Winter is here!

Hey everyone!

Wow, it has indeed been a while, hasn't it?  Apologies for that, things have taken up so much time that you occasionally forget.

So what's going on in my life at the moment?

• Well Christmas is very much approaching and the Grenoble Christmas Market is in full swing at Place Victor Hugo near Grenette.  I recommend it highly.  Whilst it is not very big, there is plenty for people to enjoy (including some fantastic beer, mulled wine and hot chocolate laced with Chartreuse) and some outstanding food.  There is a great stand there that does Tartiflette and I must say it is an utter delight, even if a bit dear (EUR7 for a portion!)
  Yesterday I went to pick up my girlfriend's present there and also got myself a bottle of 'Brasserie du Mont Blanc - La Rousse' from the stand.  A lovely amber beer (it was voted the best of its kind in the world back in 2011) I have to say it was one of the finer beers I've ever had in my life.  Well worth a try.  I'm sure me and some of the lads will have to buy some for an evening of fine alpine beer tasting!
  
• American Football is going well, especially on the refereeing front.  Last week's match against the Diables Bleus was postponed thanks to the weather so I went to Thonon near Switzerland to officiate a junior tournament.
  One thing I can take from it is that I am firm in my belief that every UK team in the BAFANL should have a youth set-up of some description.  My experiences as an official have shown me that the future of the sport in Europe rests on these guys being developed.
  Tomorrow should be a match at home against Les Avalanches.  Hopefully it will go ahead, though last night it...
  
• SNOW!  Finally, a proper taste of alpine weather.  This morning the snow came and nicely blanketed the city.  It's bitingly cold but for me it's lovely.  At least the town is prepared and the whole country hasn't come to a standstill over it (I'm looking at you, England...)
  
• Recently I have started part-time work as an English teacher in the IUT2 college. I have six groups of people who visit me once a week to have conversations about different topics and improve their grammar.  They are a great group of people who are enthusiastic about the language.
  In some ways it's a bit depressing - we struggle to get kids into mandatory lessons in foreign languages in England, let alone them do that and see an optional language assistant to help.  No wonder some people here think there are sections of British society who are out of touch with the European community.
  
• Not long now until I head off back to England - really excited to be spending a couple of weeks back home to see my family and friends and girlfriend! 

Anyhow, I think I will head out into the market again I think, the prospect of a fine beer or mulled wine would be a good way to spend an afternoon!

See you all soon!

Best wishes to you all!

Mike :)

The winter is drawing closer!

Hi everyone!

Well, the last couple of weeks have certainly flown by... I've got back into lessons again after the October break and I have been back training and refereeing for American Football... Here's the latest load of news for you in my world!

• I spent the vast majority of the week-long holiday writing articles for the Tutorhub blog - found it a productive week but a slightly lonely one!  No-one was about really in town so I had to make the most of the time I had and had to accept I was going to be a little antisocial!
• After the holiday ended the class got back into lessons again as we push towards Christmas - my French is coming on nicely which is good.  I think every day a little more experience and confidence goes a long way!
• American Football.... The other week I served as an official for the first time, being the Line Judge for the game between my team, the Centaurs, and the Thonon Black Panthers.  The Black would eventually win 22-6.
  Ultimately I loved my first experience... so much that this weekend I served as the Chain Judge for a junior tournament hosted in the Grenoble area.  I have another couple of tournaments lined up this side of Christmas too!
  This weekend I also got to play for the Centaurs B team against the Condors from St-Etienne, a great, if soggy, experience!  We ended up winning 6-0 in a great defensive slog.
• For Christmas I have got my train tickets sorted back to the UK - very exciting!  It will be great to see my family again after a long time away for the festive period.
  What I am looking forward to even more is staying with Bethany over the New Year time in Lincoln.  It's been in the planning for several weeks now, but we are very happy to be seeing each other then! 

Well, I have to say that is the majority of the news caught up with!  I will update you in a couple of weeks as December approaches!

Mike :) 

End of October holidays!

Hello everyone!

Well, the end of October is here. And no, I take no interest in your Halloween costumes! 

The end of October can only mean a nice week-long holiday and break from the stresses of college life.

Life in IUT2 is good, really getting into lessons now and understanding the content better. My group work for economics got handed in too, which is all sorted. 

Small word of caution for you out there: the CROUS restaurants appear to be closed this week - definitely caught me by surprise. Suddenly having to make alternative plans was certainly not on the cards!

Most of my classmates and friends appear to have gone to all four corners of the continent this week, making me startlingly alone in this big old city. Got a couple of friends dotted about though.

The Centaurs sit 1-1 after a tough loss the other week to the Falcons. Hopefully this weekend will bring about a victory!

There is also a chance to get some refereeing done this weekend with some of the junior matches in the area. Should be great fun!

I must keep remembering to post these. If you see me in town, prod me to write another one!

Ill let you all know how I'm doing soon!

