Vote for me!

I'm doing things in the wrong order as I've already put that up on my Facebook page and twitter, but in case you're just passing by, here it is again:

I've been nominated for the 2nd year in a row in the "Top 100 International Exchange and Experience Blogs” competition IX15. Every year, bab.la and Lexiophiles host the IX competition to recognize the 100 most exciting, inspiring, open-minded bloggers who write about their  experiences in a foreign country.

Last year, I came 22nd, which was a great achievement as I had been blogging for a few months only. This year I'm aiming for the top 10!

So you know what you have to do! If you enjoy reading my blog, please vote by clicking on the button below. Sadly you can only vote once, so please share with your friends, family, colleagues, fellow bloggers, everyone you know!

Thanks in advance :-)

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Book review - That's Paris: An anthology of life, love and sarcasm in the city of light

As you might know, I'm not a big fan of Paris. Breton people usually have that sort of love-hate relationship with the capital. We all agree it's a beautiful city to visit, with wonderful sites, museums, churches and landscapes, but we would never live there (unless absolutely necessary of course). It's too big, crowded, polluted and Parisians (except my good friend Laetitia) are not the most welcoming bunch if I'm honest. 

So, how come I have almost fallen in love with Paris? I started to read Vicki's blog a year ago, an American girl who has lived in Paris for the past ten years and the way she talked about her experience just appealed to me. She kept it real with a touch of humour and you could really see she was embracing the French way of life (especially the wine drinking, but who wouldn't really?!).

I read her first two books, Confessions of a Paris party girl and Confessions of a Paris potty trainer, that I reviewed right here. To be honest, it was so entertaining I couldn't put the Kindle down and read both books in a matter of days. 

This time, Vicky is back with a vengeance, and the help of 23 authors. With her fellow editor, Adria J.Cimino, they put together an anthology about Paris. It's a mix of fiction, non-fiction and humorous pieces that take you right in the heart of the City of Lights. All written by francophiles, foreigners who fell in love with Paris or even French authors, the book covers a multitude of subjects, sometimes serious like love and loss, sometimes funny like the infamous French administration or the maze that a French supermarket can be. Some stories just take you to another world altogether, from mysterious encounters on a bridge or in a cemetery, to an improbable Zombie apocalypse...  An interesting feature of this book is that 4 pieces are offered both in English and French. As a bilingual person but the worst translator in the world, I can safely say the stories were equally interesting and engaging in both languages (well done to the translators!).

It would be hard to review each piece, but there are definitely all kind of stories and styles to suit everyone's taste. For some reason, I have been drawn to bitter sweet tales like "A scoop of Henry" by Cheryl McAlister, where the main character spreads her late husband's ashes across the city. An other stand out for me was "Violette", by Frederique Veysset, the story of a couple who inherit their neighbour's apartment and find a "hidden treasure" behind a condemned door... The prize for the funniest piece would have to go to "La dame de la nuit" by Leslie Floyd, where an unfortunate American student is being mistaken for someone that she's not (hint: translate the title in English and you will understand!). I also have a special mention for the two mesmerising stories by Didier Quemener (this guy must have Breton blood with a name like that...) "Half Past midnight" and "Le chemin du Dragon". 

In the end, another great book, full of different aspects of life in the City of Light. I'm almost making peace with the French Capital... Who would have known!

On a side note, I really really wonder where Vicki finds the time and the energy to be married, have two kids, work full time, write two books and publish a third one through her own publishing house that she set up a few months ago... And I'm complaining that I can't find proper quality time to write... Considering she also is an avid fan of zombies, I have come to the conclusion that she must be a vampire. How else could it be? She obviously doesn't sleep at all to be able to do everything. That's the only explanation. 

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of the book from Vicki in exchange for an honest review. All the opinions are my own.

 

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Help!

I haven't written for a week and it's driving me crazy. I have lots of ideas though, I just can't seem to put them together for some reason...Actually I think I know what's going on, and I need to find a solution.

