Days since last round up: 14
Firsts: first week of term, first full week of work, first long runs in Paris
Major achievements: no misdirected parcels so far (we’re learning our lessons)
Linguistic challenges:
Reading: Citizen by Claudia Rankine
Weather: rain (again) - the Seine banks are flooded!
Estimated percentage fluency: I’ve signed up for C1 language classes ...
2 weeks later and an awful lot has happened. The biggest development has been the start of term, with classes kicking of last week, and bringing with them a mixture of excitement, and logistical stress. After completing a provisional sign-up sheet last week, a lot of time this week has been spent trying out modules I was unsure on, and perfecting my timetable, which now seems just about sorted. I’ve gone for quite a wide range of topics, literally from medieval to present day, which cover a mixture things I’ve already studied in Oxford, and some entirely new stuff. I’ve also managed to squeeze in some language classes to keep that grammar ticking over. Unexpectedly after facing the slightly intimidating bureaucratic wing of the Sorbonne, all the professors and academics I’ve come into ‘contact’ with have been really friendly and ready to help, and after a whole lot of introductory sessions I’m really excited to get going with my choices.
Probably partially thanks to online classes, which means I don’t have to navigate the various Sorbonne campuses, classes have been easy to fit in alongside au pairing. I’m really enjoying the job itself, more so than I did in Germany, which is a mix of playing with the little two-year-old boy, ferrying the older kids between their various activities, preparing dinner and managing bathtime (not my strong point). There’s always plenty of support on hand, the mum returning relatively early from work, a second nanny mostly looking after the younger boy, and the grandma coming over to help the oldest two with their homework. The kids are also generally very well-behaved and polite, and the mum manages to strike the perfect balance between treating me as an adult employee and mothering me a little, letting me do my laundry at their appartment and keeping the fridge stocked with tofu.
A highlight of life with the family was last Tuesday, 2nd February, otherwise known as ‘Chandeleur’, officially Candlemas, but essentially pancake day three weeks earlier. Savoury crêpes, tossed with unexpected skill and enjoyed with the whole family assembled, went down just beautifully.
Throughout the week I probably spent more time in front of a screen or a book than would normally be ideal, but now my timetable’s sorted there should be a bit more time for seeing Paris in between things. Runs along the Seine are proving very aesthetic, and even if I haven’t had chance to venture too much further out just yet, I’m really enjoying getting to know Pigalle and the 9e arrondissement, especially the Friday afternoon Anvers market, where I can stock up on a weekly supply of organic vegetables, just like the locals.
The big news of last week was that we’re not going to be reconfiné just yet, which means that the family’s plans for the winter holidays are going ahead: one more week in Paris before we head to Brittany and then to the Alps - exciting things to come!