Best wishes

Mike :)

Getting into the swing of things now

Bonjour everyone!

Sorry it's been a little while, lots to get on with.  

It's been quite an adventure so far, especially since my last post...

• Managed to get into the swing of things in terms of my course. For those of you who haven't heard, it is the DUT qualification in Techniques de Commercialisation.  My modules currently include International Commerce, Economics, French (to start today), Marketing, IT and Sales Negotiation.  Early starts throughout for me, including a punishing 8am start on a Tuesday the morning after American Football training!  So far I can say I've done OK, just adjusting to the language barrier and the speed of lectures (not to mention getting out of bed at a funny hour of the morning unknown to British students...)
  
• American Football is going well too - first game is on Sunday for the Centaurs B team against the Blue Devils; the Grenoble Derby!  Really looking forward to it.
  I have also qualified as a referee here in France, so I can do my bit for the team in refereeing junior games etc, that should be great fun.
  Personally, I have been amazed at the standard these guys play at.  I think they are fantastic players and I've already learned a lot from them.
  
• I've met some great people so far in so many different places.  My coursemates are great and very accommodating, especially when it comes to English language and French.  All the way across the city I've met students from all over the world, it's been awesome.

 Meanwhile, on the more humorous side...

1. It is impossible to go shopping on a Sunday.  MacDonalds quickly becomes your new best friend when you're as unprepared as I am.
   
2. The French idea of a coffee (un cafe) is an espresso.  Cafe au lait appears to be coffee with an insane amount of cream in it.  All of the above come with sugar, whether you like it or not.
   
3. Beer here is expensive, nearly £5 for a pint and sometimes more... You learn that house parties are actually the cheapest way of having a night with your mates.  Nightclubs can be as much as EUR10 to enter, though they give you a drinks token too usually.  Interestingly, the only reason they ever refuse entry is when you're in large single-sex groups.  A lad out with the lads, it seems, is off the cards.
   
4. If there is a strike in Grenoble (or France in general, for that matter) don't act surprised or question why.  The most I ever get is a shrug and a 'oh well' kind of answer.
   
5. It appears that proper toilet seats are either non-existent or all stolen in France.  I have yet to come across a toilet here that has a fully-functioning loo seat.
   
6. The French law that bans smoking in public places clearly doesn't work.  Everyone stands two inches from the door instead.  And everyone smokes a cigarette here.  You stand to smoke about four just trying to get into college every morning.
   
7. The English accent is cute, apparently.
   
8. The words 'je m'excuse, je comprends pas' have become my more useful phrase here.
   
9. Facial hair of some description is automatically cool.
   
10. The English comedy novel A Year in the Merde is really unpopular here.

As you can see, I've had quite the adventure so far.  I shall update you soon with more musings!

Best wishes to you all!

Mike :)
 

Hello everyone!

Hello everyone!

Goodness me its been too long since I last posted. Many apologies for that!

Well, over the last week or so I have had the chance to meet so many great people from all walks of life across the world. It's been a fantastic time...

I've started training with the Centaurs and I have signed up to play for the year! Aching rather a lot from it, the intense training has been epic.

I'm in lessons at the moment, though it seems like I'm not in every day.

There have been many great people to meet and I already have some great friends. The centaurs in particular have been great to be around.

I shall be sure to update you more soon!

Best wishes!

Mike :)

Lessons start tomorrow

Hi everyone!

Well my shortened week of settling in has come to an end for me - for tomorrow I go next door to IUT2 to register and start my lessons - very exciting stuff!

Also going on tomorrow is a town visit at 11am for those of you who are interested, I have lessons so I don't think I will be able to make it.  

And then of course, in the evening I have my second training session with the Centaurs.  The first session was really good, very intense.  Hopefully I won't be aching as much this time!

Well, I best get going.  Looks like I've got a fair bit to sort out for tomorrow.  And, naturally in the mean time, I can watch a bit of the NFL on TV this evening too!

Best wishes,

Mike :)

The first few days...

Hello everyone!

Well I've had a cracking few days in the home of the Alps and now it's nearly time to get down to business....

Last night I got the chance to meet some Erasmus students - went to a local bar for a beer and a chat about everything.  They are really nice people, look forward to seeing them again.
Today I have the odd thing to sort out and get on with and then of course tonight is my first session with the Grenoble Centaurs - that should be a fantastic experience.

I hopefully will get to run a mailbag or something over the next few days.  In the mean time, I shall keep busy and on the lookout for anything useful!

Best wishes to you all,


Mike :)

Moving in tomorrow!

Well this isn't too bad, isn't it?

Tomorrow I head off to Grenoble and to move in and get to know people - should be very exciting!

Over the last few days I've mainly spent my time with my family in the surrounding Isere region, taking in the countryside and brushing up on my French skills.  I've had a really nice time and managed to get some nice photos of the area too.  Thankfully I've been able to get some practice in when it comes to my language skills - it's been nice to try and converse with people (even if they realise I'm English and start speaking my native language as a result...)

