This, that and the other

So I told you in my last post that I was due to have a Couchsurfer staying at with me last Wednesday. This was my first Couchsurfing experience, and it was a very positive one indeed! We ate sweet potato, red pepper and chèvre spaghetti, followed by chocolate truffles that she'd made, and talked a mélange of French and English as she wanted to practice on me. The best bit about it, however, was that she is a clarinet teacher, so she introduced me to a genre that she's recently become really interested it - Klezmer. Klezmer is basically a Jewish genre that originated in Eastern Europe. The principal instrument is the clarinet, and the music is intended for dancing to, so it's totally energetic and powerful and exciting! If you're interested, here's a link to a Klezmer track. Hopefully she'll come and stay again in the future and we can do a bit of duetting together :)

Not much else to report this week since 4 days of it were spent back in England for a gig with my band (facebook.com/jegisus. Sorry, blatent shameless plugging, I know). I realise I've pretty much photographed La Rochelle's Vieux Port from every angle possible, but on my way to the airport the sun came out and it looked so lovely I couldn't not take advantage of the kodak moments. Also I'd have no pictures for my blog otherwise, and that would just be unnacceptable ;) 

And then, on my way back from England as I was passing through La Rochelle en route to the station, there was a rainbow, yay! I'm now a mad fan of La Rochelle.

Quoi d'autre?...Well, I've finally done something about my YARP! Until a few days ago, every time I thought about the mountain of dissertation lying ahead of me and that I should have started it months ago, I freaked out and decided to distract myself with something else before I commited suicide. Obviously this vicious circle was getting more and more malicious as each day came and went, so on Tuesday I thought it was about time to face the music and try and organise the interviews I need to do with pupils at my lycée. So I emailed my colleague yesterday morning telling her what would be involved bla-bla-bla, and she replied that I could start interviewing the pupils tomorrow morning, ie today. So after frantically working out what I needed to find out from them, and after preparing the necessary bureaucracy needed, I got my first lot of data for my project. Massive smiley face. Although I've got tons and tons to do still, at least the ball is now rolling.

Another reason for excitement right now is that I have just ordered my first French cookery book. So family, be expecting  bœuf bourguignon, cassoulet and coq au vin on my return.

Bisous, ciao.