turned out that she works at the medical centre, but in fact I was only meant to go there this afternoon. The x-ray was at a different place, 10 minutes walk back in the direction from whence I had come. So, thank you Mum for my 'early' genes, because I had been so early I had even caught an earlier bus than intended, and so I had plenty of time. And talking to people isn't always such a bad thing. When I was in London years ago and we went on the Tube, Sophie said, "Right Mum. Listen to me. DO NOT talk to people you don't know. I know what you're like!" Well, I actually didn't feel very confident this morning but it was good that I did ask, because a) she was able to tell me the error of my ways, and b) she was able to show me where to go this afternoon and how to get in. Which involved pushing a very obscure button to open the doors, and going up to the second storey. Needless to say it wasn't well signposted.
So I went and had a chest x-ray. Quick as a flash. The very French name for the place, incidentally, is Centre D'Imagerie Medicale de La Liberation. Cool, n'est ce pas? I went home again, pottered, had an early lunch and headed back to Poitiers le Sud. I was greeted warmly by the young woman who had helped me this morning, so that was a nice introduction. However, when a large group started forming in a room, I started to wonder what was going on and got a bit of a funny feeling. It looked like it was going to be a seminar! Oh no! There were about 20 of us, mainly people from North Africa. Then a woman came in and spoke very quickly in French and introduced some people, one of whom I THINK was the boss of the Prefecture. I wonder of he knows about my horrible lady? Anyway, then another woman spoke at some length and I started to have the early stages of a minor nervous breakdown. How long was this going to take? Not that I was going anywhere, but I couldn't understand most of it, and I didn't need a talk about integration. I have been here 5 months already already! Anyway, we then watched a DVD about living and integrating in France. It was OK. I got the gist of it. Then, phew, that was the talking over. We were told to get a coffee or whatever, and one by one we would be seen by a nurse then a doctor. I only had to wait about 3 minutes, if that. (Well, I was the second person to arrive this arvo. Funny that!) I was seen by an incredibly nice nurse, followed by a lovely doctor. Both women. I was relieved at my weight, and felt that I could probably buy some chocolate afterwards on the strength of that. (And I did.) My blood pressure was a bit up, which it isn't usually, but she took it again a bit later on and it was fine. The x-ray was tres bien - in fact I was a box of fluffies. Apart from the right eye which isn't all that wonderful, but I know that, and have distance glasses! So that was that! All done. I have to drop a letter off at the Prefecture - sigh - and then I believe I just wait for my Carte de Sejour. Goodness me. But I won't count my chickens. Owing to the fact that sometimes they don't all hatch you know! But I am hopeful.
I found a terrible mall across the road, which would make the Stoke Mall look like Sylvia Park. But there was one dress shop. Not that I bought anything. And there was a 99 Centime Shop too! I bought a plastic scraper, a fish slice, an exercise book and a comb. Whoop de doo!
So a pretty good day really.

The weather

Bonjour tout le monde,
I have had a wee flurry of emails from concerned people, worrying that I might be snowbound. Thank you for thinking about me! I have to report that it is not snowing in Poitiers. And, after weeks of grey, cold and wet weather, this morning there was a very heavy frost, after which THE SUN CAME OUT!!! Incroyable! I guess it must be snowing in many parts of Europe, but apart from the week when I was in Al Ain, it hasn't snowed here. I left it a bit late in the day to take these photos, as the sun was just going down, but I hope you can get a sense of what a nice day it was today.
This afternoon I wasn't needed at the lycee so had an "official" conversation class with M-H. We sat and talked in French for an hour. Invaluable!
The photos: One is looking out to the road and you can see the light on in my little studio, and the other one is taken from the road, looking back past Marie-Helene and Christian's house to where I took the first photo. I hope it looks a bit French!
Merci beaucoup. xxx

A cold Sunday in Poitiers

This is Alexandra, Gi and Nuria walking into Centre Ville. Look carefully at the wall of the building behind. Cool, eh?
You could really let Sundays get to you here. They are a bit like New Zealand used to be - almost everything shut and, well - dead. So you have to be a bit proactive. Today Gi, Nuria and I had arranged to go to Nuria's appartement au Centre Ville, and Nuria was going to cook us a Mexican meal. First of all she texted to say she didn't have enough money to make a meal, but would do guacamole (sp?) for nibbles instead. Then she texted and said there were no avocados! Lol. So we ended up going there for a chat then went into Centre Ville. We bought a sandwich (filled baguette) and took it to a restaurant. (One of the few open - it was packed!) Apparently you are allowed to take food bought elsewhere as long as you buy a drink. Which we did. It was very pleasant sitting there and chatting in half french and half English. On the way back to Nuria's we came across Waalid from our class who was sitting outside (aaagh!) a Brasserie with some mates from Libya. Waalid is a nice guy, and his friends were too. "Ah New Zealand! The great All Blacks!" [I tell you what - people might think that too much in New Zealand hangs on rugby and the All Blacks, but it sure gives us a positive profile. In fact, just a profile. There would be many people who would not have heard of New Zealand otherwise. And people LOVE the All Blacks!] So anyway, we sat with the guys for a while until the cold drove Gi and me to the bus and we headed off home. A pleasant day. Nice to hang out.

This photo shows Nuria, Waalid, both from my uni class, Osama, (yes, and he gets sick of the comments poor chap,) Waalid's friend Waalid, Ali, and Gi.