I dropped into Grenoble today for a look around - the town looks very nice and the centre is very picturesque!  Rather hot too, though I guess that'll fade quickly.  Probably just as well that I've packed the shorts and T shirts for the remainder of the summer then - something slightly thicker for the winter months.

Quite a lot to think about when I get there - unpacking, finding out what is included and what isn't, how to get the Internet connection sorted, how to get my Moneo money card arranged for meals in the local restaurants... you name it really!  Hopefully there'll be a chance to meet some people who live there near me.
Arsonval has only around 50 rooms or so so I haven't been able to find anybody who lives in the same block.  (Fortunately I guess that means there won't be much of a fight for parking spaces outside!)

I should be about mid-morning/early afternoon, definitely looking forward to meeting everyone!

See you all tomorrow!

Mike :)
 

Bonjour la France!

Hello everyone!

Well, the last few days have been rather long and travel-packed...

Firstly, we managed to get delayed at the Eurotunnel for a fair few hours - ended up staying at the Campingîle near Laon and enjoyed copious amounts of steak and fries - excellent!

Today we took the long trip down to where we are staying for a little while. This is in the remote village of Saint Pierre De Chartreuse. It's in the foothills of the Alps and the view is stunning!

Had a really good time so far, French is coming on nicely too, which is a bonus! 

I'll be sure to update you when I move in to Arsonval!

Mike :)

THE FINAL DAY!

Hi everyone!

As today is my final day before travelling... I thought I would give you this.








I hope you all enjoy it - this is the first in the series of video diaries I'll be doing!

In the mean time... The time has come.  Tonight I'll finish off my packing and then I'm off.

Thank you all for supporting this blog so far.  Long may it continue in France.

Best wishes to you all, see you soon!

Mike :)

Just a few more days left...

Hello everyone!

Well yesterday was my last day working at Jiva Technology in Bristol - I have been a marketing intern there for the last three months.  I've had such a great experience there and hopefully I'll be able to take some of that experience forward!

As today was my first full weekday at home, I've been able to get some documentation together and start packing all my clothes.  Looks like it's all going to fit in the car, along with American Football kit and the like!

This evening I am due at the pub to say goodbye to some of my good mates here.  Sounds like there'll be a fair few people there to see me off - very exciting!  
Tomorrow I will be tidying up the loose ends and other bits and pieces and thinking about how it will all fit in the car.  I'll also be sure to have a good chat with Bethany about everything.  She's been very supportive of all of this and I can't thank her enough for that, really.

So Friday it is then.  I think one last post to wrap everything up before I go to bed on Thursday night.  Then the journey begins for real early in the morning.

Talk then...

Mike :)

Grenoble Life

Hi everyone :)

Just thought I would drop a message to you all to say that I have started writing on GrenobleLife.com as a guest blogger!  This is a huge success for myself and I wouldn't have been able to do this without the continued support of you all.

You can view my opening musings here!

Please note, this is most certainly NOT the end of this blog.  With 1,000 hits perilously close, long may the successes continue!

Have a read, drop a comment!  Your support is always appreciated, whatever the platform.

Thanks to James and Grenoble Life for hosting this, I look forward to writing more soon!

Talk soon!
Mike :) 

The Final Weekend at Home...

Good afternoon :)

Well, today is my final Sunday in the UK for several months.  It was a chance to see some members of my family before I go - cannot fault a lovely British Sunday lunch with some relatives!

Tomorrow is the bank holiday Monday, so it'll be prudent to use the time to get packing bits and pieces and get my documents together. The big red folder sat on my desk might be helpful for that.

Well, I had to make a start at some point you know...

 

Think the nerves are beginning to creep in a little bit at the same time, though I think the overriding emotion is 'let's just go now!'  I've got one more day at work on Tuesday and then two days of packing before leaving early on Friday morning - that basically covers the next week.  From there, I will be staying for a night in Riems before moving on to the Isere area.

In other news for you all: I have been invited to write a piece for the Grenoble Life blog.  The site is one of the premier places for information for English-speakers in the Grenoble area.  I submitted my first piece and hopefully I will be able to continue writing for them in the future!

I shall do another mailbag before I make my way across to France - get your questions in!  I'll probably do an update on packing and other pieces before one last post the night before.

All the best to you all :)

Mike

Lists, timetables and musings

Good morning :)

It's eight days to go now and I'm getting rather excited/nervous now. Counting down the days is probably something I shouldn't have done too much. Hey, that's hindsight for you!

Over the course of the summer I've been an intern for a small start-up company in Bristol, writing articles and learning some marketing techniques. Hopefully when I get to Grenoble I'll be able to apply this to my course. Slight shame I didn't pick any marketing modules...!

I am lead to believe that internships not only serve as valuable experience for studies, but have also served as a great way of funding my year away.

Anyway, ramble over. I've got something useful for you all. A list.

