Beyond Bangor and entering the big wide world - by going abroad again!

Hello again!

I know it has been a VERY long time since I have even touched this blog, but now that I have an opportunity to write on it again, I thought that I should. I have now finished my studies in Bangor and am graduating in only 3 weeks!!!! It has gone by incredibly quickly and was the best 4 years of my life! I don't want it to end, but at the same time, I don't want to be studying anymore; I want to get out into the big wide world and start working, as I know I don't want to do a Masters right now; and it starts this summer, as I'm travelling again, this time to Bordeaux in South-West France =D 

The fountain at Place Quinconces, Bordeaux

I am here as part of a scheme called Leonardo Da Vinci Ectarc, which (I think) is funded by the EU, for people either living, studying or working in Wales. It works with similar partners to provide work placements in France (Bordeaux), Germany (Hamburg and Berlin), Spain (Seville and Barcelona) and Italy (Florence). However, I think for summer, they are only doing Bordeaux, Hamburg and Barcelona, so as you can see, Bordeaux was the only one that I could have picked. The brilliant thing is that most of it is funded by the institution themselves, notably accommodation, flights and the language course that happens in the first few weeks! I think there's going to be some changes to it in the future, but to anyone I know in Wales for whatever reason, please apply for it, you will NOT regret it!

I have been in Bordeaux in a week now and I am absolutely loving it! I know there are a lot of things to cover over so here we go:

Some of the members "Team Ectarc"

Accommodation: I am living with one of the Welsh girls from Ectarc, as well as an American and two Italian girls (sometimes we manage to switch between French, English and Italian all in one sentence), all of whom I get on with, as well as the landlady (who I only met yesterday); in Bordeaux, they use the host family scheme as I did when I was in Lyon. It is not too far from the city centre, only 10 minutes on the bus and 20 minutes walk from the INSUP centre (the French partners), where we have our language course.

The People: I have met a few people from INSUP who will be going to Llangollen, which is where Ectarc is based, as well as a few Italians and a Spanish girl, when INSUP held a reception the other day. However, understandably, it was the fellow Ectarc Englishmen/Welshmen who I got to know first. Other than myself and Ellie (as in Bangor Ellie who came to Lyon with me, I was SO HAPPY when I heard she was also applying), everyone either studies or has studied at Aberystwyth University (which, in case you don't know, is Bangor's rival); but they're all really friendly and we have helped each-other feel at home in this incredible city. Also just thought I'd mention we've already had some incredibly mad moments in our lessons...

The city centre at night

Work: For the first three weeks, we have a fairly intensive language course at the INSUP centre before we start our placements. It's not like learning countless grammer exercises, but it's more using practical skills that we'll use on our placements. We normally have it either in the morning or in the afternoon (other than Mondays), but we still come out knackered afterwards, partly due to the heat. I think we have mock interviews before our real ones either this week or next, and we have now been told where our placements were; it was getting really frustrating telling people at home that I was leaving for Bordeaux in a few weeks/days and I still didn't know what I was doing! Well, I will be working at the Maison Ecocitoyenne, which is a charity working with environmental sustainability; from the impression I got, I will be switching between the Welcome desk and the cafe inside; working with an organisation like this was my first choice of work, so I'm really pleased!

Misty Miroir d'Eau

Weather: To give an extent of how hot it is here, I noticed it was 27 degrees when I was going out last night - at 10pm! I am getting more used to it, but it has been sunny, hot and humid all week, easily around 35 degrees; I am very thankful for sun-cream. Unfortunately, it has been cool enough in the evenings to get bitten on my legs and for said bites to swell up. Thankfully, I have repellent, cream and one of those things that you can plug in from the landlady to keep the bugs away, so they should hopefully be gone in the next few days.

The City: We (the Ectarc group that is) have done a bit of exploring the in the city centre, such as the high street, Place Quinconces and a few places around and between, but so far, our favourite place has to be the Miroir d'Eau (which means "Water Mirror"). It's a giant slap of tarmac covered in little fountains that either spray mist out, or trickle out water to make it like a giant paddling pool - and it is the best thing for weather like we have here. Even though it's mainly your feet getting the treatment, it makes such a difference! Normally, we switch between having a bit of a sunbathe - with a LOT of sun-cream - and going in the water. I need to have my tankini on me I think the next time I go just so I'd be able to lie in the water and make a water-angel =P

When the Miroir d'Eau becomes a real mirror

Lovely lovely wine!

What's coming up: There is apparently a lot of things to do in Bordeaux and we have come at the perfect time. There are lots of museums and more sights in the city itself, but there's also beaches nearby as well as links to other towns worth visiting, and it's also not too far from the Spanish border! Also there are some festivals during the summer, starting tonight with the music festival, and the wine festival (well, I am in Bordeaux - I've already had some flipping amazing wine in one of the bars here) next week - I'll add them to my next blog whenever I post that.

I am really hoping that you'll follow my adventures here in Bordeaux and support my blog as much as you did when I was on Erasmus.
Charlotte