Blogs from Perpignan, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, Europe - page 3

I finally got all my paperwork sent off/handed in to all the right places this week! At last! With that out of the way, it was a case of turning up to lectures (I have finished an entire pad of A4 already - I think I used 2 during the whole of last year, they really make you write here! Although my doodles, which get ever-more abmitious with every passing modern history and Non-specialist Spanish lecture may also have something to do with my rapid paper-consumption), and then planning things for the evenings. On Tuesday we went to Tio Pepe's (where else?) for a pub quiz arranged by the English department. Despite the presence of tutors, which was a little strange, it was a good night, and a great oppurtunity to socialise with some French students. ... read more

On a high after such a great weekend, the start of the new week brought me back down to earth with a bump. There was erasmus paperwork demanding to be taken care of, post offices who refuse to sell you stamps (don't ask!) and almost a whole day spent entirely doing two horrible translations. However, on Thursday, in the erasmus welcome meeting (yep, a welcome meeting after we've been studying here for 3 weeks) I finally got most of my paperwork and my timetable sorted. I hadn't got much planned for the weekend, but since Rosie's mum had come to stay, on Friday evening Fi and I went out for dinner with Rosie, her mum and all her housemates. We continued on to havana club, where the atmosphere let us down a little after last week, ... read more

Yet another week gone, I can't believe I'm writing up another blog already! The week got off to a fairly ordinary start, with lectures now seeming routine. In-between starting to sort out the mound of erasmus paperwork that has to be sent back to Sheffield and trying to get to the erasmus office during its opening hours (not easy when they are open for a total of four hours over two days), the working week passed in a flash. I had moments of homesickness, but by the weekend, I was on top of the world again when I heard from my mum that she and my little brother Rory have got flights and a hotel booked to come and stay at the end of October! It was difficult to get it all sorted, but I now ... read more

Another entry coming at ya! So begins my second week in France. Time seems to be standing still up in the mountains. The week was busy with various projects; berry picking, weeding of the gardens, eliminating a toxic herb (South African Rag Wort) from the properties and clearing land for future farmsteads. Oh yes, and making delicious dinners. We really work for our food. But it is delicious; fresh berries, apples, plums, chestnuts from the trees, cheeses aplenty, homebaked breads and other great meals. All vegetarian of course! We really have an international (or should I say commonwealth) crew. Five brits, one kiwi, two americans, two belgians, three germans, one dutchman and two children. They all bring something to the table, so to speak. The next stop is La Boulou, a bit further from the mountain, ... read more

Well, here I am, one week in, gazing out of my window at a cloudless blue sky. I can safely say, as first weeks go in any new place, this one's been pretty good! I arrived at Perpignan station last Sunday evening at 10p.m. to find absolutely no taxis. Inside the station, everything was shutting down and I couldn't find anything that might offer taxi numbers. The reception at my hotel was due to close in half an hour, so after waiting several more minutes in the dark, I phoned the hotel. The lovely man there said he would call a taxi straight away, and 20 minutes later, I was lying on my bed in the hotel. The next day I set off for the boulevard Kennedy in search of the accommodation agency I'd reserved a ... read more