Yawn, I hear you say. Well, fear not. I took a look at what colleges are asking for to enrol and what accommodation blocks need..

• Firstly, you'll need your passport. A lot of people have an ID card, but be on the safe side and dig out the passport if you have it. If you're in doubt and you've got them, bring both!
• Your birth certificate. You will also need a translation if it is not written in English, French, German or Spanish. (I think Italian is on the list too, but I'll check!)
• This one seems simple but believe me, from my experience in Lincoln it's so easy to overlook... Take your accommodation address with you so you know where you're going!
• A big obvious one... Your certificate of study.  This'll actually prove that you're a student.
• Another email-searching process - find the confirmation of your allocation for wherever you're living.  This'll save you lots of time when you get there.
• Passport photos - some nicely-cut photos will be needed so that you can register with your college.  IUT2, for example, wants two.  I suggest a couple more for good measure.
• If you're an EU student, bring that EHIC card with you.  This'll be so important for you should you become ill or have an accident.
• Your home university should send you any erasmus forms that you need to complete throughout the year - I know there's one for when you register at your college.
• If you require a visa, bring all of your documentation along with you.

With all of this, I highly recommend bringing originals of everything.  Photocopies are a grey area in Europe at times so having the actual documents is far easier and less risky.

Meanwhile, at UJF, I think there has been some success over the start dates and registration.  If you head over to this website, you will find everything you need to know about enrolling and course details.  Thanks to Sassytatio Lupus for finding this :)

A small philosophical musing

I started this blog 17 days ago, thinking my audience would be my family and the occasional Erasmus student. 

What I didn't expect was nearly 800 hits and for it to spread across Europe. With so many people reading the blog in different communities, I guess it's only fair that I say I great big 'Merci!' to you all.  I have students in many countries reading what I write, family, friends and even the Centaurs have got in on it.

I think part of the initial success has been down the fact that this isn't just a story. That was the early intention, just a small record. 

Then of course I found a useful couple of things on mobile phone and bank accounts and thought 'hang on, there's a piece in that...'

And here we are now. Where next? Well, there's no question that I'm not changing anything. Keep writing I say.

After all, the distance between genius and insanity is only ever measured by success.


8 days now... In the grand scheme of things, it feels like tomorrow.

Mike

The Mailbag Part 4: 10 days left...

With ten days to go, suddenly the list-building takes over. Accumulating large folders full of letters, identity information and confirmation that I'm meant to be there.

I think it's safe to say that my post on the mental aspect if going away caused a bit of a stir and provoked some thought amongst the Erasmus groups.

Thankfully I think it's safe to say there are some great people out there, full of encouragement...

'After this experience you'll never want to leave... Life changing.'

'You think too much! You must enjoy the adventure! :)'

'I agree, you'll be fine! In France (and every other country I can imagine!) there's no point trying to second guess how it'll be of what's going to happen!'

'Everyone I speak to says the same thing - it'll be the best year of our lives.'

Think it's safe to say that there's no shortage of great people out there who are clearly very supportive. I have to thank you all for that and look forward to seeing you there!

Right, onto the Mailbag for this week...

• Firstly, I wrote in my last post about cashback as a passing point. Turns out it doesn't exist... In Britain the practice is well-established, though evidently you'll need to have some other means of being readily accessible to cash if there isn't an ATM in sight...
  
• CAF - the French government grant for accommodation appears to be only available for those staying longer than 8 months.  Bear that in mind before you apply, though the attitude appears to be 'go to the social security office and explain your situation.'
  
• There are a few people asking about translation of documents for registering.  I got an email about registering and it said that the only documents that needed to be translated are those that are not in English, French, German or Spanish.
  
• Exchange students do not need to have a guarantor for their accommodation - there is no way of checking so they don't bother with it.  A deposit shall be fine :)

Hopefully this'll help people begin to get their stuff together.  Any other questions feel free to drop them to me.

10 days left... And then the 10 month journey begins.

Mike :)

Plenty to think about

Hey everyone :)


It's now only 12 days to go and things are getting more and more exciting as we go.  Yesterday my American Football transfer request was approved by the European Federation of American Football, allowing me to obtain my license to play in France.  Hugely exciting and I am really looking forward to getting on the pitch - I am told the first session is around the 4th September.

With lots of lists of things to do, it can be difficult to stop and look ahead properly at times.  I haven't, for instance, really spoken much about what's going on in my head.

There's plenty to think about and prepare for.

• I'm going to miss people, that's a big thing.  Obviously I'm leaving my family for a long period of time.  OK, so I've been there and done that with going off to Lincoln.  It's a bit different though - if I miss home or fancy popping back for the weekend Lincoln is only four hours coach ride away from Bristol.  With Grenoble we are talking nearly 4 times the distance, in an unfamiliar country.
  A holiday doesn't really count.  You get to see the sanitised side of life while you're away, especially if you're in a resort or something.  With living there for ten months... it becomes a whole different ball game.  Suddenly it's you out there in the real world.
  I suppose you could add friends to this list too.  I've met many good people while I'm away and many of them will be entering their final years of study while I'm out there.  That's going to be tough.
   
