Back to civilization
It's midnight, Tuesday night, and I have no classes tomorrow, so I figure this is as good a chance as I'll find to catch up. Ile d'Yeu was pretty much amazing. Each day was similar to the next: get up, eat breakfast, go into town to buy food for the day, go back and eat lunch, then bike around the island, make it back for a rest before dinner, after which we'd watch TV before sleeping.
They both spoke English well, but did speak mostly in French, which was better for me anyways. Hopefully improved a lot...I do feel more confident if nothing else. There were times, though, when it was just exhausting to concentrate so hard to understand everything from politics to what type of fish to buy for lunch.
On the way to the island, we stopped at a friend's house, who lived on another island up that way. But this island had a bridge, as well as a strange sort of road--only accessible during low tides. It flooded over during high tide, at which point you'd have to go back by the bridge. We had real pound cake, like butter in loaf form. Was amazing.
When we got to the island (by ferry into Port Joinville, the main village), the landlady picked us up, dropped us off, and we were struck not only by the quaint sea-themed decor but also by a strange odor resembling vomit. A sitcom we watched the first night got it right: "environment olfactrice hostile"--hostile olfactory environment.
One of the ladies' relatives lived literally next door to the cottage we'd rented, and they were nice enough to lend me a bike, which I promptly broke on a rather steep hill. Just, bam: chain no longer gripping the gears. Soooo yea, the first day's bike ride was cut short. But up until then, all I could think was, wow this is gorgeous.
Dinner at the neighbors, apologies for the bike followed. Also learned a random cool fact: the French have a funny thing with purebred animals. Your dog or cat is obviously born in a certain year, and that year is assigned a letter. So you go to the vet and sort through the names in the register, so if it's a U year, you get a cat named Ulysses or a dog named Ula... Whoa.
Wednesday, we biked around the Port de la Meule--roughly, "port of" either "the grindstone" or "the haystack." Also hit Plage des Vieilles--"port of the old women." Question mark.
Dinner consisted of omelette and fish soup. Yumm. Watched a documentary about making a travel documentary. They showed people making travel tapes about Peru/Argentina and China.
Thursday, we had whole shrimp for lunch. Like, with eyes. Then we biked to "le vieux chateau"--the old chateau. 1300s, yep that's old. There ARE cars on this island, just not many. But you can tell where everyone's from because the last two digits on the plate indicate the département. So Loir-et-Cher, that's me, is 41. Vendée, that's where Ile d'Yeu is, that's 85.
Friday was COLD and WINDY. We prepped for biking with salmon in white wine and potatoes. Then we biked to the "pierre tremblante"--the trembling stone, which is also a double entendre...use your imagination. Stopped at the only café in Port de la Meule for a hot chocolate, then biked back for a quick nap before going into town to eat. It was a feat to climb back on the bike, but our motto was: "Ne pensez pas, pedalez." Don't think, just pedal. Wanted to go to the creperie, but it's apparently popular, because there was a gigantic line despite the freezing temperature. We ended up in Chez Père Raballand, where I had a deeeelicious terrine, followed by duck, ending with crème brûlée.
Saturday, the wind was unceasing. Ate lunch, then out to the cemetary, where things were actually beautiful...it was just after Toussaint--when everyone decorates the graves--so there were flowers everywhere. Except on the grave of a certain person buried here, the Marechal, Philippe Pétain. Not a popular man here in France.
Moved on to the citadelle, a fortress of sorts that seems to host cultural events and sheep these days. Back to Port de la Meule for a coffee, then pedalled along the coast against monstrously strong winds to Port Joinville, where we indulged in chocolate banana crepes. Went to a friend's house for a pre-dinner apéritif--had pineau des Charentes--a rosé wine mixed with cognac. Also had so many little snacky things--puréed tuna, smoked tuna (an island speciality), olives, nuts--that we decided to forego dinner when we got back.
Sunday, we cleaned house and then went into town to wander a bit before the boat left. Got back to find a Guy Fawkes party assembled at the homestead...good to be home! We made s'mores over candles, which lacked a lot of bravado, but you've got to make do.
Monday, classes started up. The heat, however, was still on vacation, so we all sat in freezing classrooms hoping the joys of learning would be enough to warm us up. Classes went well. Did some major shopping that evening, chicken stirfry for dinner that was just amazing.
Today, classes again went well. At least with my older students, I'm finding a happy role that blends teacher and peer, which is an admittedly hard line to walk. My younger class is still a bit rough: had three girls today who just wouldn't stop chattering, so I told one of them to come up and sit by me. She was like, "no, that's ok." So I'm like, no actually it's not ok. Come up here please. Again refuses, and I explain in French that it wasn't a question, it's an order. Still is just like, no. The talking stopped, but how did my high school teachers actually get kids to sit by them???
