Changing a light bulb! 9 November

Monday morning and our time in Paris is becoming structured. I've got a course to finish writing and Virginia is going to school. We were up earlier than usual and went out and did our shopping. Monday is a day on which many things are closed. In Paris the weekend seems to stretch over three days, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, with some shops being open on each of the days so one can get the necessities - like fresh baguettes. Heaven forbid that you had yesterday's bread for anything other than dipping into your bowl of coffee for breakfast.

Flowers are very much a way of life in Paris where there are a great many florist shops. Potted plants or cut flowers are very reasonably priced and it is not at all unusual to see people walking along with great bunches of flowers. We bought some for the table in the flat where, as you can see, they look very nice indeed - especially when you consider they probably cost only six or seven Australian dollars (depending on the exchange rate).

After an early lunch I got well and truly stuck into preparation. It is quite amazing when you think about it. I have over 250 books with me; all but four or five are digitized copies available on the Internet. Virginia went off to her language school. She will take over from here.

As a trained adult educator going to school here is particularly interesting. I've been to school here before and was appalled at the methods used to teach adults. Surely the first thing a sensitive teacher must do is make the students feel comfortable. This did not happen at my last school so this time I have chosen to study at the Alliance Francaise and, guess what, exactly the same happens there. It appears to be the French way. This is a very professional organization with literally dozens of classes taking place simultaneously but when I arrived it was seriously difficult to find out where I had to go for my class and having accomplished that there was absolutely no welcome. Ten students sat awaiting the start of the class. The teacher arrived, checked everyone's carte d'etudiant and then said, "tournez a page 28 dans votre livre." That was it for introductions!

All of the other students in the class were one-third of my age and insisted on calling me “Madame” rather than by my given name. They were lovely and there is no lift at the AF where my class is on the third floor. At the "petite pause" or recess, they offered to bring me tea or coffee from the restaurant which is on the ground floor. Very sweet. I can't decide whether I was flattered or appalled. This compared with Bruce's experience this morning on the bus when a gentleman who certainly didn't look any older than Bruce insisted that he take the seat. It was particularly galling since it was a seat reserved for the aged and infirm. When Bruce got up to offer it to an elderly lady, she refused to take it. By then I sensed steam coming out of Bruce's ears. Anyway my class progressed for three hours with a ten minute pause which, I reckon, is quite intense teaching and learning.

Students in my class come from Australia (that's me), England, Brazil, Austria, Korea, Paraguay, China and America. Of course there is homework; and lots of it to do before tomorrow's class. So, on that note, I had better get to it! This is quite a terrifying experience to be in such a multi-cultural classroom where the only common language is a smattering of French. No foreign language is allowed from the front door of the AF - even in the toilets although you do hear people whispering in languages other than French.

Our final question for this blog. How many Frenchmen does it take to change a light bulb? Only one plus a driver and a lift operator when the light is on the side of a building about 5 meters above ground level!