• I'm going to miss Bethany a lot.  My girlfriend has been one of the reasons I got through second year in remarkably good shape.  Genuinely don't know where I would be or what I would be doing without her.  It's remarkable. 
  Consider then, going to university whilst in a relationship and not being able to see someone you care for very much.  OK, so we can talk on Skype or Facebook message each other or briefly talk on the phone.  Heck, I appear to have an invite to travel to Liverpool to stay over Christmas.  Somehow though I get the impression that will be exceptionally tough.  We've made a pact to be honest with each other and stay in contact.  The main thing is that we are going to work to get this relationship right.  Hopefully she'll be able to visit me and I'll be able to travel to see her - naturally differing timetables mean we'll have to pick our time carefully. 
  At the end of it all, I've promised to take her on holiday somewhere to try and make up for my long absence...
  
• It's a new place.  I remember when I first got to Lincoln - it was an extraordinary experience of trying to find out was where and how things worked in a different city.  I suspect the same will be of Grenoble.  My mate Jack once described it as 'like Bristol' so I would think that'll suit my lifestyle.  That said, anywhere new takes a lot of getting used to.
  
• It's a foreign language!  Did I forget to mention that?  Oh yeah, French is not my first language and it's something that, whilst I've been learning since I was 11, the only way to truly get hold of the language is to go there and stay there.  The education system in the UK badly undervalues foreign languages and teaches them in such a bad manner it's amazing anyone tries to learn French.  There's no practical learning to it - I can talk about my favourite school subjects and recycling and saving the planet... but useful things like checking into a hotel or asking for cashback at the supermarket is a complete mystery for me.

All of this leaves me wondering about the future.  Don't get me wrong - I most certainly am looking forward to going.  There's just a lot to think about and a lot to prepare for in my head that isn't quite there yet.

Any questions/comments?  Feel free to post them up.

Mike :) 

Things all coming together...

Hey everyone :)

Think it's safe to say that things are getting on pretty good at the moment - this blog is taking off nicely... There have been some very kind words of encouragement from around the Erasmus Grenoble community, so thank you to you all.


"Hey, Just wanted to say that your blog is really useful and thank you for being so organised!  I am heading out to UJF Grenoble from University of Bath to do Maths, and have received little/no information from either institution, so anything extra is brilliant." -Jemima Tabeart, Bath

"Your blog is slowly (but not slowly at all) becoming our bible!" - Alessandro Gasparotti, Venice

There have been numerous other people who have kindly thanked me for my various musings and posts.  Your support is much appreciated.

Anyway, things are beginning to come together.  I, for example, have great pleasure showing off some timetables for you all.  I've so far got IUT2, Stendhal and IEP, with more to come soon hopefully.

They can be found here! 

Hopefully this'll help.  I'll add more to that area once I find them.

In the mean time, I need to open a bottle of wine and think philosophically.  I promised I would write about the mental side of going away and I promise to do this at the weekend!

All the best!

Mike :) 

The Mailbag Part 3: we're drawing nearer...

Good morning readers!

It's 15 days to go now until I make the journey to France now - utterly terrifying but exciting.

It occurred to a family member the other day that I spend so much time thinking about all the practical things, what to do next and so on.... They worry I might forget to consider the mental impact it's going to have, the emotions and the psychology if it all.

It's something I look forward to writing about and I will publish some early thoughts over the next day or two (might need to find a leather wingback chair and crack open a bottle of port to consider it...)

Anyway, onto the Mailbag!

• A few people haven't received any confirmation emails for their options. Seems to predominantly affecting those going to Stendhal from what I'm reading. What I would do in that situation is get someone on the phone from the institution - it appears there are a few people getting emails back with auto responders saying staff are off.

• What time can we move in? Well, according to a response from accommodation services to Marie-Laure Tapp, blocks are open 24/7. However - certainly in the case of Ouest - it would be easier to check in before 5pm. It's worth checking to see.

• Phone contracts - several people based in mainland Europe are considering getting mobile phone contracts and are trying to find the best deal. The aptly-named Free! network seems to be one of the most talked-about on the forums and groups, with a relatively inexpensive range of options. I've also heard Sosh being mentioned, as has Virgin Mobil. 

Frankly, some of the rates put UK companies to shame. Companies here seem to be so concerned with profits that they hike up the prices to extortionate levels. You are quite literally able to get a better deal in France and pay a third of the price.

• Travel to Grenoble. It would appear that several people are flying to the area's biggest airport at Geneva and need to get public transport to Grenoble. Having read some comments, the shuttle bus is very expensive and the top option is the train. I had a quick look and you can reserve a seat for the two hour trip for under €30.