I used to have some sort of writing routine. I was thinking about my posts while driving to and from work. 45 minutes of "thinking", even though they were spent in traffic, were giving me enough time to come up with some ideas, sentences and good catch phrases. Now, my commute is between 10 and 15 minutes each way. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade that for anything, but my "me-time" has been reduced a lot as a result, and the ability to write a whole post in my head is well and truly gone.

I used to have some "alone" time to take the laptop, do some reading here and there, and start writing something. My husband was working in the evening and once the kids were in bed, I could sit comfortably on the couch and work on my blog. I wasn't writing every evening, but I had the freedom to start a post and finish it the following day if I wasn't happy or lacked a bit of inspiration. Now my husband is home at 7pm. Again, I'm not complaining about that as we used to see each other a lot less than now, but my routine has completely gone the window. I obviously want to spend time with him, so we usually watch a movie on the laptop because we stream everything online (that's what you do when you have kids and can't go to the cinema anymore). 

He's very supportive of my blogging activity, and sometimes asks me if I want to write, but I don't like having to write if you know what I mean. The thought that "tonight is my only chance to come up with some ideas because he has decided to watch something on TV and I have access to the laptop", is the sort of pressure I don't handle very well. In short, I don't like being pressured (even though I know it's not intentional).

I also need to be alone to write, without someone asking me questions: "Have you finished?", "What are you writing about?" and so on. I have read somewhere that writers can be very solitary. Not that I call myself a writer, that would be way too pretentious, but I can definitely understand the reason behind it. I need peace and quiet, maybe some white noise in the background or a re-run of Friends on TV because complete silence freaks me out a bit, but I need to be on my own. That's not good news for the husband (or the kids), is it?!

You probably wonder how I managed to write this entire post then? Well, my husband has taken the kids out to the playground. But I seriously can't ask him to leave the house every night, can I? Although he might be happy to go the pub every couple of days (our wallet wouldn't be though)

So now I have a question for all blogging working parents out there? How do you do it? Where do you find the time to work full-time, mind the kids,cook, supervise homework, spend some time with your partner AND write as well? Do you steal the laptop and lock yourself in the bedroom? Do you have more than one laptop? (that's in my plans, but I don't have enough money at the moment!). Do you need to be alone or can you write surrounded by people? 

I'd like to know because I really really enjoy writing this blog, I just feel it's not fitting in my new busy timetable anymore and I'm not happy about it.

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Connemara: How a French singer made me think it was a county!

If you ask a French tourist what is the place he wants to visit the most in Ireland, he will undoubtedly tell you "The Connemara". 

You might wonder why. After all, there are so many beautiful landscapes and sites to visit in Ireland so why do French people seem to be obsessed with the Connemara? A popular French singer decided, back in the eighties, to write a song about it. It's called "Les lacs du Connemara" (Connemara's lakes). 

Initially, Michel Sardou wanted to sing about Scotland but his co-writer came back with a leaflet about Ireland instead. The singer thought it would be interesting to write about the conflict in Northern Ireland, but his friend refused (too risky probably) and showed him the movie "The quiet man". So they decided to write about an Irish wedding instead.

The song was an instant hit, and is still Sardou's biggest success with 3 millions singles sold by 1988.

I was a child when the song was released, but it was still played in night clubs when I was a teenager. I remember, it was always the last song of the night, and everybody was up on the dancefloor, singing along. It's probably the most famous French song about Ireland.

However, I have a major issue with some of the lyrics. Michel Sardou made me look like a fool when I came to Ireland and claimed that Connemara was a county. After all, that's what he sang: "From Tipperary, Bally-Connelly, And Galway, they arrived in county Connemara"... I was so sure to be right that I felt really stupid when I eventually looked at a map. So, thanks Michel, to make me look like a proper eejit. 

If you want to enjoy and understand the song, you can watch the video and read the English translation. I've always wondered if the lyrics were reflecting some sort of reality, especially the part where Maureen dives naked in one of the lakes or the fact that they have the wedding in Limerick, and guests come from as far as Kerry...

Don't hesitate to tell me what you think about it!

