Marseille

All of the language assistants had to be formally welcomed, so we had to go to Marseille (well those who didn't live in Marseille). The ones who didn't live in Marseille (like me), stayed in a hotel for two nights and also got free lunch and dinner provided by the university (all paid by the Rectorat in Marseille). First let me just say that the hotel we stayed in was AMAZING!!! And to top it off we also got free breakfast for the days we stayed there (2 days). In addition, getting to Marseille was exciting for me because I had to take the train. Yes! It was the first time I took a train. Lol. It wasn't bad, it just felt like a bus ride to be honest, but just one that moved really quickly, lol. I thought for my first time on the train that I would have to go by myself, but luckily for me, one of my upstairs neighbors which is also an assistant came with me and also another assistant (Rachel). It wasn't their first time on a train, so it was just me being the excited one, lol. Marseille was beautiful. It was big (of course), but it was amazing. We had the official welcome at the university, but before we found where we were supposed to be, there we were, the assistants, just in the courtyard standing in the cold. No one came to show us where we were to go, we were just there! Lol. I can laugh now, but that morning I couldn't believe we were there standing up. However, a group of the assistants decided to walk and find where we were to go. As suspected, the other assistants followed. We found where we were supposed to be, did what we had to do and we were very much welcomed. As mentioned before, we got free lunch at the university's cafeteria. Now I don't know, but in my mind, a university's cafeteria is ON campus, but for some reason this university's cafeteria was maybe half an hour away... WHAT!?!? Who does that? Lol, no joke, we were walking for maybe half an hour to get to this cafeteria, smh, lol. I think though it was a trend (walking so far for food) because the first evening I came to Marseille, it was a Sunday, that night some of us (assistants) decided to go for dinner and the amount of walking we did...my gosh! Man I walked the whole of Barbados...TWICE!!! Lol. Ridiculous! We finally stopped at this pizzeria and enjoyed pizza. Let me tell you, I never thought I could eat a whole pizza, until I came here. Lol. I mentioned about walking for food, but walking in general...!! Those people living in Marseille don't need a gym! They don't! Lol. Of course being in Marseille, we had to explore it a little, so we wanted to go to the famous Notre Dame Cathedrale and so we walked, climbed, hiked...we did it lol. I must say though, finally reaching there and getting to the top was worth it because inside the Cathedrale was amazing and the view of the city at the top was equally amazing. The Tuesday we were there, which was also the last day of being in Marseille, we had training. During this training session we talked about different activities that can be done with the students during class and  mainly a few things to expect in class etc, so that was fun (well my training session, because we got split up according to the beginnings of our last names). Training then was over and it was time to go back home. I thought though that staying in a nice hotel was like a pre-birthday gift. Yes! My birthday was going to be the next day (Wednesday) and I spent a lovely 2 days in Marseille, :). What made my birthday though, was that I didn't have to work! :p. All in all, those days spent in Marseille were amazing. I got to see a bigger city, and some of the things that make up that city, like the Old Port (which is really beautiful) and as mentioned before the Notre Dame Cathedrale and who can forget the walking?? Lol. By the time I get back home, I may just walk any and everywhere, lol. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here are a few pics from when I went to Marseille...

Me on the train :)

Rachel

Michael 

Beautiful Marseille 

Inside Notre Dame Cathedrale

The view from the top!

Old Port with Rachel :)

Me on my birthday :)

Independent Woman

I was living with another one of my teachers (like 2 days now to think of it), and she was willing to host me for the time I am here, but she's not home regularly, so the best thing to do, was to find a place to live! She did help me find the place I'm living in now, so I wasn't at all upset and I like it. I can proudly say I have a studio and I'm an independent woman 😊. Upstairs from where I live, I was going to live there...until I saw downstairs (where I am now) and I fell in love with it, so it was available and therefore I got it! At least it's still a good thing because there are three boys upstairs, not that I have a problem living with boys, but it makes it easier me being down here and I still go up there from time to time, because they are my friends now. I call them my 'upstairs neighbors' and they are cute! 😛. Living alone though has its ups and downs....more ups though, lol. I'm thinking of moving out when I get back to Barbados! Lol or maybe I'm getting a little carried away here....who knows? Lol, but I like it! I do miss home from time to time and my siblings and having to share, but I guess that's normal, but when I look around my studio, I feel proud of myself for coming this far. I feel like what my title of this post says: an 'independent woman'. 😊.

