Express By Holiday Inn Lille Centre

... else trying to find out if they're British as well (hey, that's me!), and look quite defensive when somebody else sits next to them (hey, that's me as well!). They then get out an English book and try to look very superior because they speak another language. (I do that sometimes.)<br>A lot of French people, particularly early in the morning, sit down and close their eyes and somehow magically wake up when it's their stop and run off the train. I don't know how they can do that ...

... and lovely and many people seem to use it as a place to go running, so I will be sure to go back with my trainers on!<br><br>When my parents had left there were only 3 other British girls left in my residence, so the following day we went to the cinema to see "Mademoiselle Chambon", a typical French love story with very little dialect (which made it easier to understand), and an unhappy ending. I enjoyed it!<br><br>This week I have also been to ...

... lesson, which was with a teacher that I still hadn't met. Fortunately she was very nice, and the students in her first class were interested and motivated.<br>The next class however was a different story, and frustrated and upset me a lot, perhaps it was due to it being their final class of the day (at 4.30pm), but the students were easily distracted and chatty, they were rude and they were not afraid of causing offence. One of them did get sent ...

... had a sketching guest teacher for the weekend who was an amazing sketcher/artist/architect. The first place we went was an old fortified palace up on a hilltop. It was mostly remains, but very beautiful in its own way. The next place we went was the village of Laon, a little bit more hoppin' then the last because there ere more than 2000 citizens. There was a very elaborate Notre Dame Cathedral here which we toured and sketched.<br>After we visited these two places ...

Last Friday we moved into our studio. To put it lightly we were a bit disappointed about the size, we hadn't expected a palace but we'd expected a bit of space to move around in! However, we had to keep reminding ourselves of how cheap the rent is and therefore how much extra money we will have to spend on other, more important, things!<br>As soon as we had arrived we went off to Ikea to buy essentials such as pots, pans, duvets, pillows and sheets and other decorations to help us to ...

... and offered to take us to Bruges!<br>Tomorrow we both start work, although we are supposed to have two weeks where we are simply observing classes before we begin teaching, so hopefully it won't be too challenging to begin with! That doesn't stop me from very nervous though!<br>I'm really looking forward to moving into our flat and making it our own, we are hopefully going to go to IKEA on Friday afternoon to get some bits and bobs that we might need so that we feel more at home.

... before and rising early to drive in to drop off the car in Antwerp then catch a train to Brussels to pick up the keys to our apartment. Which btw is better than the last one we were in!! It's a bit bigger and has a big balcony overlooking the city. I've taken some photos and will include them in the next travel blog update (either later tonight or tomorrow after we arrive in Canada).<br>

... s a Flemish dish that&#8217;s braised beef stewed in beer with ginger and brown sugar, often served with gingerbread. As soon as I heard that description, there was nothing else on my radar! Lille is set up around three main squares, and the nightlife and restaurants are all centered around these areas. A small group of us ended up at La Street, a very swanky and very French restaurant. Everyone in France eats really late, so the night was just getting started when ...

... the crowd. It was exciting that everything was written in French, a whole different culture, food and language. We saw a nice looking church, so we went inside to have a look (and to have a break from the cold weather). St Maurice was a typical gothic style church. After the church we went towards to centre of town. It was easy to find as we could see the huge ferris wheel. The area was set up like Santa's village. It was decided that it would be a good idea to go on the ferris ...

... a word of English, I have got myself the second dose of Rabies vaccine, and arranged to have Cholera and Japenese B Encephalitus tommorow. If there was an 'acid test', surely that would be it. I have bit of catching up to do, so make yourself comfortable. First, to clear up a potential source of confusion: I wrote that on Day 1 I followed the 'Garden of England' cycle route from Dartford to Chatham. Hang on, you may be forgiven for thinking, that sounds like a route ...