Nearing the finish line.

Not sure exactly what to write this week - it's been a bit of a blur. In fact, even when I try to think of what I've done, I can't bring to mind straight away what's happened! OK, so there was:

1. My move to the Juniors - an interesting one, that. I can't say that I didn't miss the Kids (the team in particular), but the Juniors do know how to have fun! Water fights, ultimate frisbee, Jungle Speed (yes, I said it), doing surfing on a belly board along a wet tarpaulin covered in soap... I can't think of a day where I managed to stay dry! Also, the kids are hilarious! We had many a discussion centred around which team-member was going out with who (oh, the scandal!), who they found the most attractive, etc. etc. Brilliant.

2. My gradually creeping-on tiredness... I definitely made the most of this week in terms of socialising, etc. (finally managing to do so), but as a result this leaves me rather lacking in sleep and in the claws of an energy deficit. And, working with children, energy is something that is needed in abundance! I have realised (again) the necessity to take some time out now and then, pray, sleep, relax, just be - not very easy when you're surrounded by the buzz that goes on here. Also, for those who know me, I do not deal very well with fatigue (in fact, I become rather bizarre...). So, this week I have decided to chill out a bit, look after myself, listen to what God (and my body!) is saying to me and prepare for the next couple of weeks - where I will be heading off to Germany before I know it! This leads me on to the final point:

3. Trying to find myself (without wanting to sound pretentious). In the battle between acting like an outgoing adventurer who doesn't care if she makes a few slip-ups and the slightly more reticent character who wants every sentence to be well-formulated in her head before it comes out of her mouth, I find that the line between the two is getting less and less distinguished. This is great, as it obviously means that things are starting to come more naturally to me, but it also presents me with the strange question: which one is me? I have come to the conclusion that I am therefore both and neither. Both, because both of these characters come from me, and it is I who have 'created' them, as such. Neither, because my true character lies somewhere in-between the two - somewhere between mad extrovert and striving perfectionist - and it is up to me to find out where. So, without wanting to turn schizo, I simply have to accept these different versions of me (of which there will be even more once I move to Germany, I'm sure!), take what I've learnt from each, and wait to see what comes next. Perhaps this is what is meant by Isaiah 64:8: 'We are the clay, and you are the potter.' - there is definitely something about being moulded by God's hands that rings true for me in this situation.

So there you go: my week in rather more than 100 words. I hope you found it interesting -  just a quick call for prayer for the next couple of weeks, in preparation for moving back to the UK and then on to Germany in a very short space of time. Also, just that I can really benefit from/bless others during my last two weeks here - it's been quite a journey so far, and long may it continue!

All Change!

So, after a week of walking the fine line between icy cold and over-friendly, I think I have managed to work it out: basically, you have to make it dead obvious if you like someone - if not, it's all fun and games! No worries there.

So, this week - everything is starting to change! The fact that I've been here already for a month (which makes me halfway through my placement here), added to the fact that my housemate went back home last weekend, and there are even more people leaving soon - it makes me realise that I really don't have long left here at all. What's more, I've been moved to a different club this week - instead of being with the Kids, I'm with the Juniors - bye bye littlies! It definitely doesn't do to get too comfortable here - before you know it, everything is different again. I suppose that's a lesson in life - never take things for granted. Things change!

On a different note, as my spoke French improves, people are starting to notice less and less that I'm a foreigner. Obviously, I still have an English accent, but either it's becoming less noticeable or people just care less! This gives me an interesting opportunity - I can either tell people that I'm British, or I can carry on without mentioning it, and stick with the French. However, I'm finding that, more often than not, I choose to tell people where I'm from - and I'm proud of it! Why not? We have the les J.O. (Olympics), London, the Queen, Adele (who they LOVE here!), Ed Sheeran, etc. etc. Vive l'Angleterre!

Taking on the Challenge

Ok, so it's day eleven and here I am, trying to think of a way to sum up the last seven days in one short paragraph. It's quite hard! I finished my last post with work, so I'll start there and see where I end up. Work here is great fun - every day there's something new, many excited children and a lot of dressing up (pirates, anyone?)! The great thing about children is that they don't care that you aren't French - they just go ahead and speak anyway. I've had many a child come up to me, jabbering excitedly about something or other, and as long as I nod and look interested, they seem to be happy. The difficulty comes when I have to give instructions - the accent is hard enough when you're speaking to one person, but a group of 30? Quite a challenge! But a challenge I can take. I am really enjoying this new stretching of my capabilities, and it's definitely never boring. I even had to translate from French to German for most of the days this week for a little German girl called Lily! In short, the work this week has been incredibly tiring but incredibly rewarding.

On to of that, there's the nightlife. I think I'm going to have to continue, as there's still a lot to be said - I hope you don't mind that this post is a bit longer than the previous two. As nearly everyone lives here at the holiday village, there is a lot of opportunity to meet people and make friends with the other 'animateurs' (and others). In addition, we are right near the beach, so there is a pretty good opportunity to go down to 'la plage', or even 'la crique' (WordReference tells me that this is a cove) to do a bit of socialising! The language is rather more difficult when it is dark/noisy/full of people, so I am quite often a silent bystander, but I'm getting there on the talking front - at least they tell me my accent is 'mignon' (cute) - a little patronising but positive all the same. I have also made friends with a Spanish girl called Lara, so quite often I end up spending the night talking in two or three different languages!

OK, I think that's enough for now. I'll tell you all about the people here, and the events that are put on, and perhaps that fact that I've signed up to be in a show (!) next week. That is, unless something else momentous happens that I don't know about yet. Oh, and we are going to have another resident in our little flat this afternoon (Marion), so I shall have to tell you all about her. Until then - farewell - au revoir!