My 1st week in France - Tuesday

Tuesday 25th September

Breakfast at the hotel was only served until 9am, so we had to get up early, (for me anyway since I was used to not getting up much before 10!!) It was just pastries, which I really like, that's one good thing about the french, having cakes for breakfast!! There was no tea which was a bit annoying, (well there was tea but no hot water!!) We checked out off the hotel, but they let us leave our cases there which was good, as we still had 3 hours until the train to Aulnoye.

We went to the station (as the hotel was right oppersite) to buy the train tickets. It seems the machines at the stations here only take cards, which is a bit anoying as I like to pay with cash, but which happened to be quite good for me because it meant Dad had to pay with his Mastercard!!!

We went for another wander round the town, and then it started raining so we went inside a shopping centre, but it was quite small, I was stating to feel quite tired by this point, so sat down to have a rest. It was only 11am, so we still had 2 hours to fill, we all looked at the maps of Lille to see what else we could do. Mum spotted that there was a Zoo which had free entry not to far away, so we went there. Unfortunatley it took nearly 45 mins to get there, and to find the entrance, so we could only look round quickly. It was quite small, but it had a few birds, and monkeys, and zebra and things. Was very nice considering we didn't have to pay!

It was then nearly 12:30 so we went back to the hotel to get our cases and then to the station. it was then I realised I was very glad we got the tickets earlier, there were loads of people in the station, and we would have probably missed the train if we'd had to queue to get tickets then! Unfortunatley our train left from the platform furthest away from the station, so we had to pull the cases all the way, and only just made the train! It was just over an hour until we arrived in Aulnoye, I think I fell asleep on the train for a little while!

When we arrived we (or rather Mum and Dad!) had to carry the suitcases down some steps, under the tracks, and up the other side! When we came out, there were 2 women who cme over and asked if I was Rebecca, I said I was and they introduced themselves as Brigette, (They are both called Brigette! one is Brigette L, the other Brigette P!) They took us to my new flat, which is litrally right across the road from the station!

I'll try to describe the flat a bit, but when I get my own internet I'll take pictures and put them on here. Well, after what Mum had been saying about the bedsits in Ashford, I was feeling really worried that I would end up with something horrible, damp and dirty, but in fact it is lovely. It has a wardrobe, which easily fits all my clothes in, a desk, a bed, 2 bedside tables, a bookshelf, a table, 2 chairs, a seperate bathroom, though there is only a handheld shower which is a bit anoying becase I like to have showers rather than baths. The kitchen...well it's not really a kitchen, more just a hob and a sink in a cupboard, with a fridge underneath, nevertheless it's all clean and tidy, especially after Mum cleaned all the surfaces! (Thank you Mum!!) And it's just fine for me, plus there is enough space if people stay over to sleep on the floor!

Right so having arrived at my appartment I then had to go to the wardens office (the guy who looks after the building) to sign loads of stuff. Mum and Dad were still with me, and the Brigettes were managing to speak in french and in english, which was more than I was doing! I was despratly trying to speak French, but it was really hard to find the right words to use.I actually have no idea what I was signing, it looked like the rental agreement, but I'm not sure what it said, so I hope there are no problems! Mum and Dad still didn't have anywhere to stay the night, and there were no hotels in Aulnoye, but the Brigettes said they would find somewhere.

There was a bit of a problem when they realised that I didn't have insurance for the building, (I have travel insurance for myself and my possesions, but it is not easy to insure an appartment, when you don't know where it is or what it is like!) and after a lot of discussion in french, which I didn't really understand, it was decided that I needed to open a back account and get insurance through the bank. The next thing I knew we were walking round the corner to the bank, and half an hour later I had an account! I only had a vauge idea what they were all saying, but managed to work out that I have an account for 7 months with a debit card so I can get money out, and insurance which will cost 6€ per month. After signing some more things, and geting photo copies of my passport it was all done. I am so glad the Brigettes were there, cos I never would have been able to do that by myself!

After ,we went back to the appartment and unpacked a bit. Then the Brigettes took us to there office to sign some more things, and to try to find somewhere for Mum and Dad to stay. After a lot more discussions in french, during which me, Mum and Dad just sat in the corner, not reqlly knowing what was going on, it was decided that Mum and Dad could stay in the Hotel School in the town. It's not actually a hotel, more a training centre for people to work in hotels, but it has a few rooms, and Mum and Dad could stay in one of them. We would also be able to eat in the canteen that evening.

Brigette L drove us back to my flat, though we stoped at the supermarket next door first to get a few bits quickly. It was then that I realised that the French don't have fresh milk only UHT milk, which takes some getting used to!!! Mum and Dad picked up their suitcase and we went to the Lyceè Hôteliere, which was in the centre of the town, about 20 mins walk away. The people at the school were really nice, one of the students spoke very good english, so he was in charge of looking after us. Their room was really lovely. The only problem was that they had to be back by 10pm each night becaise that was when they locked the gates! We ate in the canteen which was a fairly good meal, and then Mum and Dad walked me back to my appartment. I didn't have a kettle yet, so I had to boil water on the stove to make tea!! We made up my bed, but I didn't have a duvet, so I used my sleeping bag insted!

After Mum and Dad left, I looked around, and I suddenly realised that this was it, I was going to be staying here, in a country where I couldn't completly understand the language, with people that (however nice they were) I didn't know, away from all my family and friends, and quite sudenly I just burst into tears, I just stood there in the middle of the room crying for about 15 mins, before deciding that I really should get ready for bed, which I did, Mum and Dad phoned about 5 mins after to say that they had got back OK, and to say goodnight, which nearly set me off again, but I calmed myself down, put on my laptop to listen to music, and wrote a list of all the things I needed to get the next day, (there was quite a lot!) before finally going to sleep;