• And finally... For those interested in outdoor sports, I reckon you should get on Outdoor Sports Grenoble International on Facebook. A group for those into hiking, mountaineering, canyon-running, it's certain one of the big and upcoming groups for Grenoble students. Julian Krooß has set it up and is promoting the trial runners: 168km endurance runners that make Iron Man look like a Sunday stroll. You'd have to be insane, but I think it's utterly engrossing to follow. I saw a trial run in the Pyrenees a few years ago and I was lucky enough to meet a trial runner in Norway a year later. Be sure to give the page a look.

Well that's all from me today, I'll be posting some more Q&A soon, as well as other cool features. Don't forget to share and send me questions!

Mike :)

Les Centaures de Grenoble - Football Américain

While I'm away as an Erasmus student, I'm sure I'll get many life-changing opportunities. One of the great things about being a student is that you can many great different things before you get into the grind of a job.

One thing I've been doing at university in England is playing American Football, the greatest team sport of them all.

The drama, the tactics, the sheer levels of toughness and fitness needed to play such an aggressive game has always been a major attraction for me since I watched my first game back in 2007, that legendary Fiesta Bowl between Boise State University and University of Oklahoma. 

The hits are ferocious, hitting four times harder than rugby. The speed is intense - half a step too early or too late and you don't quite make it, in the words of Al Pacino. It also allows me to use my head to win - 5ft10 and 12st is about as small as we come, so thinking and reacting forms my game.

At the time I was playing rugby - the contact/collision aspect translates pretty well. Being perhaps un-resourceful I didn't spot the opportunity until I got to university and I took up the sport for the University of Lincoln Colonials. In my second year I would become the team's president (and if our two qualified coaches hadn't walked out in December, I'm sure we would have finished the season too.)

Going away has meant taking a step away from the team, though it doesn't mean I can't play... A transfer form and a €100 fee can send me anywhere in Europe (the advantages of keeping it amateur or semi-pro at worst.)

Going to Grenoble has given me a rare opportunity to play with a fantastic team, Les Centaures de Grenoble.

I've been in contact with several members of the management and coaching staff to facilitate my move and they appear very welcoming. I've been given my defensive playbook to get me started - it's a beast of a thing that sits 120 pages long and all in French.

I've always had a dream, since I started playing. That was one day I could represent my country in the game. I think Grenoble will give me a big boost in getting there.

I cannot wait to get onto the field.

Mike

Over the airwaves and over the field...

When do you really define 'the beginning'?

Is it when you get in the car that morning, is it when you see Grenoble for the first time, nestled in the mountains? 

For me, there's a clear argument that it started the day I got my letter of acceptance. Maybe my Level 2 results.

I'm fairly certain though that yesterday was a big step. 

To start off with, I plugged my SIM card into my phone and got my phone number. It's an old iPhone that I'm being loaned, so plugging into iTunes and making it like home was nice too.

Obviously keeping the data roaming off, I would rather avoid any nasty surprises! 

Next thing that I managed to do was to pay for my American Football transfer - I sent money off to the European Federation of American Football's office in Germany.

I'm now patiently awaiting that wonderful email welcoming me to the French league... The Centaurs will be a great experience I'm sure and I'm looking forward to playing my third year in the sport under some great coaches.

Considering life in Arsonval will be different to Junxion, Lincoln, I decided to cut down on a lot of stuff I won't be needing. In Lincoln there is definitely a more 'self-catered' approach than Grenoble, where the student cafés will give you a 3-course meal for €3,50 or less. Whilst in Lincoln I had my own kitchen (within the flat) in Arsonval it's a big kitchen/catering kitchen between about 50 of you. Perhaps this will work to my advantage and stop my usual rampant overspending!

I also considered what sort of clothing I would need. Firstly, I'll push aside the irony that Grenoble today is expecting to see temperatures of 30 degrees and mention that it will be pretty cold in the winter. I'm assuming snow is a certainty!

Managed to dig out my thick winter coat and everything I only wear in Lincoln in extreme weather (as we call it in the UK, the prepared Europe calls it 'winter')

Travel plans are set in place now: we'll travel by Eurotunnel and stay overnight near Riems before making the trip down to an Alpine chalet near Grenoble.

We'll travel on a Friday, get into Grenoble on the Saturday afternoon.

Less than three weeks remain... I want to go, but a bit of me wants to stay. Nerves I'll put that down to.

I'll run another Mailbag at some point and write something American Football related during the week.

The countdown runs down.

Mike.

The Mailbag Part 2

Following the success of the first of my Mailbags, I can happily say here's a second part:

• Accommodation, deposits and all that - A few people (myself included) have asked about what the next step is with regards to our accommodation.  Things like deposits and rent and insurance all need to be sorted out.
  Thanks to David Reyes (University of Malaga) I can tell you that we'll be sorting everything upon arrival.
• Household Insurance - One of the compulsory things you need is household insurance when getting CROUS accommodation in France.  This is simply to cover you in case of an accident.
  At first I think it was safe to say that no-one really knew what to do, though a bit of searching goes a long way.  I looked at several sites and they all pointed to Smeno as the place to go.  Once you are insured you are able to download the certificate immediately to show to the accommodation office.

