Grabbing some excellently strong coffee, some baguette and my super sexy uniform, I went to tackle the Caen bus service.
Turns out that there are infact many benefits to dressed like a bogey... The best being free transport!
My first shift was full of trying to listen and comprehend all I thought I'd missed out on in the training days I hadn't been to... But having conversed with others, we were all in the same position, rather confused and just riding the wave of the Jeux Equestre Mondiaux, Normandie.
I was put on 'ushering' with a Swedish lady who spoke no French and conveniently for all, I had decided to watch the tv in the 'Centre Des Benevolves' rather than listen to instructions. This was a recipe for definite success...
Much to everyone's surpise we managed to get though the first 6 hours without too many blunders... Regular phrases were 'il faut que vous prennez les escaliers encore une fois... Votre billet est pour le prochain étage' and 'vous étés la, les chaises sont complètement libres. Amusez-vous bien.' (you need to go up another flight of stairs as your ticket is for the next floor' or 'you are here! the seats are completely free. have fun!'... And managed to watch some people riding horses around an arena all in the name of 'dressage'...whatever that is...
The only real culture shock for myself was the French Cuisine. Of course, I've been to restaurants and am, in fact, rather partial to a good ol' 'Croque Monsieur' but the soggy beans, rather over boiled chicken and potatoes reminded me what the food was like at school in France... Something that left anything, everything, to be desired. Although, the cheese was great as was the bread... And they didn't manage to make a mess up on the can of coke. So there's a silver lining...
Yours rather hungrily,
X
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