Hellooo. I'm still alive and haven't been blown away by the Mistral as yet. In the month since I last blogged, so much has happened!
The fuss about the strikes seems to have died down. Since I got back from England there has only been one more general strike (in two weeks!), so that's good.
Despite Marseille airport being barricaded on the morning of my flight, I managed to get home safely for a lovely two weeks back in the UK. The train I had planned to take to the airport had been cancelled due to the strikes, so I had to get a different one. I stumbled down to the station with my suitcase and just sat and waited for the next available train going to where i needed to go. I made friends with two canadians who were also trying to flee Avignon and get to the airport. They didn't speak very good french, so whenever there was an announcement over the tannoy at the station they came over to me to ask what they'd said. As it was, the next train arrived on time, but was delayed leaving the station for just over an hour. there were lots of announcements.
I had 2 hours to kill at the airport before i could even check in, so i bought myself a mediocre filled baguette, set up camp and watched bridget jones. On the day of my flight, I went to the doctors near my flat in Avignon. I had been getting steadily more and more poorly throughout the course of the week, and finally woke up one morning for school and realised i had lost my voice. I had to phone in sick and croak out an apology to the headmistress... quite difficult when you don't know the vocab and your voice isn't working. The doctor diagnosed me with bronchitis and prescribed me some really strong antibiotics and painkillers. I took some with my baguette at the airport, and they knocked me out suitably enough so that I slept in the departure lounge and all through the flight zzzzzzz.
I had an amazing time back in the UK. I went and saw my family, all my friends in cardiff and even drove down to exeter to see my brother. I miss absolutely everybody more and more each day, so it was so lovely to see them all while i was back. Even people who i know but don't really see much of in cardiff (some people i don't even have on facebook !) were asking me how things were going over here, which was really nice. I stayed with my old flatmates while i was in cardiff and had such a brilliant time. we went to all our favourite haunts and drank loads of tea and went shopping and out for a wagamamas and to the cinema, and for a second, i almost forgot i didn't live there anymore. I drove straight from cardiff to exeter to see my brother for a few hours one afternoon. Half term traffic and dodgy sat nav directions meant that we didn't get to spend as much time together as i had expected, but as always it was really nice to see him and have a bit of a catch up (and go for a chicken pitta at nandos).
Back in France, and everything is going well! I brought mincemeat, fairy lights, a christmas scented air freshener and a hotel chocolat advent calendar back with me to get me through until christmas back home. turns out i needn't have bothered. i didn't expect christmas in france to be much of a big deal, but it is. the supermarket had their christmas stock in in october, christmas lights are everywhere throughout town, and there is a definite whiff of bonfire in the air. the only slight problem is that the days are not at all cold unless the mistral comes out, and the sun rarely ceases to shine. it certainly doesn't feel like november. i don't even have my heating on, and some nights i don't even need my duvet in bed. complete and utter madness.
We went for a walk one day up the other side of the rhone valley into Les Angles, where my schools are. The view there is absolutely amazing...
Me and Helen being daft taking photos up the valley. This is her photo i stole.
Since being back, I have signed myself up to the french social security system, eaten approximately 15 baguettes, signed up to the CAF (housing benefits), been paid and bought a proper internet connection. hoorah. It is so nice having internet that is fast and doesn't cut out. I also get telly and a landline phone included in my deal, which is fab. the only downside is that i now spend my days watching iplayer and private practice on megavideo, and not going out seeing the beautiful french countryside.
I keep saying that i have plenty of time to see these things, but now i'm a bit worried that time is running out. There's only 4 weeks until i'll be heading home for christmas! This weekend will go really quickly, the following weekend we'll hopefully be going to Marseille or Montpellier, the weekend after that i'm going to go up to stay with Kathryn in Paris, then there would just be one more weekend to go until the end of term. bonkers.
School is going well - i swear the little kiddies get cuter every week. we learnt if you're happy and you're know it, and b-i-n-g-o. we mostly sing and play games. it's very nice getting paid to sing and play, although it's making me quite nostalgic for when i used to go to school.
I noticed the other day that all i seem to ever have in my fridge is chocolate mousse, jam and cheese. it made me wonder what it is i actually have been living off, and since then, i've been trying to make a conscious effort to eat better. i went to the market and bought loads of veg (including parsnips!) and cooked myself a mini roast dinner for my tea. it was really yummy. definitely going to do it again. since there are so many americans in avignon, next week we're doing a huge thanksgiving dinner for everyone! me and nicky, who is from Ohio, went to the butcher today to order the turkey, which is really exciting! i think it'll be a really lovely evening.
i promise i'll try and update this more. if i think of anything more to add i'll do another one.
i love and miss you all so much. please send me post! ♥
p.s. if you're wondering what this blog's title is about... me and helen had fishfingers, chips and peas for tea tonight. we went to get a lemon, and the only ones they had were by a brand called 'fanny'. absolutely incredible. i took a photo. i'll post it up here soon.
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