• Mobile phones - A lot of people across Europe have been talking about mobile phones and which is the best company to go to.  Well, there was a rousing response from people.  Sarah Bilot (UPMF) handily added in a comparison site to compare contracts (known as 'forfaits' in France) which can be seen here.   

During the next couple of days I'll work out what's going on with the CAF, the grant you can get paid for your accommodation in France.  I think it'll help greatly with costs so it's definitely worth looking in to.

Much to do today - keeping life as normal as I can given the insane excitement that's befallen me of late.  I cannot wait to get going.  

It's three weeks today.

Mike :)

So I've got somewhere to live...

Good morning everyone!

And so the end of the working week has arrived. All over the UK offices are filled with relieved workers all waiting for 5pm to come.

More interestingly for me, I get some time to file through some of things that have arrived for me over the week.

Things have been quite quiet on the Erasmus pages, so here's some of the bits and pieces to sort out for me:

Firstly, I can plug that SIM card in for the first time and get my phone number (one does not simply have it written down...)

I can also get that little green slip sent off which says I've actually used the SIM.

There are a few emails to send off with regards to my Erasmus grant - just confirming what else I need to do to make sure it gets paid on time. I've been in close contact with my home university to check the details of my placement, I would always encourage people to do the same.

Home insurance - for those of you who don't know, students in France need household insurance in order to move in. I'll probably do a blog post on that at the weekend; it's quite a broad topic!

And then of course, there's the small matter of American Football. While I'm away, I'll be playing for the Grenoble Centaurs - very exciting stuff!

Naturally, there's paperwork to fill out for it and a payment to send to the board that represents teams and committees in Europe. A move has been in the pipeline for several months now, time to make the move official!

Think it's beginning to dawn on me now, as I stare out of the bus window as I type. It's three weeks now. Everything's coming together and I'm getting organised (no small hand to my parents there) but I think nothing is going to prepare me for coming off the Eurotunnel into France.

Exciting, yes. Slightly terrifying, absolutely. 

Phone SIM arrived, bit confusion...

Well I think things are progressing at a reasonable pace now... Chief thing to report is that my French SIM card arrived from Le French Mobile yesterday!

Brings up an interesting point: all pre-paid PAYG SIM cards have to be registered under French law within 15 days of arrival. If you don't, you stand to get cut off! I can only imagine it's for security or something similar.

I also must apologise to my friends on the Erasmus pages on Facebook over Orientation Week timetables.

I noted that some members due at IUT2 and INP colleges both had received timetables of what to attend during the orientation week. Of course, going to IUT2, I assumed I missed something. It transpires that the current ones floating around on the Facebook pages are not necessarily for Erasmus students.

It appears that us exchange pupils will receive our information closer to the time (thank you Rosie Paul and Sandeep Mishra for clearing that up!)

Spent the vast majority of the evening speaking on Skype with Bethany - she seems to be enjoying her summer back home in Liverpool. I'm fairly sure she's getting tired of listening to my ramblings of Grenoble and what comes next...

Still, it's lovely that she supports me and I'm sure she'll pay me a visit at some point over the course of my time away.

Thank you for questions and words of encouragement that have come in recently, they are all much appreciated. If there is anything you'd like me to include in a post that's relevant to Grenoble, then just drop me a message, comment or if you know me on Facebook then that's an easy way to do it too!

Mike :)

The MailBag: Episode 1

Hello everybody!


Right, it's time for the first of my Mailbag series.  Basically, I scour through the best of the questions, comments and messages that I've found/received over the last few days and I let you all know what's what.

1. A lot of people seem to be moving into Grenoble pretty early - many before their tenancies are due to start!   - This is fair enough, many seem to be wanting to get into Grenoble promptly to settle in and get to know the area before they get hit with work.  Going too early, however, can result in you having nowhere to live for those first few days.
   A few people have mentioned finding houses or flats.  Personally, I reckon that we aren't talking about a huge amount of time between getting there and moving in.  May I suggest a Youth Hostel to you? 
   The only Youth Hostel anywhere near Grenoble (without a 10 mile walk into town) is the Hostel Grenoble located 10 Avenue du Gresivaudan.  Its somewhere around EUR20 per person per night so it's always worth a look if you want something near town.
   