  

Terre brûlée au vent		Land burned by wind
Des landes de pierre		Stone heaths
Autour des lacs		Around the lakes
C'est pour les vivants		It is, for the inhabitants
Un peu d'enfer		A little bit of hell
Le Connemara		Connemara
Des nuages noirs		Black clouds
Qui viennent du nord		Coming from the North
Colorent la terre		Colour the land
Les lacs, les rivières		Lakes and rivers
C'est le décor		That's the landscape
Du Connemara.		Of Connemara
Au printemps suivant		The following spring
Le ciel irlandais		The Irish sky
Etait en paix.		Was peaceful
Maureen a plongé		Maureen dived
Nue dans un lac		Naked into a lake
Du Connemara.		Of Connemara
Sean Kelly s'est dit		Sean Kelly said to himself
"Je suis catholique,		"I am Catholic
Maureen aussi"		and so is Maureen"
L'église en granit		The granite church
De Limerick		Of Limerick
Maureen a dit "oui"		Maureen said "yes"
De Tiperrary		From Tipperary
Bally-Connelly		Bally-Connelly
Et de Galway,		And Galway
Ils sont arrivés		They arrived
Dans le comté		In the county
Du Connemara		Of Connemara.
Y avait les Connor,		There were the Connors
Les O'Conolly,		The O'Conollys
Les Flaherty		The Flahertys
Du Ring of Kerry		From the Ring of Kerry
Et de quoi boire		And something to drink
Trois jours et deux nuits		For three days and two nights
Là-bas, au Connemara		Over there, in Connemara
On sait tout le prix du silence		They know the cost of silence
Là-bas, au Connemara		Over there, in Connemara
On dit que la vie		They say that life
C'est une folie		Is madness
Et que la folie		And that madness
Ça se danse		Dances
Terre brûlée au vent		Land burned by wind,
Des landes de pierre		Stone heaths
Autour des lacs		Around the lakes,
C'est pour les vivants		It is, for the inhabitants
Un peu d'enfer		A little bit of hell
Le Connemara		Connemara
Des nuages noirs		Black clouds
Qui viennent du nord		Coming from the North
Colorent la terre		Colour the land
Les lacs, les rivières		Lakes and rivers
C'est le décor		That is the landscape
Du Connemara		Of Connemara.
On y vit encore		There, people still live
Au temps des Gaels		In the age of the Gaels
Et de Cromwell,		And Cromwell
Au rythme des pluies		With the rhythm of the rain
Et du soleil		And the sun
Au pas des chevaux		And horses hooves
On y croit encore		They still believe
Aux monstres des lacs		In monsters of the lake
Qu'on voit nager		That are seen swimming
Certains soirs d'été		Some summer night
Et replonger		And dive back in
Pour l'éternité		For an eternity
On y voit encore		You still see
Des hommes d'ailleurs		Men from elsewhere
Venus chercher		Come to find
Le repos de l'âme		Some rest for their souls
Et pour le cœur		And a little more warmth
Un goût de meilleur		For their hearts
L'on y croit encore		They still believe
Que le jour viendra		That the day will come
Il est tout près		It's close at hand
Où les Irlandais		When the Irish
Feront la paix		Will make their peace
Autour de la croix		Around the cross
Là-bas, au Connemara,		Over there, in Connemara
On sait tout le prix de la guerre		They know the cost of war
Là-bas, au Connemara		Over there, in Connemara
On n'accepte pas		They don't accept
La paix des Gallois		The peace of the Welsh
Ni celle des rois d'Angleterre...		Nor that of the Kings of England...

Translation credits: GreatFrenchSongs

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Irish breakfast

Growing up, breakfast consisted of baguette, butter, jam, sometimes croissants or pain au chocolat, brioche and black coffee. I didn't imagine eating anything else really, and certainly not hot, savoury food. Sausages, bacon and eggs are for lunch, not breakfast!!

The first time I tried Irish breakfast was in a B&B a few months after I arrived. Fabrice, who had already embraced is newly found culture, forced me to try it. To be honest, after a night out drinking, and being mildly hangover, I was wondering how bacon and sausages would not affect my fragile stomach...

