Day One

Hello chaps,

I have actually made it safe and sound to Tours, France, where I will be spending the second half of my year abroad. I say this with a note of surprise, given the French reputation for bureacracy, strikes and generally 'not being British' about things. (Funny, that).

I am very lucky in that I have spoken French since I was a child and have pretty much have constantly had French lessons of some description since the age of five. While this does not mean I can consider myself to be any good at it, it means it does not intimidate me that much, which I think is very important. That, and it is much easier a language to an English speaker than Russian! It's also much easier to travel to for so many reasons - especially as being a London resident for most of the time, St Pancras International is essentially on my doorstep. 

I was dreading having to lug my suitcase through the Metro of Paris all by myself - where escalators are far less numerous than in London. It was so heavy that every time I lifted it, I almost fell over. Not cool. However, I was pleasantly surprised when no fewer than four people came to my aid and carried it up and down various offending sets of stairs with rather embarrassing ease. There is the character of the European to be completely unfazed by helping people out in train stations, especially when I fell over myself in Britishness, gabbling "oh thank you, you are most kind" with rapid gusto. Things that will never die.

I took the TGV from Paris Montparnasse to Tours, which was another pleasant surprise - the Loire Valley is incredibly beautiful, as well as completely flat. It's been a long time since I was in French countryside (at least 5 years or so) so it was nice to be back. It's being in France that reminds me why I do French!

Tours itself is incredibly beautiful. It is the stuff of English people's French dreams - winding cobbled streets, incredible 18th Century architecture and wide avenues, not to mention traditional formal public gardens where I can imagine petanque to be played on a regular basis in the summer. It makes me yearn for my childhood summer holidays spent in France, to be honest. Maybe I shall consider this the extended version, director's cut, or whatever they call it these days. 

I fear the gaffe reel will be extensive though. Today's gaffes include dragging my suitcase up a muddy bank because I went the wrong way to reception, speaking to the receptionist in half Russian, half French, my card getting blocked by my bank (even though I'd already told them I was going abroad - embarrassing) and almost getting myself run over when losing control of my suitcase.

I am going to spend tomorrow kitting out my new digs, including getting that outlandish frivolity - a duvet. I hedged my bets a little by not bringing one (physically couldn't carry it and it was all provided in Russia, so I made sure to bring a big towel instead!) so now tonight I will be sleeping under said towel and a coat. Idiot girl.