2. A few people missed the CROUS deadline for student accommodation - OK, firstly don't panic - there will likely be something you can do fairly easily.
   Because you missed the deadline, you'll have to wait until the 1st September to find out where you're living for the first semester.  Panic not though - I would still rate your chances as pretty good of getting some CROUS living.  If you're going to wait until three days before people start moving in I can't see them turning around so close to the start of the course and saying "sorry, nowhere for you!"  How are you meant to find something in such a short space of time?  My money is on you getting somewhere :)  Obviously I don't take any responsibility if you don't!
3. What about Internet connections? - I don't know how anyone can survive without a good internet connection... Thankfully, the CROUS team have kindly provided us with the name of the company that they like to use.  Neoservices is the one that is frequently mentioned across the accommodation guides.  I would believe that you'll get some details when you move in. 
   There are some blocks where I am lead to believe that you have to find your own deal with an ISP.  Shop around and look for the best deal for your needs, I am no French ISP expert!
4. And finally, some sound advice from a Brit - Thanks to Ifan Williams (University College London) I can report that Grenoble is more expensive than London!  I'm sure this'll bring up good old debates about budgeting.
   Ifan would also like to stress that there are nearly no buses running late at night - I would like to stress that I do not condone his suggestion of drunken cycling home at the end of a night out.

Well, there's a few of my top questions from the day.  Hopefully there'll be a nice load of them over the next coming days.  Any more questions, feel free to comment and I'll add them in!

Mike :)

From the Mailbag: a really clever idea

What I'm going to do over the course of my trip is run a Mailbag-type thing. I've had one or two people messaging me via Facebook asking about little things and I've seen some useful points on Facebook forums. So what I'll do is post them up on here so we can all have a good read :)

Keep looking, I'll be sure to post some later this evening or something :)

Mike :)

The little bits and pieces

A few people have been asking me about what I'm up to with certain amenities while I'm away... 

Mobile Phone - perhaps the biggest of the little things is a means to communicate with home and people I meet. There was an idea to use a French service, though all required me to have a Social Security number, something that I only get once I arrive in France. Having something read seemed a reasonable idea so the other day I ordered a pre-paid SIM card from LeFrenchMobile, a company which specialises in helping English people while they're abroad. It operates off the Transatel network and texts cost about €0.08 - calls are €0.19 a minute.

In terms of a bank account, it was a similar story - French bank account would only be available to me once I got there. Of all the options about, I sent to the Post Office as got one of those holiday cards they do. Basically use my main bank account to pay the top-up card and then use that. I don't have to pay any fees, which is quite nice too :)

Internet while I'm away will be arranged through my accommodation block via a company called Néoservices. No idea what it's like, but I do know it's €8 a month.

Well, there's a few bits and pieces to think about - I still have a bit to sort so I'll update you soon (not much I can do whilst on the bus to work!)

Mike :)

IUT2 Université Pierre Mendes, France

Grenoble it is then!

Starting in September I'll be off to Grenoble to study for a DUT qualification in International Economics - to say I'm excited is probably an understatement!

Grenoble is a city nestled in the foothills of the French Alps, in the Isère region. The city is practically built around the University there. The Uni itself is a big sprawling expanse that educates nearly 30,000 students and is considered one of the top places in France (so I'm told!)

There are many colleges as part of the Uni, and I'll be at IUT2, their management college.

While I'm there, I'll be staying in Student Accommodation (the challenges of finding the stereotypical ERASMUS house proved impossible from the start!) - my allocated one being Arsonval, literally two minutes from the management building. Talk about practical living...

As I've mentioned, I'm going as part of the Erasmus scheme, the Europe-wide mobility programme for students. It's something I always wanted to do and was one of the reasons I picked Lincoln in the first place!

I'll keep you updated with more details over the coming days about what I'm doing and how I'm going about my business :)

Mike :)

Well here we go again!

Well this is a bit awkward isn't it?

Back in my first year I created a blog about my university life and what was going on.  I got to the end of my first year and thought "well, that was good, so let's get on with it in my second year."
... and you heard nothing after that.

Shamefully, I didn't write a post for the entirety of my second year.  Now I'm a month away from my third year and suddenly realising that it ain't going to write itself. 

The thing is though, much has changed over the last year.

Firstly, I continued on the International Business Management course at Lincoln. I, naturally took up French again (being tutored by my personal tutor Ian Scott) and even got the chance to actually pick a module to do (something that obviously had evaded people's minds when they designed the course.)

I am currently in a delightful relationship with a lovely lady called Bethany, we have been together for over nine blissful months now. Bethany studies History in Lincoln and knows how to be great company and a wonderful girlfriend.

(Allow me to be briefly candid: my relationship with my ex-girlfriend Safia was not a healthy one, my previous blog gave off that impression, thinking back. I did have the odd person read and ask what had changed. She left Lincoln shortly after my last post and has returned home to study locally. We have not spoken in a year. Hindsight says that this was for the best.)

In September 2012, I accepted a nomination to become the president of the Lincoln Colonials American Football team. High hopes for a season were dampened by a persistent failure from the Student Union to support the team and the resulting departure of Coaches Alex Robson and Warwick Grosvenor. Souring relationships with the Lincolnshire Bombers lead to me declining to play in the BAFANL this season, though one day I intend to play in the National Leagues again.

Of course, all of this pales into relative insignificance.... For 2013 brings its own challenges.

September 2013 brings Grenoble, France.