The plate came and I looked at Fabrice, who was already digging in. "OK, I have no choice then, so let's get started!" I  began by a sausage, then I had some scramble eggs, and a bit of bacon. I decided I would give the pudding a go... Next thing you know, my plate was empty. 

It was truly a revelation. Not only I loved almost everything that was on my plate, I actually felt better and my hangover had disappeared. And we were so full we didn't even eat lunch that day... I wonder if that's the reason why Irish people eat a very small lunch compared to the French. Even if they don't have a fry everyday, maybe the tradition of a sandwich at lunch time comes from the massive breakfast they used to have...

There is only one thing I'm not fond of: mushrooms. Eating them in a dish is fine, but on their own I think they have a funny taste.

Every time I go to a hotel or a B&B, I have the full Irish breakfast. And sometimes, Fabrice cooks it at home, especially when we have friends staying over. My French friends often look at me then, and I know what they're thinking: "That's it, we lost her! She's one of them now!"

This is definitely one aspect of Irish culture I didn't think I would appreciate and I was surprised I liked it. I used to be a croissant eater, and now I can stuff my face with bacon, sausages and scrambled eggs...

I've come a long way!

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#JeSuisCharlie

Today I had a plan. I was going to write a post about Irish Breakfast for "My Irish Experience" series and I already had a good bit written in my head.

Tonight I have no words. And I certainly don't want to talk about food. I'm not even hungry. I am angry. 

This morning I went to work as usual, and as I was checking Facebook, I realised my news feed was inundated by posts about a terrorist attack in France. Three men entered the head office of the satirical newspaper "Charlie Hebdo" and shot 12 people dead including the editor, journalists, cartoonists and police officers. I was shocked to say the least and I think I spent a good part of my day reading the news. I am still in shock tonight.

We don't have to agree with everything journalists publish in general, but everyone has the right to express themselves, especially in France, a secular country with a history of freedom of speech. So NO, I cannot accept the fact that someone would be killed for drawing, writing and basically expressing an opinion. If it starts like this, where does it end? 

I heard someone on the news tonight that said something that resonated with me: "There are not a lot of countries where all religions are accepted and everyone, regardless of the religious beliefs, can be accepted fully as a citizen. France is one these countries".

I don't know what to say anymore, but what I know is I HAD to write something. I usually don't write about politics or too serious subjects. My blog is light-hearted and should be taken as such (and I  hope I'm not offending any Irish people around!), but today is different. So I've made an exception. It's not my best written piece, but I am still overwhelmed with emotion and thinking of France at the moment.

Let's be all united again extremism.

By David Pope

 

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Dream dinner destination

If you could have or make dinner anywhere in the world, where would it be, and what would you eat?

First of all, I don't think the actual place matters but the people I would be with. Being French, meals are our way of socialising and they are important family time as well. Meals are were important decisions are made, stories are told, memories are shared. A few weeks ago, I was trying to find a solution to a problem at work, and innocently said to my French colleague: "I don't know what to do, but I think I'm going to eat first", to which he replied "That's the French way alright. We always eat when we're stuck for an answer!" So there might be some Gallic attitude left in me after all...

Anyway, back to my point. If I had to choose a place, it would probably be on the seaside. My first thought is Mauritius of course, for the dream aspect of it. Imagine, a big wooden table, in the middle of the beach, at sunset. Fire torches all around would illuminate the place and we would hear the gentle sound of the waves kissing the shore, while we eat, drink and laugh...I know, I can keep dreaming, but this is my "Dream dinner destination", remember?

I would enjoy that meal with my family of course. Husband, kids, sisters, brothers and parents on both sides of the family and plenty of friends. The ones we never get to see. The ones who are back in France, still in Mauritius or are scattered around the world. It would be a big reunion and that wooden table would have to be massive!

This is probably where my dinner would take place...

