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 :)