Jet lag.... Nice to meet you

Travelling for maybe 9 whole hours isn't easy! Boy was I sleepy, all I wanted to do was sleep like nobody's business, lol, but I didn't... Instead I went by one of the teachers I'm working with now, because I was staying by her for one night, then the following night I would originally go with another teacher who said she would host me. So I did just that! But of course meeting the teacher she wanted to talk and get to know me a little, but as I said before I was sleeeepyyyy! Lol. I wasn't rude, so I put on my 'awake' face and tried to have a 'tired-less' conversation. She soon realized that I must be tired and told me it was ok if I wanted to take a shower and rest up, etc..all the things I wanted to hear from the beginning, lol. The time had finally came when I could shut my eyes and go into dreamland, but I couldn't get too comfortable because the next day she had to get to school for 8 am therefore I had to get up early, in order to go with her and see/meet the teachers (and students) I would be working with for the next 7 months. We walked to school, but gosh that day was very windy and therefore I was cold! I thought I was going to die! Lol. I couldn't feel my fingers, my toes were covered, but I couldn't feel them either and then my lips became so dry, I put on some lip balm, but that was a waste of time, lol, it did nothing, lol. When we got to the school, it was completely warm, I felt to stay there and not go back outside at all. I met some of my teachers and just other teachers in general and they were really nice and inviting, it was really nice meeting them. The students were quite shy to talk and ask questions, but nonetheless they were excited. I remember being the shy girl, not wanting to talk in my French and Spanish classes and look now I'm teaching/assisting! 😀 at least I know how they feel and would try to break them out of their shyness! That first day, that wasn't quite a first day because teaching didn't begin as yet, because there were still a few things that needed to be done, but nonetheless it was great and I was looking forward to teaching when it was official we were to begin teaching and I liked everyone so far!

After 7 hours on the plane...Hello London...then eventually MARSEILLE ☺️

After spending about seven whole hours on the Virgin Atlantic plane (which was an amazing experience btw, lol), we finally reached London. It was a bit cold....ok, it was cold!! Lol, but nonetheless, we had arrived there safe and sound. I remember all of us (Vanessa, Cherisse, Kameisha and myself), standing up by the ladies bathroom door, just texting away our lives, lol. This was after one of us had suggested taking a group photo, lol. Well we did take the group photo....after what? 15 mins...? What? Don't judge us, we needed to let our friends and families know we were safe! Lol. At the airport, however, we had to wait about nearly 5 or so hours, because we were to get on another plane to go to our individual destinations, but while we wait, we looked for the check-in booths for our planes. I had a different gate to go through to board the plane, while Kameisha and Cherisse had another and Vanessa, she just had to take a train to her aunt's. Once everybody was sorted and knew where we had to go, we were just spending the remaining hours we had with each other. I remember though, the constant running, Lolol. Everywhere you looked, people were just running, lol. We found it so funny! But hey! That's their thing lolol. Then the time came when Vanessa had to leave to catch her train. It was a little sad, because we were splitting up... Now it was 3 of 4 left. Then my turn came and I bid the others farewell. I checked in etc, but then I had to do another set of waiting because the flight was delayed 😔. I was so tired, all I wanted to do was sleep and if you're wondering...no, I didn't sleep on the plane. I was trying to, but every position I placed myself in, I was uncomfortable, but I had some music and movies to keep me occupied 😀. While I waited in the London airport, I walked around a little and of course I took a pic 😊. I was bored! Then finally the plane came and I was on my way to MARSEILLE!!! I finally got there, where one of my teachers were so kind to meet me at the airport. It was so cool seeing my name on piece of paper, lol, but he don't know how happy I was to see him, lol. He then took me to Avignon (where I'm living and teaching), but goodness, I wasn't expecting the long ride!! I just wanted it to end lol. Lucky for me though I did some sleeping (a little) and don't talk about nodding!?! Lolol I felt embarrassed, lol. I was just so sleepy... Nonetheless I was here in France and I was happy 😀.