Steak tonight, with stirfried veggies and baked potatoes. The whole house smelt (smelt?) like warmed butter and beef. Just amazing.
They both spoke English well, but did speak mostly in French, which was better for me anyways. Hopefully improved a lot...I do feel more confident if nothing else. There were times, though, when it was just exhausting to concentrate so hard to understand everything from politics to what type of fish to buy for lunch.
On the way to the island, we stopped at a friend's house, who lived on another island up that way. But this island had a bridge, as well as a strange sort of road--only accessible during low tides. It flooded over during high tide, at which point you'd have to go back by the bridge. We had real pound cake, like butter in loaf form. Was amazing.
When we got to the island (by ferry into Port Joinville, the main village), the landlady picked us up, dropped us off, and we were struck not only by the quaint sea-themed decor but also by a strange odor resembling vomit. A sitcom we watched the first night got it right: "environment olfactrice hostile"--hostile olfactory environment.
One of the ladies' relatives lived literally next door to the cottage we'd rented, and they were nice enough to lend me a bike, which I promptly broke on a rather steep hill. Just, bam: chain no longer gripping the gears. Soooo yea, the first day's bike ride was cut short. But up until then, all I could think was, wow this is gorgeous.
Dinner at the neighbors, apologies for the bike followed. Also learned a random cool fact: the French have a funny thing with purebred animals. Your dog or cat is obviously born in a certain year, and that year is assigned a letter. So you go to the vet and sort through the names in the register, so if it's a U year, you get a cat named Ulysses or a dog named Ula... Whoa.
Wednesday, we biked around the Port de la Meule--roughly, "port of" either "the grindstone" or "the haystack." Also hit Plage des Vieilles--"port of the old women." Question mark.
Dinner consisted of omelette and fish soup. Yumm. Watched a documentary about making a travel documentary. They showed people making travel tapes about Peru/Argentina and China.
Thursday, we had whole shrimp for lunch. Like, with eyes. Then we biked to "le vieux chateau"--the old chateau. 1300s, yep that's old. There ARE cars on this island, just not many. But you can tell where everyone's from because the last two digits on the plate indicate the département. So Loir-et-Cher, that's me, is 41. Vendée, that's where Ile d'Yeu is, that's 85.
Friday was COLD and WINDY. We prepped for biking with salmon in white wine and potatoes. Then we biked to the "pierre tremblante"--the trembling stone, which is also a double entendre...use your imagination. Stopped at the only café in Port de la Meule for a hot chocolate, then biked back for a quick nap before going into town to eat. It was a feat to climb back on the bike, but our motto was: "Ne pensez pas, pedalez." Don't think, just pedal. Wanted to go to the creperie, but it's apparently popular, because there was a gigantic line despite the freezing temperature. We ended up in Chez Père Raballand, where I had a deeeelicious terrine, followed by duck, ending with crème brûlée.
Saturday, the wind was unceasing. Ate lunch, then out to the cemetary, where things were actually beautiful...it was just after Toussaint--when everyone decorates the graves--so there were flowers everywhere. Except on the grave of a certain person buried here, the Marechal, Philippe Pétain. Not a popular man here in France.
Moved on to the citadelle, a fortress of sorts that seems to host cultural events and sheep these days. Back to Port de la Meule for a coffee, then pedalled along the coast against monstrously strong winds to Port Joinville, where we indulged in chocolate banana crepes. Went to a friend's house for a pre-dinner apéritif--had pineau des Charentes--a rosé wine mixed with cognac. Also had so many little snacky things--puréed tuna, smoked tuna (an island speciality), olives, nuts--that we decided to forego dinner when we got back.
Sunday, we cleaned house and then went into town to wander a bit before the boat left. Got back to find a Guy Fawkes party assembled at the homestead...good to be home! We made s'mores over candles, which lacked a lot of bravado, but you've got to make do.
Monday, classes started up. The heat, however, was still on vacation, so we all sat in freezing classrooms hoping the joys of learning would be enough to warm us up. Classes went well. Did some major shopping that evening, chicken stirfry for dinner that was just amazing.
Today, classes again went well. At least with my older students, I'm finding a happy role that blends teacher and peer, which is an admittedly hard line to walk. My younger class is still a bit rough: had three girls today who just wouldn't stop chattering, so I told one of them to come up and sit by me. She was like, "no, that's ok." So I'm like, no actually it's not ok. Come up here please. Again refuses, and I explain in French that it wasn't a question, it's an order. Still is just like, no. The talking stopped, but how did my high school teachers actually get kids to sit by them???
Steak tonight, with stirfried veggies and baked potatoes. The whole house smelt (smelt?) like warmed butter and beef. Just amazing.
posted by madameb1789 | 1:15 AM
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