Little Bear Lost

The title will become clear later in the post. First I wanted to update people on what I've been up to since the last post. I got another e-mail today from my 'responsable' in France who said that she would find accommodation for me in Auloyne, so I don't have to worry, which is good, I may not know exactly where abouts I'll be staying, but at least I won't be left on the street! I also asked whether she had the contact details for previous assistants so I could contact them to find out more information, but she said that unfortunately she doesn't as I am the 1st assistant they have had!! I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not? What do you think?

At least I have a better idea of what to do with the wonderful children now, after my course last week. It was really good, I got to meet loads of people, (unfortunately don't really remember most of them now, and not very many were going to Lille!) We had to prepare a lesson in groups, Ours was on 'Clothes', so that's one lesson sorted! We also learnt how to give really simple instructions in English....(Listen.....and Repeat!) This will probably be the hardest part of teaching...making sure our language can be understood, really having to think about what we are saying...it was OK in front of a group of 20 year olds who knew perfectly well what we were saying...but a group of 7 year olds with only a very basic knowledge of English might be a bit trickier! Nevertheless it was very useful, and I am sure I will use some of the ideas in my lessons.

Unfortunately the whole week was marked by my train journey home. I got on the train at 15:28 and put my suitcase on the luggage rack, In fact I was really pleased cos the rack was empty, so I could put my suitcase on the bottom rather than have to lift it. I found my seat and sat down...put on my music...and started reading my book. The train journey was fairly uneventful until just outside Crewe when there was trouble with the points or something and we had to stop for nearly 45 mins. I wasn't too bothered it just meant I could read for longer! Then just outside Milton Keynes we got told that there was a problem at Harrow and the line was closed, and so the train was terminating at Milton Keynes. By now we were about 2 hours behind, (I should have been on the train towards Ashford by now) But there was going to be another train to take us to Euston. After waiting another 1/2 hour we could get off the train....so I got up....went to the luggage rack....NO SUITCASE....in fact there were no cases there at all. I looked on the platform...no suitcase, so I reported it to one of the staff, they just took me into an office and told me to go into the customer service office at Euston. It was then I realised what was actually in the case...along with my clothes, make up and notes from the course was Georgie, my Teddy bear (well I say mine, she actually belongs to the whole family) I phoned home and told them...in tears at this point, and you know, not one person on the platform asked if I was alright, or even looked at me at all...I suppose they just thought they'd keep out the way of the hysterical girl walking up and down the platform! Anyway I got on the train to Euston (which was the longest 45mins of my life) and went to the Customer Services office, the lady there was really rude, and unhelpful, I told her what happened and she just told me to wait. So I sat for about 20 mins before she said that she'd phoned Milton Keynes and it wasn't there, and there wasn't anything else she could do. I asked if she could give me the names of the other stations so I could try phoning them, and she acted although I'd asked her to search for the suitcase herself! Eventually she gave them to me, and I got on the tube to Vauxhall. I'd just got to the platform when the fast train home left...It was a mark of how bad I felt, that by that point I didn't even care, I just sat and waited for the next train 20 mins later. I should have been home by 8pm instead I eventually got home at 11:30pm. I felt awful and couldn't sleep at all that night, it was horrible. The next day (Friday) I phoned round all the stations on the route but none of them had it, so I phoned the British Transport Police and reported it stolen. The lady I spoke to was really nice, and took all the details, and said someone would investigate it. Unfortunately I haven't heard anything since, and it is looking less and less likely that I'll see it again.

What really annoys me is that there was nothing really of value in the case, (money wise anyway, Georgie to us, is priceless) I mean there was mostly notes and books from the course, which is no use to anyone ( I contacted the Uni, and they sent me another copy of the notes, so that's OK) Clothes for 4 days, which included my Roehampton sweatshirt, which unless you go to Roehampton, is kinda pointless, even Georgie, although valuable to us, to anyone else is quite old and grubby. The most valuable thing is probably the suitcase itself, as it's brand new, I only got it for my birthday, and this was actually the first time I had really used it (apart from when I went home at Easter) It's just really annoying now more than anything else, thinking of all the things I have to replace, my hairbrush, my makeup, my pencil case, My phone charger (this is the most annoying, I can't use my phone at the moment, as it has no battery) as well as my clothes. Georgie is of course irreplaceable, there is a big Georgie size hole where she should be on my bed. I think (or at least I hope) the stuff should be insured, so hopefully I won't have to spend a fortune replacing it all.

Anyway I hope this acts as a warning to people to always keep an eye on your suitcases on trains, if you don't want the same to happen to you.

I've just realised that the part about my suitcase is longer than the parts actually about France, but I guess it's kinda related, If I hadn't been going to France, I wouldn't have been on the course, and I wouldn't have lost my case. (that's actually made me feel quite sad, mustn't think about it like that, not a good start to my year in abroad!)

I will update if I hear anything about my case, (or anything else about France)

Oh, by the way, I still haven't received my 'Arrete' so have no actual official conformation of where I'm going yet, which is slightly worrying!

Anyway more later

Becca