What about the menu? When I travel, I always try to eat local and the first time I went to Mauritius, I experienced a very different food culture. I tried food I never thought existed thanks to my husband and family over there. We all speak the same language, but when they start talking créole very fast and use words I don't understand, I can get lost very easily. They use different words for fruits, vegetable and fish. Tomato is not "tomate" like in French, it's "Pomme d'amour" (love apple!), "Curry" is "Cari" and "Octopus" is "Ourite". If I knew that "Tangue" was "hedgehog" (or hérisson in French), I'm not sure I would have tried it...Good thing they told me after. Mind you, it's not very tasty as you have to eat it with a lot of spices and chilli, something I sill haven't got accustomed to.

Back to my menu. I'm salivating, just thinking about it. For starter, a big stuffed lobster like this:

Then, "Bol renversé" (upside down bowl). It's a bit like a stew with rice and an egg on top, but the trick is to put the preparation in a bowl and then unmold the whole thing:

If you're in the mood for seafood, like me, you would be delighted with this alternative main course (I can do what I want, it's my dream dinner!): "Cari Ourite" with farata (Octopus curry with faratas, which is a bit like fajitas)

And for dessert, "Banane flambée" (Flamed banana)

The dinner wouldn't be complete with local alcohol of course:

Phoenix Beer, the best Mauritian beer

Mauritian rhum

If I was in a country where I don't speak the language, I would try to get the menu translated by a local if possible. Even if it's done in a broken English of French, you can still grasp the meaning better than an automated translation, really experience the local culture and more than likely have a big laugh in the process... Sometimes, restaurants or food services websites underestimate the importance of a good translation service. If you don't understand what you're going to eat (like a hedgehog for example!) there's a good chance you'd be left disappointed and frustrated. That's where a translation software company that uses real human beings can be useful. 

Food can really connect people and when you can speak the same language, it's even better.

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A human adventure

It's a bit funny that the first post of the series kind of sums up what my Irish experience has been so far.

When I landed in Dublin airport 12 years ago, I was far from thinking I would still be here after all that time. I had planned to stay for two or three years only, which already seemed quite an ambitious plan for the recruiter who offered me my first job. "The majority of foreigners stay on average one year" he said to me. As it happened, he was right. I'm not even counting the amount of people I met and went back home in the blink of an eye. 

I know I'm saying the past 12 years have been a big adventure, and still is, but I'm not talking about an action-packed or crazy stories type of journey. After all, I didn't go backpacking through the Australian outback or volunteer in Africa. I didn't go on a teaching gig in China or on surf trips to Bali. The culture clash was probably less visible than if I had moved to the other side of the planet.

My adventure is mostly human. Sure I didn't go to all those exotic places, but I have met people from all corners of the globe, and this would have NEVER happened if I stayed home. I have friends all over the world and not only I learned about Irish culture, I discovered many other places.

My husband is from Mauritius. I have Indian and Danish neighbours. I used to work with Hungarian, Polish, Lithuanian and Slovakian people. I have friends from Moldova, Great-Britain, Croatia, Spain and the USA... I learned a lot about other cultures, especially tolerance, respect and differences. I can also manage a few words in each language. Bad words, mostly, but that's usually what we remember, right? And I ate A LOT of good stuff cooked by those people. Traditional dishes and biscuits and cakes... Food can really make people connect, trust me (more of that in an upcoming post!).

Most importantly, I have met wonderful Irish people and discovered a fabulous country. I couldn't thank my host family enough for feeding me (a bit too much) and really helping me out when I was stuck at the beginning. The first few months really shaped the rest of my Irish experience and that particular family is the reason I realised this country was really worth it.

The Irish are very family centred and it takes a bit more work to really have a solid friendship with them, but I think we managed to find a good balance between Irish and foreign friends.

There have been some highs and lows during those 12 years. I sometimes got bored and frustrated, but I never gave up, and I still think I have a better quality of life here than in France. 

When I look back at my time in Ireland, I will think about the wonderful landscapes and the never-ending rainbows, but most importantly, I will remember THE PEOPLE. 

And that's what makes this adventure human.

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